Mathster Talks Math

Pythagoras is undoubtedly one of the most famous philosopher/mathematician. Pythagoras is infamous for the eponymous Pythagorean Theorem. In fact, anthropologists have found that the theorem was found before by other cultures - Babylonians, Egyptians, and the Indians. The theorem states that the square of the hypotenuse in a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. Mathematically, the theorem can be expressed as: If we conflated both the Pythagoras’s theorem and coordinates, we could find the distance between two points. . '. The distance AB = 3 which is the difference between the x-values of A and B. Similarly, BC = 4 which is the difference between the y-values of B and C. What would happen if the coordinates did not have value, but rather were written in terms of x and y? Would you be available to find the distance of the hypotenuse? Let’s explore: If the coordinates of point A were changed to (x 1 , y 1 ) and point B to (x 2 , y 2 ), then...

Lexile Level 1410-1600 I reckon that some of you reading this blog may have encountered these words, but, as an avid English Language Learner and a math teacher, I am behooved to instill this knowledge among my students.  You may choose to append your English vernacular by using these words in your quotidian conversations or keep them reserved for more erudite settings. Whatever the case, I am certain that these grandiloquent and magniloquent words will impress your peers. All the definitions are taken from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Pine Cones, Intersecting Lines, and Inequality Lexile Level: 810-1000 Fall is finally here! Or, is it?  This may sound trite, but, fall brings cool nights. I cherish being ensconced and sibilated by the serene and mellifluous sounds of rain falling on the roof. The rhythmic pattering of the rain, followed by the pleasant, odiferous petrichor titillates the olfactory senses. It is an Elysian moment, to be precise. Sadly, the experience is ephemeral, and we experience another warm day with 80 degrees.  Anyway, let’s stop the carping, enjoy the weather, and get to work! The only immutable thing from Summer to Fall, is the arrival of the Pine Cone. You may wonder what is with the Pine Cone? But, take a moment to check this out!! What do you see? Okay don’t worry, I placed them this way.  In Geometry class, you learned that two intersecting lines form an angle.  What mathematical/geometrical ideas are visible in this image? Write as many as you can see! What is the name o...

TRAFFIC SIGNS OR GEOMETRIC SHAPES? (Part 1) [Lexile level 810-1000] This blew my mind!! After a busy day at work, I started my journey home. Once I was in my car, I turned on the Sinatra channel on Sirius XM. The mellifluous sounds of the music got me in the groove, and the music embellished my driving experience. This was it! Such an Elysian moment. I took this flawless moment to admire the breathtaking views of Lake Placid - a bucolic and idyllic town in upstate New York.   On the contrary, my experience was ephemeral. The reason - this traffic sign. You might be wondering what happened. Earlier this morning, I was explicating the geometrical concept of Lines in Geometry class. And now I encounter this traffic sign! Just to help you understand better, let’s look at this website Math Is Fun.  This may help you understand the definition of a Line.  The Line      Is straight      Has no thickness     Extends indefinitely in both dire...

 HOW COFFEE TAUGHT ME HOW TO MULTIPLY AND DIVIDE BY 4!! Every country has a favorite drink! In Pakistan, the drink of choice was Chai. In the United States, people love their coffee. As a newbie in the country, I was introduced to two interesting terms that were synonymous with coffee. The servers at Tim Hortons taught me the term Double Double . Double Double became a frequent part of my vernacular since I enjoy my coffee with cream such that it has a blonde tinge and 2 spoons of sugar.                                                                                                     Tim Hortons You may wonder, how does Double Double help in multiplying or dividing with 4. Let me exp...

This sounds scary, right? Drummers inadvertently use the Geometric sequence to play the infamous 4/4 drum groove. I am sure you heard this groove in many songs. Geometric Sequences are sequences of number where each number after the 1st term is multiplied or divided by a constant term called the common ratio. For example, if we have the following set of numbers 1, 3, 9, 27, etc., we notice that each term is multiplied by 3 (the common ratio). The image displays the sequence. It is evident that a music aficionado would be interested in the musical notes. To validate the relationship between geometric sequences and rhythmic notes, I will use the American equivalent names of the notes. The notes are shown below: Do you notice a pattern in these words: Whole, Half, Quarter, Eighth, Sixteenth, Thirty-second note? Can you determine the pattern? Hint: The name of the notes may help. Presenting the Geometric Sequence of Drumming using the notes mentioned ...