Ask Dr. Math

Middle School Archive

Browse Middle School About Math
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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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Why Math? [3/25/1996]

Why do you like math so much?

The Why of Algebra [11/13/1998]

What is algebra for? Why do you need the letters and variables?

Why Proofs? Definitions and Axioms [09/16/2001]

Why are proofs important in the development of a mathematical system like geometry?

Why Rules? [08/15/2001]

Why do we need to have rules for order of operations?

Why Use h and k for the Center of a Circle? [05/09/2000]

Why are k and h used in the equation (x-h)^2 + (y-k)^2 = 0 for a circle with center (h,k)? Why not j and f, etc.?

Why Use Letters in Math? [12/01/1999]

Why do we need to use letters in math?

Why Use X and Y for Variables? [10/23/2002]

Why do we use x and y for variables in an equation?

Why was Math Invented? [2/26/1996]

Why was math invented? What about geometry?

Writing Checks [07/31/2002]

When writing a check, how do you indicate the number of cents in the part where you write out the amount using words?

Years That Start on Sunday [10/02/2000]

What is the probability that a randomly chosen year will start on a Sunday?

Zero Before the Decimal Point? [10/06/2000]

What is the merit of writing the zero before the decimal point in numbers less than one, for example 0.25?

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