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Middle School Archive

Browse Middle School Definitions

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Degrees and Radians, Explained [03/19/2002]

How do you find the degree measure for an angle from pi/60 rad?

Degrees in a Sphere? Steradians [09/27/2001]

If one can say that a circle contains 360 degrees, how many degrees can one say are in a sphere?

The Degree Symbol [11/02/1998]

Do you know what the degree symbol stands for? What is its history?

De Longchamp's Point [09/21/2000]

What is De Longchamp's point, and how is it used?

Difference Between Math and Arithmetic [11/06/2001]

My students haven't heard the word arithmetic. No one seems to be able to tell the difference, if there is one, between arithmetic and mathematics. Is there a difference, and what is it?

Difference between Oval and Ellipse [10/18/2001]

What is the difference between an oval and an ellipse? Am I right if I say that "all ellipses are ovals, but all ovals cannot be ellipses"?

Difference between Percent and Percentage [04/26/2008]

Is there any difference between percent and percentage?

Dimensions [08/30/2001]

What are 1-dimensional, 2-dimensional, and 3-dimensional? What's the difference?

Division Symbols [10/23/1998]

What is the name of the symbol used in long division problems? What about other division symbols?

Do Circles Have Corners? [08/06/1999]

Can you have angles or corners without edges?

Does 2k4 Mean 2004 or 2400? [01/10/2004]

On internet communities it is common to reduce figures using 'k' as a shortcut; for example 2k is used instead of 2000. I was under the impression that a number after the k (such as 2k4) meant 2400, and that to get 2004 in this system you'd need to write 2k004. But I've also seen 2k4 used for 2004. Which is correct? Does 2k4 mean 2004 or 2400?

Does a Cone have an Edge? A Vertex? [03/12/2002]

Our 4th grade math textbook defines a cone as "A solid figure with one circular face and one vertex." This sounds reasonable until you read the textbook's definitions for face, edge, and vertex.

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

How many sides does a sphere have?

Domain and Range of Functions [03/20/2003]

I am learning in school about the domain and range of functions. Why are they called domain and range? And where did they come from?

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 Rectangle [01/28/2001]

What is the formula for an equable rectangle if I have one side of the rectangle?

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?

Etymologies of Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry [10/22/2001]

What are the origins and roots of the words geometry, algebra, and trigonometry?

Etymology of 'Logarithm' [03/19/1999]

How does the term 'logarithm' relate to the terms 'exponent' and 'knots', and to nautical logbooks?

Etymology of the Word Hypotenuse [01/26/2003]

Why is the hypotenuse called 'hypotenuse'?

Etymology of the Word Mathematics [12/10/2001]

Why do you call maths maths?

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?

Euler Line [06/08/1998]

What is the Euler line?

Examples and Explanations of Basic Properties of Equality [07/31/2004]

Can you explain the substitution, symmetric, and transitive properties of equality in simpler terms?

Explaining Independent and Dependent Variables [10/25/2002]

Can you elaborate on the definitions of independent and dependent variables?

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.

Expression vs. Equation [03/20/2003]

What is the difference between an expression and an equation?

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.

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?

The Fourth Dimension [8/24/1995]

What is the fourth dimension mathematically?

Fraction Multiplication [7/22/1996]

The meaning of the dot between two fractions.

Golden Triangle: An Isosceles Triangle [01/23/2001]

What is the Golden Triangle?

Golden Triangle: What is It? [09/19/1999]

What is a Golden Triangle?

Grad as a Measure of an Angle [03/20/2002]

I would like to know about the origins, use in the past, and whether (and how) the grad is used now.

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