Real Life Math Everyday Use of Mathematical Concepts

Real-Life Math
Real-Life Math
everyday use of
mathematical concepts
▲ ▼ ▲
EVAN M. GLAZER and JOHN W. McCONNELL
An Oryx Book
GREENWOOD PRESS
Westport, Connecticut • London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Glazer, Evan, 1971– .
Real-life math : everyday use of mathematical concepts / Evan M. Glazer and
John W. McConnell.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-313-31998-7 (alk. paper)
1. Mathematics—Popular works. I. McConnell, John W. II. Title.
QA93 .G45 2002
510—dc21 2001058635
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available.
Copyright © 2002 by Evan M. Glazer and John W. McConnell
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be
reproduced, by any process or technique, without the
express written consent of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2001058635
ISBN: 0-313-31998-7
First published in 2002
Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
www.greenwood.com
Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this book complies with the

Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National
Information Standards Organization (Z39.48-1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
DEDICATED TO
the mathematics teachers at Glenbrook South High School

who were fearless in adapting real-world applications
to their lessons, and who generously shared
their best teaching ideas with us
Contents
▲ ▼ ▲
Introduction, ix
MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS
Angle, 1
Asymptote, 7
Cartesian Coordinates, 10
Circles, 12
Circumference, 16
Complex Numbers, 16
Conic Sections, 18
Counting, 21
Derivative, 23
Equations, 23
Expected Value, 26
Exponential Decay, 28
Exponential Growth, 30
Fibonacci Sequence, 35
Imaginary Numbers, 37
Integration, 37
Inverse (Multiplicative), 43
Inverse Function, 45
Inverse Square Function, 47
viii CONTENTS
Linear Functions, 49
Logarithms, 55
Logistic Functions, 58
Matrices, 61
Perimeter, 64
Periodic Functions, 67
Plane, 70
Polar Coordinates, 72
Polynomial Functions, 75
Probability, 77
Proportions, 82
Pythagorean Theorem, 87
Quadratic Functions, 89
Quadrilaterals, 93
Rates, 96
Ratio, 102
Reflections, 107
Rotations, 111
Sequences, 114
Series, 117
Similarity, 121
Slope, 124
Square Roots, 124
Standard Deviation, 127
Step Functions, 130
Surface Area, 133
Symbolic Logic, 136
Symmetry, 138
Tangent, 141
Translations, 144
Triangle Trigonometry, 146
Variation, 150
Vectors, 154
Volume, 159
Bibliography, 163
Introduction
▲ ▼ ▲
“When are we ever going to use this?”
This plaintive question from frustrated mathematics students is heard in schools

around our country as they wrestle with pages of abstract mathematics and learn
algorithms that appear to go nowhere. They study real numbers, but don’t find
any reason to believe that they are real. Thousands of American students still
work from textbooks that limit applications to age problems and mixtures of
nuts. Despite the call from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in
the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (2000) for meaningful
learning through study of realistic applications, many students will find that the
only modernization of content over their grandparents’ math books is that jet
planes have replaced the trains that used to travel at different rates between cities.
The twentieth century saw an explosion of applications of mathematics. It is
now hard to find a field of study that does not use mathematical tools. Biologists
use differential equations. Chemists use solid geometry to describe molecules.
Set designers in theaters use trigonometry to determine the best lighting for a
play. Historians determine authorship of obscure documents through statistical
analysis of words. Governments, international corporations, and individual in-
vestors use mathematical rules to determine production, employment, and prices.
Everybody uses computers. Unfortunately, even good students don’t know how
mathematics affects their lives. Few understand the power of compound interest.
Few realize that the compound interest embedded in credit cards can bring adults
to bankruptcy. Few know the mathematical implications of public policies that
will affect their lives. Even fewer know how to make best decisions based on the
probabilities of risk rather than blind gambles.
The secondary-school mathematics curriculum is faced with multiple chal-
lenges. What should students know and be able to do? Proficiency in some algo-
rithms is important. Abstraction in mathematics—stripping concepts of all but
x INTRODUCTION
their bare structures—is a feature that makes mathematics a powerful intellectual

tool. But these are not sufficient. Much of the mathematics taught in grades 7 to
12 is there because it is important outside the math classroom. Foundation appli-
cations, like paths of projectiles, should not be stripped away, but rather should
be used to motivate the arithmetic, algebraic, or geometric concepts. Further, stu-
dents should have an opportunity to see a broad expanse of math applications so
they can find links between their interests and aspirations and their mathematics
coursework.
This book is an effort to promote real-world connections as they are applied
in people’s daily lives and careers. It is an account of the mathematical applica-
tions that we have learned and shared with people in our teaching careers. We
hope this reference guide helps you enjoy and appreciate the use and application
of mathematics in our culture and environment. We hope you will find some
answers to the question, “When are we ever going to use this?”
audience
This book is intended to be a reference guide for anyone interested in under-

standing how some high school mathematics concepts are applied in nature and
society. We hope that high school students, teachers, and librarians use these
ideas to enhance their learning, teaching, and appreciation for mathematics. The
mathematics described here cover concepts that are found in courses from pre-
algebra through introductory calculus. Each of the concepts is presented so that
the reader can gain different levels of understanding due to the varying levels of
mathematical complexity. A student or parent referencing the term angle will
learn through descriptive text and diagrams that it is used for a variety of pur-
poses in navigation and road construction. A student who has learned trigonom-
etry may gain a deeper understanding as to how an engineer might use the math-
ematics to make predictions by viewing different formulas and calculations. Our
intent is to make the content readable by all levels and ages of students, thereby
hoping that they will recognize value in the applications of mathematics, regard-
less of their backgrounds.
purpose
This reference guide is an effort to provide exposure to mathematical appli-

cations, and should not be regarded as a primary tool for learning and instruction.
Since we do not intend to teach mathematical concepts here, there are occasions
in which mathematics is discussed without reference as to how an equation is
formed or how it was solved. Instead, each concept is informally described so
that primary emphasis can be placed on its applications. We do not intend for
teachers to teach mathematics in the way it is presented here. Instead, the text
should be used as a tool to enhance current instructional practices, or to spark
student interest in math, or to create a classroom activity grounded in a particu-
lar application. Therefore, we feel that a more cohesive learning environment
INTRODUCTION xi
with these applications requires that the teacher and the learner examine the
mathematical principles behind why and how a concept is applied.
content
The content in this reference guide is based on over forty mathematical con-
cepts that are studied in different levels of high school mathematics. For exam-
ple, linear functions are typically learned in algebra and are continually used
beyond calculus. Each of the concepts is listed alphabetically and can be read
independently. This format has been selected for pragmatic purposes, so that the
applications can be used efficiently. Consequently, we occasionally synthesize
concepts, such as referring to slope and derivative as rates, or cross-reference
topics because some applications are based on related or multiple concepts.
The ideas presented in this book are not a comprehensive account of high
school mathematics nor do they represent every possible application. We do not
feel that every mathematical principle taught in a high school curriculum has a
realistic application. We do feel there are situations where it is necessary to
explore some mathematics that may not be applied. For example, the study of
angles formed by parallel lines does not have many realistic applications, but the
concepts can be used to introduce similarity, a topic with many useful applica-
tions. In addition, the concepts presented here do not introduce every application
of high school mathematics. Our intent is to promote applications about mathe-
matical concepts that are commonly studied in high school mathematics, even
though there are additional interesting connections to other concepts that may not
have as much emphasis in a school’s curriculum. Furthermore, we simply cannot
be aware of all of the applications that have realistic connections to the concepts
we have listed. If you have any additional ideas, please share them with us by
sending an email to <[email protected]>.
The depth of description of an application varies within each concept. Some-
times an application will be described in the form of a story, and other times it
will be described in a few sentences to avoid redundancy with a similar analysis
in another section. Sometimes we will just point in the direction of an important
application. Sometimes we will provide a historical, rather than contemporary,
application to show the genesis of a mathematical concept. The amount of math-
ematics described in each of the sections varies, depending on the context and
complexity of the situation. We would much rather provide a flavor of how
mathematics is used than go into detail for every application. In fact, many appli-
cations discussed in this book are based on simplified conditions, even though
the real world often has unusual limitations, constraints, or peculiarities. For
example, we neglect weather conditions when studying the motion of a baseball.
Furthermore, we approximate the shapes of objects, such as assuming that the
earth is a perfect sphere. Simplified situations are used in this reference guide in
order to provide general principles in a concise manner so that the concepts can
be understood by a high school student. World Wide Web references at the end
xii INTRODUCTION
of each section offer opportunities for further exploration of some of these appli-
cations. We offer such a listing here, giving Web references that provide a huge
number of applications.
online sources for further exploration
The Math Forum

<http://www.mathforum.org/library/topics/applied/>
Contextual Teaching and Learning in Mathematics at the University of Georgia
<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/CTL/CTL/>
British Columbia Institute of Technology Mathematics Department Applications
to Technology
<http://www.math.bcit.ca/examples/table.htm>
Micron’s Math in the Workplace
<http://www.micron.com/content.jsp?path=/Education/Math+in+the+Workplace>
Mathematical Concepts
▲ ▼ ▲
ANGLE
Position, direction, precision, and optimization are some reasons why people
use angles in their daily life. Street intersections are made at angles as close as
possible to 90°, if not greater, so that visibility is easier when turning. It is ben-
eficial for city planners to create additional turns so that there are larger turning
angles for safer traffic. For example, if a car has to make a sharp 60° turn onto
traffic, it would probably be more likely to get into an accident because the turn
is difficult. If you find a nonperpendicular four-way intersection with a stoplight,
it is likely to have a “No Turn on Red” sign for those drivers who would be at
an obtuse angle. It would be easier for the driver if the road were constructed so
that an additional intersection is added so the car can turn once at 150° and again
at 90°.
Restructuring the angles

in an intersection to make
turning a vehicle easier.
initial street design restructured street design
The use of angles in the design of parking spaces affects how many cars can
park in a lot. Most parking arrangements involve spaces that are perpendicular or
slightly angled to the curb. An advantage to using obtuse-angled spaces is that it
is easier to turn a car at an obtuse angle than at a right angle, so there may be less
accidents in a lot with angled spaces. An advantage to using right-angled spaces
is the opportunity to fit more cars in the parking lot.
2 ANGLE
right-angled parking spaces obtuse-angled parking spaces
Parking-space arrangements in parking lots.
The amount of space, s, saved by using right-angled spaces is s = −l cos α

for each row in the parking lot, where l is the length of the space and α is the
angle of the turn into the space. When the shape of a space is transformed from
a rectangle (right-angled) to a parallelogram (obtuse-angled), the extra horizon-
tal distance needed in a parking-lot row will be the amount of space that the last
car displaced from its previous perpendicular arrangement. In the obtuse-angled
situation, the length of the parking space is the hypotenuse of a right triangle
formed with the curb. The cosine of the angle between the curb and the parking
lines, cos θ, is the ratio of the horizontal curb space, s, to the length of the park-
ing space, l. In an equation, this is written as cos θ = sl .
Variables that affect the extra hori-

zontal space, s, that is needed in a
parking lot with angled spaces.
Multiplying both sides of the equation by l will change it to s = l cos θ. The

angle against the curb and the car’s turning angle are supplementary, because the
curb and car’s path are parallel. The interior angles on the same side of the trans-
versal (the parking lines) are supplementary, so cos θ = − cos α. Substituting
this result into s = l cos θ generates the equation, s = −l cos α.
If the parking lines were at a 60° angle with the curb, the turning angle would
be 120°. Suppose the dimensions of a parking space are 8 feet by 20 feet. If the
lot is transformed from right-angled spaces to oblique-angled spaces, each row
would lose s = −20 cos 120◦ = 10 feet, which is equivalent to a little more than
one space!
An overhead view of a car making

an obtuse-angled turn of α degrees
into a parking spot that is angled θ
degrees with the curb.
ANGLE 3
Airplane pilots, military-orienteering specialists, and ship-navigation crews

are responsible for using angles to move efficiently towards a destination. After
accounting for wind and current speed, navigation teams will determine an angle
to direct their course of movement. For example, suppose a ship is 3 miles from
shore and is docking at a port that is 6 miles away, with minimal current affecting
the path of the boat. The captain will request the boat to be moved 60° West of
North, or 30° North of West. This direction is equivalent to the angle that is
formed between the path of the boat and the northern or westward direction. The
captain can also simply ask to move the boat 60°, because it is assumed that nav-
igation direction is counterclockwise from the North position.
30° North of West 60° West of North
Alternate methods of denoting direction when a boat is 3 miles from

shore and 6 miles from its destination.
Notice that the distances from the port are represented in a 30°– 60°– 90° tri-
angle, which will not always happen. The angle of navigation, β, that will be East
or West of North can be determined by finding arccos( ds ), where s is the distance
from shore and d is the distance to the final destination. Notice that the naviga-
tion angle will be negative, or East of North, if the destination is situated to the
East of the ship’s location.
The navigation angle, β, of a

boat based on its distance from
shore, s, and the distance from its
final destination, d, is equal to
arccos( ds ).
Sailboats cannot steer directly into the wind, because they would be pushed
backwards. In order to sail against the wind, sailors need to tilt their boat at an
angle, ideally 45°, so that the wind catches the sail. If the boat pushes off course,
it will need to change direction again so that it moves perpendicular to its path in
the opposite direction. Sailors call this tacking. This action ensures that the boat
continues to maintain a 45° angle with the wind. This zigzag pattern enables the
boat to reach its finishing point while constantly sailing into the wind.
4 ANGLE
The path of a boat from its starting

position, S, to its ending position, E,
when it is sailing against a headwind.
Angles are useful for reflecting light rays or objects off of flat objects. The
angle by which an object, such as a ball, approaches a wall is equal to the angle
by which the object bounces off the wall. This is true because a ball’s reflection
off a wall will be the same distance away from the wall as if it had gone in a
straight line. In essence, reflections preserve congruence. By the transitive prop-
erty, the angle of the ball coming into the wall will equal the angle of the ball
leaving the wall, as shown below. In billiards or miniature golf, a player can use
this principle when aiming for a hole by simply aiming for the hole’s reflection.
The angle of a ball

approaching a wall will
equal the angle of the
ball leaving the wall,
assuming there is no
spin on the ball.
Athletes who try to throw or hit balls certain distances, such as baseballs, bas-
ketballs, footballs, and golf balls, use angles strategically. If they want to hit a
ball short and high, they will use an angle close to 90°. In order to hit a low-fly-
ing line drive, they will use an angle close to 0°. The horizontal distance in
meters, x, of an object can be determined by the product of its initial velocity in
meters per second, v0 , the time in seconds, t, that the ball is in the air, and the
cosine of the angle, α, it is released or hit. Since the earth’s gravitational force
pulls a ball towards the surface, the vertical distance in meters, y, also needs to
be considered in order to determine the ideal angle at which to release or hit a
ball. The two equations describing the path of the ball in both directions are rep-
resented as
x = v0 t cos α
y = v0 t sin α − 4.9t2 .
The ball will be on the ground when y is 0. Solving the second equation for the
1
time t that will provide this value gives t = 0 or t = 4.9 v0 sin α. The latter solu-
tion gives the time the ball will be in the air. Substituting in the equation for x
ANGLE 5
1 2 v 2 sin(2α)
yields 4.9 v0 sin a cos a. Using trigonometric identities gives x = 0 9.8 .
Suppose a golfer hits a tee shot, and that his or her club hits the ball at v0 = 70
meters/second. The graph of horizontal distances x as a function of the angle α
shows that the angle that will give the golfer the best distance is 45° (π/4 radi-
ans). Frogs know this angle: push-off angle for a frog hop has been measured to
be close to 45°.
Horizontal distance (meters) trav-

eled by a golf ball hit at 70 meters
per second at an angle of α radians.
When a golfer tees off or a football kicker aims for a long field goal, he or
she should strike the ball at a 45° angle in order to obtain maximum distance. A
baseball player, on the other hand, needs to alter this thinking slightly, because
he hits a ball about 1 meter off of the ground. This makes the horizontal-distance
equation more complicated:
√
v0 sin α v02 sin2 α−19.6(y−1)

x = v0 cos α 9.8 .
When the ball hits the ground (y = 0), the graph of this function shows that a ball
reaching the bat at 85 miles per hour, or 38 meters per second, will attain a max-
imum horizontal distance when the ball leaves the bat at about a 44.8° angle,
very close to the angle if the ball were hit from the ground.
The refraction of light is dependent on the angle in which light enters the
object and the material it passes through. Snell’s law states that n1 • sin Θ1 =
n2 • sin Θ2 , where n is the index of fraction (the ratio of the speed of light in air
to the speed of light in that material) and Θ is the angle of incidence. As light
passes through an object, such as a glass of water, it will bend, giving it a dis-
torted view if you look through the glass. Higher values of n allow the light to
bend more, since Θ2 decreases as n2 increases.
The angle of light rays will

change after hitting a different
surface, such as water. Snell’s
law can be used to determine
the angle of refraction, or the
angle in which light bends as it
passes through a new surface.
6 ANGLE
Gems such as diamonds have a high index of refraction, allowing them to

trap light and reflect it internally, which consequently makes them sparkle.
The best angle to view a baseball game:

<http://forum.swarthmore.edu/pow/solutio65.html>
Diamond design:
<http://www.gemology.ru/cut/english/tolkow/_tolk1.htm>
Finding your way with map and compass:
<http://mac.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs03501.html>
The mathematics of rainbows:
<http://www.geom.umn.edu/education/calc-init/rainbow/>
Navigation problems:
<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt725/Bearings/Bearings.html>
Photography angles:
<http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/shifcalc.htm>
<http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/tiltcalc.htm>
Projectile motion simulations:
<http://library.thinkquest.org/2779/Balloon.html>
<http://www.explorescience.com/activities/Activity_page.cfm?ActivityID=19>
<http://www.phys.virginia.edu/classes/109N/more_stuff/Applets/ProjectileMotion/
jarapplet.html>
River crossing–swimming angles:
<http://www.emsl.pnl.gov:2080/docs/mathexpl/swimwalk.html>
Robot navigation angle:
<http://www.ezcomm.com/~cyliax/Articles/RobNav/robnav.html>
Sailing strategies:
<http://www.orfe.princeton.edu/~rvdb/sail/sail.html>
Snell’s law:
<http://www.physics.nwu.edu/ugrad/vpl/optics/snell.html>
<http://www.yorku.ca/eye/snell.htm>
<http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/refrn/u14l2a.html>
<http://buphy.bu.edu/py106/notes/Refraction.html>
Throwing a boomerang:
<http://www.concentric.net/~davisks/throwing/>
<http://www.bumerang-sport.de/throwing/throw.htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
ASYMPTOTE 7
ASYMPTOTE
An asymptote is an imaginary line or curve that a function approaches as its

independent variable approaches infinity or an undefined value. A vertical
asymptote of x = c exists on a function f(x) if at a point of discontinuity, x = c,
the limit of f(x) as x approaches c equals positive or negative infinity. A horizon-
tal asymptote of y = k exists on a function f(x) if the limit of f(x) as x approaches
positive or negative infinity equals k. For example, the function f (x) = x−2 x+3 has
lim x−2
a vertical asymptote at x = −3 because x→−3 x+3 = ±∞ and a horizontal
lim x−2
asymptote at y = 1 because x→±∞ x+3 = 1.
Graph of f (x) = x−2

x+3
with asymptotes at x = −3
and y = 1.
In the real world, horizontal asymptotes typically represent a leveling-off

effect, such as the radioactive decay of a particle diminishing until it is almost
gone. (See Exponential Decay.) If the dependent variable y is the amount of the
particle, then in this case there would be a horizontal asymptote of y = 0 on the
graph, because the amount of the particle approaches zero. Most substances that
have a decaying effect, such as the amount of power supply in a battery, will have
an asymptote of y = 0 on a graph that describes its amount as a function of time.
The cooling of hot liquids in a mug, such as coffee, illustrates asymptotic
behavior because the liquid gradually approaches room temperature after sitting
awhile in the cup. The warming of liquids, such as ice sitting in a cup, demon-
strates a similar phenomenon, except that the temperature graph rises towards the
A graph of the temperature,

in degrees Fahrenheit, of coffee
as a function of the number of
minutes it sits in a closed cup.
The temperature of the coffee
levels off near room temperature
after an hour and a half.
8 ASYMPTOTE
asymptote. In both cases, the asymptote would represent the room temperature,
because the liquid either warms or cools to that temperature after it is left out for
awhile.
Scientific barriers based on speed are asymptotic until technological ad-
vances overcome a barrier. For example, airplanes could not pass the sound bar-
rier, called Mach 1, until 1947. (See Ratio.) Before that time, airplanes progres-
sively became faster and faster, approaching the speed of sound but unable to
surpass it, because they were not built to handle the shock waves produced at
such speeds. However, once the barrier was broken, scientists and engineers were
given data that helped them develop airplanes that could maintain their structural
integrity under the stressful conditions associated with travel at those speeds.
Today, particle physicists are challenging the speed of light by accelerating par-
ticles in large circular chambers. As testing and experimentation progresses over
time, the detected speeds of particles have been gradually approaching the bar-
rier of 3 × 108 meters per second. Scientists argue whether it will be possible to
move at speeds faster than light, and if so, what type of consequence will occur.
Many science-fiction stories portray ships disappearing when they travel faster
than the speed of light, because light is not fast enough to show an image of the
ship to an observer.
Terminal velocity is the limiting speed of an object due to wind resistance
when it is in free-fall. For example, a skydiver will jump out of an airplane and
be pulled towards the earth at an acceleration of 9.8 meters per second squared.
This means that the velocity of the person falling will gradually increase until it
reaches terminal velocity. The equation v = 9.8t describes the velocity, v, in
meters per second of a person falling out of the plane after t seconds. After 1 sec-
ond, the skydiver is falling at a rate of 9.8 meters per second, and after 2 seconds,
the person’s velocity has increased to 19.6 meters per second. However, if the
skydiver lies flat during free-fall, the wind resistance will inhibit the falling rate
so that the body does not exceed 50 meters per second. Consequently, y = 50
becomes the horizontal asymptote on the velocity versus time graph. This infor-
mation is helpful for the skydiver to determine how much time can be spent in
the air for skydiving acrobatics and at what point the parachute should be opened
for safe landing.
A person jumping from an airplane will

reach a terminal velocity at which he can-
not fall any faster due to wind resistance.
Vertical asymptotes typically appear in applications that deal with improba-

ble events, costs, or quantities. For example, the cost to extract petroleum from
the Earth is dependent on its depth. Oil that is deeper underground will typically
be more expensive to remove, because it is more difficult to create deeper tun-
ASYMPTOTE 9
nels. In such situations, workers take an increased risk of the tunnel caving in, as
well as having to deal with the added distance covered by equipment to extract
dirt and rocks. This means that tunneling down 11 to 20 feet may be twice as dif-
ficult than tunneling the first 10 feet; and tunneling down 21 to 30 feet may be
three times as difficult than tunneling down 11 to 20 feet, and so on. Con-
sequently, a vertical asymptote will exist near the deepest level on a graph, indi-
cating that it would be nearly impossible to dig at certain depths. Geologists
would find this information useful, thus being able to recommend the appropri-
ate digging depths that would be safe and economically beneficial to the gov-
ernment and local business.
A graph describing the hourly rate

to drill a hole as a function of its
depth. The drilling cost becomes
insurmountable as the depth
approaches 1,000 feet, because it
is too difficult and dangerous to
dig at that depth.
Vertical asymptotes also sometimes symbolize quantities that are nonexist-

ent. For instance, if a preschool wants to build an enclosed playground for its stu-
dents, it would need to build a fence. The builders would consider the best way
to lay out their available fencing so that the students have a large amount of play
space. A function to describe the dimensions of a rectangular play space are
w = 200l , where w is the unknown width of the field, l is the unknown length of
the field, and 200 square feet is the desired area of the play space. In this case,
l = 0 is a vertical asymptote, because not only is it impossible to divide by zero,
but it is impossible to have a rectangular play space that does not have any
length!
online sources for additional exploration
The basics of cooling food

<http://www.hi-tm.com/Documents/Basic-cool.html>
Investigate the behavior of northwestern crows
<http://illuminations.nctm.org/imath/912/Whelk/index.html>
Modeling of disease and disease progression
<http://www.phm.auckland.ac.nz/Staff/NHolford/Mss/Disprog/modelling_disease-
progression.htm>
10 CARTESIAN COORDINATES
Scaling the Internet Web servers

<http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/cxsr/400/tech/scale_wp.htm>
The terminal velocity of coffee filters
<http://aci.mta.ca/TheUmbrella/Physics/P3401/Investigations/VterminalDDB.html>
Time travel?
<http://members.aol.com/JLandGDC/numin/1999/oct99.htm>
The twisted pendulum experiment
<http://www.carolina.com/coachlab/math.asp>
▲ ▼ ▲
CARTESIAN COORDINATES
Coordinates are useful to determine relative position and distances. For

example, pixels (dots of light) on a computer are identified by their horizontal
and vertical components, where (0,0) is at the corner of the screen. The coordi-
nates of the pixels are useful for animations that require starting and ending
points for each vertex in a diagram. Given this information, the computer will
predict intermittent coordinates of the vertices to help render the animation, with-
out having to input the coordinates for every second on the screen.
Coordinates are also useful in computer programming to plot points on the
screen or define regions on a blueprint or graphic. For example, an image map is
a graphic that links certain portions of a Web page to different pages on a Web-
site. Image maps are used to enhance the colors on a screen or to provide a larger
region to click a list of items. The image map will probably look like a series of
buttons that are defined by geometric regions, such as rectangles or circles. When
the cursor is moved to a coordinate within a defined region on the image map, it
will move to a new page once the mouse is clicked. Suppose a rectangular region
is defined so that its upper-left coordinate is (12,35) and lower-right coordinate
is (40,70), as shown in the illustration below. This will create a hot spot region
An image map uses coordinates

to define a rectangular “hot spot”
by noting the opposite corner
coordinates in an image map.
CARTESIAN COORDINATES 11
with dimensions of 28 pixels by 35 pixels that will link to a new page if the cur-
sor is clicked at a location on the image map between 12 and 40 pixels and
between 35 and 70 pixels. If the cursor is not in this region, then it will not link
to that page. Notice that the coordinate system on the image map is defined dif-
ferently from the standard rectangular system. Since only positive values are
used, this coordinate system uses the opposite of the negative y-coordinates that
are represented in the fourth quadrant of a Cartesian coordinate system.
Desirable locations for fire stations are places where trucks would have equal
access to the entire town. Ideally, they should be situated so that the longest drive
to the edge of town is the same in all directions. A coordinate grid could be super-
imposed on a city map, assigning coordinates to each of the intersections. The

distance formula, d = (x1 − x2 )2 + (y1 − y2 )2 , could then be used to deter-
mine relative distances, d, of each street based on the coordinates of its end-
points, (x1 , y1 ) and (x2 , y2 ), so that the best possible intersection for the fire sta-
tion could be selected.
On a world map, cities and landmarks are assigned a position according to
how far away they are from the equator (0°latitude) and from the prime merid-
ian in Greenwich, England (0° longitude). For example, Chicago is near 41° N
41 87
87° W, which means that it is 90 in the northern hemisphere and 180 in the west-
ern hemisphere.
The position of Chicago on the earth

according to its latitude and longitudinal
positions, which are the same as the cen-
tral angles from the center of the earth.
A flight from Chicago to Los Angeles would angle the plane 7° south of west
and expect to travel 31° westward on its journey, because Los Angeles is near the
position 34° N 118° W. The distance d traveled between any two cities on the
globe can be determined by the equation
d = 3963 arccos[sin(latitude1 ) sin(latitude2 ) +
cos(latitude1 ) cos(latitude2 ) cos(longitude2 − longitude1 )],
where the position in a spherical coordinate system of two cities are (lati-
tude1 , longitude1 ) and (latitude2 , longitude2 ) in radians. There are 2π radi-
2π
ans in 360°, so each coordinate should be multiplied by 360 to convert to radi-
ans. In this case, the Chicago coordinate would convert from (41,87) to approx-
imately (0.7156,1.5184), and the Los Angeles coordinate would convert from
12 CIRCLES
(34,118) to approximately (0.5934,2.0595). Using this formula, the distance be-

tween Chicago and Los Angeles is
d = 3963 arccos[sin(0.7156) sin(0.5934)+
cos(0.7156) cos(0.5934) cos(2.0595 − 1.5184)],
which is approximately 1,758 miles.
Celestial coordinates
<http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu/SII/SII-FindPlanets/SII-FindThatComet/coordinates.
html>
Creating an image map
<http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/k/x/kxs156/tuthow.htm>
<http://www.ils.unc.edu/utils/imagemap-tutorial.html>
Georeferencing and digital images
<http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/help/aerialphotos/GeoreferncingAndDigitalImages.
html>
The satellite times
<http://celestrak.com/columns/v03n02/>
Spherical coordinates and the GPS
<http://www.math.montana.edu/frankw/ccp/cases/Global-Positioning/spherical-
coordinates/learn.htm>
Stereograms
<http://library.thinkquest.org/2647/misc/stertech.htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
CIRCLES
Circles are used in many real-world applications. All manholes are round so
that their covers never slip through the pipes from the ground to the sewers. Any
way you turn the cover it is impossible to force it through the hole, since the dis-
tance from the center of the circle is always the same. Since polygons do not hold
this property, a circle is very useful for this purpose.
Circular wheels allow the opportunity for constant and smooth motion when
riding a bicycle or automobile. If the circle had edges or vertices the ride would
become very bumpy, because the distance from the center of the wheel to its
perimeter would no longer be constant. In addition, a car will travel the distance
its wheels rotate, because the friction between the wheel and pavement cause the
car to move. For every revolution the tires make, the car will travel the length of
CIRCLES 13
the circumference of them. If a wheel has a diameter of 32 inches, then its cir-
cumference, or distance around, is 32π inches ≈ 100.5 inches.
In addition to distance traveled by an automobile, the circumference of cir-
cles is used in several applications. A trundle wheel is a device used to measure
distances that are too long for a tape measure. A marking is placed on the wheel
so that it clicks for one complete revolution. A trundle wheel can be made in any
size, although it is convenient to make one with a diameter of 31.8 cm, because
then its circumference will be 1 meter (circumference is the product of π and the
diameter of the circle). Therefore, as you push the trundle wheel, every click that
is recorded on the odometer means that the wheel has gone around once and you
have traveled 1 meter.
A trundle wheel can be used to

measure long distances by mul-
tiplying the number of its revo-
lutions by its circumference.
Another useful application of circumference is to determine the age of cer-

tain trees. The girth, or thickness, of trees increases as they grow older. A fallen
tree often shows a large group of concentric rings, where each ring represents a
year of its life. Since the tree gets thicker during its lifetime, the number of rings
is proportional to its circumference. Therefore, a functional relationship can be
created to estimate the age of a tree based on its circumference. This means that
a measurement of the circumference of a tree can give an indication of its age
without having to chop it down and count its rings.
The age of a tree is related to

the number of its rings and its
circumference.
The area of a circle is useful to determine the price of circular foods that have
the same height. For example, pizzas are often advertised according to their
diameter. A pizza with a diameter of 12 inches might sell for $10, and a pizza
14 CIRCLES
with a diameter of 16 inches for $16. Is that a reasonable deal? Since the amount
of pizza is related to its area, it would be more beneficial if the consumer were
told the unit cost of the pizza per square inch. Instead, consumers may develop a
misconception and think that the 16-inch pizza should be 16/12, or 4/3, as much
as the 12-inch pizza.
In the 12-inch pizza, the radius is 6 inches. So the area of the pizza is
π(6)2 ≈ 113.1 square inches. At a sale price of $10, the consumer is paying
about 8.8 cents per square inch of pizza. In the 16-inch pizza, the radius is 8
inches. So the area of the pizza is π(8)2 ≈ 201.1 square inches. At a sale price
of $16, the consumer is paying about 8.0 cents per square inch of pizza. At first
glance, one might think the 12-inch pizza is a better buy, but actually it is the
other way around. Since volume purchases usually have a cheaper unit price,
these prices seem pretty reasonable. Is this true about the prices at your favorite
pizza shop?
The area of a circle is helpful to farmers in determining the amount of space
that a sprinkling system will cover. As a sprinkler rotates, it will spray water in a
circular pattern, or in a sector of a circle if it is restricted in a certain way. The
distance the water reaches, or the radius of the circle, is sufficient information for
the farmer to determine how much space will be covered by the water and how
many sprinklers are needed to water the crops. Crops are often created in rectan-
gular grids to make harvesting easier, but watering in a rectangular pattern is
often less efficient than in a circular pattern. Therefore, the challenge in watering
crops is to determine how many circles can be packed into the rectangle region.
The trick for the farmer is to automate the sprinklers so that they provide just the
right amount of water to the crops to optimize production and minimize expense.
A circle is a figure that has an optimal area based on its perimeter. Based on
a given perimeter, there is not another shape that has an area greater than a cir-
cle. Similarly, based on a given area, there is not another shape that has a smaller
perimeter than a circle. In essence, this information indicates that a great way to
make use of materials and space is to form circles. Think about all the objects
made of raw materials that are shaped into circles, such as plates, cups, pots,
compact discs, and digital video discs. All of these objects are designed to hold
substances or information that take up space in a resourceful way. Parts of circles
A keystone at the center of an arc above a

doorway maintains its structure and support.
CIRCLES 15
can also be used for aesthetic design purposes, such as the arches seen over some
doorways. Roman engineers mastered the use of the circular arch in buildings,
bridges, and aqueducts. A keystone, the stone placed at the top of the arch, is the
essential component that keeps the structure of the arch together. Without a key-
stone, the arch may crumble if it is not cemented properly.
All materials are not designed to include circles, however, because a circle
does not necessarily serve all functions. For example, a book is shaped like a rec-
tangular prism instead of a cylinder, because it may be easier to store on a shelf
and retrieved easily with its visible binding.
Circular, or angular, motion has several useful applications. It affects the lin-
ear speed and performance of many objects. For example, circular disks spin in
an automobile engine to move its timing belts. The size of the disks can vary,
allowing the engine to distribute its power in different ways. In order to move a
belt, larger wheels do not need to spin as fast as smaller wheels, because they
cover a greater distance in a smaller amount of time. (See Variation.)
Another way to think about the connection between angular and linear speed
is to envision the motion of an ice skater. The spinning rate of the skater will
change with the movement of the radius of his or her arms from the body. To
move faster, the skater will pull his or her arms in towards the body; conversely,
to spin more slowly, the skater will gradually pull his or her arms away from the
body. As an equation, the linear speed, s, is the product of the radius, r, and angu-
lar speed, ω, written as s = rω. Suppose the skater has a constant linear speed of
500 cm/sec. If his or her arm radius is 100 cm, then the skater will be spinning
at a rate of 5 radians/sec, or less than 1 revolution in a second. If he or she pulls
the arms in so that they are 25 cm from the body, then the skater’s angular speed
picks up to 20 radians/sec, about 3 1/2 revolutions in 1 second.
The skater slows her camel spin

by extending her arms.
If the angular speed is held constant, then an object can have different linear
velocities depending on its position on the circular object. For example, a spin-
ning object on a playground or at an amusement park, such as a merry-go-round,
typically has a constant angular speed. Therefore linear velocity increases as the
radius increases. This means that you would feel like you were moving faster if
you stood further away from the center. If you like rides that make you feel dizzy,
then make sure you stand near the outside of a circular wheel when it is in
motion.
16 CIRCUMFERENCE
The arch in architecture

