Ask Dr. Math

Elementary School Archive

Browse Elementary School Definitions
Stars indicate particularly interesting answers or good places to begin browsing.

Selected answers to common questions:
    Meters squared or square meters?
    Greater than, less than symbols.

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Does a Sphere have Sides? [04/20/2001]

How many sides does a sphere have?

Do Fractions Have to be Equal? [05/09/2003]

A textbook defines fractions as 'one or more of the equal parts of a whole.' Is this true? Do the parts of the whole have to be equal?

Edges vs. Corners [04/18/2002]

My students get confused on how to determine an edge versus a corner, and counting the number of edges on a geometric figure, say a cube.

Equable Shapes [04/26/2001]

Is there a rule for how to get equable shapes, that is, shapes with the same area and perimeter?

Equals Sign with a Dot or a ~ Over It [01/25/2001]

What does an equals sign with a dot (.) over it mean?

Equilateral, Isosceles, Scalene - Word Origins [12/09/2001]

I need to find out about the origins of the scalene, isoceles, and equilateral triangles. How they were named?

Etymology of the Word 'Quotient' [11/25/2002]

What is the origin of the word 'quotient'?

Etymology of the Word Rectangle [02/07/2003]

Where does the word 'rectangle' come from?

Etymology of the Word Rhombus [01/30/2003]

Where does the word rhombus come from?

Explorations of the Circle [02/09/1999]

What is the definition of a circle? How does it relate to pi? What are the important parts of a circle?

Exploring Estimation [08/29/2003]

If a rare truffle is $13.20 for 0.44 oz, estimate the cost of a whole pound.

Factorials [2/3/1996]

What does 3! mean?

Factors and Multiples [01/27/1998]

My son is in 4th grade and needs help naming a common multiple of a pair of numbers.

Feet per Mile [12/08/1998]

What is the history behind the fact that there are 5,280 feet in a mile?

Finite Numbers [05/13/2003]

What are finite numbers?

Flips, Reflections, Rotation, and Quadrants [11/10/1998]

These terms are being used to describe the movement of shapes. What do they really stand for?

Greater Than and Less Than Symbols [05/30/2000]

What does it mean when a greater than or less than symbol appears before a number, with nothing to the left of the symbol?

Histogram [04/16/2001]

What is a histogram? What makes a histogram good?

History of the Word [08/21/2006]

Why is a ruler called a ruler?

'Honest' Numbers [11/11/2002]

My teacher asked the class: What is the only 'honest' number?

Interpreting the Difference Between Two Numbers [09/22/2006]

If a question asks "What is the difference between 15 and 12" or "What is the difference between 12 and 15," would your responses be +3 and -3 respectively? Or would they both be +3?

Intersection of Circles [10/08/1998]

I do not understand the term intersection in geometry.

Is a Square a Rectangle? [06/04/1997]

Are squares rectangles? What is a pentagon?

Is a Square a Rhombus? [8/30/1996]

I've come across different definitions of a "rhombus" that make it unclear whether a square is a rhombus.

Is Kite the True Name? [03/29/2002]

Is kite the true math name for this shape, or is there another?

Least Common Multiple with Zero [03/26/2003]

I'm trying to find any reference about the least common multiple of two numbers when one (or both) is zero.

Left Angles [06/01/1999]

What is a left angle?

Leg of a Triangle [04/02/2002]

I need to know where the name "leg" of a triangle comes from, or what its origin is.

Length or Width? [12/02/2003]

Can you please explain the difference between height, length, width and depth? Is it always the same for each thing?

Linear Foot [7/1/1996]

How much is a linear foot?

Line Segments and the Origins of Geometry [6/7/1995]

How can segments be lines? Why is geometry called geometry?

Line under Greater or Less Than Symbol [01/26/2001]

What does it mean when there is a line under the greater or less than symbol?

Measuring by Degrees [06/16/2002]

Why is it that angles and temperature are both measured in degrees?

Meters Squared vs. Square Meters [11/18/2001]

Is 12 m^2 better read as 12 square meters or 12 meters squared?

Miles Squared vs. Square Miles [07/09/1999]

What is the difference between 10 square miles and 10 miles square?

Mnemonic for Less Than and Greater Than [08/11/1999]

What was the old adage for telling how to read the less than and greater than symbols correctly?

Moving the Decimal Point [12/04/2002]

When you divide two decimals, what is it called when you move the decimal point?

Multiplier, Sum, Difference, Product, Quotient, Dividend [11/25/1997]

What is a multiplier? an addend? a minuend? a product? Why is the number that is being divided the "dividend"?

Name of Bar That Denotes a Repeating Decimal [08/30/2004]

What is the name of the bar that goes over a digit or group of digits that signifies that the digit or group repeats?

Name of Division Symbol [7/31/1996]

What is the official name for the division symbol?

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