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Ways to Remember the Meaning of Circumference, Radius, Diameter, and Chord [03/18/2004]

If the minute hand touched the edge of the clock, would it be most like a diameter, radius, circumference, or chord of a circle? I have a hard time remembering what each of those means.

What are Flops? [02/25/2001]

What are flops, as relating to computers?

What Are Proofs? [08/12/1997]

I am homeschooling and do not understand proofs. Can you help me out?

What Does a Twofold Increase Mean? [01/23/2004]

Is a twofold increase simply twice the amount? What about a threefold increase? I'm not used to this terminology of using 'fold.' Does it refer to powers or multiples?

What Does Average Mean? [12/05/2001]

Can someone explain what average is? For example what is the average rainfall in New York? I understand the formula needed to find the average, but what is the meaning of average?

What Does a Vertical Bar Mean? [01/29/2001]

I want to know what the symbol | means, for example |2+3|.

What Does EE Stand For? [01/14/2003]

What does the EE stand for on a scientific calculator?

What Does "Mean" Mean? [4/14/1995]

Can the terms average and mean be used interchangeably?

What Does 'n' Mean? [09/25/2001]

In a pair of numbers, if n is the first number, what is the second?

What Do Input and Output Mean in Math? [04/09/2007]

What is the relationship between the input and output on a table? I'm not quite sure what an input or output is.

What Is a Coefficient? [01/29/2004]

What is a coefficient?

What is a Cubit? [03/31/2002]

The Bible says that Moses was 9 cubits tall and Pharaoh was 1 cubit tall. What is that in today's inches or feet?

What is a Cuboctahedron? [01/02/2001]

What is a cuboctahedron?

What is a Median? [03/03/1998]

A definition of median, and four examples of calculating medians.

What is an Algorithm? [08/08/1997]

I have been reading up on computers and microprocessors. The word algorithm keeps coming up. Can you give me any hints about this?

What is an N-gon? [06/01/1998]

Can you explain the statement: "In an N-gon, n-3 diagonals can be drawn from one vertex"?

What is a Pace? [02/28/2002]

What is the difference between a "pace" and the standard unit of measurement?

What is a Parenthesis? [07/17/2000]

What does the mathematical term "parenthesis" mean?

What is a point? [8/26/1996]

Define a point, please.

What is a Set? [04/04/1997]

What is the correct term to refer to groups of objects like 3 cars, 7 pencils, or 5 apples?

What is a Sign? [04/21/2003]

Can you do anything in math without signs?

What is a Significant Digit? [12/25/2001]

I came across a question asking for an answer with no more than "2 significant digits" - can you please explain what a significant digit is?

What is a slide rule? [07/27/1997]

What does a slide rule do and how does it work?

What is a Stone? [11/11/2001]

Can you tell me what a stone in English measurement is equal to in pounds?

What is a tessellation? [01/20/1997]

Can you give an example?

What Is a Theorem and Why Are They Important? [08/15/1997]

I don't understand how theorems help us learn.

What is a Torus? [11/30/1999]

Is there a good way to describe a torus to a child?

What is a Vertex? [12/06/2001]

And what does vertices mean?

What is Circumference? [06/25/2001]

My friend told me it's somewhat like the measurement of the outside of a circle, but I don't understand that.

What is Denary? [06/07/1999]

Could you please give me two examples of denary?

What is Dimensional Analysis? [11/26/2001]

What is dimensional analysis and how does it work?

What is Length in a Rectangle? [05/31/1999]

Is the length of a rectangle the longest side, whether vertical or horizontal?

What is Math? [10/04/1997]

Is math a science, an art, or some other anomaly?

What is "Relatively Prime"? [8/3/1996]

What does it mean when something is relatively prime?

What is the Difference between a Metric and a Standard Ton? [3/28/1995]

A student has a question about units of weight.

What Skew Lines Are and Aren't [01/14/2004]

A description of skew lines including diagrams and definitions.

When is the expression Q.E.D. used? [02/15/1999]

More on Q.E.D.

Who Invented the Square Root? [12/11/1996]

I've only seen long, stringy roots!

Whole Numbers and Multiples [09/11/2001]

My students and I have been trying to figure out what numbers are in the set of "Whole Numbers." Is zero a whole number?

Why Cubed? [11/27/2001]

Why do we use "cubed" for the volume of a figure?

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