<http://www.ba.brantacan.co.uk/architecture.htm>
Circular motion
<http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/circles/u6l1e.html>
<http://www.sd83.bc.ca/stu/9906/agal_3b.html>
Make your own trundle wheel
<http://www.geocities.com/thesciencefiles/trundle/wheel.html>
Pizza prices
<http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~pizza/pizzaweb.html>
<http://www.mrpizzaman.com/pizza/index.html>
<http://www.panola.com/biz/pizzahut/create.htm>
Tree rings
<http://www.geo.arizona.edu/K-12/regression/>
<http://web.utk.edu/~grissino/>
<http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/treering.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
CIRCUMFERENCE . See CIRCLES
▲ ▼ ▲
COMPLEX NUMBERS
Complex numbers are numbers expressed in the form a + bi, where a is the
real number component and b is the imaginary number component. The number
√
i is the square root of negative 1: i = −1. Numbers in the physical world are
often represented by their real number component, such as in measurement,
money, and time. For example, a mile is a unit of measurement that is equivalent
to 5,280 feet. As a complex number, this measurement would be 5,280 + 0i feet.
However, the expression in complex form does not produce any additional mean-
ing if the imaginary number component is equal to zero. Therefore, complex
numbers are useful when the imaginary number component is nonzero.
There are several instances in which imaginary numbers are important in the
physical world. For example, some circuits have unexpected changes of voltage
COMPLEX NUMBERS 17
when introduced to current and resistors that have imaginary number compo-
nents. The amount of voltage in a circuit is determined by the product of its cur-
rent and resistance. Without an imaginary number component in both current and
resistance, the voltage reading will remain unaffected. For example, suppose the
current is reading 3 + 2i amps on a circuit with 20 ohms of resistance. The net
voltage would be (3+2i)(20) = 60 + 40i volts. In this case, the voltmeter would
show a reading of 60 volts, because the 40i volts are imaginary. However, if the
resistance was 20 + 4i ohms, then the net voltage would be (3 + 2i)(20 + 4i) =
60 + 12i + 40i + 8i 2. Since i 2 = −1, this expression simplifies to 52 + 52i. That
means that the introduction of an imaginary number component in the resistance
of the circuit would result in a voltage drop of 8 volts!
Electromagnetic fields also rely on complex numbers, because there are two
different components in the measurement of their strength, one representing the
intensity of the electric field, and the other the intensity of the magnetic field.
Similar to the electric circuit example, an electromagnetic field can have sudden
variations in its strength if both components contain imaginary components.
Complex numbers also indirectly have applications in business. The profit of
the sales of a product can be modeled by a quadratic function. The company will
start with initial expenses and rely on the sales of their product to transfer out of
debt. Using the quadratic formula, the business can predict the amount of sales
that will be needed to financially break even and ultimately start making a profit.
If complex zeroes arise after applying the formula, then the company will never
break even! On a graph in the real plane, the profit function would represent a
parabola in the fourth quadrant that never touches the horizontal axis that
describes the number of products sold. This means that the business will have to
reevaluate their sales options and generate alternative means for producing a
profit.
To generalize this case, any quadratic model that produces complex solutions
from an equation will likely indicate that something is not possible. For exam-
ple, in the business-sales setting, the company may want to test when the profit
will equal one hundred thousand dollars. When solving the equation, the quad-
ratic equation could ultimately be applied, and the existence of imaginary com-
ponents in the solution would verify that this would not be possible. The same
argument could be applied to determine if the world’s strongest man could throw
a shot put 50 feet in the air. If a person can estimate the throwing height h0 and
the time t the ball is in the air, then the quadratic function h = 0.5gt2 + v0 t + h0
can be applied to determine the initial velocity v0 and whether the ball will reach
a height h of 50 feet. (Note that the gravitational constant g on earth is equal to
–9.8 meters per second 2, or –32 feet per second 2.)
The relevance of imaginary numbers

<http://www.math.toronto.edu/mathnet/answers/relevance.html>
<http://forum.swarthmore.edu/dr.math/problems/zakrzewski10.14.97.html>
18 CONIC SECTIONS
Complex numbers in real life

<http://www.math.toronto.edu/mathnet/questionCorner/complexinlife.html>
Complex impedance in circuits
<http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/impcom.html>
Generation of fractals from complex numbers
<http://www.geocities.com/fabioc/>
▲ ▼ ▲
CONIC SECTIONS
In the third century B.C., the Greek mathematician Appollonius wrote a set of
books dealing with what he called conic sections. He provided a visualization of
ellipses, hyperbolas, and parabolas as intersections of planes with cones. Unlike
ice cream cones, Appollonius’s cone looked like two cones sharing a common
vertex. The picture on the left shows the parabola that is formed by cutting the
cones with a plane parallel to the slant of the cones. It took almost 2,000 years
before applications of conic sections emerged in science and engineering, but
they are now all around us. The middle picture shows a microwave antenna. The
microwaves emerge from the transmitter outside of the reflector at its focus. The
reflector concentrates the wave, as shown in the right-hand picture. Without the
parabolic reflector, the waves would dissipate following the inverse square law.
(See Inverse Square Function for more information.)
Cutting a cone to make Parabolic reflector used in a A parabolic reflector

a parabola. microwave antenna (Corel) concentrates energy.
Various representations of the conic section called a “parabola.”
The picture on the right shows how the waves from the energy source emerge
from many directions. The energy source is positioned at the focus of the
parabola. Once the rays hit the parabolic reflector, they are transmitted out in par-
allel direction. This concentrates the energy in one direction. For this reason, the
CONIC SECTIONS 19
parabolic shape is ideal for car headlights. It would also be ideal for television
tubes were consumers not so demanding that picture screens be rectangular.
Television tube manufacturers have to do some clever engineering to maximize
the benefits of parabolic reflectors and still provide rectangular screens.
If the arrows are reversed in the right-hand drawing, then the parabolic reflec-
tor accumulates and concentrates energy from outside sources. For example, the
dot for the energy source might represent a pipe containing water. Then the para-
bolic reflector can concentrate the sun’s rays to heat the water as part of a solar
heating system. Pipes in highly polished parabolic troughs can focus enough sun-
light to heat an enclosed fluid as high as 750°F or turn water to steam. Hand-held
parabolic reflectors that were invented for spying are available for sport and hobby
activities such as bird watching. The parabolic reflector picks up weak sounds,
such as distant bird calls, and focuses them on a microphone at the focal point.
Sometimes a diffuse view is important. Since they can provide almost 360°
views, hyperbolic mirrors are used for security surveillance in buildings. The
reflection in hyperbolic mirrors is from the convex side, rather than the concave
side used for parabolic mirrors. This is what makes exterior mirrors on the pas-
senger sides of cars show wider views and justify the warning, “Objects may be
closer than they appear.”
Parabolas appear in science and engineering. A hard-hit baseball flies off the
bat in a parabolic path. The large cables strung between towers of a suspension
bridge, such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, form a parabola. Con-
nection to the roadway of the bridge is important in shaping the large cables to
parabolic shape. A telephone wire that curves because of its own weight is not a
parabola, but is a catenary. If a heavy liquid like mercury is placed in a large can,
and the can is spun, the surface of the liquid will form a paraboloid (every verti-
cal cross section through the center of the can is a parabola). Parabolas are used
in design and medical applications to determine smooth curves from three spec-
ified points in a solid or the image of a solid, such as the points provided in a
medical CAT scan.
Ellipses are a oval conic section that look like squashed circles. They have
two foci that act as centers of the ellipse. Hitting a ball from one focus on an
elliptical pool table will result in a carom from the side of the table that sends the
ball to the other focus. Rooms that have elliptical ceilings or shapes will reflect
the sound of a pin dropping at one focal point so that it is audible many yards
away at the other focal point. The Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City and Stat-
uary Hall in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., are two rooms that have
remarkable acoustics because of their elliptical shapes.
Ellipses are an outcome of some common architectural techniques. The
Romans invented the Groin Vault, the joining of two identical barrel (cylindrical)
vaults over a square plan. The intersection of the vaults form ellipses that go
diagonally to the corners of the square. Although the groin vault is common in
ancient and medieval buildings, it is also found in modern structures such as the
terminal building at the St. Louis Airport.
20 CONIC SECTIONS
Johannes Kepler (1571–1630) revolutionized astronomy when he recognized

that the motion of planets about the sun was elliptical and not circular. Working
with the detailed planetary observations of Tycho Brahe (1546–1601), Kepler
found some very slight errors in Brahe’s figures for the circular orbit of Mars. He
attempted to correct the values, but finally concluded the data was correct and
that the orbit of Mars was elliptical with the sun at one of the focal points of the
orbit. His verification of this for the other known planets of his time is known as
“Kepler’s first law.” (See Variation.)
Some comets, like Halley’s comet, follow an elliptical path around the sun
just like planets. Hence Halley’s comet “returns” to earth’s view on a regular
basis. However, some comets appear to follow parabolic or hyperbolic paths.
Once past the sun, they leave our solar system. These comets may have traced
elliptical orbits at one time, but were thrown off trajectory by a gravitational
encounter with a major planet such as Jupiter.
Many machines contain elliptical gears. These develop a nonuniform motion
from a uniform power source. The momentary speedup or slowdown they pro-
duce is important in rotary shears, conveyers, motorcycle engines, and packag-
ing machines.
Statisticians conceptualize plots of many variables on large numbers of sub-
jects as elliptical swarms of points. By finding the axes of such swarms, they syn-
thesize the information from many variables into important structural variables.
Artistic views of conics

<http://www.xahlee.org/SpecialPlaneCurves_dir/ConicSections_dir/conicSections.
html>
Conics in general
<http://www.iln.net/html_p/c/72782/62079/53803/53887.asp>
<http://www.kent.wednet.edu/KSD/KR/MATH/conic_sections2.html>
<http://nths.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/math/Connections/curves/conics.htm>
<http://chs.osd.wednet.edu/nadelson/chsscimath/Conicsection2001/conic_section_cr
eations.htm>
<http://www.ece.utexas.edu/projects/k12-fall98/14545/Group2/real.html>
Pictures of Appollonius’s analysis
<http://www.sisweb.com/math/algebra/conics.htm>
<http://www.nsm.iup.edu/ma/gsstoudt/conics/conicsmma.html>
Explore conic sections dynamically
<http://www.keypress.com/sketchpad/java_gsp/conics.html>
<http://www.exploremath.com/activities/activity_list.cfm?categoryID=1>
Hyperbolic mirrors
<http://www.neovision.cz/prods/panoramic/h3b.html>
A video view of Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol
<http://www.discovery.com/news/picture/jul99/panoramas/javapano3.html>
Parabolic reflectors and antennas
<http://www2.gvsu.edu/~w8gvu/geo/geo.html>
COUNTING 21
How to build a parabolic reflector

<http://nths.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/math/Connections/reflection/pararefl.htm>
Elliptical orbits
<http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/kepler.html>
<http://www.bridgewater.edu/departments/physics/ISAW/PlanetOrbMain.html>
Elliptical gears
<http://www.cunningham-ind.com/ellipt.htm>
<http://www.hpceurope.com/vgb/archives/Avril00/Elliptiques.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
COUNTING
Businesses and government agencies often have a need to efficiently count

the number of arrangements or possibilities with various combinations of num-
bers or options. For example, a car dealer may be interested in the number of car
varieties that can be offered in order to persuade customers. If there are 9 differ-
ent models, 6 different colors, and 2 types of interiors, there could be a total of
9 × 6 × 2, or 108, different cars available. In this dealer’s television advertise-
ment you might hear, “Hurry, this weekend only. Come to our car dealership and
view over 100 different styles of cars for sale. Don’t miss out on this great oppor-
tunity!” The procedure of multiplying the number of possibilities for each option
is called the multiplication counting principle.
State vehicle departments can determine the number of nonvanity license
plates they have available by finding the product of the number of possibilities
for each position on the plate. For example, if a state has three letters followed
by three numbers, then the number of possible plates is 9 × 10 × 10 × 26 × 26
× 26 = 9 × 102 × 263 = 15,818,400. The first position will have 9 possible val-
ues, since it will represent any digit from 1 through 9. The second and third posi-
tions can hold 10 possible digits from 0 to 9. The fourth through sixth positions
have 26 possibilities each, because they can contain any letter in the alphabet. If
for some reason the state runs out of license-plate sequences, they can place
numbers before letters to double the number of possibilities, since the order of
letters and numbers is important on a license plate. Zip codes can be counted in
a similar manner. There are five numbers in a zip code, so there is a total of
10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 105 = 100,000 possible zip codes. The United States
Postal Service only uses 95,000 possibilities: 00001 to 95000.
Telephone numbers are counted in a similar way, but have more restrictions
to the values in different positions. The first three digits are the area code. The
area code must start with a digit from 2 to 9, because pressing 0 is a call to the
operator, and pressing 1 is not allowed because it is associated with dialing a
number outside an area code. Also, the area code cannot be 911, since that is an
22 COUNTING
emergency number. Therefore there are a total of 8 × 10 × 10 − 1 = 799 possi-

ble area codes. The local phone number has seven digits, with a three-digit pre-
fix and four-digit suffix. In the prefix, the first digit cannot be 0 or 1 for the same
reason mentioned earlier. Also, the prefix cannot use 555, because that is a
dummy set of numbers used in entertainment media, such as movies and songs,
except for the national information number, 555-1212. Therefore the prefix can
have 8 × 10 × 10 − 1 = 799 possible values. The suffix can have any four-digit
number, which means there are 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 10,000 possible values.
Therefore, using the multiplication-counting principle, there is a total of 799 ×
799 × 10, 000 = 6,384,010,000 possible telephone numbers. That is an average
of almost 25 numbers per person!
A lock manufacturer can determine the number of possible combinations to
open its locks. If a dial lock has 60 numbers and requires three turns, then a total
of 60 × 60 × 60 = 216,000 locks can be made. However, some lock companies
do not want to have the same number listed twice, because dialing in different
directions might end up being confusing. Therefore it might be more appropriate
to create 60 × 59 × 58 = 205,320 lock combinations. The 59 in the second posi-
tion means that there are 59 possible numbers available, because one number has
been selected in the first position; and the 58 in the third position indicates that
there are 58 possible numbers remaining, because one number has been selected
in the first position and a different number has been selected in the second posi-
tion. The product of three consecutive descending numbers is called a permuta-
tion. In this case, we would say that there are 60 permutations taken 3 at time,
meaning that the counting accounts for the selection of three numbers out of a
group of 60 in which the order of selection is important. Instead of writing the per-
mutation as a product of a series of integers n(n − 1)(n − 2) • . . . • (n − r + 1),
it can be symbolized as nPr, where n is the number of possibilities for the first
selection, and r is the number of selections.
Some counting principles are based on situations in which the order of selec-
tion is not important, such as in selecting winning lottery balls. If 6 numbers are
selected from a group of 40 numbers, it does not matter which number is pulled
out of the machine first or last. After all the numbers are randomly drawn, the
results are posted in numeric order, which is probably not the same order by
which they were selected. For example, if the numbers are drawn in the order 35–
20–3–36–22–28, and your ticket reads 3–20–22–28–35–36, then you are still the
winner. When order of selection is not important, this type of counting principle
is called a combination and can be symbolized as nCr. The relationship between
a combination and permutation is determined by the equation nCr = nPr n! because
there are n! ways to arrange a group of n objects, where n! = n(n − 1)(n − 2)
• . . . • 1. In this case, there are 6! = 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 720 ways to rear-
range 6 lottery balls with different numbers. Since the order of numbers is not
important when reading the winning lottery number, there are 40 C6 possible
numbers, or 40×39×38×37×36×35
6×5×4×3×2×1 = 3, 838, 380 combinations, to select in the lot-
tery. In this type of lottery, the chance of winning would be 1 in 3,838,380.
EQUATIONS 23
Adventure games, permutations, and spreadsheets

<http://archives.math.utk.edu/combinatorics/Combinatorics/AdvGame.html>
Counting techniques
<http://www.colorado.edu/education/DMP/activities/counting/>
English change-ringing of bells
<http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Union/UBSCR/crinfo.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
DERIVATIVE . S EE RATES
▲ ▼ ▲
EQUATIONS
An equation is a relationship that places equal representation to different

quantities, and is symbolized with an equals sign “=.” All proportions are equa-
tions that are based on equal ratios. For example, Kepler’s law states that the
ratio of the cubed planetary distances from the sun is equal to the ratio of their
d3 p2
squared period of revolutions around the sun, written as d13 = p21 . (See Propor-
2 2
tions for more information about Kepler’s law on planetary motion.) Functions
can also be written as equations, because they relate two or more variables with
an equals sign. For example, the vertical height, h, of an object is determined by
the quadratic equation h = −0.5gt2 + v0 t + h0 , where g is the acceleration due
to earth’s gravity (9.8 m/sec 2), v0 is the initial vertical velocity, and h0 is the ini-
tial height of the object (see Quadratic Functions for more information about
the derivation and use of this equation). There are many other types of relation-
ships besides proportions and functions that can be represented in the form of an
equation. Some equations are bizarre and have multiple variables, making them
interesting to study or purposeful to use. Other equations simply do not belong
to a family of functions that is commonly studied in high school mathematics.
In 1622, chemist Robert Boyle showed that the product of the pressure, p,
and volume, v, of the same amount of gas at a fixed temperature was constant.
The equation to represent this relationship is p1 v1 = p2 v2 , where the subscript
notation represents the gas at different times. This formula indicates that as the
24 EQUATIONS
pressure increases, the volume of the gas will decrease, and vice versa. For
example, when diving under water, the amount of pressure in your ear sockets
will increase, causing the amount of space to decrease until your ears “pop.” The
amount of space in your lungs also decreases when you are underwater, making
it more difficult to breath when scuba diving. One way to visualize this effect is
to bring a closed plastic container of soda onto an airplane, and then notice the
change in its shape during takeoff and descent due to varying pressures in the
earth’s atmosphere at different altitudes. If temperature, t, and quantity of gas in
moles, n, vary, then the equation can be extended to the ideal gas law, which is
pv = nrt, where r is the universal gas constant equal to 0.082 (atm L)/(mol K).
The escape velocity of an object represents the speed at which it must travel
in order to escape the planet’s atmosphere. On earth, it is the speed at which a
rocket or shuttle needs in order to break the gravitational pull of the planet. The
equation that relates the escape velocity, ve , to the mass, M, and radius, R, of a
planet is approximately ve2 = (1.334 × 10−10 )(M/R). The equation is based on
finding the moment when the kinetic energy, 0.5mve2 , of the rocket exceeds its
potential energy that is influenced by the earth’s gravitational pull, GM m/R,
where G is a gravitational constant, 6.67 × 10−11 , and m is the mass of the rocket.
Setting these two relationships equal to one another, 0.5mve2 = GM m/R, sets
up a situation that determines the velocity at which the kinetic and potential
energy of the rocket are the same. An m on both sides of the equation cancels and
the equation simplifies to ve2 = (1.334 × 10−10 )(M/R). The mass of the earth
is 5.98 ⋆ 1024 kg, and has a radius of 6,378,000 m. This means that a rocket
needs to exceed 11,184 meters per second to fly into space. That is almost 25,000
miles per hour!
Equations involving the sum of reciprocals exist in several applications. For
instance, the combined time to complete a job with two people, Tc , can be deter-
mined by the equation 1/T1 + 1/T2 = 1/Tc , where T1 and T2 represent the time
it takes two different individuals to complete the job. This equation is based on
the equation P = RT, where P is the worker’s productivity, R is the worker’s rate,
and T is the worker’s time on the job. Since two workers complete the same job,
they will have the same productivity level. This means that the two workers’ pro-
ductivity can be represented by the equations P = R1 T1 and P = R2 T2 . The
productivity for both workers is based on a combined rate and different time, rep-
resented with P = (R1 + R2 )Tc . Substituting R1 = TP1 and R2 = TP2 makes the
equation P = TP1 + TP2 Tc . Dividing both sides by Tc and canceling the pro-

ductivity variable leaves the end result, T11 + T12 = T1c .

Suppose an experienced landscaper can trim bushes at a certain house in 3
hours, and a novice takes 5 hours to complete the same job. Together, they will
take 1 hour, 52 minutes, and 30 seconds to complete the task, assuming that they
are working at the same productivity level (i.e., they are not distracting each
other’s performance by chatting). This result was determined by solving the
equation 31 + 51 = T1c . If both sides of the equation are multiplied by the product
EQUATIONS 25
of the fraction’s denominators, or 15Tc , the equation can be rewritten as 5Tc

+3Tc = 15. After combining like terms and dividing both sides of the equation
by 8, the solution will be Tc = 15
8 , which translates to 1 hour, 52 minutes, and 30
seconds. Reciprocal equations exist in other applications as well. The image
formed by a converging or diverging lens can be located with the equation D1i +
1 1
Do = F , where Di is the distance from the lens to the image, Do is the distance
from the object to the lens, and F is the focal distance of the lens.
Sports statistics involve unusual equations. The NFL quarterback rating is a
computation that measures the effectiveness of a player based on his number of
touchdowns (t), interceptions (i), attempts (a), completions (c), and passing
yards (p). The equation that determines the quarterback rating, r, is
r = (500c + 25p + 2000t + 12.5a − 2500i)/(6a).
Notice that interceptions are weighted so that the rating decreases by more than
the value of a touchdown, and that touchdown passes are weighted four times as
much as a completion. This equation is proportioned so that the average quarter-
back will have a rating near 100, according to historical performances in the
league. This equation is based on NFL statistics and needs to be adjusted for
other football leagues, since the fields and rules are slightly different. For exam-
ple, scoring in the Arena Football League occurs more often, since the field is
only 50 yards long, compared to 100 yards in the NFL.
Arena Football League quarterback rating

<http://www.tampastorm.com/features/QBrate/>
Robert Boyle and his data
<http://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/GasLaw/Gas-Boyle-Data.html>
Boyle’s Law and absolute zero and Cartesian diver and Model of Lung
<http://chemlearn.chem.indiana.edu/demos/Boyle.htm>
Burning rate of stars
<http://www.phys.uri.edu/~chuck/ast108/notes/node76.html>
Calculate the escape velocity
<http://www-star.stanford.edu/projects/mod/ad-escvel.html>
Euler’s formula and topology
<http://www.nrich.maths.org/mathsf/journalf/dec00/art1/index.html>
Ideal gases
<http://library.thinkquest.org/3616/chem/gas.htm>
Image forming by a lens
<http://www.lightlink.com/sergey/java/java/clens/index.html>
<http://www.lightlink.com/sergey/java/java/dlens/index.html>
Orbit simulation
<http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/education/reference/orbits/orbit3.html>
26 EXPECTED VALUE
Quarterback rating system

<http://user.cybrzn.com/~koz/rating.htm>
<http://www.primecomputing.com/javaqbr1.htm>
Seventeen proofs of Euler’s formula
<http://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/junkyard/euler/>
Universal law of gravitation
<http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/newtongrav.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
EXPECTED VALUE
The expected value of a variable is the long-run average value of the variable.
Expected value can also be viewed as the average value of a statistic over an infi-
nite number of samples from the same population.
Studies of expected value emerged from problems in gambling. How much
is a lottery ticket worth? Consider a lottery run by a service organization: a thou-
sand tickets are offered at a dollar each; first prize is $500; there are two second
prizes of $100; and the remaining income from ticket sales is designated for char-
ity. There are three probabilities in this problem: The probability of having the
first-prize ticket is 1 out of 1,000, or 0.001; the probability of a second place
ticket is 0.002; and the probability of winning nothing is 0.997. The average of
prizes weighted with corresponding probabilities gives the expected winning for
a ticket: 500 • 0.001 + 100 • 0.002 + 0 • 0.997 = 0.700. The expected-prize
value for one of these lottery tickets is $0.70. Since the ticket costs a dollar, the
expected loss on a ticket is $0.30. For this model to hold, one must assume that
a ticket would be purchased from many such lotteries. This assumption is met by
state lotteries that sell millions of tickets or Las Vegas slot machines, which are
played millions of times each day. Neither lotteries nor slot machines are fair
games. The expected net winning for each ticket in the lottery or each play of a
slot machine is a negative number. This indicates that these games of chance rep-
resent a long-term loss for the regular gambler.
The concept of weighting costs by probabilities is used in finance, investing,
insurance, industrial decision-making, and law to determine expected values.
Bankers and investors use several indicators based on expected value. One
example is expected return, an expected value on a risky asset based on the prob-
ability distribution of possible rates of return that might include U.S. Treasury
notes, stock-market indices, and a risk premium. Industrial decision-making uses
expected values to compute projected costs of different options. For example, an
oil company may hold property that it may choose for oil drilling, hold for later
drilling, or sell. Each of these options is associated with costs. The company can
EXPECTED VALUE 27
compute probabilities based on past experience for each cost. They then compare
the expected values and choose the option that has the least expected cost. A con-
troversial industrial use of expected value occurred in the 1970s with the design
of the Ford Pinto automobile. It had a gas tank that was likely to explode when
the car suffered a rear-end collision. The Ford Motor Company computed expect-
ed costs of improving the Pinto gas tank versus the expected costs of settling law-
suits resulting from deaths in Pinto explosions. The latter value was the lesser, so
Ford executives chose to omit gas-tank improvements.
Law firms can use expected values to determine whether or not a client
should continue a suit, settle without a trial, or go to trial. Experience with sim-
ilar lawsuits provides the probabilities. The cost of litigation and the potential
awards provide the estimates of net “winnings.” If the expected value of the net
winnings in a trial is negative, the law firm should advise the client to drop the
suit or accept a settlement.
Ecologists have used expected value to estimate water supplies in the Great
Plains based on probability and volume estimates of soil moisture, rain, and con-
sumption by humans, industry, agriculture, and natural vegetation. The military
uses expected values in conducting “war games.” Costs in military operations,
loss of life, and destruction of property are associated with probabilities to com-
pare the expected values of different strategies.
The French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) pro-
vided one of the earliest and most intriguing uses of expected value. In what is
now called “Pascal’s wager,” he argued that probabilities and payoffs associated
with belief in God versus not believing in God would result in an expected value
that supported belief in God. Almost 400 years later, Pascal’s assumptions and
arguments are still debated by theologians and philosophers.
The cereal box problem

