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Phi [05/18/1997]

What is phi?

Pick's Theorem, Lattice Points, and Area [08/27/1998]

What is a lattice point, and how does it relate to the area of a triangle, rectangle, and a circle?

Point Symmetry [08/19/2001]

What exactly is point symmetry? How can one tell if point symmetry is present?

Polyhedra: Classification, Theorem [02/12/1998]

I would like to know how polyhedrons are classified, which figures can be used for the faces, and the theorem relating the faces, edges, and vertices.

Polyhedra: Solids or Surfaces? [06/06/2003]

Is a polyhedron always a solid figure?

Polynomial Basics and Terms [05/20/1998]

I'm having a lot of trouble understanding polynomials.

Polynomial Degrees and Definition of a Field [03/02/1998]

The degree of polynomials added together, and definition of a field.

Polyominoes [09/08/1997]

I am using polyominos, but I do not know how to tell my dad what they are. How can I tell him so he will know?

Power or Exponent? [10/14/2003]

I always thought that 'power' was just a synonym for 'exponent'. Is that incorrect?

Principal Square Root Positive [10/24/2002]

Why are we always taught that the principal square root of a number is positive?

Product Notation [10/26/2000]

Can the pi symbol also be used to mean multiplying all the terms in a series together?

Profit Margin and Percentage Markup [02/16/2007]

I own a small business and am a little confused about the difference between a percentage markup and a profit margin. Are they the same thing? If not, how are they different?

Pronumerals [05/14/2002]

What is a 'pronumeral'?

Proofs with Isosceles Triangles [10/28/1998]

What are altitudes, angle bisectors, and medians? How do you prove that in an isoseles triangle, the altitude is a median and an angle bisector?

Proportionality Symbol [05/20/2003]

Do you know the name of the little symbol used in the topic of rates and variation that means 'in proportion to'?

Pyramids and Triangular Prisms [05/09/2000]

What's the difference between a pyramid and a triangular prism?

Quadrant [03/25/2001]

What is a quadrant?

Quadratic Equation [7/10/1996]

Why is a quadratic equation "quadratic"?

Quadratic Equations [12/3/1995]

My students want to know why an equation of the second degree is referred to as a quadratic equation. What does the prefix quad have to do with second degree equations?

Quadrilateral Classification: Definition of a Trapezoid [01/15/1997]

What is the correct definition of a trapezoid, and why?

Quadrinomials [02/26/2001]

What is a quadrinomial, and how is it used?

Raised Cosines [01/28/2001]

What are raised cosines, and how do they work?

Range - Difference or Difference + 1? [08/05/2003]

Is range the same as 'difference' or not?

Range, Mean, Median, and Mode [11/17/1998]

Why do we study range, mean, median, and mode? How will these concepts help me in real life?

Rate of Change of Distance [05/02/2002]

Speed is defined as the rate of change of distance moved with time. What is meant by 'rate of change of distance'?

Recognizing a Function From a Graph [09/03/2003]

How do you know whether a graph represents a function?

Rectangular Hyperbola [06/11/2002]

The graph of a rectangular hyperbola looks nothing like a rectangle. Where does the name come from?

Reflex Angle [11/30/1998]

What is a reflex angle?

Regression Method [11/18/1997]

What is the regression method?

Regular vs. Equilateral Polygons [07/24/2003]

What is the difference between a regular polygon and an equilateral polygon?

Relative and Absolute Extrema of a Function [01/07/2004]

What is the difference between the absolute extrema and the relative extrema in calculus?

Relatively Prime [10/07/1999]

What does the term relatively prime mean, and how can you determine if two numbers are relative primes?

Rhombus and Square Comparison [01/14/2004]

Comparison of the definitions of rhombus and square as a way to answer the questions, 'Is a square a rhombus?' and 'Is a rhombus a square?'.

Rhombus vs. Rhomboid [08/27/2002]

What is the difference between a rhombus and a rhomboid?

Roughing It More Rigorously [12/02/2010]

A physics student wants to make sense of the various symbols used to represent "approximately equal to" -- as well as the phrase's mathematical meaning. Doctor Vogler produces two precise definitions while acknowledging that context, and personal preference, rule the day.

Scientific Notation and Engineering Notation [10/22/2003]

What is the difference between Scientific Notation and Engineering Notation?

The Second Octant [04/03/2002]

Where is the second octant? No one seems to know how to count the next octants after the first.

Set, Subset, Element [3/10/1997]

Please define: set, subset, member, element, intersection, union.

Significant Non-Zero Digits [11/27/2001]

How many significant digits are there in a number with no non-zero digits? Example: 00.000 Are there any?

The Simplex Method [11/2/1996]

How does the simplex method work and what would I use it for?

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