Ask Dr. Math

High School Archive

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Selected answers to common questions:
    Art and mathematics.
    Law and mathematics.
    Medicine and mathematics.
    Music and mathematics.
    Poetry and mathematics.
    What is mathematics?
    Was math invented or discovered?

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Mathematics, Logic, and Intuition [05/27/2003]

How is math related to logic and intuition?

Math for a Future in the Sciences [02/08/2001]

I want to be able to understand as much math as possible and keep this information with me for the rest of my life, but once I learn something, I forget it quickly...

Math in Dance [09/30/2001]

Can you explain possible ways that math and dance could be related?

Math in Electrical Engineering [05/01/2003]

What math is involved in electrical engineering?

Math in Everyday Life [09/22/2000]

I need to write a story about all the ways in which math relates to everyday life over the course of one day. Could you help me with some examples?

Math in Everyday Life [10/17/2002]

How do you use math in your everyday life?

Math in the Real World [2/19/1996]

I would like to know some examples of mathematical applications in the real world.

Math Invented or Discovered? [10/26/1999]

Did man create all math? If man created math, then all math can be manipulated, and it is whatever we want it to be, right?

Math is Power? [03/13/2003]

What do people mean when they say that 'math is power'?

Math Symbols [04/07/1997]

What do the common math symbols (backward E, upside-down A, etc.) mean?

Math Used Every Day [11/20/2001]

What type of math do I use every day?

Meaning of the Phrase: Divide by Zero. [01/02/1998]

I want to use 'divide by zero' to indicate a physically impossible task. What does the phrase actually mean?

Meanings of Math Symbols [06/19/1997]

In math notation, what do the vertical bar, the colon, and the solid black square (at the end of a proof) mean?

Mod Function and Negative Numbers [04/28/2000]

What is the correct value for the function MOD(-340,60)? Microsoft Excel returns the value 20, while Lotus 1-2-3 returns the value -40. Can you explain the difference?

More on Order of Operations [02/13/2000]

I have found contradictory information on the precedence of the multiplication and division operations. Is there a universally accepted rule for the order of these operations?

Multiple Solutions [02/08/2002]

Why is there more than one way of doing one type of math problem?

The New Math [07/05/2000]

What is the "New Math?"

Non-terminating Decimal Representations of Fractions [11/10/1997]

Why when you take a finite, limited quantity like one-third and turn it into a decimal do you get .333... on into infinity?

The Orphaned Brace [03/04/2010]

Why do mathematicians format systems of equations with a single, unpaired brace?

Perfect Numbers [11/10/1997]

Do the sums of the digits of perfect numbers always equal 1?

Philosophy of the Truths of Mathematics [02/28/2001]

Do the truths of math hold in any conceivable world?

Point and Line [04/07/2001]

How does something without dimension create something with dimension?

Possible Proof That 1 + 1 Does Not Equal 2 [04/19/2001]

I just want verification... would this proof work?

Precedence of Unary Operators [09/01/99]

The PEMDAS rule for order of operations ignores unary operators. Can you explain the proper precedence for them, and give an example showing how not knowing the rule can cause an incorrect result?

Preparing for a Math Olympiad [12/25/2000]

I want to be a candidate for the International Math Olympiad, and so I have to push way past the subjects covered in class. Do you have any ideas on how I could efficiently "reach the top?"

Project Ideas [06/30/2002]

Can you suggest any science projects involving math and the stock market?

Proofs and Reasons [06/18/2002]

What's the difference between a 'proof' and a 'reason'?

Quadratic Formula: Solve for b [08/15/2001]

How do you solve for b in the quadratic formula?

Questions About Math [07/31/1999]

Why was the Cartesian plane invented? Were the more abstract branches of math developed just for fun? What is chaos theory? Why isn't Einstein's equation e = mc^3?

Real Life Uses of Quadratic Equations [06/13/2002]

When would you solve a quadratic equation in real life?

Reducing Math Anxiety [08/26/2005]

What are some ways that a teacher can help students avoid or lessen math anxiety?

Representing a Number [10/29/2001]

How can you represent the number three without using any letters or variables or the digits 1 through 9?

Reverse Polish Notation [1/22/1996]

Who invented PostFix notation, i.e. Reverse Polish Notation? Why is it called Reverse Polish Notation?

Rhumb Lines and Great Circle Routes [09/24/1998]

Can you explain great circles and rhumb lines and how they relate to shortest distances in geometry?

Science or Art? [05/29/2001]

Is math a science or an art?

The Second Millennium [11/29/1999]

Does the second millennium begin with the year 2000 or the year 2001? How does this relate to the math of counting numbers and subtraction?

Slide Rules [03/13/1999]

Can you help me learn how to use a slide rule?

Solvable and Unsolvable Equations [01/18/2004]

A discussion of how mathematicians look at an equation and decide if it appears to be solvable or not, including defining what is meant by 'solvable'.

Spherical vs. Plane Geometry [05/30/1997]

How is spherical geometry different from plane geometry?

Submitting a Mathematical Theorem for Publishing [11/30/2004]

Where and how can I submit a mathematical theorem or idea so that I can get credit for it?

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