<http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/reese/cereal/intro.html>
Contest odds
<http://silver.sdsmt.edu/~rwjohnso/module7.htm>
Determination of the decision-maker’s utility function
<http://ubmail.ubalt.edu/~harsham/opre640a/partix.htm#rutility>
The “dummies guide” to lottery design
<http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmc-
umeds/958/01111622.htm>
Life-expectancy data
<http://www.iihe.org/information/Databook1996/T49_LifeExpectancyAgeRaceSex.
htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
28 EXPONENTIAL DECAY
EXPONENTIAL DECAY
Exponential decay can be observed in the depreciation of car values, the half-
life of elements, the decrease of medication in the blood stream, and the cooling
of a hot cup of coffee. The general exponential equations that define exponential
growth, such as the financial model for principal after compound interest is
applied, A = P (1 + nr )nt , and the general models for exponential growth such
as y = abx can be used to describe losses over time for values of b that are
between 0 and 1. The changes that are made to the models may involve chang-
ing the base from a number greater than one (growth) to a number less than one
(decay), or leaving the base alone and allowing the power to be negative.
The term “decay” comes from the use of exponential functions to describe
the decrease of radioactivity in substances over time. The law of radioactive
decay states that each radioactive nuclear substance has a specific time known as
the half-life, during which radioactive activity diminishes by half. Some radioac-
tive substances have half-lives measured in thousands to billions of years (the
half-life of uranium-238 is 4.5 billion years), and some in fractions of a second
(muons have a half-life of 0.00000152 seconds). The way in which radioactivity
is measured varies from substance to substance. Uranium-238 decays into lead,
so the proportions of lead and uranium-238 in a sample can be used to determine
the amount of decay over time. The law of decay is stated as AR = Ao ( 21 )t/h ,
where Ao is the amount of radioactive substance at the start of the timing, h is
the half-life time period, and AR is the amount remaining after t units of time. In
this format, the base of the exponential equation is 12 , clearly a number less than
one. It can also be stated with a base larger than one if the exponent is negative,
as in AR = Ao (2)−t/h . The basic shape of the graph of exponential decay is
shown in the plot below. One hundred grams of substance with half-life of
24,000 years is followed for 100,000 years. At the end of 24,000 years, 50 grams
of the radioactive substance are left in the sample. At the end of 48,000 years, 25
grams are left, and at the end of 72,000 years, 12.5 grams. The formula that de-
scribes this model is A = 100( 12 )t/24,000 .
A graph that describes an exponential decay

of radioactive substance as a function of
time: Quantity remaining of 100 grams of
a radioactive substance with half-life of
24,000 years.
EXPONENTIAL DECAY 29
Exponential decay models are also written using base e. The equation A =
ln2
100e−kt , where k = 24,000 is the same equation plotted in the graph.
Radiocarbon dating of animal or plant remains that are thousands of years old
is based on the radioactive isotope carbon-14, which has a half-life of 5,700
years. Carbon-14 is constantly produced in the earth’s atmosphere through the
absorption of radiation from the sun. When living organisms breathe or eat, they
ingest some carbon-14 along with ordinary carbon. After an organism dies, no
more carbon-14 is ingested, so the age of its remains can be calculated by deter-
mining how much carbon-14 is left.
Exponential decay in prices is called depreciation. Some types of deprecia-
tion used in accounting are linear. For example, tax law permits a business to
depreciate 20 percent of the original cost of computer equipment for each of five
years. Market prices, however, do not follow a linear pattern. Automobiles typi-
cally depreciate rapidly during the first year, and then less rapidly during each
subsequent year. The used-car prices for one popular automobile that sold for
$27,000 when new are given by P = 27, 000(0.83)t , where t is the number of
years after purchase. In this case, the automobile lost 17 percent of its value each
year.
Inflation problems can be viewed as growth problems (increases in prices) or
as drops in the value of currency. For example, the purchasing power of the dol-
lar dropped by 7.2 percent per year during the 1970s. The purchasing power of
$100 is given by P = 100(1 − 0.072)t = 100(0.928)t , where t is the number of
years after 1970.
Concentrations of a medication that are carried in the bloodstream often fol-
low an exponential decay model. Such drugs are said to have half-lives. Each day
you replace about 25 percent of the fluids in your blood. If you are taking a med-
ication that depends on the bloodstream for circulation, then 25 percent of the
dose is lost as you replace fluids. A person who takes one pill containing 20 mg
of medicine will have about 15 mg (75 percent of 20 mg) in his or her body one
day later, and 11.25 mg (75 percent of 15 mg) two days later, and so on. The half-
life for this drug can be found by solving the equation 12 = 0.75t , or t ≈ 2.4 days.
Some drugs do not follow an exponential decay pattern. Because alcohol is
metabolized by humans, the quantity of alcohol in the bloodstream after inges-
tion will show a linear decrease rather than exponential decay.
For the many drugs and steroids that have half-lives, the drop off in drug con-
centration decreases less rapidly over time. Therefore it is possible to measure
the quantity of the drug in the body long after ingestion. This means that users of
illegal or dangerous drugs will have traces of the drugs remaining in their blood-
streams for many days. Sensitive drug tests, such as those used on Olympic ath-
letes, can pick up indications of banned drugs used within two weeks or more of
the testing, depending on the half-life of the substance.
If you pour a cup of hot coffee, the temperature will drop off quickly, then
the coffee will remain lukewarm for a long while. Newton’s law of cooling states
that the rate at which the temperature drops is proportional to the difference
30 EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
between the coffee temperature and the room temperature. The formula for the
coffee temperature after t minutes is T = Tr + (To − Tr )e−kt , where To is the
initial temperature of the coffee, Tr is the room temperature, and k is a constant
depending on the type of cup. Hence cooling is an exponential decay situation.
(See Asymptote.)
Medical examiners use a version of Newton’s law of cooling to determine the
time of death based on the temperature of a corpse and ambient temperature at
the murder scene.
Journal of Online Mathematics and Its Applications

<http://www.joma.org/vol1-2/modules/macmatc5/exponential_decay_module.html>
Carbon dating
<http://www.c14dating.com/>
<http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~lindsay/creation/carbon.html>
Cooling
<http://mvhs1.mbhs.edu/mvhsproj/cooling.html>
<http://members.tripod.com/fix_it_quick/mathisu.html>
<http://www.aw.com/ide/Media/JavaTools/nlhcrate.html>
Nuclear medicine
<http://www.math.bcit.ca/examples/ary_11_4/ary_11_4.htm>
Radioactive decay
<http://www.joma.org/vol1-2/modules/macmatc5/exponential_decay_module.html>
<http://pass.maths.org.uk/issue14/features/garbett/index.html>
The RC circuit
Used car prices
<http://www.edmunds.com/used/>
<http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.bz?kbb&&688&zip_ucr;1409&>
▲ ▼ ▲
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential growth situations are based on repeated multiplication. A classic

example was the growth of the rabbit population in Australia. English wild rab-
bits are not native to Australia, but were introduced by Thomas Austin of Win-
chelsea, Victoria, onto his property in 1859. Australia provided an ideal environ-
ment for the rabbits, with plenty of food and no predators, so the population grew
rapidly. By 1910, rabbits had become a plague, driving out many of the native
species across Australia. They destroyed farming areas, caused severe erosion,
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH 31
and ruined grazing areas for sheep. During the thirty years after their introduc-
tion, the rabbit population doubled every six months. The table and graph below
show the approximate number of rabbits in Australia for each six-month period
after the introduction of Mr. Austin’s original 24 rabbits.
six-month
year periods (x) rabbit population (y)
1859 0 24
1 24 • 2 = 48
1860 2 24 • 2 • 2 = 96
3 24 • 2 • 2 • 2 = 192
1861 4 24 • 24 = 384
The growth of the rabbit population in 5 24 • 25 = 768
Australia from 1859–1864 modeled 1862 6 24 • 26 = 1,536
by an exponential growth equation. 7 24 • 27 = 3,072
1863 8 24 • 28 = 6,144
9 24 • 29 = 12,288
1864 10 24 • 210 = 24,576
The equation for the number of rabbits is y = 24 • 2x . Because the inde-

pendent variable x is in an exponent, the equation describing the rabbit popula-
tion growth is called an exponential model. The base 2, which represents dou-
bling, is the growth factor. Growth factors greater than one create curves similar
to the rabbit-population curve. When the growth factor is less than one, the curve
will decrease (see Exponential Decay).
Exponential growth models are used extensively in the world of finance.
Investments of money in a certificate of deposit (CD), for example, require the
customer to invest a certain amount of money (principal) for a specified time.
The bank issuing the CD will specify an annual yield, a yearly interest rate that
will be added to the principal each year. The interest becomes part of the princi-
A graph depicting growth of the

rabbit population in Australia
from 1859–1864.
pal held for the customer. The return addition of interest payments to the princi-
pal so that the interest amount can earn interest in later years is called compound
interest. The growth factor in compound-interest problems is 1 plus the annual
yield. So an investor who buys a $5,000 CD advertised at 6.5 percent annual
yield will receive 5000(1 + .065)x after x years. After three years, this CD
would be valued at 5000(1.065)3 = $6,039.75. Banks may choose to compound
interest more frequently. The banking version of the exponential growth formula
is A = P (1 + r/n)nt , where A is the amount at the end of t years, P is the start-
ing principal, r is the stated interest rate, and n is the number of periods per year
that interest will be compounded. A typical CD will have interest compounded
each quarter. Financial institutions can offer more-frequent compounding, such
as monthly or daily. Some even offer continuous compounding, which has the
formula A = P ert , where A is the value of the investment at time t, P is the ini-
tial principal, r is the interest rate, and e ≈ 2.7183. For a given interest rate, more
frequent compounding yields a higher return, but that return does not increase
dramatically as the compounding period moves from months to days to continu-
ous. Because the number of compounding periods can affect the rate of return on
an investment, federal law requires financial institutions to state the annual yield
as well as an interest rate so that consumers can make easier comparisons among
investment opportunities.
Benjamin Franklin was one of the pioneers in the use of exponential growth
models for money and population. In 1790, Franklin established a trust of
$8,000. He specified that his investment should be compounded annually for 200
years, at which time the funds should be split evenly between the cities of
Philadelphia and Boston, and used for loans to “young apprentices like himself.”
Franklin anticipated that the fund would be worth $20.3 million after 200 years
if the annual yield averaged 4 percent. However, the annual yield averaged about
3.4 percent, so $6.5 million was in the fund when it was dispersed to the two
cities in 1990.
Franklin established the practice of studying the American population by
using exponential growth. He recognized that the warning of the Englishman
Thomas Malthus (1766–1834) that population under exponential growth would
outstrip food sources might apply to the new country of the United States. Frank-
lin urged that the growth of states and the entire country be tracked each year.
Some historians contend that President Lincoln used exponential growth models
70 years after Franklin’s recommendation. Lincoln used censuses from 1790 to
1860 to predict that the population of the United States would be over 250 mil-
lion in 1930. The population did not reach this figure until 1990. This shows that
exponential functions can describe situations only as long as the growth factor
remains constant. There are many factors such as economics, war, and disease
that can affect the rate of population growth.
When the Center for Disease Control identifies a new epidemic of flu, expo-
nential growth functions describe the numbers of early cases of infection quite
well. A good definition of epidemic is a situation in which cases of disease in-
crease exponentially. However, as people build up immunization, the disease
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH 33
cannot continue exponential growth, and other models become more appropriate.
(See Logistic Functions.)
The federal government keeps close tab on exponential growth situations that
can or may harm the U.S. economy. Inflation is the growth in prices over time.
One measure of inflation is the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which provides
averages of what standard goods and services would cost each year. In the United
States, what cost $100 in 1980 would cost $228.69 in 2000. The value of a dol-
lar was therefore less in 2000 than it was in 1980. This corresponds to a yearly
increase in costs of about 4.2 percent. This can be checked with the exponential
growth calculation 100(1 + 0.042)20 ≈ $227.70. This inflation is not a serious
national problem if wages and salaries increase at the same rate. It becomes a cri-
sis if the costs of goods and services increase at too high a percentage. There was
a time during the last twenty years in which the inflation rate in Brazil reached
80 percent per month! Using the exponential growth equation, that means that
what cost $100 at the start of the year would cost 100(1 + 0.80)12 ≈ $1,157 at
the end of the year.
Exponential growth is an issue in studies of the environment. From 1950
through 1970, it appeared that world oil production was increasing exponentially
at a rate of 7 percent per year to meet the growing worldwide demand. Could that
continue? Because it is harder to find previously undiscovered oil deposits, oil
production has not increased exponentially since 1970. Some scientists contend
that the carbon dioxide content in the upper atmosphere is increasing exponen-
tially. There are few dangerous effects in the early stages of the growth, but as
the amount of atmospheric CO2 leaps ahead, serious changes such as global
warming will disrupt life on earth.
Exponential growth models are the basis of many scams, such as the chain
letter. A chain letter offers the promise of easy money. One letter might have five
names at the end of it. “Send $10 to the first name on the list. Remove that name
and put your name on the bottom of the list. Send copies of the new letter to five
people.” If you and everyone else does this, the person at the top of the list would
receive $6,250. However, by the time your name came up on top of the list,
1,953,125 people would have had to pass on the chain letter after it had been ini-
tiated. In three more stages, the letter would have to be continued by more peo-
ple than there are in the United States. Because the number of contributors to the
letter must grow exponentially, the only people who benefit from a chain letter
are those who start them. The U.S. Postal Code prohibits chain letters. However,
variants of chain letters that don’t ask for money have been popular via email.
Because these letters ask the recipient to send copies of the letter to all people in
their computer address books, the number of these messages increases very rap-
idly and can clog disk storage and communication links.
There are several other ways in which exponential growth appears in finan-
cial deceits. An entrepreneur will advertise franchises for selling some product.
For payment of a franchise fee, such as $1,000 or $5,000, the franchisee obtains
the rights to sell the product in a certain area. Up to that point, everything is legal.
But some frauds depend on the franchisees selling further franchises, with every-
one already in the business sharing some of the franchise fees. In this type of
scheme, millions of dollars can come to the originators, even if none of the prod-
uct is ever sold. The people who pay franchises late in the scheme lose all their
money. When all operations are based on money from new investors rather than
goods or services, the fraud is called a “Ponzi scheme.”
Population changes
<http://www.ea.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/pests/rabbit.html>
<http://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/population.html>
<http://www.joma.org/vol1-2/modules/macmatc5/exponential_growth_module.
html>
<http://www.math.montana.edu/frankw/ccp/modeling/discrete/snooping/learn.htm>
Savings, credit, and compound interest
<http://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/savings.html>
<http://www.richmond.edu/~ed344/webunits/math/banking3.html>
<http://www.math.toronto.edu/mathnet/questionCorner/mortgage.html>
Inflation rates and calculators
<http://www.westegg.com/inflation/>
<http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/economy/calc/cpihome.html>
<http://www.hec.ohio-state.edu/cts/osue/cpidist.htm>
Chain letters and scams
<http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/HBHoaxInfo.html#what>
<http://www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect/chainlet.htm>
<http://www.chainletters.org/>
<http://home.nycap.rr.com/useless/ponzi/>
<http://www.bosbbb.org/lit/0052.htm>
Food technology
Internet growth data
<http://www.mit.edu/people/mkgray/net/internet-growth-summary.html>
Pricing diamond rings
<http://exploringdata.cqu.edu.au/dia_asn.htm>
The US national debt clock
<http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/>
▲ ▼ ▲
FIBONACCI SEQUENCE 35
FIBONACCI SEQUENCE
The infinite sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, . . . is called the Fibonacci

sequence after the Italian mathematician Leonardo of Pisa (ca.1175–ca.1240),
who wrote under the name of Fibonacci. The sequence starts with a pair of ones,
then each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers. The formula for the
sequence is best written recursively (first formula below), rather than the explicit
formula on the right.
√ 2 √ 2
a1 =1 1+ 5 1− 5
a2 =1 2 − 2
an =an−1 +an−2 tn = √
5
.
recursive explicit
Fibonacci established a thought experiment about counts of animals over

generations, and can be described in terms of the family line of honey bees. A
male bee develops from an unfertilized egg—hence has only a mother. Female
bees develop from fertilized eggs; therefore female bees have a father and
mother. How many ancestors does a male bee have? The male bee has one
mother. The mother has a mother and a father. So the male bee has one ancestor
at the parent generation. He has two ancestors at the grandparent generation. If
you work out the great-grandparent generation, you will find that there are three
ancestors. A full picture of the family tree for the bee going back to great-great-
great grandparents will show that the generation counts are 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13.
The family tree for a male bee.
Placing the male bee at the beginning of the sequence (starting generation)
gives 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and so on. If you repeat the argument with a female bee, you
will also get a Fibonacci sequence starting with 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, . . . . The sequence
has been shown to have remarkable mathematical properties and some surpris-
ing connections to events outside of mathematics. Eight hundred years after
Fibonacci’s publication of the sequence, an organization and journal, the Fibo-
nacci Quarterly, are devoted to exploring new discoveries about the sequence.
an
The ratios of consecutive terms of the Fibonacci sequence an−1 produce a
sequence
√
1, 2, 1.5, 1.6̄, 1.6, 1.625, . . . which converges to the golden ratio
1+ 5
2 ≈ 1.61803. If a sequence of squares is built up from two initial unit
36 FIBONACCI SEQUENCE
squares (left-hand picture below), the vertices provide links for tracing a loga-
rithmic spiral (middle picture). The spiral (which expands one golden ratio dur-
ing each whole turn) appears in the chambered nautilus (right-hand picture).
The Fibonacci numbers and their connection to the golden ratio in a chambered nautilus.
The Fibonacci numbers appear in the branching of plants, and counts of spi-
rals in sunflower seeds, pine cones, and pineapples. In one particular variety of
sunflower, the florets appear to have two systems of spirals, both beginning at the
center. There are fifty-five spirals in the clockwise direction, and thirty-four in
the counterclockwise one. The same count of florets in a daisy show twenty-one
spirals in one direction and thirty-four in the other. A pine cone has two spirals
of five and eight arms, and a pineapple has spirals of five, eight, and thirteen. The
spiral also appears in animal horns, claws, and teeth.
On many plants, the number of petals on blossoms is a Fibonacci number.
Buttercups and impatiens have five petals, iris have three, corn marigolds have
thirteen, and some asters have twenty-one. Some species have petal counts that
may vary from blossom to blossom, but the average of the petals will be a Fibo-
nacci number. Flowers with other numbers of petals, such as six, can be shown
to have two layers of three petals, so that their counts are simple multiples of a
Fibonacci number. In the last few years, two French mathematicians, Stephane
Douady and Yves Couder, proposed a mathematical explanation for the Fibo-
nacci-patterned spirals in nature. Plants develop seeds, flowers, or branches from
a meristem (a tiny tip of the growing point of plants). Cells are produced at a con-
stant rate of turn of the meristem. As the meristem grows upward, the cells move
outward and increase in size. The most efficient turn to produce seeds, flowers,
or branches will result in a Fibonacci spiral.
In 1948, R. N. Elliott proposed investment strategies based on the Fibonacci
sequence. These remain standard tools for many brokers, but whether they are a
never-fail way of selecting stocks and bonds is open to debate. Some investors
think that when Elliott’s theories work, it is because many investors are using his
rules, so their effects on the stock market shape a Fibonacci pattern. Neverthe-
less, a substantial number of brokers use Elliott’s Fibonacci rules in determining
how to invest.
In computer science, there is a data structure called a “Fibonacci heap” that
is at the heart of many fast algorithms that manipulate graphs. Physicists have
INTEGRATION 37
used Fibonacci sequences to study quantum transport through Fibonacci lattices

and radiation paths through the solar system.
An absolutely huge collection of information about the Fibonnaci sequence

<http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fib.html>
Computer art based on Fibonacci numbers
<http://www.moonstar.com/~nedmay/chromat/fibonaci.htm>
Fibonacci numbers and the golden section
<http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fib.html>
Fibonacci numbers and their application in trend analysis
<http://library.shu.edu/HafnerAW/awh-th-fibonacci-num.htm>
Fibonacci spirals
<http://www.moonstar.com/~nedmay/chromat/fibonaci.htm>
A psychic encounter with Fibonacci numbers
<http://www.telepath.com/novelty/nbart1.html>
Scott’s phi page
<http://www.germantownacademy.org/academics/us/Math/Geometry/stwk98/SCOT-
TRK/Index.htm>
Trader’s corner
<http://www.optioninvestor.com/traderscorner/070501_1.asp>
▲ ▼ ▲
IMAGINARY NUMBERS . S EE COMPLEX NUMBERS
▲ ▼ ▲
INTEGRATION
Integration is used to determine a total amount based on a predictable rate

pattern, such as a population based on its growth rate, or to represent an accu-
mulation of something such as volume in a tank. It is usually introduced in cal-
culus, but its use and computation can be performed by many calculators or com-
puter programs without taking calculus. Understanding the utility of an integral
does not require a background in calculus, but instead a conceptual understand-
ing of rates and area.
38 INTEGRATION
Many realistic applications of integration that occur in science, engineering,

business, and industry cannot be expressed with simple linear functions or geo-
metric formulas. Integration is powerful in such circumstances, because there is
not a reliance on constant rates or simple functions to find answers. For exam-
ple, in many algebra courses, students learn that distance = rate × time. This is
true only if the rate of an object always remains the same. In many real-world
instances, the rate of an object changes, such as the velocity of an automobile on
the road. Cars speed up and slow down according to traffic signals, incidents on
the road, and attention to driving. If the velocity of the car can be modeled with
a nonlinear function, then an integral could help you represent the distance as a
function of time, or tell you how far the car has moved from its original position,
even if the rate has changed.
A definite integral of a function f (t) is an integral that finds a value based on
a set of boundaries. A definite integral can help you determine the total produc-
tion of textiles based on a specific period of time during the day. For example,
suppose a clothes manufacturer recognized that its employees were gradually
slowing down as they were sewing clothes, perhaps due to fatigue or boredom.
After collecting data on a group of workers, the manufacturer determined that the
rate of production of blue jeans, f , can be modeled by the function f (t) =
6.37e−0.04t , where t is the number of consecutive hours worked. For the first two
hours of work, an expected production amount can be determined by the definite
2
integral, written as 0 6.37e−0.04t dt.
On a graph in which f (t) describes a rate, the definite integral can be deter-
mined by finding the area between f and the t axis.
The area between the graph

of f (t) = 6.37e−0.04t
and the t axis determined by
2
0
6.37e−0.04t dt.
In the case of producing blue jeans for the first two hours of work, the area
between f (t) = 6.37e−0.04t and the t axis on the interval [0,2] is equal to
approximately 12.24 pairs of jeans. In an eight-hour workday, the last two hours
8
of work production from an employee would be represented by 6 6.37e−0.04t dt,
which equals approximately 9.63 pairs of blue jeans. Notice that the area on the
INTEGRATION 39
graph is much lower in this interval (the dark solid region), than from 0 to 2 hours
of work (the light shaded region).
A comparison of the areas between

the graph of f (t) = 6.37e−0.04t
and the t axis on the interval from
t = 0 to 2 hours (the light shaded
region) and from t = 6 to 8 hours
(the dark solid region).
This information can help managers determine when employees should take
breaks so that they can optimize their performance, because they would likely
feel more productive when they returned to work.
A definite integral can help heating and cooling companies estimate the
amount of costs needed to send power or gas to each household. On any given
day, the temperature can be modeled with a sinusoidal function, because tem-
perature increases during the day, decreases at night, and then repeats the cycle
throughout the year. For example, suppose the temperature reached a low of 50°
Fahrenheit at 2 AM and a high of 90° at 2 PM. If x represents the number of hours
that have passed during the day, then the temperature
in degrees
Fahrenheit, T ,
2π(x−14)
can be represented by the equation T = 20 cos 24 + 70. Suppose that
the thermostat in the house is set to 80° so that the air conditioning will turn on
once the temperature is greater than or equal to that setting. The amount of
energy used for the air conditioner is proportional to the temperature outside.
That means that the air conditioner will use more energy to keep the house cool
when it is closer to 90° than when it is near 80°. The price to cool the house
might be five cents per hour for every degree above 80°. If the temperature were
83° for the entire hour, then the cost to run the air conditioner would be fifteen
cents. However, since temperature varies according to a sinusoidal function, the
cost per minute would actually change. Therefore, a definite integral bounded by
the time when the temperature is above 80° will help predict the cooling costs.
The temperature should be 80° at x = 10 (10 AM) and x = 18 (6 PM), so the cool-
ing costs per day for days like this would be approximately $2.62 based on an
evaluation of the expression
18
$0.05 10 (20 cos 2π(x−14)
24 + 70 − 80)dx = $2.62.
Notice that the answer
is also represented by 0.05 times the area of the curve
between T = 20 cos 2π(x−14)
24 + 70 and T = 80, as shown in the following
diagram.
40 INTEGRATION

The area between T = 20 cos 2π(x−14)
24
+ 70
and T = 80, which is the same as
18
10
(20 cos 2π(x−14)
24
+ 70 − 80)dx
Integration can be used to help solve differential equations in order to for-

mulate new equations that compare two variables. A differential equation is a
relationship that describes a pattern for a rate. For example, the differential equa-
tion describing the rate of the growth of a rabbit population is proportional to the
amount present and would be represented by the equation dP dt = kP , where P is
the population, t is the amount of time, and k is a constant of proportionality. If
there were 200 rabbits in the population seven months ago, and 500 rabbits in the
population right now, then an integral will help you find an equation that relates
the population of rabbits to the amount of time that has passed. In this case, solv-
ing the differential equation will result in a general equation of P = 200e0.131t ,
where t is the number of months that have passed since the rabbits were origi-
nally counted. This information can help farmers understand how their crops will
be affected over time and take preventative measures, since they will be able to
predict future rabbit populations, assuming that changes will not result in the
growth rate due to disease or removal.
The equation d = 0.5gt2 + vo t + do is commonly used in physics when
studying kinematics to describe the vertical position, d, of an object based on the
time the object has been in motion, t. Values that are commonly substituted into
this equation are g = –9.8 meters per second squared to represent the accelera-
tion due to earth’s gravity, the initial velocity of the object, vo , and the initial ver-
tical position of the object, do . How was this equation determined? Integration
can help explain how this expression is derived.
The acceleration of an object in vertical motion is equal to the constant value,

g, neglecting any air resistance. Acceleration is a rate of velocity, v, so v = gdt.
The velocity at t = 0 is vo , so this information and the integral determines the

equation v = gt + vo . Velocity is a rate of position, so d = (gt + vo )dt. The
vertical position at t = 0 is do , so this information and the integral determine the
equation d = 0.5gt2 + vo t + do .
Many volume formulas in geometry can also be proven by integration. In this
case, the integral serves as an accumulator of small pieces of volume until the
INTEGRATION 41
entire solid is formed. For example, the volume, r, of a sphere can be represented
by the equation v = 34 πr3 , where r is the radius of the sphere. This equation can
√
be determined by revolving a semicircle, y = r2 − x2 , about the x-axis.
A sphere with radius, r, is formed

when rotating the semicircle
√
y = r2 − x2 about the x-axis.
One really thin cross-sectional slice of the sphere can be represented by a

cylinder with radius y and thickness ∆x, as shown in the left-hand diagram
below. The volume of this cylindrical cross section, then, is v = πy 2 ∆x. The
integral will accumulate the volume of all of these cylinders that stack up against
one another from x = –r to x = r.
cylindrical slice inscribed in a sphere cylindrical slices stacked to form a sphere

√
Cylindrical slices with radius y = r2 − x2 and height ∆x are stacked together
to form the volume of the sphere.
r √
Therefore the volume of a sphere can be represented by π −r ( r2 − x2 )2 dx,
which simplifies to v = 34 πr3 . This formula tells manufacturers how much metal
is needed to create certain ball bearings. The formula is also useful for ice cream
store owners to determine how many cones they can serve with each container
of ice cream, assuming that they can convert cubic centimeter units to gallons.
Orange juice manufacturers can use this relationship to estimate the amount of
orange juice they will receive from a batch of fresh oranges.
What about predicting the volume needed to juice other fruits that have non-
circular curves, such as lemons, apples, and pears? The process would be simi-
lar to calculating the volume of a sphere, except that an equation would need to
be developed to model the perimeter of the fruit. For example, if the core of a
pear is placed along the x-axis, a pencil can trace its perimeter in the first two
quadrants. A fourth-degree function can model the curvature of a pear, such as
y = –0.016x4 − 0.094x3 − 0.068x2 − 0.242x + 3.132, and then rotated around
42 INTEGRATION
the x-axis to form the solid, as shown below. An integral set up like the volume
of a sphere, and bounded by the x-intercepts of the function, will approximate
the volume of the pear.
A pear can be constructed by rotating the

function y = –0.016x4 − 0.094x3 − 0.068x2
−0.242x + 3.132 about the x-axis.
This pear has a volume ≈ 352 milliliters, as a result of evaluating

2.502
π −6.347 (–0.016x4 − 0.094x3 − 0.068x2 − 0.242x + 3.132)2 dx.
BHS calculus student projects

<http://www.bhs-ms.org/calculus.htm>
The case of the murky mell
<http://www.math.iupui.edu/writing_in_math/murky_well.html>
CO2 concentrations in a river
<http://www.geom.umn.edu/education/calc-init/integration/>
Flood levels
Gavin’s calculus projects
<http://www.math.lsa.umich.edu/~glarose/courseinfo/calc/calcprojects.html>
Heating-degree-days
<http://www.nap.edu/html/hs_math/hd.html>
Internet differential equations activities: Current projects
<http://www.sci.wsu.edu/idea/current.html>
Modeling population growth
<http://www.geom.umn.edu/education/calc-init/population/>
Nuclear medicine
Petroleum collection
Surveying
Tunnel Vision, Inc.
<http://panther.bsc.edu/~bspieler/projects/tunnel.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
INVERSE ( MULTIPLICATIVE ) 43
INVERSE ( MULTIPLICATIVE )
A relationship in the form y = xk , where k is a constant, is called an inverse
function. Sometimes you will see this relationship written as “y is inversely pro-
portional to x.” The graph of this function is a hyperbola, but most real-world
applications with inverse functions relate only to nonnegative values in the
domain.
A graph of the inverse function

y = x4 .
An inverse proportion indicates that the dependent variable decreases as the

independent variable increases, or vice versa. In other words, as one factor
changes, the other factor will change in the reverse direction. For example, pres-
sure is inversely proportional to the volume of an object. When you dive under-
water, the amount of air space in between your ears begins to decrease, causing
them to pop, because the pressure gradually increases. If your ears do not pop
and release the air inside, then you will feel discomfort or pain, because the pres-
sure becomes too great.
Bottling companies use this same principle in packaging their soft drinks. Air
and carbon dioxide are compressed in a small volume of space when you first
open a container. The built-up pressure inside the small amount of space will
cause the container to fizz or make a sound when it is first opened. After the
gasses in the container have been released and part of the bottle is emptied, the
pressure on the bottle decreases, since the air volume inside has increased. Thus
the bottle does not fizz as much when it is opened later on.
Size is influenced by a combination of surface area and volume. The ratio of
surface area to volume is an inverse relationship, because area units are squared
and volume units are cubed. The ratio of squared units to cubic units is equal to
inverse units. For example, the surface area of a cube with an edge length equal
to 2 cm is 24 cm 2 (6 square faces, each with area of 4 cm 2 ). The volume of this
cm2
cube is 8 cm3. The surface-area-to-volume ratio is 3 cm –1 (determined by 248 cm3 ).
Notice that the units are a multiplicative inverse, or reciprocal, of cm.
Since an organism’s metabolic rate is affected by this ratio, it can be mod-
eled after an inverse proportion. This means that large animals will typically
have slower metabolisms than smaller animals, because the ratio of surface area
to volume will decrease for larger volumes. Conversely, smaller animals will
have higher metabolic rates than larger animals, because this ratio increases for
44 INVERSE ( MULTIPLICATIVE )
smaller volumes. Therefore rodents and dogs are much more likely to lose heat
from their bodies than bears and elephants, because they have less heat stored
inside. As a result, smaller animals need to be more active to maintain appro-
priate heat levels within their bodies, causing their metabolism to remain at high
levels. Animals and plants have naturally developed parts of their body to help
expand their surface area without adding considerable volume so that they can
increase their metabolic rate. For example, trees develop leaves from branches,
and humans use capillaries to extend their circulatory system. Microvilli, the
lining of the small intestine, is an example of a large surface area in the human
body with little volume, because it stretches to lengths of over seven meters
long!
Fuel consumption as a function of gas mileage is an inverse relationship. As
automobiles increase their fuel efficiency, or the number of miles per gallon they
attain while driving, then the gasoline consumers will purchase less fuel. Smaller
compact cars typically obtain better gas mileage, because there is less mass to
move when compared to less-fuel-efficient cars such as vans, trucks, and sport-
utility vehicles. If Americans drive approximately 1012 miles each year, then the
fuel consumption of the United States each year can be represented by the func-
12
tion g = 10m , where m is the average gas mileage of the cars that year.
Production rates also form inverse relationships. The time it takes to com-
plete a task is inversely proportional to the rate at which an item is produced or
performed. For example, a grocery store clerk needs to staple price stickers on
5,000 cans. The amount of time needed for the job, t, is dependent on his pro-
ductivity rate, r, according to the function t = 5000r . If he works at a faster rate,
then the job will take less time to complete.
Some people claim that “Murphy’s law” can be described as an inversely
proportional relationship. This law maintains that anything can go wrong at the
worst possible moment. For example, when constructing a stage, Murphy’s law
might strike if the most vital tool to complete the job is missing. Another exam-
ple is staying up all night to complete a term paper, only to realize that your disk
has gone bad or your printer is out of ink. If this law were described as an inverse
function, then the availability of an item or luck is inversely proportional to its
importance. Thus as an event or object becomes more important, Murphy’s law
can strike, indicating that it will likely not occur or be available. Conversely, the
object or phenomenon will more likely occur or become available when it is less
needed.
Best practices in network security

