Faced with\u00a0the task of teaching your kids the geometry you learned in school, but no longer remember? Panicking because you can't remember a simple phone number anymore, let alone mathematical theories? Fell asleep during your Zoom math class? You're not alone.<\/p>\n
COVID-19 has everyone hunkered down at home, and \"school teacher\" has\u00a0been added to our parental responsibilities. We've all been scrambling to remember the math lessons\u00a0we learned long ago, worried that the methods we were taught in school won't\u00a0translate into\u00a0today's new math standards.\u00a0Fortunately, some things remain the same, including elements of basic geometry.<\/p>\n
If you need to determine whether or not a\u00a0plane figure<\/strong>\u00a0is\u00a0regular<\/strong>, here is your refresher course.<\/p>\n First of all, let's break down the terminology. Once you understand the terms, answering the question won't be so hard.<\/p>\n Now that you know\u00a0the terms, it doesn't feel quite so challenging, does it? Don't worry. It doesn't get harder!<\/p>\n How do you determine if a plane figure is regular? It's simple. Take your ruler and protractor and measure all of the sides and all of the interior angles. If all of the sides are the same, and all of the interior angles are the same, it's regular!<\/p>\n Let's practice. Determining if a plane figure is regular can be done with any object. Grab some everyday objects from around your house.<\/p>\n Top & Bottom: 2.5 inches<\/p>\n Sides: 4 inches<\/p>\n Determination:\u00a0Not Regular<\/em>.<\/p>\n You don't even have to check the interior angles, because the sides are not all the same length.<\/p>\n Sides: 13 inches each<\/p>\n Interior Angles: 90 degrees each<\/p>\n Determination:\u00a0Regular<\/em>.<\/p>\n Each side is the same length: 13 inches. All four of the interior angles are 90 degrees.<\/p>\n Left side: 2 inches<\/p>\n Right Side: 2.5 inches<\/p>\n Bottom: 3.5 inches<\/p>\n Determination:\u00a0Not Regular<\/em>.<\/p>\n Again, you don't even have to check the interior angles, because the sides are not the same length. Sadly, when I ate my chip, I also determined it was stale.<\/p>\n Sides: Because a dinner plate is a circle, it only has one side. You do not have to measure it in this case.<\/p>\n Angles: Again, being a circle, it only has one angle. Circles share a universal angle: 360 degrees.<\/p>\n Determination:\u00a0Regular<\/em>.<\/p>\n Technically a circle only has one \"side\" and one interior angle. It qualifies as a regular plane figure.<\/p>\n Bottom line:\u00a0don't be intimidated. You can do this. We use geometry every day without even realizing it. Most of the time, you can just look at a shape and tell if it's regular or not. Regular plane figures are symmetrical. Your brain recognizes regular plane figures immediately based on that symmetry. It even finds it\u00a0soothing<\/a>.<\/p>\n Grab a ruler and a protractor, a random object around the house, and grab your kid. It's time for some geometry! Show them you're a boss when it comes to determining whether or not a plane figure is regular.<\/p>\nDefinitions<\/h2>\n
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Regular or Not?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Examples:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Cell Phone Screen:<\/h4>\n
Pizza Box:<\/h4>\n
Tortilla Chip:<\/h4>\n
Dinner Plate:<\/h4>\n
You Can Do This<\/strong><\/h2>\n