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Middle School Archive

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Pentagram [12/08/2001]

Is a five-pointed star on a flag a decagon? Or just five triangles?

Percent Greater Than vs. Increased [11/22/2002]

Is there a difference between the following statements? My profits are 200% greater than they were last year; My profits from last year have increased 200%.

Percent Increase and "Increase by a Factor of ..." [08/01/2006]

If we start with 1 apple today and tomorrow have 2 apples, then we have a 100 percent increase. But can't I also say there was an increase by a factor of 2?

Perfect Numbers [08/14/1997]

What is the highest perfect number that has been found? How many perfect numbers are there? What are they?

Perfect Square: Definition [10/24/1999]

What is a perfect square?

Perimeter of an Oval [04/08/1999]

What is the perimeter of an oval called?

pH Definition [10/20/2001]

What is the 'p' in pH?

Phi [05/18/1997]

What is phi?

Point Symmetry [08/19/2001]

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

Polygon Names [09/18/2001]

Why is a 3-sided polygon called a triangle instead of a tri-gon? Why is a 4-sided polygon called a quadrilateral instead of a tetragon, when all the others are ___-gons? Why is there not a single consistent term?

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.

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?

Polyominos [08/11/1999]

What is the definition of a polyomino?

The Pound Sign [04/06/2001]

Can the # symbol be used to represent the weight unit 'pounds'?

Power or Exponent? [10/14/2003]

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

Prime Numbers [01/31/1997]

What are the prime numbers and why are they prime numbers?

Prime Numbers vs. Prime Factors [01/13/1997]

What is the difference between a prime number and a prime factor?

Principal Square Root Positive [10/24/2002]

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

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'?

Pronunciation of Fractions [03/28/1997]

How do you pronounce fractions with 32, 42... in the denominator...?

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'?

Pyramid Corners [05/01/2001]

How many corners does a pyramid have? Is a corner the same thing as a vertex?

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?

Quadrilaterals [8/31/1995]

What is 4-sided and has no equal angles?

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?

Ray, Line Segment, Line [08/23/1997]

I need to know definitions for ray, line segment, and line.

Rays and Angles [11/24/1997]

Do rays have an arrow on both ends, or is that an angle?

Reciprocals [12/19/1996]

What is the use of reciprocals?

Rectangular Prism [9/10/1995]

What is the term for a 3-dimensional rectangle, i.e., box?

Reflecting a Triangle [9/14/1996]

A right triangle is reflected about its hypotenuse. What is the new geometric figure that is formed?

Reflex Angle [11/30/1998]

What is a reflex angle?

Regression Method [11/18/1997]

What is the regression method?

Regular Decagon [03/25/2002]

Can you show me a picture of a regular decagon?

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

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

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