<http://www.silcom.com/~aludwig/Physics/Main/Image_analysis.html>
Boyle’s law
<http://library.thinkquest.org/12596/boyles.html>
Ears, altitude and airplane travel
<http://www.entnet.org/altitude.html>
INVERSE FUNCTION 45
Gear ratios
<http://www.meceng.uct.ac.za/~mec104w/projects/legogears/legogears.html>
<http://weirdrichard.com/gears.htm>
Investigating direct and inverse variation with the telescope
<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt669/Student.Folders/Jeon.Kyungsoon/IU/rational2/T
elescope.html>
Murphy’s law
<http://www.peacockfamily.co.nz/murphys.html>
<http://fun.pinknet.cz/wise/m_apl.htm>
Weight and distance on a lever
<http://www.indiana.edu/~atmat/units/ratio/ratio_t7.htm>
<http://collections.ic.gc.ca/science_world/english/exhibits/leverarm/index.html>
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachersguide/lostempires/lostempires_sp3.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
INVERSE FUNCTION
An inverse is a process, procedure, or operation that is reversed. For exam-

ple, the inverse of walking up the stairs is walking down the stairs. The inverse
of putting on your socks and then your shoes in the morning is taking them off
at night. When you are given driving directions to a friend’s house, you have to
use the inverse of the original directions to find your way home, because all of
the directions will need to be reversed, where left turns will become right turns,
and vice versa.
Two functions, f (x) and g(x), are inverses if their composites are equal to the
independent variable. Symbolically, this is written f (g(x)) = x or g(f (x)) = x.
Also, the coordinates on inverse functions are reversed. If f (x) and g(x) are
inverses, and f (x) contains the point (4,7), then g(x) contains the point (7,4). So
one way to model an inverse of a function is to reverse the coordinates. For exam-
ple, the exchange rate when traveling from the United States to Australia might be
represented by the function a = 1.90u, where u is the number of U.S. dollars, and
a is the number of Australian dollars. This means that 1.90 Australian dollars is
equivalent to 1 U.S. dollar. In this equation, the coordinates are represented by the
ordered pair (u, a). The inverse of this relationship would be to describe the
exchange rate when traveling from Australia to the United States. Therefore the
coordinates would be reversed, or (a, u). In order to represent this equation as a
function that indicates the exchange rate, the equation a = 1.90u needs to be
rewritten as a function in terms of a. This can be done by dividing both sides of
1a
the equation by 1.90 to obtain 1.90 = 1.90u
1.90 , which simplifies to approximately
0.53a = u. This means that the exchange rate on the return to the United States is
about $0.53 (U.S.) for every Australian dollar. You can verify that these two func-
46 INVERSE FUNCTION
tions are inverses by finding their composite u(a(u)), which equals 0.53(1.90u)
and simplifies to equal u.
Inverses are also used to decode secret messages. If an encrypting pattern is
used to change the letters in a sentence, then a decrypting pattern is needed to
place the letters back in their normal positions. For example, suppose an encryp-
tion function of e(w) = 2w + 3 is applied to each letter in a word, where letters
had corresponding numbers (e.g., a = 1, b = 2, c = 3, . . . z = 26). The word
“math” would first translate to a numerical expression, 13 1 20 8, and then be
transformed using the function e(w) = 2w + 3, where w represents the original
number, and e represents the coded number. So the letter “m,” equivalent to 13,
would transform to e = 2(13) + 3 = 29. After transforming 1, 20, and 8, the
final coded expression would be 29 5 43 19. If you receive the secret transmis-
sion of an encoded expression 29 5 43 19, you will need to decode it using the
inverse function, w(e). One way to find this inverse is to solve for w in the equa-
tion e = 2w + 3 by subtracting 3 from both sides and then dividing by 2. Thus
w = e−32 is the inverse operation that will decode the expression. The first num-
ber, 29, would be converted to w = 29−3 2 = 13, which translates to the letter “m”
in the alphabet. If you apply the inverse function to the remaining numbers 5 43
19, you will obtain the word “math” again. Encrypted codes that deal with con-
fidential information, such as credit card numbers and highly classified material,
are far more complex than this function. However, the decryption of obscure
codes is often performed by computers that use a program that relies on the
process of an inverse operation! (For a more secure code, see Matrices.)
Cryptology
<http://www.ssh.fi/tech/crypto/intro.cfm>
<http://www.jcoffman.com/Algebra2/ch4_5.htm>
<http://www.sans.org/infosecFAQ/encryption/mathematics.htm>
Inverse problems in the earth sciences
<http://ees-www.lanl.gov/EES5/inverse_prob.html>
Universal currency converter
<http://www.xe.net/ucc/>
<http://www.wildnetafrica.com/currencyframe.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
INVERSE SQUARE FUNCTION 47
INVERSE SQUARE FUNCTION
The inverse square law explains why sound drops off so quickly as you move
away from a source of noise, why porch lights do a good job of illuminating the
front of a house but not the street in front of the house, and why the forest reverts
to darkness as you move away from a campfire. Light and sound emerging from
single sources can be viewed as increasing spheres whose area increases as the
square of the distance from the source. As a result, the proportion of sound or
light reaching a specific unit of area, such as a square meter, varies inversely as
the square of the distance from the source. The standard equation of an inverse
square function is y = xk2 , where k is a constant of proportionality.
Graph of the inverse square function

y = x12 .
Light emerges from a source in all directions. The drawing below illustrates
the distribution of light from a 40-watt light bulb. We will use wattage as the
measure of pointance and illuminance to show how the inverse square works.
Imagine a sphere of radius r containing the light bulb. Forty watts fall on the
interior surface of the sphere. The surface area of the sphere is given by SA =
4πr2 square meters. The energy falling on 1 square meter is therefore 40 watts
divided by 4πr2 . In the drawing, this energy is called “L.” If you go out twice as
far, the same energy is distributed over 4 square meters. At three times the dis-
tance, the energy is distributed over 9 square meters.
The distribution of light from a

light bulb according to the
inverse square law.
A standard formula for light intensity is E = rI2 , where E is called the illu-
minance, and I is called the pointance. Illuminance is measured in a variety of
units such as lux and footcandles. Pointance is a measure of the intensity at the
source of the light. As you can see, this is a direct statement of the inverse square
law.
The inverse square law provides information about the likelihood of other
planets having life forms similar to those on earth. Imagine the light that hits your
48 INVERSE SQUARE FUNCTION
neighborhood at noon on a hot summer day. Call that amount of light L. Mars is
about one-and-a-half times the distance from the sun as the earth, so if your
L
neighborhood were on Mars, it would receive 1.5 2 or 44 percent of the light it
receives on earth. That might be enough to sustain life. The planet Neptune is
about thirty times as far from sun as the earth. If your neighborhood were on
Neptune, it would receive 30L2 , or about 0.1 percent of the light it receives on
earth. This wouldn’t be enough to support life as we know it.
The distribution of sound follows the same rule. Just replace the light bulb in
the first illustration by an actor in an auditorium. In an auditorium, the sound
drop due to the inverse square law is usually unacceptable. It would mean that a
person standing in front of the first row of seats, who might be audible to people
in the tenth row, would be barely audible to people in the twentieth row. The
audibility of the speaker (about 70 decibels) to listeners in the first row would
drop to 50 decibels (a soft sound) ten rows behind. Acoustical engineers design
reverberation into auditoriums to focus the sound and overcome the inverse
square law. They place hard surfaces at the back of the stage and on the ceiling
and walls so that sound that would ordinarily dissipate would bounce back and
add to the intensity of that being heard by the audience.
Gravity is an example of a force that follows the inverse square law. How
much lighter will a 160-pound astronaut feel if he or she is in a spaceship 12,000
miles above the earth? The radius of the earth is about 4,000 miles, so the astro-
naut is 16,000 miles from the center of the earth, or about four times the distance
of a person measuring weight on the surface of the earth. By the inverse square
law, the astronaut would feel as though his or her weight were 160 42 = 10 pounds,
even though the mass of the astronaut remains unchanged.
Electric force acting on a point charge, q1 , in the presence of another point
charge, q2 , is given by Coulomb’s law, F = kqr12q2 = 4πǫ q1 q2
0r
2 , where ǫ0 is the con-
stant for the permittivity of free space. This law is an outcome of the inverse
square law. It is named in honor of the French scientist Charles Coulomb, who
established it in 1777 after studying the forces on magnetized needles.
The inverse square law means that increasing the distance from a source of
nuclear radiation may be the difference between life and death. Accidental expo-
sure to radiation that produces 600 rems (a measure of radiation impact on living
tissue) is almost certain to cause death within two months. A person who is twice
as far away will absorb 600/4 = 125 rems, an amount that will result in a signifi-
cant, but temporary, reduction in blood platelets and white blood cells. If the radi-
ation distribution followed an inverse law, rather than an inverse square law, then
a person twice as far away as the one receiving the fatal dose would get 600/2 =
300 rems. This dose causes severe blood damage, nausea, hair loss, hemorrhage,
and death in many cases. Because radiation follows the inverse square law, being
twice the distance from a fatal dose may mean illness rather than death.
The inverse square law comes up in court cases. The lawyer faced the med-
ical examiner and asked suddenly, “The body wasn’t found in the bedroom. How
can you say that the fatal shots were made there?” The examiner replied, “Be-
LINEAR FUNCTIONS 49
cause we found blood spatters on the wall in the bedroom. Measuring the num-
ber of splatters in a square meter, we used the inverse square law to determine
that a high-velocity bullet passed through the victim 1.7 meters from that wall.
Analysis of droplet angles confirmed our estimate.”
Summary from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

<http://www.star.le.ac.uk/edu/solar/edu/invsquar.html>
<http://www.solarviews.com/span/edu/invsquar.htm>
<http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/bsf6-1.html>
Physics examples and lessons
<http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/forces/isq.html>
<http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/circles/U6L3b.html>
Universal law of gravitation
<http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/newtongrav.html>
Simple experiments
<http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/inverse_square_law.html>
<http://www.public.iastate.edu/~javapgmr/homepage.html>
<http://www.howstuffworks.com/question441.htm>
Astrophysics
<http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/InverseSquare/index.html>
<http://www.solarviews.com/span/edu/invsquar.htm>
<http://www.star.le.ac.uk/edu/solar/edu/invsquar.html>
Basic notions of celestial mechanics
<http://www.rafed.net/arc/arabic/research/mmar/bncm/bncm1.htm>
Darkness outside of a campfire
<http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/inverse_square_law.html>
Electromagnetic radiation
<http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/bsf6-1.html>
How light works
<http://www.howstuffworks.com/question441.htm>
Simulated ocean dive
<http://illuminations.nctm.org/imath/912/Light/light2.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
LINEAR FUNCTIONS
A linear function is a function that has a constant change in the dependent

variable for every change in the independent variable. For example, the value of
the dependent variable y in the linear function y = 5x − 2 will always increase
by five units for every increase in one unit of the independent variable, x. This
50 LINEAR FUNCTIONS
means that the ratio of these changes, called the slope, is also constant. For exam-
ple, the previous comparison is the same as saying that there will be a change of
fifteen units in the dependent variable for every change in three units of the inde-
pendent variable, since this ratio simplifies to 5. Every linear function can be
written in the slope-intercept form, y = mx + b, where m is the slope of the line,
and b is in the y-intercept.
Realistic situations use linear functions to make predictions or draw compar-
isons that involve constant change. For example, the cost of gasoline is linearly
related to the number of gallons purchased. For every one gallon of gas pur-
chased, the price will increase approximately $1.40. The fact that the gas price
per gallon does not change as gas is pumped allows someone to use a linear func-
tion to predict the amount of money needed to fill the tank. In this situation, the
function c = 1.40g would relate the cost in c dollars to g gallons purchased. If an
automobile has a twelve-gallon tank, then the cost to fill the tank would be c =
1.40(12) = $16.80. In addition, the linear equation is useful when the individual
purchasing gasoline would like to know how much gasoline he or she would
obtain with the $10 available in his or her pocket. In this case, 10 would be sub-
stituted for the variable c, and solving the equation would show that approxi-
mately 7.14 gallons could be purchased, slightly more than half a tank in most
cars.
Linear functions are useful in estimating the amount of time it will take to
complete a road trip. Assuming that traffic conditions are good and the driver is
traveling at a constant speed on a highway, the linear equation d = rt (distance
equals rate times time) can be used to predict the total distance traveled or time
needed to complete the trip. For example, suppose that a family is traveling on
vacation by automobile. The family members study a map to determine the dis-
tance between the cities, estimate a highway speed or rate of 65 miles per hour,
and then solve the linear equation d = 65t to estimate the length of their trip. An
awareness of the time needed for the trip would likely help the family plan a time
of departure and times for rest stops.
Banking institutions determine the amount of simple interest accumulated on
an account by using the linear equation I = Prt, where I is the amount of interest,
P is the initial principal, r is the interest rate, and t is the time in years in which
the interest has been accumulating. For example, a $1,000 loan with 8 percent
simple interest uses the function I = 1000(0.08)t, or simplified to I = 80t, to pre-
dict the amount of interest over a specific time period. Once the principal and
interest rates have been determined, the function is linear, since the amount of
interest increases at a constant rate over time. Over five years, there will be I =
80(5) = $400 net payment in interest.
Circuits rely on linear relationships in order to operate electrical equipment.
The voltage V, current I, and resistance R are related with the equation V = IR. A
power supply has voltage to create a stream of current through electrical wires.
The current in a circuit is typically held constant, such as at 72 Hz, so that there
is a constant stream of electricity. In this case, the linear relationship V = 72R
would help a manufacturer determine the amount of resistance needed in a power
LINEAR FUNCTIONS 51
supply so that an electrical object can operate correctly. Resistors are small
devices that block or slow down the current so that an object does not receive too
much power. For example, if the resistance in a light circuit is too low, then the
bulb would receive an overload of power and be destroyed. If the resistance is
too high, then there will not be enough power reaching the bulb in order for it to
light well. These problems can arise with some appliances when they are moved
to different countries, because the electrical circuits may run with different cur-
rent levels. Consequently, appliances may have different types of resistors so that
they can accommodate to the corresponding current levels in a circuit.
In a business setting, a linear function could be used to relate the total costs
needed to sell a product in terms of the number of products produced. For exam-
ple, suppose a bakery created cookies at a raw material expense of $0.25 per
cookie. Suppose production costs for equipment are an extra $500. In this case,
the linear function t = 0.25c + 500 will represent the total cost, t, needed to pro-
duce c cookies. In general, if a function is modeled by a linear relationship, then
the rate ($0.25 per cookie) will be the slope, and the starting amount ($500 equip-
ment expense) will be the y-intercept of the equation. This information is useful
to the owner, because he or she will be able to predict the average cost of pro-
ducing cookies, start-up expenses included, or the amount of cookies that can be
produced based on a fixed budget.
Unit conversions are often linearly related. For example, the United States
uses a different temperature scale (Fahrenheit) than most of the rest of the world
(Celsius). If an individual from the United States travels to Spain, then a tem-
perature of 30° Celsius would feel considerably different from a temperature of
30° Fahrenheit. The equation that converts the two variables can be determined
by using the freezing and boiling points of water. Water freezes at 0° Celsius and
32° Fahrenheit; water boils at 100° Celsius and 212° Fahrenheit. These two
pieces of information represent two ordered pairs on a line, (0,32) and (100,212).
Since two points are sufficient information to determine the equation of a
line, the slope formula and y-intercept will lead to the equation F = 95 C + 32,
where F is the temperature in Fahrenheit, and C is the temperature in Celsius.
This means that a report of 30° weather in Spain suggests that the day could be
spent at the beach, while in the United States a report of 30° weather means that
you might be having snow!
Linear functions can be used to form relationships between data that are
found in natural events and places. For example, there is a strong relationship
between the winning time of the men’s Olympic 100-meter dash and the year in
which it occurs. The graph that follows shows that a line can be drawn to approx-
imate the relationship between these two variables. Notice that all of the data val-
ues do not fall on the line, but instead cluster around it. It is possible for points
to be away from the line, especially during years of unusually exceptional per-
formance. The correlation coefficient, r, is a measure of the strength of the lin-
ear relationship. The relationship is stronger as the absolute value of the correla-
tion coefficient approaches the value of 1. If the correlation coefficient is closer
to 0, then a linear relationship does not likely exist. In the 100-meter dash situa-
52 LINEAR FUNCTIONS
tion, the absolute value of r is equal to 0.88, indicating that the line is a pretty
good model for the data.
The line that models the pattern

of the winning times in the
men’s Olympic 100-meter dash
is Predicted Time =
-0.01119Year + 32.185.
The linear equation acts as an approximate prediction of the relationship

between time and year. This predicted pattern is much more reliable within the
range of data, so the variables may not have the same relationship for future
Olympics. After all, the line should eventually level off, because the runners will
never be able to run a time equal to zero! Therefore, this line is most useful to
make predictions between 1900 and 2000, such as estimating the winning times
when the Olympics did not occur or when participation was reduced (often due
to world conflicts). For example, there is no time for 1944 because the Olympics
were suspended during World War II. The time that might have been achieved in
the 1944 Olympics could be estimated using the linear model Predicted Time =
–0.01119Year + 32.185 by substituting 1944 for Year. That gives a predicted win-
ning time of 10.43 seconds. Linear relationships are also common with winning
times and championship performances in many other Olympic events.
Forensic scientists use linear functions to predict the height of a person based
on the length of his arm or leg bones. This information can be useful in identify-
ing missing people and tracing evolutionary patterns in human growth over time.
When a complete skeleton cannot be found, then the height of the deceased per-
son can be predicted by identifying the person’s sex and finding the length of his
or her femur, tibia, humerus, or radius. For example, the height h in centimeters
of a male can be estimated by the linear equation h = 69.089 + 2.238f , where
f is the length of the femur bone in centimeters. In addition, the linear equation
s = –0.06(a − 30) or s = –0.06a + 1.80 is the amount of shrinkage s for indi-
viduals of age a greater than 30 that needs to be accounted for in the height of a
deceased person. For example, if the person had an estimated age of 60 at death,
then –0.06(60) + 1.80 = –1.80 cm would be included in the height prediction.
Ever feel cold in an airplane? The outside temperature decreases linearly with
an increase in altitude. The equation t = –0.0066a + 15 has been described as a
linear model that compares the temperature t (°C) with the altitude a (meters)
when the ground temperature is 15°. Recognizing this relationship helps engi-
neers design heating and cooling systems on the airplanes so that metal alloys
can adapt to the changes in temperature and passengers obtain reasonable air
LINEAR FUNCTIONS 53
temperatures inside the plane. The linear equation also helps pilots understand
the limitations as to how high they can fly, because not only are there changes in
air pressure, but the temperature decreases by 66° for every 10,000 meters of alti-
tude. You would not want the wind blowing in your face at high altitudes!
The apparel industry uses linear functions when manufacturing dresses.
Dress sizes often reflect a general relationship among a woman’s bust, waist, and
hips. The table below shows the relationship among these measurements.
size s 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
bust b 30.5 31.5 32.5 34 36 38 40 42
waist w 23 24 25 25.5 28 30 32 34
hips h 32.5 33.5 34.5 36 38 40 42 44
A comparison of women’s dress sizes according to bust, waist, and hips
(dimensions in inches).
The data can be generalized into a few linear relationships. The designer esti-
mates that a woman’s dress size is s ≈ 1.2w − 20. Furthermore, the other meas-
urements can be approximated with the linear relationships, b ≈ 1.1w + 5 and
h = b + 2, making the equations a reasonable predictor of all measurements and
sizes, including those that are not listed. These relationships allow manufactur-
ers to mass produce dresses and provide women with a general reference point
for clothing sizes. However, since women have different body types, dresses are
sometimes altered or designed in different ways to accommodate the needs of a
variety of consumers.
Linear models have also been used within political arenas to argue for legis-
lation. For example, the state of Florida had been confronted with the problem of
powerboat speeds along its waterways that affect the survival of the manatees,
which are very large but docile creatures that live in shallow water. Because they
swim on the surface and near shore, many manatees have been killed or injured
by blades of powerboats. Lobbyists concerned about the death of the manatees
were able to show a strong linear relationship between the number of their deaths
and the number of powerboat registrations for the years 1977 to 1990. The equa-
tion is Killed = 0.125 Powerboats − 41.430, where Powerboats is the number of
Number of manatees killed in

Florida related to the number
of powerboat registrations for
the years 1977 to 1990.
54 LINEAR FUNCTIONS
thousands of powerboats registered in Florida. The slope indicates that for every
thousand more powerboats registered, 0.125 more manatees are killed. In other
words, for every 10,000 more powerboats, the slope predicts 1.25 more manatees
are killed.
The data and linear function created a compelling argument that the mana-
tees were at risk of being endangered in a short period of time, unless action was
taken to reduce the number of powerboats and to slow down their speed in shal-
low waters. As a result, the Florida legislature has made it more difficult and ex-
pensive to acquire a powerboat license. It increased the number of game and fish
officers in manatee areas so that “no wake” rules would be strictly enforced.
Battery depletion and piecewise linear graphing

<http://daniel.calpoly.edu/~dfrc/Robin/Pathfinder/Battery/batt.html>
Cassette tape project
<http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons/Mathematics/Functions/FUN0001.html>
The diet problem
<http://www-fp.mcs.anl.gov/otc/Guide/CaseStudies/diet/>
Discovering the linear relationship between Celsius and Fahrenheit
<http://daniel.calpoly.edu/~dfrc/Robin/Celsius/celsius.html>
Environmental health
Linear regression with human movements
<http://exploringdata.cqu.edu.au/lin_reg.htm>
Nuclear medicine
Olympic statistics
<http://www.swishweb.com/Sports_and_Games/Olympics/>
Plotting temperature and altitude
<http://daniel.calpoly.edu/~dfrc/Robin/Pathfinder/Temp/temp.html>
Property lines
Size effects on airplane lift
<http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/size.html>
Timing traffic lights
<http://www.nap.edu/html/hs_math/tl.html>
Voltage circuit simulator
<http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Voltage/index.html>
<http://java.sun.com/applets/archive/beta/Voltage/index.html>
Your weight on other worlds
<http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/weight/index.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
LOGARITHMS 55
LOGARITHMS
Logarithms are exponents, so they are used to reduce very large values into
smaller, more manageable numbers. It is easier to refer to the number 13.4 than
the number 25,118,900,000,000, which is approximately equal to 10 13.4. A num-
ber x is said to be the base b logarithm of a number y, if y = b x. The correspon-
ding logarithmic equation is x = log b y. Base-10 logarithms are used to change
numbers to powers of 10. For example, 500 ≈ 10 2.69897, so 2.69897 is said to be
the base-10 logarithm of 500. This is commonly written as log 500 ≈ 2.69897.
The decimal part “.69897” is called the mantissa, and the integer part “2” is
called the characteristic. Until inexpensive calculators made it easy to do multi-
plication, division, and roots, scientists and engineers used base-10 logarithms to
simplify computations by changing multiplication of numbers into addition of
exponents, and division of numbers into subtraction of exponents. Up until
twenty years ago, the main computational device for high school students in
advanced math and sciences was based on logarithmic scales—the slide rule.
Other common bases for logarithms are the numbers e and 2. The number e ≈
2.718281828459. It can be developed from the compound-interest formula as the
limit of (1 + 1/n) n as n increases without bound. The base e is used in exponential
expressions that evaluate continuously compounded interest. Logarithms to the
base e are typically written with the abbreviation ln, called a natural logarithm.
ln(500) ≈ 6.21461, because 500 ≈ e 6.21461. Mathematical functions using e and ln
simplify computations with rates and areas that result from situations in physics,
biology, medicine, and finance. Hence e and natural logarithms are often used in
the statement of rules and properties in these fields. Base-2 logarithms emerge
from the study of computer algorithms. Computers are based on on-off switches,
so using base-2 logarithms provides a natural connection with machine operations.
Logarithmic scales are used in newspapers, households, and automobiles as
well as in scientific research. How loud is a rock concert? Noise is measured in
decibels, a logarithmic scale that is easier to use than the sound-energy measure-
ment of watts per square meter. A decibel is one-tenth of a bel, a unit named after
Alexander Graham Bell (1847–1922), inventor of the telephone. A soft whisper
is 30 decibels. Normal conversation is at 60 decibels. If you are close to the stage
at a rock concert, you hear music at 120 decibels. If you are so close that the
music hurts your ears, the amplifiers are at 130 decibels. Because the decibel
scale is logarithmic, changes along the scale are not linear. When the rock music
moves from very loud (120 decibels) to painful (130 decibels), your ears are
receiving 10 times as much sound energy. The difference of 70 decibels between
normal conversation (60 decibels) and pain (130 decibels) represents 10 7 more
watts per square meter of sound energy.
People’s perceptions of changes in sound intensity are more aligned to the
decibel scale rather than the actual changes in energy level. The same goes for
the perception of light. The brightness of stars was first put on a quantitative
scale by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus at around 130 BC. He arranged the vis-
ible stars in order of apparent brightness on a scale that ran from 1 to 6 magni-
56 LOGARITHMS
sound intensity relative intensity

(watts per square meter) (decibels)
10 3 Military rifle 150

10 2 Jet plane (30 meters away) 140
10 1 Pain level 130
10 0 Amplified rock music 120
10 -1 Power tools 110
10 -2 Noisy kitchen 100
10 -3 Heavy traffic 90
10 -4 Traffic noise in a small car 80
10 -5 Vacuum cleaner 70
10 -6 Normal conversation 60
10 -7 Average home 50
10 -8 Quiet conversation 40
10 -9 Soft whisper 30
10 -10 Quiet living room 20
10 -11 Quiet recording studio 10
10 -12 Barely audible 0
Decibel levels of common noises.
tudes, with stars ranked “1” as the brightest. Astronomers using powerful tele-
scopes have increased this star-magnitude scale to 29. Analysis of the quantity of
light that reaches the viewer indicates that the star-magnitude scale is logarith-
mic. In the nineteenth century, the scale was standardized so that a difference of
5 magnitudes corresponds to 100 times greater light intensity.
Acidity or alkalinity of a substance is measured on the logarithmic scale pH =
–log(H +), where H + is the concentration of hydrogen ions in moles per liter of the
substance. These pH units provide a more compact scale than moles per liter. The
scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 representing a neutral substance (water). Higher
pHs indicate alkalinity, and lower indicate acidic substances. Few plants will sur-
vive in soils more acidic than pH = 4 (the acidity of lemon juice) or more alkaline
than pH = 8 (baking soda). Battery acid (pH 1) and lye (pH 13) will burn your
skin. Litmus papers turn different colors depending on the pH of the substance. A
change in color that represents 2 levels of pH will represent a difference of 100
times the concentration of H + ions.
The Richter scale is a measure of the strength of earthquakes. An earthquake
with a Richter scale value of 4 feels like vibration from a passing train. A scale
value of 7 indicates an earthquake that produces ground cracks and causes
houses to collapse. Because the scale is logarithmic, the difference in energy
from the earthquake waves is 10 7−4 = 1,000. An earthquake measured as a 7 on
the Richter scale is 1000 times more powerful than an earthquake measured at 4.
LOGARITHMS 57
Logarithms can provide an expression of relations that are inverses of expo-

nential situations. A battery charges at a rate that depends on how close it is to
being fully charged. It charges fastest when it is most discharged. The charge C
at any instant t is modeled by the formula C = M (1 − e−kt ), where M is the
maximum charge that the battery can hold, and k is a constant that depends on
the battery and charger. The formula that gives the time required to charge a bat-
tery uses the natural logarithm function ln: t = − k1 ln(1 − M C
).
Logarithms appear in a wide range of industrial and technological applica-
tions. The Haugh unit is a measure of egg quality that uses base-10 logarithms.
The logarithms of the sizes of two organs of an animal are related in an allomet-
ric equation. Economists use logarithmic derivatives to compare price changes
of different items. The effective steam pressure in a cylinder is p = P (1+ln(R))
R ,
where P is the initial absolute pressure, and R is the ratio of expansion. The num-
ber of turns of a rope or pulley about a large cylinder that would be needed to
keep the rope from slipping is found with a formula that uses logarithms of ten-
sion ratios. Electrical engineers use Bode plots, a form of logarithmic graphing,
to determine voltage gains for active or passive filters. Statisticians use loga-
rithms to linearize data that appear to lie in certain curvilinear patterns.
Investigate pH
<http://www.miamisci.org/ph/>
<http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/phdiagram.html>
<http://www.chem.tamu.edu/class/fyp/mathrev/mr-log.html>
e as the base of natural logarithms at the MathSoft site
<http://www.mathsoft.com:80/asolve/constant/e/e.html>
CoolMath’s table of decibel levels at
<http://www.coolmath.com/decibels1.htm>
National earthquake information center
<http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqstats.html>
An excellent list of applications in technical areas is at British Columbia Institute
of Technology
Sonic booms and logarithms
<http://daniel.calpoly.edu/~dfrc/Robin/Sonic/sonic.html>
Sound pressure levels and intensity
<http://www.coolmath.com/decibels1.htm>
Belt friction
Bode plots
58 LOGISTIC FUNCTIONS
Modeling exponential decay using logarithms (finding half-life)

<http://math.usask.ca/readin/examples/expdeceg.html>
Further examples on logarithms
▲ ▼ ▲
LOGISTIC FUNCTIONS
Logistic functions predict proportions or probabilities. They are used to deter-

mine proportions of successes in “yes–no” situations from underlying factors.
They can be used to predict the proportions of students admitted to a university
from different SAT-score intervals; the probability of getting an item right on a
test depending on underlying knowledge; the probability that a patient with cer-
tain symptoms will die or live; the proportions of nerves in the brain that will fire
in the presence of different concentrations of stimulating chemicals; the spread
of rumors; and the proportion of consumers that will switch brands or stay with
their current one when presented with different saturations of advertising.
1
A logistic function takes the form y = 1 +b x , where m is the maximum
0 b1
m
value of the dependent variable (in most cases, this will be 1.00). The values b0
and b1 are very similar to the numbers used in exponential growth models. The
illustration below shows the shape of a logistic function. The scatterplot in it
shows the percent of applications for admission to a large state university that
resulted in acceptances of the candidates. The groupings of students on the x-axis
are by SAT verbal score. The dot at 700 indicates that 95 percent of the appli-
cants who had SAT verbal scores at 700 (that is, in the range of 680–720) were
accepted. However, only 9 percent of the students at 400 (in the range of 380–
420) were accepted. The equation for the logistic curve that models the data is
1
A = 1+9128(0.983) SAT , where A is the proportion accepted at an SAT score level.
University admission rates for students

with different SAT verbal scores. The
acceptance rate of high school students
into a certain college based on their
SAT verbal score.
LOGISTIC FUNCTIONS 59
If you cover up the right side of the curve (SAT verbal scores greater than 550),
the remaining curve looks like an exponential curve.
Consider the spread of rumors. Suppose that every hour a person who hears
a rumor passes it on to four other people. During the early life of the rumor the
equation that represents the spread of the rumor at each hour would be N = 4t,
where N is the number of people hearing the rumor at t hours. The exponential
growth equation would require 65,536 new listeners at the eighth hour. But what
if the rumor starts with a student in a 1,000-student high school overhearing the
principal saying, “We are going to dismiss school early today”? If every student
passing on the rumor could find someone who had not heard it, then the rumor
would pass through the entire student body before five hours were up. However,
after four hours, people spreading the rumor will be telling it to students who
already know. This means that the rate at which new listeners receive the rumor
has to decrease as the day goes on. People who learn about the rumor later in the
day are not likely to find anybody who hasn’t heard it. A logistic equation that
1
models the spread of this rumor is N = 1 +0.25 t , where N is the number of
1000
students in the high school who have heard the rumor, and t is the number of
hours since the rumor started. This model would predict that half the student
body would have heard the rumor by the fifth hour.
Studies of diseases indicate that the early stages of an epidemic appear to
show an exponential growth in infected cases, but after a while the number of
people infected by the disease does not increase very rapidly. Like the spread of
rumors, diseases cannot be easily spread to new victims after much of the popu-
lation has encountered it. Logistic models describe the number of people infected
by a new disease if the entire population is susceptible to it, if the duration of the
disease is long so that no cures occur during the time period under study, if all
infected individuals are contagious and circulate freely among the population,
and if each contact with an uninfected person results in transmission of the dis-
ease. These seem like restrictions that would make it unlikely that logistic mod-
els would be good for studying epidemics, but the federal government’s Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) make effective use of logistic models
for projections of the yearly spread of influenza through urban populations. CDC
statisticians adapt the model in a variety of ways for other types of diseases.
Logistic models are useful for tracking the spread of new technologies
throughout the country. The proportion of schools in the United States that have
Internet connections increased exponentially during the first half of the decade
(1991–2000), then leveled off at the end, with 95 percent of the schools having
Internet connections in 1999. A logistic function describes this pattern quite well.
Logistic curves describe the spread of other technologies such as the proportion
of families owning cell phones, the proportion of homes with computers, and the
number of miles of railroad track in the country from 1850 through 1950. The
logistic growth function carries a warning for companies that introduce new tech-
nologies: enjoy exponential growth in early sales, because it cannot last. When the
market is saturated with the technology, new sales are very difficult to make.
60 LOGISTIC FUNCTIONS
Logistic models can be used to make population forecasts for anything rang-
ing from humans to ant colonies to bacteria to fermentation levels in beer. Phys-
icists use logistic models to study numbers of excited atoms in lasers. Agri-
cultural chemists use logistic models to quantify the concentration of salt in soil.
Bankers use the models to predict whether a person will default on a loan or
credit card.
Logistic simulations/fractals
<http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ma/gallery/doubling/>
<http://mcasco.com/explorin.html>
U.S. Department of Education (National Center for Education Statistics,
the Digest of Education Statistics 2000)
<http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2000/Digest99/chapter7.html>
Human population dynamics
<http://phe.rockefeller.edu/poppies/>
Logistic model of USA population
<http://www.dartmouth.edu/~math3f98/csc98/chap5/CSC.USAPop5.html>
Population
<http://www1.tpgi.com.au/users/kpduffy/logistic_t.htm>
Airport growth
<http://www1.tpgi.com.au/users/kpduffy/logistic_t.htm>
Biological growth
<http://phe.rockefeller.edu/Bi-Logistic/>
Blood pressure
<http://www.shodor.org/master/biomed/physio/cardioweb/application.html>
Electrical systems
<http://phe.rockefeller.edu/Daedalus/Elektron/>
Loglet lab
<http://phe.rockefeller.edu/LogletLab/>
National Center for Education Statistics, the Digest of Education Statistics 2000
<http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2000/Digest99/chapter7.html>
Semiconductor use
<http://phe.rockefeller.edu/LogletLab/DRAM/>
Working less and living longer
<http://phe.rockefeller.edu/work_less/index.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
MATRICES 61
MATRICES
A matrix is a rectangular array of numbers. Operations that correspond to

addition, multiplication, and powering of real numbers provide rules for com-
bining matrices. Inverses of matrices correspond to reciprocals of real numbers.
In addition, there are specific operations on some matrices, such as those used in
game theory and graph theory that transform elements of the matrix to point the
way to best decisions.
Matrices are used to solve large systems of simultaneous equations. High
school students
usually see matrices as a way to rewrite systems
ofequations.
5 3 x 7

5x+3y=7
For example, 2x−y=5 can be replaced by = . This
2 −1 y 5
change seems very simple, but it generalizes the system to a matrix system Ax =
b, which has a solution (if it exists) of x = A–1b. The problem of accurately com-
puting the inverse A-1 for large matrices is difficult, even with high-speed com-
puter processors. This remains a critical issue for mathematicians and computer
analysts, because scientists in fields as widely diverse as astronomy, weather
forecasting, statistics, economics, archeology, water management, weapons races
between countries, chicken production, airline travel routes, investment banking,
marketing studies, and medical research rely on the efficient reduction of large
matrices of information.
Matrix multiplication can provide a more secure secret code than simple
replacement ciphers. Replacement ciphers (sometimes called Caesar ciphers in
honor of the Roman emperor Julius Caesar, who used them in his military cam-
paigns) encode a message by replacing each letter with another. The problem
with these ciphers is that certain letters occur more frequently in languages than
do others. If “z” and “m” occur most frequently in an English-language coded
document, it is likely that the most frequent letter is hiding “e” and the next, “t.”
This one-to-one correspondence makes it easy to decode secret messages written
in replacement ciphers. If the code is written with numbers that are encoded with
multiplication by a matrix, the same letter encodes to different letters, depending
on its position in the message. The English-language frequency distribution is
then destroyed, so it is far more difficult for code breakers to decipher the mes-
sage. Recipients who have the encoding matrix, however, can quickly decode the
message by multiplication with the inverse of the matrix.
Some matrices describe transformations of the plane. Common geometric
movements of figures, such as reflections and rotations can be written as 2 × 2
matrices. The table below shows some common transformation matrices.
Reflection in Rotation of 90° Reflection in Rotation of

the y-axis counterclockwise the line y = x 30° counterclockwise

−1 0 0 −1 0 1 cos 30 − sin 30
0 1 1 0 1 0 sin 30 cos 30
Common transformations of the coordinate plane.

62 MATRICES
Computer graphics use products of 4 × 4 geometric matrices to model the

changes of position of moving objects in space (such as the space shuttle), trans-
form them to eye coordinates, select the area of vision that would fit on the com-
puter screen, and project the three-dimensional image onto the two dimensions
of the video screen. The matrix products must be computed very rapidly to give
the images realistic motion, so processors in high-end graphic computers embed
the matrix operations in their circuits. Additional matrices compute light-and-
shadow patterns that make the image look realistic. The same matrix operations
used to provide entertaining graphics are built into medical instruments such as
MRI machines and digital X-ray machines. Matrices such as incidence matrices
and path matrices organize connections and distances between points. Airlines
use these matrices on a daily basis to determine the most profitable way to assign
planes to flights between different cities.
The complexity of handling the different forms of rotation that are encoun-
tered in movement requires computers that can process matrix computations very
rapidly. The space shuttle, for example, is constantly being monitored by matrices
that represent rotations in three-space. These matrix products control pitch, the
rotation that causes the nose to go up or down, yaw, the rotation that causes the
nose to rotate left or right, and roll, the rotation that causes the shuttle to roll over.
Stochastic matrices are formed from probabilities. They can represent com-
plex situations such as the probabilities of changes in weather, the probabilities
of rental-car movements among cities, or more simple situations, such as the
probabilities of color shifts in generations of roses. When the probabilities are
dependent only on the prior state, the matrix represents a Markov chain. High
powers of the matrix will converge on a set of probabilities that define a final,
steady state for the situation. In population biology, for example, Markov chains
show how arbitrary proportions of genes in one generation can produce variation
in the immediately following generation, but that over the long term converge to
a specific and stable distribution. Biologists have used Markov chains to describe
population growth, molecular genetics, pharmacology, tumor growth, and epi-
demics. Social scientists have used them to explain voting behavior, mobility and
population of towns, changes in attitudes, deliberations of trial juries, and con-
sumer choices. Albert Einstein used Markov theory to study the Brownian
motion of molecules. Physicists have employed them in the theory of radioactive
transformations. Astronomers have used Markov chains to analyze the fluctua-
tions in the brightness of galaxies.
Ratings of football teams can be done solely on the basis of the team’s sta-
tistics. But more effective and comprehensive ratings of the teams use the statis-
tics of opponents as well. Matrices provide a way of organizing corresponding
information on the team and those it has played. Solving the matrix systems that
result provides a power rating that integrates information on the strength of the
opponents with the information on the team. Sport statisticians contend that the
use of the data make their national ratings more reliable than those that use
human judgment.
MATRICES 63
Linear programming uses algorithms such as the simplex method to compute

the most profitable solution from matrices of production. Matrices also structure
inquiry into situations that have competing players with multiple choices of
action. The outcomes can be organized into matrices that use players for rows
and options for columns. Game theorists have developed mathematical strategies
for transforming the matrices in a way that gives each player the best outcome,
or in a way that avoids worst outcomes. Game strategies have been used to ana-
lyze competition for food, to determine which students get the last seats in col-
lege courses, to resolve conflicts in classrooms, and to select the best choices for
potentially warring nations. The importance of game theory for the study of eco-
nomic behavior is recognized by the awarding of the Nobel prize. The 1994
award in economics went to John Nash, John C. Harsanyi, and Reihard Selten for
their contributions to game theory. Other Nobel awards related to game theory
have been those in 1996 to William Vickrey and James Mirrlees, and to Herbert
Simon in 1979. However, these were not the first Nobel prizes to recognize work
with matrices. In 1973, Wassily Leontief won the prize for his prediction of best
economic strategies from large input–output matrices. Leontief’s theories were
the basis for U.S. government policies that resulted in effective industrial pro-
duction during World War II.
Ratings of college football teams

<http://www.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rsfc/rate/zenor.html>
<http://www.colleyrankings.com/#method>
David Levine’s Zero Sum Game Solver
<http://levine.sscnet.ucla.edu/Games/zerosum.htm>
Cryptology and coding
<http://www.sosmath.com/matrix/coding/coding.html>
Electronics
Image rotation
<http://www.ece.gatech.edu/research/pica/simpil/applications/rotation.html>
Logging
Markov chains
<http://www.sosmath.com/matrix/markov/markov.html>
Matrices in chemistry
<http://www.shodor.org/UNChem/math/matrix/>
Matrix model activities
<http://www.colorado.edu/education/DMP/activities/matrices/>
Stability of structures
64 PERIMETER
Transformation matrices and robotics

Viewing objects in computer graphics
▲ ▼ ▲
PERIMETER
The distance around an object, or perimeter, is used for many purposes. The
concept is used by construction workers to determine the amount of trim needed
to seal the intersection between the drywall and ground, and drywall and ceiling
in each room when building a house. Artists use perimeter to determine the
amount of material they will need to put a frame around their pictures.
A carpenter or artist uses the concept of perimeter

to build frames for pictures and paintings.
Homeowners use perimeter to determine the amount of fencing they would

need for their back yard, or railroad ties to surround an outdoor patio. In an open
field, a farmer can determine that the most ideal arrangement for building a rec-
tangular pen for animals is to place his fencing in the form of a square. Suppose
the farmer has 80 meters of fencing. In a rectangular pen, the unknown dimen-
sions of the length and width can be represented by variables, l and w, respec-
tively. The perimeter of the rectangular pen can be written as 80 = 2l + 2w.
Rectangular pen with length l and width w.
The equation can be reduced to l + w = 40 by dividing both sides of the equa-

tion by 2. Ideally, the farmer would like to build the largest pen so that his animals
have the greatest amount of space to move around in. Thus the farmer needs to
determine the dimensions that would produce a maximum area. The area, a, can be
represented by the equation a = lw. Substituting the perimeter relationship
l = 40 − w, the area equation can be rewritten as a = (40 − w)w = 40w − w2 .
A graph of this function shows that the area attains a maximum value when the
PERIMETER 65
width is 20 meters. If the width is 20 meters, and l = 40 − w, then the length is

also 20 meters when the area of the rectangle is a maximum value. Therefore the
ideal rectangular pen based on an existing amount of fencing is a square.
The area of a square pen with a perimeter

of 40 meters as a function of its width.
However, if the farmer wants to build a pen that divides different animals,
then the dimensions will have to be reconsidered. For example, suppose there are
chickens and pigs in a pen that is evenly divided by a fence line. In this case, the
dimensions of the most ideal pen would be determined by the equation 3w
+2l = 80 to account for the added divider. The area of this pen is a =
(40 − 1.5w)w = 40w − 1.5w2 . A graph of this function shows that the area
attains a maximum value when the width is 40/3 meters. If the width is 40/3
meters, and l = 40 − 1.5w, then the length of the fence should be 20 meters
(40 − 1.5 • 40
3 ) when the area of the rectangle is a maximum value.
Equally divided rectangular pen

with length l and width w to
hold two different animals.
In addition to building fences, the concept of perimeter is used in building

race tracks. For example, in track and field, a 400-meter track represents the
perimeter around two congruent semicircles, where the turns and straightaways
are each one hundred meters. Building a track with these dimensions requires
designers and engineers to determine the distance across the track between
straightaways, which represents the diameter of the semicircles. Since the cir-
cumference of a circle is π times its diameter, the circumference of a semicircle
is one-half π times its diameter (c = 12 πd). Rearranging the variables in the
equation can show that the diameter, d, of a semicircle is d = 2cπ , where c is the
circumference of the semicircle, which is the 100-meter turn of the track. The
distance across the infield of a track is d = 2•100
π , which is approximately 63.662
meters.
66 PERIMETER
The outdoor running track at the Rock

Norman Complex, Clemson University,
contains two semicircles and two sides
that are each 100 meters in length. The
turns require precision marking to
ensure that all athletes run the same
distance in a race.
Marking the starting positions in different lanes uses principles of perimeter.

For example, suppose the width of each lane is 1.067 meters, and the inner radius
of the turn is 63.662 meters. In one lap around the track, the runner in lane 1
would run 400 meters, but the runners in the other lanes would run farther if they
all started in the same position and had to stay in their lanes. The runner in lane
2 would be running around a turn with a radius of 64.729 meters, which would
make each turn 64.729π
2 ≈ 101.676 meters. Therefore the runner in lane 2 should
start a 400-meter race ahead of the runner in lane 1 by 1.676 meters around the
first turn. Since the lanes are of equal width, each runner in sequential lanes
should start 1.676 meters around the first turn ahead of the previous runner. In a
4 × 400 meter relay, the second runner can move into the first lane after his or
her first turn, which is the fifth turn overall. When staggering this relay, the run-
ner in lane 2 should be moved 50 percent ahead of the other arrangement, since
three of the turns will be run in the same lane instead of two. This means that
each lane should be staggered by (1.50)(1.676) = 2.514 meters apart in this race.
Designing a track
<http://www.crpc.rice.edu/CRPC/GT/sboone/Lessons/Titles/track.html>
Floor plans
<http://www.homebuyerpubs.com/foorplans/floorplans.htm>
<http://www.dldesigngroup.com/plans.html>
<http://ecep.louisiana.edu/ecep/math/n/n.htm>
<http://www.tnloghomes.com/homeplans/index.shtml>
Maximize the area of a rectangular field with fixed perimeter
<http://home.netvigator.com/~wingkei9/javagsp/maxarea.html>
Starting a new game farm
<http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/livestock/elk/gamefarmapp.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
PERIODIC FUNCTIONS 67
PERIODIC FUNCTIONS
Graphs of functions that repeat shapes are called periodic. The horizontal
length of each repetition is called the period. Phenomena that are based on cir-
cular motion, such as the rotation of the earth around the sun, will often result in
a periodic graph. The graph below shows the hours of daylight on the fifteenth
of each month for Minneapolis. The data points start with January 15th and are
plotted for two years. The period for this graph is 1 year, or 12 months. The curve
that has been used to approximate the data points is a sine curve, where x is the
month number: Hours = 12.2 + 2.9 sin((x − 2.3) • 2π 12 ).
Hours of daylight for Minneapolis over a period of two years. Daylight patterns
throughout a year are predictable in most cities through sinusoidal modeling.
The tilt of the earth and its rotation about the sun cause the sinusoidal pattern
in hours of daylight. Because temperature in a city is dependent on hours of sun-
shine, plots of the average monthly temperature of American cities will be in the
form of a sine curve.
Circular motion can arise from a variety of sources. The distance above
ground of a passenger in a Ferris wheel produces a sine curve as the wheel
rotates. Measures on a pendulum will produce periodic functions. Gravitational
attraction to the moon causes tides. As the moon rotates about the earth, the
heights of tides will produce a periodic function.
Sound, radar, light, radio, and ocean waves are periodic. When you press
middle A on a piano, the piano strings vibrate, producing sound waves that have
a period of 1/440 second. An oscilloscope provides a video screen for viewing
different electrical patterns. An EKG machine in a hospital is an oscilloscope for
viewing the periodic electrical patterns from a patient’s heart.
Heart-rate monitors detect electrical

pulses in an EKG to check if the
heart is beating regularly.
68 PERIODIC FUNCTIONS
New periodic functions can be created by adding or multiplying two or more

of them. You can see this when you toss two pebbles into a pond. The overlap of
the waves will be a new wave. When audio speakers are arranged in an audito-
rium, they have to be positioned carefully so that the sound waves emerging from
them do not cancel one another out or create a beat that competes with the music.
Fluorescent light bulbs produce a pulsing light that sometimes adds to the cycli-
cal refresh rate on computer screens to produce rapid light bursts that can make
it hard for some people to read the computer display.
Commodity prices often follow a cyclical pattern. Hire rates for temporary-
employment firms appear to form a sine curve. In biology, populations of some
species of animals such as rabbits in a forest will vary over time in a cyclic pat-
tern. When this happens, it is likely that a predator species such as a fox also has
a periodic population pattern that mirrors the rabbit pattern. If there are more
foxes, then there are fewer rabbits; if there are fewer foxes, then there are more
rabbits. In many environments, these periodic relationships continue over time.
The populations of the predator and prey do not level off.
A thermostat is an instrument used to regulate heating and cooling systems,
such as an air conditioner or oven. Once a person sets the thermostat on an oven
for a certain temperature, it will heat up until reaching that temperature, and then
stay close to that temperature until the thermostat is changed. For example, if the
oven is set to 400° Fahrenheit, it will gradually rise to that level for the first
twenty minutes, and then stay at 400° until the temperature is changed or the
oven is turned off. Since temperature naturally slightly varies in the air, it would
also slightly change in the oven, but still oscillate near 400°. This eventual peri-
odic function is shown in below.
A graph of the temperature of an

oven in degrees Fahrenheit as a
function of time in minutes when
its thermostat is set to 400°.
The cruise control in an automobile is another device that utilizes periodic

behavior for a function that describes the velocity of an automobile on a highway
as a function of time. As the car accelerates onto the highway, its velocity will
increase and then level off near the speed that is set for the cruise control, usu-
ally the highway’s speed limit. If the road has elevation changes, then the speed
of the automobile in cruise control will vary slightly, since movement on hills
requires different amounts of power on the automobile’s engine. However, sim-
ilar to a thermostat, the slight variability in speed will not affect the long-term
periodic behavior of the graph describing the automobile’s velocity until the
brakes are touched.
PERIODIC FUNCTIONS 69
The example of the electrical pulse emitted from your heart displayed on an
EKG as shown in the second figure demonstrates that periodic functions do not
have to be trigonometric. However, the mathematical field of Fourier transfor-
mations uses sums of trigonometric functions to approximate periodic functions
of any shape.
Art based on periodic functions

<http://www.sineart.com/>
CoolMath’s links to many sites that show periodic functions
<http://www.coolmath.com/links_trig1.htm>
Alternating current
Biorythms
<http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~d_swift/biowhat.html>
Damping functions in music
<http://www.coolmath.com/dampfunction1.htm>
EKG world encyclopedia
<http://www.mmip.mcgill.ca/heart/egcyhome.html>
Heat flow
<http://www.math.montana.edu/frankw/ccp/modeling/continuous/heatflow/
learn.htm>
High and low tides
<http://www.crpc.rice.edu/CRPC/GT/mwies/Lessons/lesson2.html>
Modeling with a sine function
<http://147.4.150.5/~matscw/trig/trig1.html>
Play a piano
<http://www.nws.mbay.net/maxtemp.html>
Sun or moon rise/set table for one year
<http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html>
Temperature data
<http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/ftpdata/tavegl.dat>
<http://www.nws.mbay.net/maxtemp.html>
<http://www.met.utah.edu/jhorel/html/wx/climate/maxtemp.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
70 PLANE
PLANE
A plane represents any flat two-dimensional surface that has infinite length
and width. In everyday life, we use only finite versions of planes due to limited
space and material. Walls, desktops, book covers, and floors are examples of
planes. These items are made flat, because they are easier to produce and con-
venient to write on or cover. For example, a curved wall may be interesting to
look at, but expensive to create. A flat wall, on the other hand, is much easier to
wallpaper or to fix when it is damaged.
Planes have some useful properties that give people ideas about design and
construction. For example, the intersection of two nonidentical planes, such as
the wall and ceiling, forms a line. This idea guarantees that walls and containers
made from flat surfaces can be sealed, assuming that there are no holes in them.
A saw blade cuts in a straight line, because it represents two intersecting
planes—the saw and the piece of wood.
Another property of planes is that three noncollinear points lie in the same
plane. For example, a triangle has three vertices, so it will lie on a flat surface.
Three-legged stools will never wobble, because the three ends of the legs lie on
the same plane—the floor—regardless of their length. Ideally though, the leg
lengths should be close to being the same to help support someone’s mass near
the center of the chair. Four-legged stools will sometimes wobble if one leg is
longer or shorter than the other legs, because the end of one of the legs is on a
different plane.
If a line or segment is perpendicular to a plane, then any congruent segments
with an endpoint on that plane and another endpoint at a common point on the
line or segment will be equidistant from the foot of the plane. Metal beams are
placed on a radio satellite to support its receiver as waves are reflected off the
dish. If they are created at the same length and intersect the receiver at the same
point, then they will land on the dish at the same distance from the center. This
method ensures that the beams land on the perimeter of the circle, since all points
on the circle are equidistant from its center, which is directly below the location
of the receiver.
A radio antenna uses metal beams

of equal length to support the
receiver at its focal point.
Inclined planes—planes that are raised at an angle—are used for a variety of

purposes. They are created for handicapped people in wheelchairs as an alterna-
PLANE 71
tive to stairs. They are used to exit highways so that cars can gradually change
elevation. They are also used in a variety of tools. Screws have an inclined plane
that bends around its center so that they can create an angled entry when break-
ing a wall’s surface. Screwdrivers have an inclined plane at their tip so that they
can firmly fit into the top of a screw.
A screw uses a rotating inclined

plane to drill into flat surfaces.
A Mercator projection is a method used to transform spherical coordinates

into a plane. This transformation gives cartographers the opportunity to produce
maps on flat surfaces, even though the earth is spherical. An advantage to this
technique is that images of maps can be placed into books and read more easily.
However, a disadvantage is that the regions near the poles illustrate inaccurate
areas of the landmasses. For example, on a Mercator projection map, a country
near the North Pole such as Greenland appears almost fifteen times its actual
size. Another way to make a plane representation of the earth is to cut along the
longitudinal lines and create gores. However, when the gores unfold, the map
will have empty spaces, leaving a distortion between distances near the pole.
Mercator projection
<http://www.ualberta.ca/~norris/navigation/Mercator.html>
<http://www.usgs.gov/education/learnweb/MpLesson2Act1.html>
<http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/rocket_sci/orbmech/mercator.html>
The three-point problem from geology
<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt725/Envir/Three.Point.html>
The wedge
<http://www.tpub.com/machines/4a.htm>
<http://www.advancement.cnet.navy.mil/products/web-pdf/tramans/bookchunks/
14037_ch4.pdf>
▲ ▼ ▲
72 POLAR COORDINATES
POLAR COORDINATES
Polar coordinates locate a point by indicating a direction and a distance from

a central point (the pole). In the point P = [r, θ], the distance r is given first, fol-
lowed by the direction θ expressed as an angle of rotation from a fixed line
through the pole called the polar axis. This is different from Cartesian or rectan-
gular coordinates in which points are located by distances from two perpendicu-
lar axes. When the polar axis corresponds to the positive x-axis in a Cartesian
plane, the Cartesian coordinates (x, y) for P can be computed as x = r cos θ and
y = r sin θ. While Cartesian graphs are rectangular, polar graphs are circular.
Notice that
x2 + y 2 = (r cos θ)2 + (r sin θ)2 = r2 (cos θ)2 + r2 (sin θ)2 =
r2 (cos2 θ + sin2 θ) = r2 (1) = r2 ,
which is the same as the standard equation of a circle with the center at the ori-
gin and radius r.
Polar coordinates can be used to map the earth. The figure below is a CIA
(Central Intelligence Agency) map showing the northern hemisphere. The North
Pole is in the center of the concentric circles of latitude. The polar axis is on the
great circle of longitude that goes through Greenwich, England. On polar graph
paper, this axis would be placed in the same position as the positive ray of the x-
axis in Cartesian coordinates.
The positions and distances on the globe are represented as a polar coordinate system.
Navigators on ships and airplanes use the language of polar coordinates to

specify the direction and speed of travel. Astronomers use polar coordinates to
plot paths of planets and the sun with respect to a viewing position on the earth.
Polar coordinates are useful in mathematics for writing curves that cannot be
written as functions or simple relations in x- and y-coordinates. The following
graph of a five-leaf rose would be difficult to express in an equation using only
x–y coordinates.
POLAR COORDINATES 73
Graph of r = 4 cos 5θ for θ = 0 to 2π.

Some graphs are easier to represent in
polar rather than rectangular form,
especially if they have rotational symmetry.
Some spirals that can be graphed with polar coordinates model shapes in
nature. Note in the figure below how the shape of the spiral of the form r = abθ
mimics the shape of the shell of the chambered nautilus. As the creature grows,
the shell compartment expands in a way that allows the nautilus to retain its
shape.
logarithmic spiral r = 5(1.3)θ shell of a chambered nautilus
A nautilus resembles the polar graph r = abθ .
Although polar coordinates simplify equations for some beautiful curves, they
also make some equations more complicated. For example, the polar equation for
b
the line y = mx + b is r = sin θ−m cos θ .
Polar coordinates have surprising uses in computer graphics. The polar coor-
dinates distortion filter available for Adobe Photoshop remaps every pixel’s rec-
tangular (Cartesian) coordinates to polar coordinates, or vice versa. This makes
it easy to make objects circular as well as producing fountain-like effects associ-
ated with turning polar coordinates into Cartesian ones.
The chambered nautilus picture from the

previous figure after being distorted with the
polar coordinate filter in Adobe Photoshop.
74 POLAR COORDINATES
Log-polar transformations have been developed to embed copyright infor-

mation in computer-graphic files to preserve the copyright notice from deletion.
Spherical polar coordinates are useful in simplifying physics equations such
as Schrodinger’s equation and the Maxwell speed equation. In many cases, writ-
ing expressions in polar form simplifies the application of calculus and differen-
tial equation techniques.
Polar coordinates have another important application in mathematics: They
simplify some operations with complex numbers. Multiplication of the complex
numbers z = a + bi and w = c + di gives (ac − bd) + (ad + bc)i. The corre-
sponding multiplication in polar form would be of the numbers z = [r, θ] and
w = [s, φ]. Then zw = [rs, θ + φ]. The polar form simplifies the powers and
roots of complex numbers. In polar form, z n = [rn , nθ], which is known as De-
Moivre’s theorem. (See Complex Numbers and Vectors.)
Polar plotting and graphing

<http://mss.math.vanderbilt.edu/~pscrooke/MSS/plotpolar.html>
<http://www.world-of-newave.com/fxwavex/help/en/plug-ins/nwfxpic/polar.htm>
<http://john.redmood.com/polar.html>
<http://www.univie.ac.at/future.media/moe/galerie/zeich/zeich.html>
Spherical and cylindrical coordinates
<http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sphc.html>
<http://www.iac.tut.fi/~sahrakor/research/teksti/node8.html>
<http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Scelcoor.htm>
Logarithmic spirals
<http://brand.www.media.mit.edu/people/brand/logspiral.html>
<http://www.notam.uio.no/~oyvindha/loga.html>
<http://www.meru.org/goldmean.html>
<http://xahlee.org/SpecialPlaneCurves_dir/EquiangularSpiral_dir/equiangular
Spiral.html>
Sun position in polar coordinates
<http://www.jgiesen.de/sunpol/index.html>
Azimuth and elevation
<http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Scelcoor.htm>
Computer graphics
<http://www.adscape.com/eyedesign/photoshop/four/filters/polarcoordinates.html>
<http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~nj2t-hg/ilpov21e.htm>
<http://www.blueberry-brain.org/syndyn/spirals/figsfrac.htm>
Polar coordinates in robotics
Polar distortion filter
<http://www.adscape.com/eyedesign/photoshop/four/filters/polarcoordinates.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS 75
POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS
A polynomial function f (x) has a general equation f (x) = a1 xn + a2 xn−1

+a3 xn−2 + . . . + az , where coefficients and constants are associated with a and
exponents associated with n are positive integers. Linear functions, such as
y = 3x − 5, and quadratic functions, such as r = 3w2 − 5w + 7, are polynomial
functions that have numerous applications discussed elsewhere in this book (see
Linear Functions and Quadratic Functions). Polynomial functions with degree
three or greater are found in applications associated with volume and financial
planning.
Empty open-faced containers such as crates are put together by attaching a
net of five rectangles. A rectangular piece of plastic can be cut so that it can turn
into an open-faced rectangular prism when folded at its seams. If a square piece
is cut out of each corner of a rectangle, then four folds will form a net with five
rectangles that can be formed to develop the prism, as shown below.
Open-faced prism with dimensions x by l − 2x by w − 2x formed by cutting squares

with side length x out of the corners of rectangular sheet with dimensions l by w.
A manufacturer is probably interested in finding the location to cut the square

from the corners so that the consumers will be able to fill the crate with the most
amount of material. In essence, the goal is to maximize the volume based on a
fixed amount of material. Suppose that square corners are removed from a rec-
tangular sheet of plastic with dimensions of 6 feet by 4 feet. Each side of the
prism can be represented in terms of the edge length, x, of the square that was
removed from the corners, as shown below.
Open-faced prism formed by cutting

squares with edge length, x, out of the
corners of a rectangular sheet with
dimensions of 6 feet by 4 feet.
The volume of the crate, v, is the product of its dimensions, so it can be rep-
resented by the equation v = x(6 − 2x)(4 − 2x). This equation is a polynomial
function, because it is the factored form of v = 4x3 − 20x2 + 24x. A relative
maximum of this function on a graph, as shown on the following page, within a
domain between 0 and 2 feet occurs when x ≈ 0.78 feet, or about 9.4 inches.
This means that the crate with the largest possible volume will occur when
squares with an edge length of 9.4 inches are cut from the corners.
76 POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS
Graph of the volume of a prism formed by folding

a sheet of paper with squares of edge length, x,
removed from each of the corners.
Long-term investing uses a polynomial function to account for money that is

invested each year. Suppose an account was set up so that you contributed money
each year towards your retirement based on a fixed percentage of interest, assum-
ing that you continued to add a minimum amount of money to the account each
year and did not withdraw money at any time. The total amount of money, m, in
the bank after n years based on an annual interest rate of r percent can be repre-
sented by the function
r n r n−1
m = a1 (1 + 100 ) +a2 (1 + 100 )
r n−2
+a3 (1 + 100 ) + . . . + az ,
where the coefficients, a, are the individual amounts of money deposited into the
account after each year. For example, if $500 is deposited at the end of the first
year, $700 at the end of the second year, $800 at the end of the third year, and
$400 at the end of the fourth year, then the total amount of money in the account
at the end of the fourth year is determined by the equation
r 3 r 2 r
m = 500(1 + 100 ) + 700(1 + 100 ) + 800(1 + 100 ) + 400.
This means that the initial deposit of $500 will compound three times, the second
deposit of $700 will compound two times, and so on. If an employee uses this
retirement plan for only four years and wants to know the value of the account
21 years after the first investment, then the equation would be rewritten to
r 20 r 19 r 19 r 18
m = 500(1 + 100 ) + 700(1 + 100 ) + 800(1 + 100 ) + 400(1 + 100 ) .
This information is useful for people in their financial planning so that they can
learn how to save money for their children’s education and their own retirement.
Antenna pattern correction

<http://earth.esa.int/0xc1cce41c_0x00005bfe>
Application of polynomial functions
<ftp://cq-pan.cqu.edu.au/pub/smad/senior/mathsb/mb_if005.doc>
PROBABILITY 77
Building boxes
<http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathline/lessonplans/hsmp/buildingboxes/
buildingboxes_procedure.shtm>
Drag racing
<http://ceee.rice.edu/Books/CS/chapter3/data1.html>
Shrimp
<http://144.35.21.240/mathdept/labs/shrimp.htm>
Toxic waste
<http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/centoff/graphcalc/tasks/ic6pc.pdf>
▲ ▼ ▲
PROBABILITY
A probability is a number between 0 and 1 that tells us how likely an event

is to happen. Probabilities are expressed as ratios or percents. When probabilities
are computed from an analysis of possible outcomes, such as the probability that
a sum of 7 will show on the toss of a pair of dice, the probability is sometimes
called a theoretical probability. When the probability is computed on the basis of
experience or surveys, such as the probability of a randomly selected adult being
a smoker, it is called a relative frequency or experimental probability. Gambling
probabilities are sometimes expressed as odds. Odds express the ratio of suc-
cesses to failures, or vice versa. If you hear a bettor on a horse race say, “The
odds against Fleetfoot winning are five to two,” that means for every five times
Fleetfoot loses, he will win twice. The probability of losing is five out of seven,
and the probability of winning is two out of seven.
Games that have equal probabilities for all participants are called fair. Most
people think that tossing a coin to determine who kicks off a football game is fair,
because their life experience with coins indicates that the probability of a head is
equal to a probability of a tail. Determining the winning state-lottery ticket by
pulling winning ping-pong balls from agitated buckets is felt to be fair, because
every number has an equal chance of being selected. This perception has been
written into the election laws of many states. Illinois determines the seventh
member of its redistricting committee (otherwise evenly divided between Demo-
crats and Republicans) by pulling a name out of a hat. In 1998, the tie in ballots
for mayor of Duluth, Minnesota, was broken by the toss of a coin. Kansas once
settled a tie for state representative by having the two candidates pull chips from
a bag that contained six black and six white backgammon chips. The winner was
the first to draw a white chip. New Mexico allows tied candidates to play any
game of chance to break a tie. Coin tossing remains the favorite way of breaking
78 PROBABILITY
ties in the state, but as recently as 1998, two candidates who were tied in the elec-
tion for mayor of Estancia, New Mexico, opted to play five-card stud for the job.
Statisticians use probabilities and relative frequencies in determining relation-
ships. A key concept from probability is the idea of independence. The formal
mathematical definition of independence is given in the equation P (A + B) =
P (A) • P (B). If two events, A and B, are independent, then the probability of
them both happening is the product of the separate probabilities. The concept of
independence is behind investigations such as the Physicians’ Health Study,
which tested the effects of aspirin on over 22,000 doctors. Half the doctors were
given a daily dose of aspirin, and half were given a neutral pill (placebo). Doctors
didn’t know what kind of pill they received. The researchers periodically con-
tacted the participants to find out if the physician had suffered a heart attack. The
results showed that 0.9 percent of the participants who received aspirin had heart
attacks, and 1.7 percent of those with the placebo had heart attacks. Although it
looks like the percents favor aspirin, the percents are so small that it is possible
they were due to chance. The study data is shown on the following table. This is
called a contingency table.
heart attack no heart attack TOTAL
aspirin 104 10,933 11,037

placebo 189 10,845 11,034
TOTAL 293 21,778 22,071
The results from the aspirin–physician heart study.
Statisticians assume that the medication and heart attacks are independent. If
so, then P (aspirin and heart attack) = P(aspirin) • P (heart attack). Using the rel-
ative frequencies from the total row and total column gives the following prod-
11037 293
uct: 22071 • 22071 . That probability times the number of participants tells how
many doctors receiving aspirin would have had heart attacks if heart condition
were independent of medication. That frequency is 147. As you can see from the
table below, the almost equal separation of physicians into aspirin and placebo
treatments indicates that the expected values for heart attacks should have been
separated into almost equal proportions.
heart attack no heart attack TOTAL
aspirin 147 10,890 11,037

placebo 146 10,888 11,034
TOTAL 293 21,778 22,071
Expected frequencies for the aspirin–physician heart study The computations
assume that the totals represent the population, and that heart condition is inde-
pendent of medication.
The statistician conducts a chi-square test to compare the actual frequencies

to the expected frequencies. In this case, the chi-square indicated that the ob-
PROBABILITY 79
served frequencies were not close to the expected values, so aspirin reduced heart
attacks.
Making careful lists and working from simple examples can determine many
probability problems. How many families with three children have exactly two
boys? If boys and girls are equally likely, you can list eight possibilities: BBB,
BBG, BGB, BGG, GBB, GBG, GGB, and GGG. The list is called the sample
space, because each family is equally likely. Three of these, BBG, BGB, and
GBB, represent two boys and one girl. So the probability of a family of three chil-
dren having exactly two boys is three-eights, or 37.5 percent.
The problem of finding how many families would have two boys in three
children can be approached through a simulation. A simulation replaces the ele-
ments of this problem with repeated trials of an experiment using objects that
behave like the birth of children. Tossing a coin could represent the birth of a
child. If you were to determine boys by the head of the coin showing, you could
simulate a family of three children by tossing three coins, say a penny for the first
child, a dime for the second child, and a quarter for the third. This experiment
can be carried 500 or more times very quickly. The probability of two boys
would be estimated by the proportion of times the three coins showed exactly
two heads. In one experiment, this proportion turned out to be 35.8 percent,
which is a little less than the value computed from the sample space. It is now
common to use computers to model complex relationships with simulations.
Computers can generate random numbers (or numbers that act randomly) and
perform rapid computation of probabilities. The Defense Department uses simu-
lations to evaluate outcomes of military actions. Aircraft designers use computer
simulations of air molecules hitting the surface of an airplane to determine its
most efficient shape. The Centers for Disease Control uses simulations to predict
the paths of epidemics. It makes recommendations for vaccinations and preven-
tion procedures based on the outcomes of its simulations.
Coins and children present examples of binomial probability situations.
When there are two outcomes of a single trial (heads or tails on one coin, boy or
girl for one birth), and a fixed number of independent trials, the computation of
outcome probabilities can be generated by terms in the expansion of the binomial
(p + q)n , where n is the number of trials, p is the probability of one outcome
(called the success), and q = 1 − p is the probability of failure. Families of three
children would be modeled by
(p + q)3 = p3 + 3p2 q + 3pq 2 + q 3 .
The term 3p2 q would represent the probability of two boys and one girl. Since
p = q = 21 , the value 3p2 q = 83 agrees with our previous computation.
The binomial probability theorem provides direct solutions for problems that
don’t have equal probabilities such as the proportion of recessive genes in a pop-
ulation or how many people should be booked for flights so that there are no
empty seats. In a situation in which there are different percentages of a dominant
gene A and a recessive gene a, shouldn’t the dominant gene eventually “win out”
80 PROBABILITY
in the population? For example, 1 out of 1,700 Caucasian children is born with
cystic fibrosis, which is caused by a recessive gene. Unfortunately, that propor-
tion remains the same from generation to generation. In 1908, a British mathe-
matician and a biologist used binomial probabilities to explain genetic stability.
The Hardy-Weinberg equation models the genetic distribution with the perfect
square binomial (p + q)2 = p2 + 2pq + q 2 , where p is the proportion of the
dominant gene A, and q is the proportion of the recessive gene a. In the situation
of cystic fibrosis, p2 is the proportion of people who are pure dominant, 2pq is
the proportion of people who do not have cystic fibrosis but are carriers, and q 2
is the proportion of people who have cystic fibrosis. In Caucasian children, q 2 is
the incidence rate of 1/1700 or 0.00059. Taking the square root gives q = 0.024.
The recessive gene a for cystic fibrosis accounts for q = 2.4 percent of the genes,
and the dominant gene A accounts for p = 97.6 percent. Computing the propor-
tion of people free from the cystic fibrosis gene gives p2 ≈ 0.9253, and the pro-
portion of people who are carriers of the recessive gene is 2pq ≈ 0.0468. About
92.5 percent of the population is free of the cystic fibrosis recessive gene, but 4.7
percent are carriers. In the absence of mutations and migration, these proportions
will remain constant from generation to generation. Markov chains can be used
to handle the relative frequencies of many species in populations as well as gene
pairs. (See Matrices.)
Airline scheduling can be considered a binomial probability problem.
Assume that 90 percent of the people who buy tickets actually show up at the air-
port to board the plane. If the plane seats 50, then on average, 90 percent of 50
seats = 45 would be filled. Airlines run on small profit margins, so those five
empty seats could make the flight a money loser. Airlines attempt to solve this
problem by selling more than 50 tickets for the flight. If they sold 52 seats, for
example, on average, 47 people would actually show up for the flight. But there
would be times when 51 or 52 people showed up. Some people would not get on
the flight, so the airline would have to pay a penalty and incur the wrath of the
passengers who had a ticket but did not get a seat. The airlines want to oversell
just enough to regularly fill all seats, but not to overbook so much that the penal-
ties outweigh the additional ticket income. The binomial expansion (p + q)52
will give the chances that one or more ticketed customers will lack a seat. The
expansion of (p + q)52 starts out as p52 + 52p51 q + 1326p50 q 2 +. . . . The first
term gives the probability that all 52 ticketed passengers will show up, (0.9)52 ≈
0.00417. The second term gives the probability that 51 ticketed passengers will
show up, 52(0.9)51 (0.1) ≈ 0.000463. Adding these probabilities gives 0.0046.
About five flights in every thousand will have customers who would not get
seats. This isn’t a big probability, so the airline would be safe in selling 52 seats
for flights on this size plane. With these probabilities, the airline could compute
the expected profits on its flights, accounting for the penalties paid to the
unserved passengers. (See Expected Value.) They would have to repeat the com-
putation for 53 tickets sold, 54 tickets, and so on. At 55 tickets sold, for exam-
ple, the binomial expansion indicates that about one-third of the flights would
have to turn away ticketed passengers. That is probably too often. Larger powers
PROBABILITY 81
of binomial situations can be estimated with normal distributions. (See Standard

Deviation.)
Probability arguments are common in court cases. DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid) matching gives a probability that blood, semen, or hair found at a crime
scene matches the accused. The early cases of prosecution based on DNA match-
ing produced lengthy arguments about the accuracy of the techniques and the
computation of the probabilities. For example, some of the genetic markers that
are used in establishing probabilities occur in different proportions in different
racial groups. By 1996, recommendations from the National Research Council,
the National Institute of Justice, and other government and legal organizations
resulted in standardized laboratory techniques and computations of probabilities,
so DNA evidence is as well accepted as fingerprint matches.
Probabilities have been used to determine whether juries were representative
in gender and racial composition to the communities they served. Lawyers for Al
Gore and George W. Bush used probability arguments before Florida courts to
persuade judges that their respective parties should prevail in the contested pres-
idential election of 2000. In the Microsoft antitrust case, the Department of
Justice presented probabilities that the Microsoft Corporation would force other
companies out of business. Courts have based financial awards to patients whose
cancer was misdiagnosed by doctors on computations of the patients’ reduced
probability of survival.
Probabilities can be computed from geometry formulas. Consider balls falling
uniformly on a square piece of cardboard 20 inches on a side that has a circular
hole 5 inches in diameter. The proportion of balls that fall through the hole is pro-
portional to the ratio of area of hole to area of the cardboard. This would be com-
2
puted using the formulas for area of circle and square: π(2.5)
202 ≈ 0.049. A ball has
about a 5 percent chance of falling through the hole rather than bouncing off the
cardboard. Winning carnival games is much more difficult than it appears!
The geometry junkyard shows geometric probability problems

<http://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/junkyard/random.html>
The birthday problem
<http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/reese/birthday/>
Discrete probability
<http://www.colorado.edu/education/DMP/activities/discrete_prob/>
Diffusion
<http://www.math.montana.edu/frankw/ccp/modeling/probability/diffusion/
learn.htm>
Lottery odds calculations
<http://www.lottery.state.mn.us/odds.html>
<http://www.howstuffworks.com/lottery1.htm>
<http://www.alllotto.com/oddscalc.asp>
<http://indigo.ie/~gerryq/Lotodds/lotodds.htm>
82 PROPORTIONS
Nuclear medicine
Poker probabilities
<http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~nsaa/poker.html>
Probability and utility of the real world
<http://research.microsoft.com/~horvitz/real.htm>
Probability in the real world
<http://forum.swarthmore.edu/dr.math/faq/faq.prob.world.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
PROPORTIONS
Proportions are equations that compare ratios or scaled quantities. Cartog-

raphers use proportions to make maps, because they need to scaledown distances
so that large pieces of land can be viewed on a sheet of paper. For example, the
state of Illinois is approximately 370 miles long. If the map maker wants to place
Illinois on a sheet of paper that is 25 cm long, a proportion that can be used to
determine a scale in this situation is s miles on map
370 miles = 251 cm on map
centimeters . Cross multi-
plying these quantities helps solve the equation, s = 370/25 = 14.8. The legend
on the map might indicate that 1 cm represents 15 miles.
Eratosthenes used a proportion to determine the radius of the earth in around
230 BC. He had traveled between the cities of Alexandria and Cyrene and deter-
mined that its distance was around 5,000 stades, where each stade is about 559
feet. At noon, he had measured the angles of shadows formed by sticks in the
ground and determined that there was not any shadow at Cyrene, and an angle of
elevation of α = 82.8 degrees at Alexandria, as shown below.
The shadow produced on the ground at

noon at Alexandria based on an angle
of elevation of α degrees.
Eratosthenes argued that the angle formed near the top of the stick, 7.2 degrees,
is the same as the central angle in the earth that determines the sector between
the two cities, since light rays travel parallel to the earth, as shown as follows.
PROPORTIONS 83
Congruent angles formed by the

sun’s rays at Cyrene and at the
center of earth. Note that figure is
not drawn to scale.
Therefore the distance from Cyrene to Alexandria represented 7.2/360 of the

earth’s circumference, since there are 360 degrees in a circle. Using the proportion,
7.2 degrees between cities 5000 stades between cities
360 degrees in circle = number of stades around earth ,
Eratosthenes determined that the distance around the earth is about 250,000
stades, or 139,750,000 feet. Since the cross section of the earth is approximately
a circle, the radius can be determined by using the equation c = 2πr, comparing
the circumference, c, to its radius, r. Substituting the value c = 139,750,000 feet
and solving the equation will show that the radius of the earth is about 22,241,900
feet, or 4,214 miles. That’s only 6 percent off the actual distance of 3,963 miles!
Movie screens are designed to be

in a similar proportion as the
dimensions of film cells.
Movie screens are created to handle film with specific dimensions. Suppose
the width of each film cell is 5.48 cm and the height is 2.30 cm. An ideal movie
screen would show the entire picture without cropping out any of the sides. A
small movie theater may leave a horizontal length of 7 meters, about 23 feet, to
place its screen. In order to project the film perfectly on the screen, a proportion
comparing the height and width needs to be used so that the correct height of the
screen can be accurately determined. The height of the screen, h, is equal to ap-
proximately 2.94 meters, or 9.66 feet, by solving the equation determined by the
proportion
h vertical meters on screen 7 horizontal meters on screen
2.30 vertical cm on film = 5.48 vertical cm on film .
Proportions are used to predict the mass of a dinosaur with scaled models.
Since a model is a miniature version of the actual dinosaur, paleontologists use
the ratio
length of actual dinosaur3 volume of actual dinosaur
length of model3
= volume of model .
This ratio is cubed, because volume is a three-dimensional concept, compared to
a one-dimensional concept of length. For example, the volume of a cube is the
84 PROPORTIONS
length of one of its edges raised to the third power. The ratio is used to find the
volume of the actual dinosaur, since the other measurements can be taken from
a model and a fossil of the skeleton. (See Similarity for an example.) The den-
sity of an object is the ratio of its mass to volume, so the mass of the dinosaur
can be predicted by estimating the density of a dinosaur as that of a modern-day
reptile or mammal.
A scaled model of a tyrannosaurus can

be used to predict its actual mass with
information about its actual length.
The population of wildlife animals is determined by tagging animals and using

proportions. It is important to know these populations in order to understand if a
species is at risk of endangerment, or if there is an overpopulation that is affecting
an ecosystem. Every animal in a region cannot be counted, because it would be too
difficult to find all of them, not to mention that it would be distracting and poten-
tially disturbing to the ecosystem if ecologists were constantly roaming around.
Consequently, a scientist will go to an area such as a forest and temporarily cap-
ture animals to tag them. In addition to placing tags on them, the scientist will
likely examine their health to understand their potential to reproduce or spread dis-
ease. A few weeks later, after the animals have had a chance to roam around the
forest, the scientists will recapture a group of animals again to check their health
and keep track of the proportion of animals that are tagged. This information will
help the scientists determine how many animals are in that region of the forest,
assuming that the birthrate and death rate are fairly similar during that time period.
This method of estimating animal populations is called capture–recapture.
It is difficult to track animals due to

their mobility and ability to hide well. A
capture–recapture method can be used
to tag and predict their population
without having to count them all.
For example, suppose 50 deer are captured and tagged in a forest. Two weeks
later, 100 deer are captured, and 18 of them have tags. The proportion
number of tags in population number of deer in population
number of tags in second sample = number of deer in second sample
can be used to predict the total number of deer in that region of the forest. In this
case, the number of deer in the population, p, is approximately 277 based on a
p
solution to the equation 50
18 = 100 .
PROPORTIONS 85
In baseball, an earned run average (ERA) is a statistic that describes how

many runs a pitcher would be expected to give up in a nine-inning game. How-
ever, a pitcher hardly lasts that long during a single game. On a good day, a major
league pitcher will play for about six to nine innings. However, if the pitcher is
giving up a lot of runs he will play considerably less, perhaps from one to five
innings. Regardless of the length of the pitching performance, an ERA is used to
compare the different pitchers. Typically, better pitchers have lower ERAs. For
example, a pitcher that gives up two runs in seven-and-a-third innings has an
ERA of 2.45, because the ERA is determined by the proportion
number or runs allowed number of runs in an entire game (or ERA)
number of innings pitched = number of innings in a nonextended game .
Substituting the numbers, the proportion is 721 = ERA 9 . A bad pitcher may give
3
up five runs after two-and-two-thirds innings and have an ERA of 16.88. Usually,
the ERA is a statistic that represents a player’s performance over an entire sea-
son, and is updated after each pitching performance.
In 1619, Johannes Kepler determined a proportion relating the mean dis-
tances, d, that planets were from the sun and the period of their revolution, p.
d3 p2
This proportion, d13 = p12 , was determined through data collection, and can be
2 2
proven using Newton’s theory of gravitation. At the time, this information was
helpful to astronomers to predict the approximate distance that another planet is
from the sun. For example, Mars is observed in the night sky to have a period of
687 days revolving around the sun. There are 365 days in an earth year, so the
ratio of periods
of these
orbits is 1.882. Kepler’s proportional formula can be re-
3 2
d1 p1
written as d2 = p2 because exponents distribute in any expression in-
volving a quotient of two numbers. When the Mars-to-earth ratio is substituted
into the equation, the ratio of the distances
will be approximately 1.524, as a
3
d1
result of the solution to the equation d2 = (1.882)2 . This means that Mars is
about 50 percent further from the sun than the earth, perhaps one reason in
understanding why most of Mars regularly maintains temperatures below 0°
Fahrenheit. (See Inverse Square Function for another explanation.) This infor-
mation is also helpful for astronomers to predict when a spacecraft can be
launched from earth so that its trajectory would come in close contact with a
planet. For example, the Voyager ships launched in 1977 had trajectories that
placed them near Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in order to take photos
that could be sent back to earth for further study.
The strength of an animal or object is proportional to its surface–area-to-
weight ratio. Small insects can carry objects much greater than their mass, while
humans can only carry small percentages of their mass. If an ant were to grow in
size, it could not maintain its surface area-to-weight ratio. Suppose a giant ant
were twenty times longer than a tiny ant. Since area is related to the square of
length in an object, the ant’s surface area would increase by a factor of 20 2, or
400. The volume of the ant, which is proportional to its mass, would increase by
a factor of 20 3, or 8,000, because volume is related to the cube of an object’s
86 PROPORTIONS
length. If the original ratio surface

volume
area
= vs for the ant, the giant version 20 times
bigger in each dimension would have surface area
volume
400 s
= 8000 v . Hence the relative
400
strength of a giant ant would be only 8000 or 5 percent as much as a tiny ant. For
example, if a regular ant can carry ten times its body weight, then a giant ant
could only carry one-half its body weight. If such a giant ant existed, it would
probably have slightly different proportions than the smaller ant, since the cross-
sectional area of its legs would probably need to be proportionally larger in order
to maintain a dramatic increase in mass. Otherwise, there would be close to 90
times (203/2 ) as much pressure on its legs than before, which would probably
cause the legs to snap. Ouch! That is why elephants need tree-trunk-style legs in
order to support their own weight. This proportional understanding of strength
helps designers build stronger paper towels, bags, and boxes, and helps engineers
build stronger and more durable machines that can withstand pressure such as
airplanes and bridges.
online references for further exploration
Eratosthenes of Cyrene
<http://share2.esd105.wednet.edu/jmcald/Aristarchus/eratosthenes.html>
Build a solar system
<http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/>
Circumference of earth using techniques by Eratosthenes
<http://share2.esd105.wednet.edu/jmcald/Aristarchus/eratosthenes.html>
<http://w3.ed.uiuc.edu/noon-project/>
Earned Run Average all-time leaders
<http://www.baseball-almanac.com/piera1.shtml>
<http://www.baseball-almanac.com/piera4.shtml>
Nuclear medicine
Orbit simulation
Map making
<http://www.sonoma.edu/GIC/Geographica/MapInterp/Scale.html>
<http://www.epa.gov/ceisweb1/ceishome/atlas/learngeog/mapping.htm>
Proportional representation in voting
<http://www.ci.cambridge.ma.us/~Election/pr-quota.html>
<http://www.ci.cambridge.ma.us/~Election/ballots.html>
Scale models
<http://www.faa.gov/education/resource/f16draw.htm>
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid/geometry/model.html>
<http://www.americanmodels.com/sscale.html>
Understanding scale speed in model airplanes
<http://www.astroflight.com/scalespeed.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM 87
PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
The Pythagorean theorem states that the sum of the squares of the legs of a
right triangle, a2 + b2 , is the same as the square of its hypotenuse, c2 . There are
over 100 proofs of the Pythagorean theorem, many of which show that the sum
of the areas of squares on the legs is equal to the area of the square on the hypot-
enuse, as shown in the figure below. Conversely, any triangle that has sides that
are related by the equation a2 + b2 = c2 must have a right angle opposite the
longest side.
The Pythagorean theorem illustrates

that the sum of the areas of the
squares connected to the legs of a
right triangle is equal to the area of
the square connected to the
hypotenuse of a right triangle.
The Pythagorean theorem is useful on a baseball diamond for several rea-

sons. Since the bases are each 90 feet apart in the form of a square, the theorem
helps us find the distance the catcher has to throw the ball to second base when
a runner is trying to steal. The right triangle formed would be with half of the
infield, where the legs of the triangle are the base paths of 90 feet each, and the
hypotenuse is from home plate to second base. The hypotenuse can be found by
solving the equation 902 + 902 = c2 . Solving for c will show that the throw is
about 127.3 feet. This information is useful, because it will give coaches an idea
about how hard the catcher needs to be able to throw a ball accurately in order to
throw a runner out. If the catcher throws a ball at about 70 miles per hour, then
it will only take about one-and-a-quarter seconds for the ball to reach the base.
The geometry of rhombuses and the Pythagorean theorem can be used to
show that the center of the pitcher’s mound is not in the pathway of the ball when
it is thrown from third to first base. The diagonals of the square running-path
between the bases are perpendicular bisectors of each other, forming congruent
right triangles in the center. If the pitcher was placed at the intersection of the
diagonals, he might get hit by a throw from the third baseman. To avoid contact,
the pitcher needs to be placed closer to home plate than this intersection. The
Pythagorean theorem gave the distance between home and second base to be
127.3 feet. The pitcher must be closer to home plate than 63.6 feet. The actual
placement of the center of the pitching mound is 60.5 feet from home plate.
The Pythagorean theorem is used to approximate the distance of two nearby
towns on a map. Changes in the earth’s curvature are minimal within short
ranges, so the latitude and longitude positions can serve as points on a coordinate
plane. For example, suppose that Smithsville is five miles north and two miles
east of Laxtown. The two cities would be 5.39 miles away on a map, represent-
ing the distance that the “crow flies.” This distance can be determined by solv-
ing the equation 52 + 22 = d2 that is determined with the Pythagorean theorem.
88 PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
Carpenters use Pythagorean triples to verify that they have right angles in
their work. For example, a carpenter making a cabinet can perfectly align pieces
of wood in a right angle with the use of only a tape measure. Using the Pytha-
gorean triple {3,4,5}, or any multiple such as {12,16,20}, the carpenter can place
a mark on the bottom after 12 inches, a mark on the side after 16 inches, and
rotate the intersecting boards at its hinge until the distance between the markings
is 20 inches. A triangle with sides of 12, 16, and 20 inches is a right triangle,
since 122 + 162 = 202 .
Construction workers building along the sides of mountains use the Pythagor-
ean theorem to determine the amount of supplies needed to create a railroad track
for a funicular or a cable line for a gondola. The horizontal and vertical distances
from the foot of the mountain to its top can be determined on a map, forming the
legs of a right triangle that can be drawn in the mountain’s center. The third side of
the triangle, the hypotenuse, represents the walk up the mountain, which never has
to be physically measured, since it can be found using the Pythagorean theorem.
The visible distance to a horizon can be found with the Pythagorean theorem,
given that the radius of the earth is 6,380 km. Inside a 100-meter-tall lighthouse,
a night watchman or the coast guard may be interested in the distance a ship is
from shore when seen at the horizon. This information can be readily found, since
the horizon distance is perpendicular to the radius of the earth, forming a right tri-
angle into the center of it, as shown below. The viewing distance inside the top of
the lighthouse is then the solution to the equation 63800002 + b2 = 63801002 , a
value of over 35 km!
A cross-sectional view of earth that

illustrates the viewing distance from
a lighthouse to the horizon. Note that
the diagram is not drawn to scale.
Extensions of the Pythagorean theorem provide distances in three or more

dimensions. If a rectangular box has dimensions of length L, width W , and
height H, the main diagonal has a length given by d2 = L2 + W 2 + H 2 . Can a
42-inch-long umbrella be packed into a carton that is 40 inches long, 10 inches
wide, and 10 inches high? According to the three-dimensional Pythagorean the-
orem, the diagonal is about 42.43 inches long. Yes, it should just barely fit. (See
Vectors for applications in many dimensions.)
Astronomy connections
<http://www.kyes-world.com/pythagor.htm>
QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS 89
Baseball and the Pythagorean Theorem

<http://www.geom.umn.edu/~demo5337/Group3/bball.html>
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/proof/puzzle/baseball.html>
Construction
<http://www.geom.umn.edu/~hipp/app2.html>
Latitude and longitude
<http://daniel.calpoly.edu/~dfrc/Robin/Latitude/pythag.html>
Real-world applications
<http://www.geom.umn.edu/~hipp/rwapps.html>
When would I use the Pythagorean Theorem?
<http://forum.swarthmore.edu/dr.math/faq/faq.pythagorean.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
Quadratic functions take on the standard form f (x) = ax2 + bx + c, and

have graphs that are parabolas. Applications of quadratic functions commonly
refer to maximizing or minimizing a quantity, because they will have a highest or
lowest point at their vertex. For example, a business owner would be interested in
the greatest profit his or her company can attain based on the sales of its products.
Graph of the quadratic function

f (x) = −3x2 + 2x + 5.
This maximum or minimum point can be found by rewriting the expression

into vertex form through a process called completing the square. The vertex form
of a quadratic function is f (x) = a(x − h)2 + k, where (h, k) is the vertex. The
following symbolic manipulation illustrates how the standard form f (x) =
ax2 + bx + c can be manipulated into vertex form. Factor the leading coeffi-
cient, a, from the first two terms: f (x) = a(x2 + ab x) + c. Complete the square
of the factored component, and then subtract that value so that nothing is added
to the expression:
b2 ab2
f (x) = a(x2 + ab x + 4a2 ) − 4a2 + c.
90 QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
Rewrite the expanded trinomial as a perfect square and simplify:

b 2 b2
f (x) = a(x + 2a ) − 4a + c.
Compare this expression to the vertex form of a quadratic function and notice
b b2
that the vertex can be represented as (− 2a , − 4a + c). This coordinate will serve
as a shortcut to find the highest point when a < 0, and lowest point when a > 0,
in an application that uses quadratic functions.
Take, for instance, a business setting that sells sport memorabilia. The
demand, and hence the price, for a baseball player’s autographed ball may
decline as more of them become available. Suppose that the price of an auto-
graphed ball, a, from a new hall-of-famer begins at $200 and declines by five
cents, or $0.05, for every ball, x, sold. This relationship would be represented by
the equation a = 200 − 0.05x. The revenue, r, obtained from selling the balls
would be the product of the number of balls sold and the price for each ball, or
r = x(200 − 0.05x) = 200x − 0.05x2 . The business owner will have to pay for
general start-up costs such as hiring the baseball player to sign autographs and
renting a place to sell the merchandise, as well as paying for the materials, such
as the cost of each ball. Suppose the start-up costs are $1,300 and the business
owner pays $1.25 for each new ball. Then the cost, c, that the business assumes
in terms of the number of balls sold will be c = 1.25b + 1300.
The profit, p, is the difference between the revenue and cost, or r − c, which
equals (200x − 0.05x2 ) − (1.25x + 1300), and simplifies to p = -0.05x2 +
199.75x − 1300. In a quadratic function in the form of f (x) = ax2 + bx + c, a
b
maximum value will occur when x = – 2a , since a < 0. In this case, a maximum
199.75
profit will occur when approximately 1,997 balls are sold (x = − 2(−0.05) =
1997.5). In that case, a reasonable sale price of the “limited edition” ball should
be around 200 − 0.05(1997) = $100.15. Although, to appease the human psy-
che, a more reasonable price might be twenty cents cheaper at $99.95 so that con-
sumers feel like they are getting a deal by paying less than $100. A graph and
table of values can also support this sale price as a means of producing almost a
maximum possible profit.
The vertical height, h, of an object is determined by the quadratic equation
h = –0.5gt2 + vo t + ho , where g is the acceleration due to earth’s gravity (9.8
m/sec 2 ), vo is the initial vertical velocity, and ho is the initial height of the object.
Therefore an object with an initial vertical velocity of 45 meters per second,
thrown at a height of 0.4 meters, can be modeled with the equation h = –4.9t2 +
45t + 0.4. Engineers of fireworks can use this type of function so that the rockets
explode at a time where optimal height offers safety as well as viewing pleasure.
This quadratic equation can also be used to measure the initial vertical veloc-
ity of an object thrown in the air, such as a ball, assuming that it reaches the
ground with minimal air resistance. For example, if a ball thrown at a height of
1.45 meters is airborne for 3.84 seconds, then the values can be substituted into
the equation h = –0.5gt2 + vo t + ho to solve for vo . In this case, the height after
3.84 seconds is equal to 0 meters, because that is the amount of time it takes for
QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS 91
the ball to reach the ground. The equation then becomes 0 = –0.5(9.8)(3.84)2 +
vo (3.84) + 1.45, which has a solution of vo approximately equaling 18.4 meters
per second. Substituting this value into the general function will also provide
enough information to help you find the maximum height of your throw.
The equation h = –0.5gt2 + vo t + ho can be simplified to h = –0.5gt2 + ho
for objects in freefall because vo = 0 when an object is dropped. Therefore if you
plan to bungee-jump 200 meters off of a 250-meter-high bridge, then you should
expect to be dropping for about 6.4 seconds. This value comes from substituting
for the variables and solving the equation 50 = –0.5(9.8)t2 + 250. (Note that the
ending position will be 50 meters above the ground, since the rope is only
extending 200 meters.) This general equation could also be used to estimate
heights and times for other objects that are released at high heights, such as the
steep drops on some amusement park rides.
Horizontal distance, such as the distance traveled after slamming on the brakes
in a car, can also be modeled with a quadratic function. In an effort to reconstruct
a traffic accident, a law office could use the function d = 0.02171v 2 +0.03576v
−0.24529 to determine how far a car could travel in feet, d, when breaking, or
how fast it was moving in feet per second, v, before it started braking. The law
office might also consider the average reaction time of 1.5 seconds upon seeing a
hazardous condition. So the total stopping distance, t, can be modeled with the
equation t = 0.02171v 2 + 0.03576v − 0.24529 + 1.5v , which simplifies to t =
0.02171v 2 + 1.53576v − 0.24529.
Area applications can also be modeled by quadratic functions, because area
is represented in square units. For example, pizza prices depend on the amount
of pizza received, which is examining its area. However, on a pizza menu, the
sizes are revealed according to each pizza’s diameter. If a 12-inch pie costs $12,
a misconception would be to think that the 16-inch one should cost $16. A func-
tion to represent the price, p, of this type of pizza in terms of its diameter, d, is
p = 0.106π( d2 )2 , because it is a unit cost times the pizza’s area. The value 0.106
is the price per square inch of pizza in dollars, assuming that the 12-inch pie for
$12 will have the same unit-cost value as any other size pizza. Therefore a 16-
inch pizza should cost p = 0.106π( 16 2
2 ) ≈ $21.31. The restaurant, however, may
decide to give a financial incentive for customers to purchase larger pies and
reduce this price to somewhere near $20.
Devising and purchasing tin cans for food are applications of surface area
that can be represented by a quadratic function. Since most tin cans are cylindri-
cal, the surface area can be determined by finding the area of the rectangular lat-
eral area and the sum of the two bases, as shown in the following figure. If the
manufacturer determines the height of its cans to be 4 inches tall with a variable
radius, then the amount of sheet metal in square inches, a, needed for each can
would be a = 8πr + 2πr2 , where r is the radius of the can in inches.
If tin costs the manufacturer $0.003 per square inch, then the materials cost,
c, to produce each case of twenty-four cans can be represented by the function
c = (24)(0.003)a = (24)(0.003)(8πr + 2πr2 ), which simplifies to c ≈ 1.81r+
92 QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
0.45r2 . Therefore a case of cans with a radius equal to 1 inch would cost about
$2.26 to produce, and a case of cans with a radius equal to 2 inches would cost
about $5.42. (See Surface Area.)
Net of a tin can that is used to deter-

mine the amount of material needed
in manufacturing production.
Temperature usually changes according to changes in elevation. In fact, the

boiling point of water in degrees Celsius, b, can approximate the elevation above
sea level in meters, e, according to the equation e = 1000(100 − b)2 +
580(100 − b). This means that water will boil at 100° Celsius near sea level, and
closer to 99° Celsius at about one mile in altitude, such as near Denver,
Colorado.
Braking and stopping distances compared with speed

<http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/brakes2.html>
<http://www.scottsdalelaw.com/shepston/braking.html>
The ejection seat and parabolic paths
<http://daniel.calpoly.edu/~dfrc/Robin/Eject/eject.html>
Fluid flow
<http://www.imacc.org/standards/ex15.html>
Minimum surface area of a can
<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt725/MinSurf/Minimum.Surface.Area.html>
Optimization and analysis using quadratic functions
<http://www.wake.tec.nc.us/math/Chimp/Unit3/QUADRT_S.html>
Profit
<http://users.aber.ac.uk/matacc2/ma12610/mich00b/node3.html>
Projectile motion simulations
<http://library.thinkquest.org/2779/Balloon.html>
<http://www.explorescience.com/activities/Activity_page.cfm?ActivityID=19>
<http://www.phys.virginia.edu/classes/109N/more_stuff/Applets/ProjectileMotion/
jarapplet.html>
The way things fall
<http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Sfall.htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
QUADRILATERALS 93
QUADRILATERALS
Four-sided plane figures are called quadrilaterals. Quadrilaterals can be con-

vex or concave. The wing structure of the B-117A bomber is in the shape of a
convex quadrilateral (white outline on the illustration below). Special types of
quadrilaterals such as rectangles and squares are used for warning signs and
flags. The illustration shows these common kinds of quadrilaterals:
• a convex quadrilateral superimposed on the wing structure of a F-117A
Nighthawk;
• a square traffic sign;
• a rectangular flag;
• an isosceles trapezoid superimposed on the bottom section of the John
Hancock Building in Chicago;
• a kite;
• parallelogram faces of a Moissanite-9R CSi crystal structure;
• diamonds (rhombi) on a playing card;
• a city lot in the shape of a trapezoid.
convex square rectangle isosceles trapezoid
kite parallelogram rhombi (diamonds) trapezoid
Different types and uses of common quadrilaterals.
The types of quadrilaterals differ in the number of pairs of parallel sides, size
of angles, and length and direction of diagonals. The parallelogram has parallel
opposite sides. As a result, opposite angles are congruent, and opposite sides are
congruent. If a parallelogram has all four sides of the same length, then it is a
rhombus. This results in the diagonals of a rhombus being perpendicular. A par-
allelogram that has at least one right angle is a rectangle. It must have all right
angles and diagonals that are the same length. A square is simultaneously a rec-
94 QUADRILATERALS
tangle and a rhombus. Hence it has only right angles, its diagonals are congruent
and perpendicular, and all four sides are of equal length.
There are many uses of parallelograms in carpentry. A four foot by six foot
window frame is made by connecting four-foot pieces to the six-foot pieces so
that opposite sides of the frame are equal in length. The resulting figure is a par-
allelogram. Even though the corners are securely connected, it is likely to shear
so that the angles are not 90 degrees. Even a slight deviation may mean that a
rectangular window will not fit into the frame. To square the frame, the carpen-
ter measures the diagonals. The parallelogram frame will be rectangular only
when the diagonals have the same length. When the frame is in the wall opening,
the carpenter will use shims, small pieces of wood, to adjust the fit of the frame
until the diagonals are the same length. Then the carpenter can be sure that the
rectangular window will fit into the frame.
Doors are usually shaped like rectangles so that they can seal better at their
hinge, or at their edges. An entire side of a door can be well connected to a set of
hinges, as well as allow a person to easily walk through. If the door were shaped
as an oval it would be primarily for design purposes, since the door would likely
be less durable and more expensive. Only a small section could be attached to
maybe one hinge, affecting its ability to stay well connected to the house. In
addition, walking through the doorway would be more challenging, because less
floor space would be available as compared to the flat edge of a rectangle. Some-
times doorways are rectangular and have an arch at the top, which is an archi-
tectural style seen in many cultures. It is built principally for design or historical
significance and is usually more difficult and expensive to construct.
Floor tiles in the shape of the same quadrilateral will always fit perfectly,
because the sum of any quadrilateral’s angles is 360 degrees, the same measure
of degrees in a circle. In order to tessellate a plane, all of the objects must con-
nect perfectly without any gaps or overlaps—what you would expect of tiles in
a bathroom or kitchen. At the point where multiple tiles intersect, their interior
angles must equal 360 degrees so that they fit neatly around a common center
point. If the different angles of a quadrilateral are used around an intersection of
four quadrilaterals, they will always tessellate perfectly.
Trisection of a long piece of lumber into thinner strips requires that guide
lines be set up for the ripsaw. A carpenter can take a 12-inch ruler and rotate it so
that its opposite ends are at the edges of the lumber. After marking the board at
the 4 and 8 inch positions at one end, the carpenter slides the ruler down the
board and marks the 4 and 8 inch positions at the other. Corresponding marks are
used to draw long lines down the board as guides for the saw. This works,
because the marks at 4 and 8 inches provide vertices of a parallelogram.
Using an inch ruler to divide

a board lengthwise into three
equal sections.
QUADRILATERALS 95
A pantograph is used to produce a scale drawing. The picture below of a pan-

tograph shows that the four pivot points that connect the pieces of wood form a
parallelogram. The ratio of lengths of sides controls the scale of magnification.
Pantographs that handle three dimensions are used to trace solid models of bolts,
car fenders, or teeth. The pantograph records the three-dimensional coordinates
for the surface of the object. Milling machines use the database of coordinates to
shape a block of metal, plastic, or carbon composite into a high-precision copy
of the original object.
A pantograph being used

to magnify a picture of
a dinosaur.
The parallelogram law is used in physics to determine the net result of two
forces. The vectors a = (3, 3) and b = (7,–1) are shown on the figure below as
arrows starting at the origin and ending at the respective coordinates. The paral-
lelogram law indicates that the resultant vector is found by completing the par-
allelogram defined by the vectors. The diagonal from the origin is the desired
vector. This corresponds to the point that would be found by the addition of coor-
dinates: (3, 3) + (7,–1) = (10, 2). (See Vectors.)
Parallelogram law for adding

vectors. The resultant vector
c = a + b is the diagonal of
the parallelogram.
Because of the many uses of quadrilaterals, students around the world are
expected to know formulas for the area and perimeter of most common quadri-
laterals. In addition, they must also know the volume formulas for the three-
dimensional analogs of some quadrilaterals such as the cube and rectangular
solid. Formulas for the multidimensional parallelepipeds are expressed as deter-
minants of matrices formed from the vectors. For example, the area ofthe paral-
3 7

lelogram illustrated above can be computed from the determinant of
3 −1
= 3(−1) − 7(3) = −24. The area is 24. (See Matrices.) Extensions to more
dimensions provide measures of strength of association of variables in multi-
variate statistics.
96 RATES
online sources for future exploration
Demonstration of a pantograph
<http://www.ies.co.jp/math/java/geo/panta/panta.html>
Floor plans
<http://www.homebuyerpubs.com/foorplans/floorplans.htm>
<http://www.dldesigngroup.com/plans.html>
<http://ecep.louisiana.edu/ecep/math/n/n.htm>
<http://www.tnloghomes.com/homeplans/index.shtml>
Home decorating
<http://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/decorating.html>
Maximize the area of a rectangular field with fixed perimeter
<http://home.netvigator.com/~wingkei9/javagsp/maxarea.html>
Surveying
Tessellation of quadrilaterals
<http://library.thinkquest.org/16661/simple.of.non-regular.polygons/quadrilaterals.
html>
▲ ▼ ▲
RATES
A rate describes change that is dependent on a variable, such as the change

of temperature in a month or the change in price of an item based on the quan-
tity sold. The concept of rate is studied throughout mathematics in different
forms. It can usually be identified in an expression by the word “per,” such as in
“two dollars per gallon”; or “for each,” as “one-half unit of credit earned towards
graduation for each required course completed”; or “for every,” as in “six points
for every touchdown scored.”
Rates are commonly associated with the amount of distance traveled, d, in
the equation d = rt, where r is the rate of an object and t is the amount of time
traveled. In this case, the rate would be expressed in units related to speed, such
as meters per second or miles per hour. Rate can also be used in contexts of pro-
duction levels for a given time period. For example, two hundred bushels of corn
are processed by the manufacturing plant each day, or twenty copies of the news-
paper are sold each hour at the newsstand. Rate is also associated with accumu-
lating or acquiring something, such as rainfall or a salary. For instance, the thun-
derstorm is producing rain at a rate of one inch per hour. At work, an employee
would use a rate to describe his hourly wage by saying that he earns $8 per hour
for delivering pizzas.
RATES 97
The examples described thus far represent rates as values associated with
time. Rates can also be stated in terms of quantities produced or achieved. For
example, the delivery boy receives five cents for each newspaper he drops off
each morning. In addition, Mrs. Newsome’s first-grade class receives twenty
minutes of extra playtime for every one hundred behavior points earned. In a
securities exchange, a rate can be used to illustrate a fair trade, such as in stock
or currency values. For instance, the exchange price of Big Hit Co. today ended
at $48.5 per share. When traveling to Mexico, you would expect to receive an ex-
change rate of about 9.3 pesos for every U.S. dollar.
Rates can also be used to describe changes in an environment or physical set-
ting. For example, two hundred additional employees are needed for every 8 per-
cent increase in demand for the company’s products. In terms of temperature
conversion, there is a change of 1.8° Fahrenheit for every degree Celsius. When
driving along a mountain terrain, a road sign that mentions a 5 percent grade
means that there is a change in elevation of five vertical feet for every one hun-
dred horizontal feet.
Many scientific, engineering, and human measures are rates. Density is a
weight-per-volume measure such as pounds per cubic foot or grams per cubic
centimeter. Sound frequencies, such as those associated with musical notes, are
expressed as rates in cycles per second. Air pressure, such as tire pressure, is
expressed as pounds per square inch. The wealth of countries is compared as the
rate of Gross National Product (GNP) per capita. In 1997, Mexico had GNP per
capita of $8,110; Canada had a GNP per capita of $21,750. States can be com-
pared by population density: the number of people per square mile. Comparisons
may be dramatic. For example, New Jersey has 1,100 people per square mile,
while Wyoming has 4.7.
Comparison shopping requires rates. If an eight-ounce can of corn sells for
98 cents, the unit cost is 98/8 = 12.25 cents per ounce. A ten-ounce can that sells
for $1.02 would have a unit cost of 102/10 = 10.20 cents per ounce. The larger
can is the better deal, because it provides the lower unit cost.
Rate, in mathematics courses through algebra, is often presented as having a
constant value. When you read about the speed of an object or a person’s work
wages, it is assumed that there will not be any change in these values. In such
cases, the rate can be represented as the slope of a linear function that describes
a total amount. For example, if you are earning $8 per hour for delivering pizzas,
and always earn wages at that rate, then your total earnings, e, in terms of the
number of hours you have worked, h, can be represented by the equation e = 8h.
Notice that the hourly rate is the same as the slope of the linear function.
Suppose you wanted to make copies for a class presentation at the local copy
shop. If the machine charges 10 cents per copy, then the total amount of money,
m, that you would need would depend on the number of copies, c, you make.
Since 0.10 is the rate in dollars, the equation m = 0.10c would help you deter-
mine the amount of money you would need, or the number of copies you could
make with a certain amount of money. For example, if you had $4.30 in your
98 RATES
pocket you could make forty-three copies, since the solution to 4.30 = 0.10c is
c = 43.
Realistically, rates are often variable, meaning that they change. A car on the
highway will not always travel 55 miles per hour because of varying road con-
ditions. If traffic is heavy due to rush hour or an accident, the car will likely slow
down at times. Therefore the average rate is sometimes stated in reports. The
average (mean) rate can be calculated by finding the slope between beginning
and ending points on the graph that represents a total amount. For example, if a
car is traveling at a constant speed of 55 miles per hour, then the total distance
traveled as a function of time would be a linear function with a slope of 55, as
shown below.
The relationship between the distance

an automobile travels compared to its
time when it travels at a constant rate
of 55 miles per hour.
However, if the car varies its speed, the total distance function will now look
like a curve that does not have a constant slope. If a car travels for three hours on
the highway, the average speed can be determined by finding the slope of the line
that time equals 0 and 3 hours. According to the slope between the endpoints in
the graph in the figure below, the average speed during the three hours is 49 miles
per hour, since the change in distance was 147 miles over three hours.
A distance versus time graph of

an automobile with varying
rates during a three-hour time
period. The slope of the dotted
line is the automobile’s average
speed during that time period.
Some highway systems in the United States give a timed ticket for automobiles
once they enter on the toll road so that they can pay the fee at the end of their route
instead of having to pay along the way. Upon exiting the highway and paying the
toll, the highway patrol system can determine the average speed of the vehicles
during their travel by dividing the change in distance between the tollbooths and
the change in time from the initial starting point to the ending point. For example,
suppose you enter tollbooth 3 at mile-marker 27 at 12:34 PM. If you leave the high-
way at tollbooth 17 at mile-marker 136 at 1:57 PM, you could actually receive a
RATES 99
speeding ticket without having been tracked by a radar speed-detection device! In

this case, the change in distance between tollbooths 3 and 17 is 109 miles, and the
change in time between 12:34 PM and 1:57 PM is 1 hour and 23 minutes, or approx-
imately 1.38 hours. Therefore the average speed of the car is about 79 miles per
hour, much faster than the speed limit! The mean-value theorem in calculus
implies that a car constantly in motion with this average speed will have traveled
at that rate at least one time during the journey, even if undetected by radar. The
graph below describes the position of the car for its time on the highway. The dot-
ted line represents the average rate of 79 miles per hour. The three times that the
car was traveling at 79 miles per hour are indicated with the word “speeding.”
Note that there are many other times that the car was speeding more than 79 miles
per hour. The mean value theorem from calculus only tells that there is at least one
time that the car had to be going the average rate of 79 miles per hour.
The slope of the dotted line represents the

average speed of the car from 12:34 PM to
1:57 PM, which is 79 miles per hour. The
automobile has this rate at three other
locations in this interval based on the
equivalent slopes of the small thick lines
(at the points denoted speeding).
In addition to tracking speeding drivers, the time-stamping method is also help-

ful in determining the average speed of truck drivers, who need to take breaks from
the road so as not to fall asleep behind the wheel. Consequently, the average speed
of semi-trucks should be lower than other automobiles to account for the rest time.
The average rate associated with the slope on an interval is also an arithmetic
mean. Sometimes average speed can use other forms of the word average. On a
racetrack, car speeds are determined by finding the average of the lap rates. This
value is different from the average speed determined by the slope of a position
function, which is the same as the total distance divided by the total time trav-
eled. For example, suppose a race car circles a two-mile lap five times, with lap
times of 46, 48, 47, 45, and 49 seconds. In this case, the lap speeds would be
2/46, 2/48, 2/47, 2/45, and 2/49 miles per second. The recorded average speed
would be the average of these rates,
2/46+2/48+2/47+2/45+2/49
5 = 4060879/95344200 miles per second ,
which is approximately 153.33 miles per hour. If an arithmetic mean were used
to determine this rate, then the total distance traveled, ten miles, would be
divided by the total time taken for five laps, 235 seconds. This value of 10/235
miles per second, or approximately 153.19 miles per hour, may be a more accu-
rate representation of the average speed of the car. Since lap time is more easily
and commonly tracked continuously throughout the race, the average lap speed
is used instead of the average rate.
100 RATES
Besides finding the average rate as a means to describe varying speeds, it is

possible to determine the instantaneous rate of an object using differential calcu-
lus. If a total amount, such as distance or production levels, can be described as
a function, then the rate at any moment can be determined by finding the deriv-
ative of that function. Instead of finding the slope at the endpoints of an interval,
a derivative is the slope of a line tangent to a curve at a particular point.
The slope of the dotted line that is

tangent to the curve is the auto-
mobile’s instantaneous speed of
70 miles per hour at 1:34 PM.
The slope of the tangent line will describe the speed of the car at a specific
moment in time. For example, in the above figure, a tangent line with a slope of
70 miles per hour is drawn on the curve at 1:34 PM, illustrating the speed of the
car at that moment.
In addition to automobile travel, the motion of falling objects shows variable
rates. Since the earth pulls objects at a rate of 9.8 meters per second squared,
falling objects are constantly accelerating. The position of a penny dropped off of
a 400-meter-tall skyscraper can be represented by the function h = –4.9t2 + 400,
where h is the height of the penny above the ground in meters, and t is the time
in seconds the penny is airborne. This function is a parabola. It will not have a
constant slope, which means that the penny will not fall at the same rate towards
the ground. However, the slope of the line tangent to the curve at any time, or the
instantaneous rate, can be predicted by the derivative of this function, which is
h′ = –9.8t. This means that the penny will be falling at a rate of 9.8 meters per
second after one second, 19.6 meters per second after two seconds, and so on.
According to the position function, h = –4.9t2 + 400, the penny will reach the
ground at approximately t = 9 seconds, where h is equal to 0. According to the
derivative of the position function, the velocity of the penny by the time it hit the
ground would be h′ = –9.8(9) = –88.2 meters per second, fast enough to fall
straight through a person’s body. Hence, you are not likely to be permitted to drop
objects from tall buildings!
Human workforce productivity can have varying rates. In a factory, the work-
ers may be less productive in the early morning because they are tired, and then
reach an optimal work rate later in the morning when they are more awake. Later
in the afternoon, they may become less productive again due to fatigue or bore-
dom. Understanding the varying working rates of employees may help manage-
ment determine an optimal time to take a break or to change work shifts. Know-
ing the change in work rates would provide information to make smart decisions
RATES 101
on behalf of the safety of the employees, as well as to support the economic ben-
efits of the company.
In consumer sales, the profit from a business is often dependent on the num-
ber of products sold. An ideal production level would be to determine the
moment when the change of profit, or the rate at which profit is changed, begins
to level off to zero. According to supply-and-demand principles, the company
would like to produce the appropriate amount of products in order to meet con-
sumer demand, but not end up with a surplus in inventory. If too many goods are
produced the rate of profit declines, because the company would lose money on
excess inventory. For example, suppose the price per cup of lemonade, l, de-
pended on the number of cups, n, purchased according to the equation
l = 2.00 − 0.01n. This equation suggests that the price of a cup of lemonade
would be $2.00 if none were sold, but the price will decline by one penny for
every cup sold. The revenue, r, obtained for selling lemonade would be the prod-
uct of the price per cup and the number of cups purchased. Therefore the total
revenue would be equivalent to r = lc = (2.00 − 0.01n)n = 2.00n − 0.01n2 .
The cost to make the lemonade depends on start-up expenses and the quantity of
lemonade sold. If the lemonade stand costs $12.00 to set up and each cup costs
$0.14 to produce, then the cost, c, for the company to make lemonade can be rep-
resented by the equation c = 0.14n + 12.00. The profit, p, obtained by selling
lemonade is the difference between the revenue and costs, which is p =
r − c = (2.00n − 0.01n2 ) − (0.14n + 12.00) = –0.01n2 + 1.86n − 12.00. The
graph of the profit function is a parabola, illustrating that the rate of profit
changes, because the graph is nonlinear. Notice that the maximum profit of the
function occurs when ninety-three cups are sold—the moment when the rate of
profit is equal to zero or where the slope of tangent line equals zero, as shown in
the figure below.
A maximum value of a quad-

ratic function can be found
by locating the horizontal
tangent line.
Designing a speedometer
<http://barzilai.org/archive/lc/speedometer.html>
Distance between two ships
<http://www.nadn.navy.mil/MathDept/cdp/relatedrates/rates.html>
Fair division activities
<http://www.colorado.edu/education/DMP/activities/fair_division/>
102 RATIO
Gross national product data

<http://www.economagic.com/em-cgi/data.exe/fedstl/gnp+1>
Motion
<http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/murphy/MovingMan/MovingMan.html>
<http://webphysics.ph.msstate.edu/jc/library/2-6/index.html>
Motion of a piston
Occupational health and safety
Pipe flow
Roofing
<http://www.professionalroofing.net/past/march00/qa.asp>
Slope use permit
<http://www.ci.larkspur.ca.us/3025.html>
Stressed out: slope as a rate of change
<http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/Algebra/stress.html>
Universal currency converter
<http://www.xe.net/ucc/>
<http://www.wildnetafrica.com/currencyframe.html>
Exchange rates for world currencies
<http://www.x-rates.com/>
▲ ▼ ▲
RATIO
A ratio is a quotient of two numbers. One of the most famous ratios in math-
ematics is π ≈ 3.14159, the ratio of circumference of a circle to the diameter. A
ratio is different from a rate, in that the units for the numerator and denominator
in a ratio are the same. A ratio does not have any units of measurement, unlike
rates that have units such as miles per hour or dollars per pound. Some examples
of ratios that are given here are really rates, but it is common practice in partic-
ular occupations and sciences to call them ratios.
There are many statistics dealing with money that are ratios. The federal gov-
ernment maintains the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Cost of Living Index
(COL). The CPI is the ratio of costs of common items in the current year to the
costs of the same items during 1982–1984. The costs are usually expressed as a
multiple of 100, so that the number represents the current cost of purchasing
goods and services that would have cost $100 during 1982–1984. In 2001, the
RATIO 103
CPI was 177. This means that the ratio of costs for goods and services in 2000
was 1.77 times as high as the costs for the same items during 1982–1984. The
COL is computed for almost two hundred metropolitan areas. It reflects the ratio
of costs of goods and services in a specific area to the average for the country as
a whole. The COL is expressed as a percent. At the beginning of 2001, the COL
for San Francisco was 179.8, and for Houston, 95.8. Those ratios mean that it
costs 1.798 times the U.S. average to live in San Francisco, but 95.8 percent of
the national average to live in Houston. Stockbrokers use the price-earnings ratio
(P/E) as a way of evaluating stocks. This ratio is defined as the market value per
share divided by the earnings per share. If a company has stock valued at $40 per
share, and has earned a net of $2 per share over the last year, the P/E ratio for the
company would be $40/$2 = 20. Most stocks traded on the major exchanges have
P/E ratios between 15 and 25. Riskier stocks that have potential for rapid growth
are likely to have P/E ratios above 25, if any at all. (If a company has not pro-
duced any earnings, then its P/E ratio is reported as 0.) In these circumstances,
people invest their money in companies that they think will have low P/E ratios
or a high demand in the future. The P/E ratio is only one of many ratios routinely
reported for stocks.
Percents are based on ratios. If a taxpayer pays $3,000 on an income of
$20,000, then the tax ratio is 3000/20000 = 15 percent. The federal government
refers to this as a tax rate. If an investment of $500 is now worth $550, the per-
cent increase is the ratio of absolute change to starting value, or 50/500 = 10 per-
cent. When you specify how long it took for this increase, you express the change
as a percent per year, or interest rate.
Test scores are often reported as percentile ranks. A student with a percentile
rank of 60 on a college placement test achieved a score that was equal to or
higher than the scores of 60 percent of the students taking the test. Therefore the
percentile rank is a ratio of counts of students.
Body mass index (BMI) is the quotient of your weight in kilograms divided
by your squared height, where height is measured in meters. Although this meas-
ure is a rate (kilograms/m2 ), the units are not reported and are not used in com-
putations of other health measures. BMI values from 20 to 25 are associated with
the lowest health risks; values above 30 are associated with the highest. Weight-
to-hip ratio (WHR) is a true ratio that indicates whether an adult carries weight
around the waist or hips. Weight carried around the middle (higher ratio) is asso-
ciated with more health problems. Many ratios developed for human physiology
are applied to other animals. The ratio of an animal’s surface area to its volume
measures how much energy the animal has to produce to counter the heat lost
through the skin. (See Inverse (Multiplicative) for an additional explanation.) A
mouse has a surface-area-to-body ratio that is about ten times that of a human,
so the mouse has to eat almost all day long to maintain its body heat, while a
human does quite well with three meals per day.
The modern musical scale is based on a consistent ratio of frequencies from
note to next note for the twelve notes of an octave. Middle C-sharp (275 cycles
104 RATIO
per second [cps]) is about 1.059 times middle C (260 cps); D (292 cps) is about
1.059 times C-sharp. This sequence continues to high C (520 cps), which is twice
the frequency of middle C. Pythagoras (as later corrected by Galileo) tried to
identify simple integer ratios for what would correspond to the white keys of a
piano. The Pythagorean scale uses 9/8 for the ratio that would compute D from
middle C (9/8 of 260 = 292.5).
Time signatures found at the beginning of a piece of music look like fractions
without the fraction bar. They represent beat patterns for the measure. The nota-
tion 34 means that there are three beats per measure, and a quarter note (1/4)
receives one beat. This sets the ratio of note values to measures for the piece of
music.
Almost all mechanical objects in your house use gears. A videotape machine
uses gears to control tape motion. Windup and pendulum clocks use gears. Bi-
cycles use gears. Gear ratios tell how rotational motion changes when you con-
nect gears with different numbers of teeth. When a small gear with forty-seven
teeth connects with a larger gear with seventy teeth, the gear ratio is 47
60 . The gear
ratio can be used to compute how many times the larger gear will rotate com-
pared to the smaller gear. (See Rotations for additional information about gears.)
Ratios that express mixtures are often written with a colon. When a garden-
ing expert recommends two parts of sand, five parts of potting soil, and one part
perlite for the soil mixture in a window box, the ratios can be written in one
expression as 2:5:1. A fertilizer that is labeled as 25-5-5 represents the percents
of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. The high ratio of nitrogen to the other
substances means that this fertilizer is probably for the quick development of
lawns, which need nitrogen. A fertilizer with a lower ratio of nitrogen like 10-20-
20 would be good for a garden. Directions for recipes and household products
are often given in ratios of parts. A wedding punch is two parts orange juice, two
parts lemonade, one part pineapple juice, and one part grapefruit juice. The juices
are in ratio of 2:2:1:1. (See Proportions and Similarity for additional applica-
tions of ratios in this form.)
The golden ratio or golden section is based on a rectangle that can be split
into a square and a smaller rectangle that is similar to√the original rectangle. The
ratio of length to width of the original rectangle is 1+2 5 ≈ 1.61803. The ancient
Greeks believed that this rectangle embodied the most satisfying proportions.
The Parthenon in Athens fits the golden ratio. Some sociologists have argued that
people who have certain facial features close to the golden ratio are judged by
others as being more beautiful or handsome. The golden ratio expresses many
patterns in plant and animal structures. (See Fibonacci Sequence for more infor-
mation about applications of the golden ratio.)
Measures in science and engineering that produce extremely large numbers
are simplified by ratio measures. In aviation, the Mach number indicates the ratio
of the plane’s speed to the speed of sound. Mach 1 is a critical value for airplanes.
Below the speed of sound, a plane pushes air aside like a boat traveling through
RATIO 105
water. But when the plane hits the speed of sound, the airwaves can’t move out
of the way of the plane. The build up at the front of the plane causes a shock
wave that creates stress on the plane and is often audible to people on the ground
as a “sonic boom.” The speed of sound varies according to temperature and other
factors. It is about 762 miles per hour at sea level, and about 664 miles per hour
at 35,000 feet. A jet traveling at 1,400 miles per hour 35,000 feet above sea level
would be traveling at 1400/664 ≈ Mach 2.1. A jet-propelled wheeled vehicle
achieved Mach 1.02 on the Bonneville Salt Flats on a day when the speed of
sound was 748 mph. Its speed was 763 miles per hour.
Astronomers measure solar-system distances with a ratio measure called an
astronomical unit (AU). An AU of 1 represents the average distance of the earth
to the sun, about 14,960,000,000 kilometers. For even larger distances than the
solar system (which is about 80 AU in diameter), astronomers use ratio measures
based on light years. One light year is the distance traveled by light in one year
(about 9.46 × 1017 cm). Our galaxy is about 100,000 light years in diameter. Par-
secs (3.26 light years), kiloparsecs (1,000 parsecs), and megaparsecs (1 million
parsec) are used to measure distances across many galaxies.
Trigonometric ratios are used to find unusual or inaccessible heights and
lengths. By measuring angles and shorter distances, an engineer can calculate the
height of skyscrapers by creating diagrams with right triangles and using these
ratios. (See Triangle Trigonometry for an explanation.)
Scale models use ratios to indicate how the lengths of an object compare to
corresponding measures in the model. A 1:29 scale-model train would be large
enough for children to ride outdoors on top of the cars. It would be 1/29th of the
size of a real train. An HO-gauge tabletop train is at a scale of about 1:87. An
8.64-inch model of an 18-foot-long automobile (216 inches) would be at the
scale of 1:25. Scale models can also help provide information to calculate
unknown information, such as the mass of a dinosaur. (See Similarity.) Although
the design of buildings, cars, toasters, and furniture may involve drawings and
models that are smaller than the final version, scale models that are larger than
real life are important in many fields. Manufacturers of computer chips make
scale drawings much larger than the actual chip to show the packed circuitry.
Medical researchers make large-scale models of viruses and cell structures to
determine how shapes affect resistance to disease.
The fundamental law of similarity uses scaling to indicate how surface area
and volume of the model relate to the actual object. If k is the ratio of a length in
the object to the corresponding length in the model, k2 is the ratio of surface
areas, and k3 is the ratio of volumes. This law explains the limits on human and
animal growth. If a six-foot-tall, 180-pound human were to double in size so that
his relative proportions were maintained, he would be twelve feet tall, but his
volume, and hence his weight, would be eight times as much. The giant’s weight
would be 1,440 pounds—which couldn’t be supported by human bone structures.
(See Proportions for an alternate explanation.)
106 RATIO
Consumer price index (CPI)

<http://stats.bls.gov/cpihome.htm>
The P/E ratio and other stock ratios are discussed at the Motley Fool page
<http://www.fool.com/School/EarningsBasedValuations.htm>
Musical scales
<http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/music/pythag.html>
FAA instructions on making a scale drawing of an F-16
Compute gear ratios for a bicycle
<http://home.i1.net/~dwolfe/gerz/howto1.html>
<http://www.panix.com/~jbarrm/cycal/cycal.30f.html>
U. S. Census Bureau QuickFacts on States (Rates and Ratios)
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/>
Body-mass calculator
<http://cc.ysu.edu/~doug/hwp.cgi>
<http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/bu2/inflateCPI.html>
Cooking by numbers
<http://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/cooking.html>
Density lab
<http://www.explorescience.com/activities/activity_page.cfm?activityID=29>
<http://www.panix.com/~jbarrm/cycal/cycal.30f.html>
How to compute baseball standings
<http://www.math.toronto.edu/mathnet/questionCorner/baseball.html>
Scale models
Screen ratios
<http://www.premierstudios.com/ratio.html>
Tuning in
<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/careers/aa/lessons/aom15.htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
REFLECTIONS 107
REFLECTIONS
A reflection is a transformation that produces an image of equal size by flip-

ping an object over a line. For example, you will see a reflection of yourself
when you look in the mirror. Your size in the mirror will be the same as your
actual size, but all of your features will be reversed. So if your hair is parted to
the left, it will appear to be parted to the right in a reflection. Using two mirrors
can create double reflections, allowing someone such as a hair stylist to show
you the back of your head after a haircut while you look straight ahead.
Reflections of objects are naturally visible in water. If you walk up to a pond
on a still, sunny day, you will see an image of yourself on the surface of the
water. In the picture below, buildings and boats on a Holland canal are reflected
in the surface of the canal. The reflection is so good that when you turn the pic-
ture upside down, it looks almost the same.
Boats and buildings reflected

in a canal in Holland.
Source: Adobe Stock Photos.
Reflections are sometimes used to create illusions or expand the size of an

object. Many restaurants have large mirrors on one wall so that the room will
appear twice as large. In an amusement park, a house of mirrors creates multiple
images of anyone walking through, making it difficult to determine the correct
pathway to the exit. Another example of using reflections to replicate an object is
to create designs with a kaleidoscope. A kaleidoscope is a cylindrical toy that cre-
ates colorful patterns by using tiny objects situated at its base and in between two
intersecting mirrors. The reflections at the base repeat themselves as a function of
the angle n between the mirrors. Since there are 360 degrees in a circle, then
there will be 360
n repetitions of the object caused by reflections. Each time the
kaleidoscope rotates, the tiny objects inside it move around and consequently
change the symmetrical pattern one sees when looking through the cylinder.
A kaleidoscope uses mirrors to produce mul-

tiple reflections and create colorful patterns.
Photo by Dror Bar-Natan, online at <http://
www.ma.huji.ac.il/~drorbn/Gallery/Symmetry
/Tilings/S333/Kaleidoscope.html>.
108 REFLECTIONS
Reflections can be used to trap light in an object. When a gem such as a dia-
mond is cut into the shape of a polyhedron, it gives light an opportunity to reflect
many times once it is captured inside. One of the reasons that a diamond is pre-
cious is its ability to bend light so that it stays inside the gem longer, thus mak-
ing it sparkle.
Sound waves reflect in a theater to amplify music. Prior to electronic ampli-
fiers, which increase the volume of microphones and electric guitars at rock con-
certs, special attention was paid to acoustical architecture in concert halls. Next
time you watch a performance or a symphony in an indoor theater, notice the spe-
cial plates built in or attached to the ceiling. They are angled and curved in order
to reflect sound waves so that everyone in the theater can hear the performance.
Without this special attention to reflecting sound waves, certain sections of the
concert hall would not receive adequate sound, because the sound would either
be absorbed by a surface, dissipate, or create destructive interference patterns.
(See Inverse Square Function.)
Reflections are also used in remote sensors to detect a signal. For example,
there are several ways that you can change your television station using a remote
control. One way is to aim the remote so that its ray will land directly on the sen-
sor on the television set. Another way, however, is to aim the remote at a reflec-
tion of the sensor. Imagine that one of the walls in your home was a reflecting
mirror, and determine the location of the television sensor behind the wall. If you
aim the remote at the reflection of the sensor, the light beam will bounce off of
the wall and land directly on the sensor. Many motion-based security systems
operate in a similar fashion. An invisible beam reflects off of all walls in a room,
creating multiple beams throughout that room. The alarm system is signaled if
the beam at any point in the room is disturbed.
Light rays reflect from walls at congruent angles. The angle of incidence, α,
has the same measure as the angle of reflection, β.
The angle of incidence, α, is the angle at which a beam of light touches a wall,
and the angle of reflection, β, is the angle at which the beam leaves the wall. If
the beam of light does not pass through the material, then the angle of incidence
is equal to the angle of reflection. (See Angle for more explanation.) Knowing this
theorem can help you become skilled at various games that use reflections, such
as billiards and miniature golf. In both of these activities, the player is usually at
an advantage if he or she can find ways to maneuver the ball by bouncing it off of
a wall. In order to accurately place a ball on a target or in a hole, the player needs
to aim the ball towards the reflection of the hole, similar to directing a remote con-
trol. Therefore an easier way to utilize the reflection is to predict the location on
the wall where the angle of incidence will equal the angle of reflection.
REFLECTIONS 109
Using reflections in games becomes more complicated, however, in situa-

tions where a ball needs to bounce off two walls. The same relationships regard-
ing reflections exist in these circumstances, but the player will need to focus on
reflections of reflections in order to utilize multiple walls in the attempt.
A failed attempt to obtain a hole-in-

one on a miniature golf course using
reflections, because the ball will be
blocked by the left wall.
For example, suppose the player realizes that he or she cannot get a hole-in-
one by hitting just one wall, as indicated in the above figure. Instead, the player
imagines hitting two walls, the side wall first and then the back wall. In order to
sink the shot, he or she will need to locate the reflection of the hole on the back
wall, H ′ , and then the location of the reflection of the reflection, H ′′ . The player
then aims towards the side wall at the double reflection of the hole, H ′′ , and the
ball should follow a path towards the first reflection by hitting the back wall, and
then land in the hole, as shown below.
A strategy to obtain a hole-in-one on

a miniature golf course that uses
reflections for a ball to hit two walls.
The process can get even more complicated with more reflections, such as
what takes place in games like racketball. In such a fast game, it may be difficult
to predict where the ball will eventually land after it has been struck. However,
a general knowledge of reflections can give a player a sense of what direction the
ball will head once it hits the first wall.
The relationship between the angle of incidence and angle of reflection also
informs product designers that full-length mirrors should only be one-half a per-
son’s height. In this type of mirror, the reflection of light from your eye level to
your waistline will angle down towards your toes (see the following figure). This
relationship is true, because the point of contact with your line of sight and the
mirror is at the midpoint of your body, where the angle of incidence is congruent
110 REFLECTIONS
to the angle of reflection. That way, looking at the bottom of a mirror that is half
your size will allow you to look directly at your feet.
A mirror needs to be only one-half your

height in order to see your entire body.
The concepts behind reflections can also be used to optimize fuel consump-
tion in water travel. Suppose a cruise liner was departing a port and headed
towards a series of remote islands. Along the way, it may need to refuel near a
mainland to ensure that it can travel the entire distance. The ship will be most
fuel efficient if it angles its navigation towards the shore to refuel, so that its
angle of incidence is equal to its angle of reflection. Even though the ship will
not use a reflection, moving along this path allows it to travel the smallest dis-
tance, as shown in the figure below. This path will be equivalent in distance to a
direct route between the starting point and destination, because the ship will be
directed towards the reflection of the destination. Since reflections preserve con-
gruence, the ship will still be traveling along a line, which is the shortest path
between two points.
A reflection of the final destination

is used to determine the shortest
path for a ship when a fuel stop is
needed on a journey.
Most molecules come in two forms, mirror images of each other. This would
be merely a chemical curiosity were it not that the reflection images of molecules
in medications can produce catastrophically different results. During the 1960s,
the drug thalidomide was given to pregnant women to reduce nausea. One of the
forms of the thalidomide molecule worked well for that task. Unfortunately, the
other form of thalidomide, the mirror image of the good molecule, caused limb
deformities in thousands of infants before its effects were recognized. The drug
L-dopa counteracts symptoms of Parkinson’s disease such as tremors and mus-
cle rigidity. The mirror image of the L-dopa molecule, D-dopa, is toxic. The pro-
duction of thalidomide and L-dopa produces both forms in equal amounts. A sig-
nificant task for scientists was to determine how to remove the toxic form of the
molecules from medications, leaving only the beneficial mirror images. The
ROTATIONS 111
2001 Nobel prize in chemistry was awarded to scientists who developed catalysts
that would determine the twists in the molecules and either remove the malignant
forms or change their orientation to the beneficial version.
The billiards simulation

<http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/chaos/home.html>
Diamond design
<http://www.gemology.ru/cut/english/tolkow/_tolk1.htm>
Frieze patterns
<http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~mathed/Geometry/Transformations/frieze.html>
Mathematical art of M. C. Escher
<http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/escher/>
Measurement microphones
<http://www.josephson.com/tn6.txt>
Reflection of light
<http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/lightandcolor/reflection.html>
Reflectors
<http://nths.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/math/Connections/reflection/REFLECT.
htm>
Road coatings
<http://www.montefiore.ulg.ac.be/services/acous/eclair/reflecten.html>
Seismic reflection
<http://www.enviroscan.com/techapps/22.html>
Total internal reflection
<http://www.sciencejoywagon.com/physicszone/lesson/09waves/totint/>
<http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/refrn/u14l3c.html>
<http://www.sciencejoywagon.com/physicszone/lesson/09waves/totint/internal.
htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
ROTATIONS
Rotations allow the same object to reappear along a circular path. For exam-
ple, in a tiling pattern, lizards can be rotated so that they tessellate, or fit neatly
into each others’ grooves, as shown in the following figure. Since there are three
congruent lizards in a circle centered around the intersection of the lizard’s
knees, the angle of rotation must be one-third of the degree measure of a circle,
which is 120 degrees.
Rotations are used in circular motion, such as the rotation of a wheel caused
112 ROTATIONS
by movement in the axle of a car. The rotation of the wheels and the friction
between the wheels and the road enable a car to move forward.
Tessellation of lizard tiles based on

rotations for an outdoor patio.
Circular gears with wedges help support rotation in engines and machines.
For example, a bicycle uses gears to change the amount of force needed to move
the pedals. As the gear rotates, its teeth grab onto the chain and move it forward
in order to spin the wheels on the bicycle. Gears with a smaller radius require less
force, since the chains move a smaller distance. As the bicycle builds speed, the
gears rotate more quickly, making it more difficult to pedal in lower gears. By
shifting the chain to a higher gear with a greater radius when the bicycle
increases speed, the pedals will slow down, since the chain has a greater distance
to move, making it easier to maintain a higher speed. When the person on the
bicycle slows down, the gears should be shifted down to a smaller radius so that
pedaling becomes easier.
The gears of a bicycle rotate and

latch onto the chain to help propel
the bicycle forward when force is
applied to the pedals.
Several amusement-park rides rotate to create a spinning effect. An object

will feel like it is moving more quickly around a circle if it sits further away from
its center of rotation. In this situation, the object has to travel a further distance
around a circle than an object closer to the center, but also during the same time
period. Rotational motion with ice skaters changes, because angular momentum
is conserved. Angular momentum is determined by the product of the radius of
the arm length and the skater’s angular velocity. If his or her arm radius decreases
so that the arms are closer to the body, his or her angular velocity will increase.
As a result, skaters will spin faster when they move their arms closer to their bod-
ies. Conversely, skaters can slow down their spinning motion by spreading their
arms out from their bodies.
The earth rotates around an axis that passes through the two poles. The radius
of the earth is 3,963 miles. Therefore every object at the equator is moving at a
ROTATIONS 113
rate of approximately 1,037 miles per hour, because these objects travel 2π(3,963)
miles in twenty-four hours. The angular rate of objects in circular motion is the
circular distance divided by the time to travel that distance. If a person is stand-
ing away from the equator, then his or her angular rate is 2π•3963•cos
24
θ
, where θ
is the latitudinal angle of the city. For example, if a person is standing at 60°N
latitude, then he or she will only be half as far from the earth’s axis of rotation,
because cos 60° is one-half. Then this person will only be moving half as fast
around the earth. People actually do not feel like they are moving faster at dif-
ferent parts of the world because everything else is moving at the same rate. You
feel differences in motion when something else is moving faster or slower than
your motion.
Relative distance away from the

earth’s axis of rotation based on lati-
tudinal position. A person is half as
far from the earth’s axis of rotation
when he or she is standing at 60°
latitude because cos 60° = 1/2.
Rocket launches take advantage of the earth’s rotational velocity. The launch-
ed aircraft takes off towards the east—the same direction as the rotation of the
earth—giving it an extra boost once it is airborne. Also, launches in the United
States are at Cape Canaveral, Florida, which is closer to the equator than most
other cities in the country. Since it is farther from the earth’s axis of rotation than
many other U.S. cities, the earth’s rotation will be more supportive at that loca-
tion by giving it almost the best possible additional speed as it leaves the earth’s
atmosphere.
Applications of rotations
<http://www.spacesciencegroup.nsula.edu/sotw/newlessons/application.asp?Theme=
astronomy&PageName=rotation>
Bicycle gears
<http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/gears1.html>
<http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/gears3.html>
Image rotation
<http://www.ece.gatech.edu/research/pica/simpil/applications/rotation.html>
Mathematical art of M. C. Escher
<http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/escher/>
Relative motion—rotation and the motion of the moon
<http://www.joma.org/vol1-2/modules/macmatc4/moon.html>
Rotations on a sphere
<http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/mathalgo/sphere0.htm>
114 SEQUENCES
Satellite reception
<http://repairfaq.cis.upenn.edu/sam/icets/satellte.htm>
X-ray diffractometry
<http://www.optra.com/XRAYwebsite.htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
SEQUENCES
Sequences are sets of numbers that often share a recursive or explicit rela-
tionship. For example, the Fibonacci sequence in the form 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21,
. . . is determined by the sum of every two previous consecutive integers in its
sequence and has many real-world applications. (See Fibonacci Sequence for
several examples.) A different pattern occurs in the terms in a geometric
sequence, where consecutive terms have a constant ratio. A geometric sequence
with an initial value equal to 4 and constant ratio of –0.5 would be 4, –2, 1, –0.5,
0.25, . . . Another type of sequence based on a constant difference between terms
is called an arithmetic sequence. An arithmetic sequence with an initial value
equal to 4 and a constant difference of –0.5 would be 4, 3.5, 3, 2.5, 2, . . .
Sequences exist in applications that have discrete and predictable patterns, such
as the value of an automobile, camera aperture, music notes, or predicting the
timing of an eruption.
Automobile value is based on its original price, depreciation rate, and age.
Since the depreciation is fairly constant for a particular model, a car’s yearly prices
can be determined using a geometric sequence. The constant ratio in this case is
0.80, since the car maintains 80 percent of its value after each year. A car selling
for $20,000 new that depreciates 20 percent each year will be worth $16,000 the
next year, and $12,800 the year after that. These values can be determined by mul-
tiplying each successive term by 0.80, or using the explicit formula for a geomet-
ric sequence, gn = g1 rn−1 , where gn is the value of the car after the nth year, g1
is the initial value of the car during the first year, and r is the constant ratio. In this
case, the explicit equation for the sequence is gn = 20, 000(0.80)n−1 . The table
on the next page represents a sample blue-book listing of the value of a vehicle for
different years based on this equation. Notice that the car loses its greatest amount
of value during the first year, since a percentage of the total value is reduced from
the original price.
Standard f-stops on cameras permit the photographer to select how much
light passes through the lens. The sequence is 1, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22,
32. Each of the f-stop numbers on a standard lens represents half the light of the
number before it. The consecutive f-stops are in geometric sequence with the
√
common ratio 2.
SEQUENCES 115
nth year value ($)
1 20,000.00
2 16,000.00
3 12,800.00
4 10,240.00
5 8192.00
6 6553.60
7 5242.88
8 4194.30
9 3355.44
10 2684.35
The estimated values of an automobile with a new price of $20,000
and depreciating 20 percent each year.
The twelve tones in an octave form a geometric sequence so that the end of
an octave has a frequency twice that of its low tone. High C (512 cps) is twice
middle C (256 cps). The multiplication of frequencies is a constant ratio across
the octave, so each multiplication must be the twelfth root of 2, or about 1.059.
So if A is 440 cps, the next key, B-flat, will be 440•1.059 ≈ 466 cps. (See Ratio.)
Old Faithful is a popular attraction at Yellowstone National Park, because the
geyser produces long eruptions that are fairly predictable. When tourists visit Old
Faithful, they will see a sign that indicates an estimated time that the geyser will
next erupt. No one controls the geyser like an amusement park ride. Instead, its
patterns over time have caused park rangers to develop predictable eruption times
using an arithmetic sequence. The time between eruptions is based on the length
of the previous eruption. If an eruption lasts one minute, then the next eruption
will occur in approximately forty-six minutes (plus or minus ten minutes). If an
eruption lasts two minutes, then the next eruption will occur in approximately
fifty-eight minutes. This pattern continues based on a constant difference of
Old Faithful is a popular attrac-

tion at Yellowstone National Park,
because it is a very large geyser
and quite predictable. Source:
National Park Service photograph.
116 SEQUENCES
twelve minutes, forming an arithmetic sequence of 46, 58, 70, 82, 94, . . . An erup-
tion of n minutes will indicate that the next eruption, an , will occur in
an = a1 + (n − 1)d minutes, where a1 is the length after a one-minute eruption,
and d is the constant difference of waiting time among eruptions that are a one-
minute difference in time. In this particular situation, the next eruption will occur
in an = 46 + (n − 1)12 minutes, if the previous eruption was n minutes long.
Harmonious chords produce another type of sequence. If you depress piano
keys for middle C, middle G, high C, and high E, then play low C, you will hear
the four other tones. If the string for low C is one meter long, then a string a half
meter long will sound a middle C, a one-third meter string would give middle G,
high C would be one-fourth meter, and high E would be one-fifth meter. The
list of overtones is the sequence 1, 12 , 31 , 14 , 51 , . . . which is called a harmonic
sequence. Any sequence that is formed from reciprocals of terms of an arithmetic
sequence is called harmonic. Harmonic sequences are important in the study of
magnetism, electricity, and the design of electric motors. Cosmologists studying
the origins of the universe look for harmonic patterns in microwave traces
received from space.
A demonstration that the harmonic series doesn’t converge

<http://www.mathematik.com/Harmonic/>
Artificial intelligence
<http://www.cs.wustl.edu/area-ai.html>
Biological sequence alignment
<http://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/gina/align.html>
DNA sequence database
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/collab/>
Intensity, exposure, and time in photography
<http://www.arch.virginia.edu/arch569/content/lectures/lec-03/>
Iteration and recursion activities
<http://www.colorado.edu/education/DMP/activities/iteration_recursion/>
Linear models
<http://www.math.montana.edu/frankw/ccp/modeling/discrete/linear/learn.htm>
Musical scales
<http://www.tromba.demon.co.uk/scales.html>
<http://www.midicode.com/tunings/greek.shtml>
Predicting Old Faithful
<http://www.jason.org/expeditions/jason8/yellowstone/oldfait1.html>
Used car prices
<http://www.edmunds.com/used/>
<http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.bz?kbb&&688&zip_ucr;1409&>
▲ ▼ ▲
SERIES 117
SERIES
Many applications that are based on the sum of predictable discrete patterns
can be examined with series. For example, a doctor may prescribe an amount of
medication to take each day, because he or she knows that the patient’s blood-
stream will be able to maintain a certain level of the medication over time.
Prescriptions are based on a mathematical series, because the total amount of
drug accumulates in the bloodstream each day. In other words, the sum of the
remaining amounts of the drug in the bloodstream is added to a new amount
everyday. One way to determine the total amount of a drug that will eventually
end up in the bloodstream is to take the initial amount and add the amount that
remains from yesterday, from two days ago, three days ago, and so on. If the
amount of drug that remains in the bloodstream is a predictable pattern each day,
then an equation can be used to compare dosages and accumulating amounts in
the bloodstream.
Some illnesses, such as high blood pressure or thyroid deficiency, can be
treated with regular medication. Suppose a doctor knows that 200 mg of a drug
is the amount of medication needed to maintain the patient’s health. Because
most drugs circulate in the bloodstream, amounts of the drug are removed as the
blood is cleaned by the kidneys. Suppose that the kidneys remove 40 percent of
the drug each day. That leaves the drug effectiveness at 60 percent of what it was
twenty-four hours earlier. Therefore the doctor has the patient take a pill each
day. Surprisingly, a 200 mg pill each day is far too large a dose to maintain a 200
mg level in the bloodstream. If the doctor prescribes 200 mg each day, the patient
will have 200 mg in the bloodstream on the first day. At the end of one day, only
120 mg will remain, but another 200 mg will be added, making the total amount
320 mg. This overdose can potentially be very harmful for the patient, so the doc-
tor needs to determine an ideal dosage that will allow only 200 mg to remain in
the bloodstream at any given time.
A pharmacist can model this situation by using a spreadsheet or table of val-
ues, making sure that the amount in the bloodstream at the end of the day is 60
percent the amount at the beginning of the day, and then adding that value to the
amount at the beginning of the next day. The following table illustrates how
much of the drug would remain in the bloodstream during the first twenty days
if 200 mg were taken each day. Notice that eventually the amount of drug in the
bloodstream will level off near 500 mg after about ten days.
days start of day end of day

1 200.000 120.000
2 320.000 192.000
3 392.000 235.200
4 435.200 261.120
5 461.120 276.672
6 476.672 286.003
118 SERIES
7 486.003 291.602
8 491.602 294.961
9 494.961 296.977
10 496.977 298.186
11 498.186 298.912
12 498.912 299.347
13 499.347 299.608
14 499.608 299.765
15 499.765 299.859
16 499.859 299.915
17 499.915 299.949
18 499.949 299.970
19 499.970 299.982
20 499.982 299.989
The amount of drug (in milligrams) in a person’s bloodstream when 60 percent
remains from the previous day and an additional 200 mg are added each day.
A pharmacist can modify this initial amount on the first day and observe
changes in the limit of this sum to determine that 80 mg is an appropriate daily
dosage to maintain 200 mg in the bloodstream over time, as shown below.
1 80.000 48.000
2 128.000 76.800
3 156.800 94.080
4 174.080 104.448
5 184.448 110.669
6 190.669 114.402
7 194.401 116.641
8 196.641 117.984
9 197.984 118.791
10 198.791 119.274
11 199.274 119.565
12 199.565 119.739
13 199.739 119.843
SERIES 119
14 199.843 119.906
15 199.906 119.944
16 199.944 119.966
17 199.966 119.980
18 199.980 119.988
19 199.988 119.993
20 199.993 119.996
The amount of drug (in milligrams) in a person’s bloodstream when 60 percent

remains from the previous day and an additional 80 mg are added each day.
This situation is an example of a geometric series, since the amount remaining in

the bloodstream is affected by a constant ratio of 60 percent. The sum can be re-
written as
days since last dosage

1 2 3 4
80 + 80(0.60)1 + 80(0.60) 2 + 80(0.60)3 + 80(0.60)4 + . . .
n
The sum, s, can be determined by the equation s = g1 (1−r
1−r
)
, where g1 is the
initial dosage, r is the constant ratio, and n is the number of days the dosage is
taken. Since the number of days that the drug is taken is unknown, pharmacists
need to examine situations in which the drug is taken indefinitely. Therefore the
g1 lim g1 (1−rn ) g1
sum of an infinite geometric series is s = 1−r because n→∞ 1−r = 1−r
when |r| < 1. In this case, the desired sum, s, is 200 mg, r is 60 percent or 0.60,
and g1 is unknown. Substituting the values into the equation, you will get
g1
200 = 1−0.60 , and a solution of g1 = 80 mg. Thus the doctor needs to make pre-
scriptions of 80 mg each day in order to maintain the desired dosage of 200 mg.
Geometric series are also used to predict the amount of lumber that can be
cut down each year in a forest to ensure that the number of trees remain at a sta-
ble level. Each year, forest rangers plant seeds for new trees to account for those
chopped down and lost to forest fires. Suppose the ranger wants to know what
proportion of trees they can afford to lose or remove each year if they plant 500
new trees and want to consistently maintain 80,000 trees in the forest. After sub-
g1
stituting s and g1 in the formula s = 1−r , the unknown value for r is 0.00625.
This means that the forest ranger wants to maintain 99.375 percent of the trees
each year. However, an interesting phenomenon is to notice that the forest can
recover from a disaster such as a fire in a reasonably short period of time.
Suppose a fire destroys 35 percent of the trees in the forest, leaving 52,000 trees.
If 500 new trees are planted each year, and 0.625 percent of the total number of
120 SERIES
trees is used for wood each year, then the forest will reach its ideal level of
7
80,000 trees in about seven years, since 500(1−0.9375
1−0.9375
)
> 28, 000, the number of
trees lost in the fire.
Arithmetic series are used when consecutive values have a constant differ-
ence. The sum of the first n terms of the series, sn , is determined by the equa-
tion sn = (a1 + an ) n2 or sn = (2a1 + (n − 1)d) n2 . For example, the sum

of the first one hundred positive integers is generated by the series 1 + 2 + 3 +

. . . + 100. This is an arithmetic series with n = 100 terms, a1 = 1, and a100 =
100. Therefore the sum of this series, s100 = (1 + 100) 100

2 = 5, 050. Drilling
and mining operations use arithmetic series to determine the total distance their
machines will need to drill when excavating rock from the earth. Suppose a con-
struction team is hired to dig a hole that has a cross-sectional area of 10 square
meters and will be 50 meters deep. Suppose that the drilling machine moves 2
feet downward when digging in the earth’s surface, and then stops to allow
workers to remove the 20 cubic meters of loose dirt. Therefore the first drilling
attempt will be 2 meters deep, the second drilling attempt will be 4 meters deep,
the third drilling attempt will be 6 meters deep, and so on for a total of 25 trips.
In this situation, the drilling machine and the dirt from the ground will need to
be moved a total of 650 meters in order to dig a 50 meter hole, since (2 • 2 +
(25 − 1)2) 25

2 = 650. The mining or construction company can then use this
information to determine its fees based on the total distance it will need to move
dirt out of the hole.
Buying on credit
<http://www.nap.edu/html/hs_math/bc.html>
Drug dosage
<http://www.nap.edu/html/hs_math/drd.html>
<http://www.chch.school.nz/cma/IdeasTeach/hypnotic.htm>
<http://barzilai.org/cr/med-dosage.html>
Geometric series applications
<http://www.math.montana.edu/frankw/ccp/calculus/series/geometric/learn.htm>
Loan or investment formulas
<http://oakroadsystems.com/math/loan.htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
SIMILARITY 121
SIMILARITY
Two figures are similar if they have the same shape, but not necessarily the
same size. More specifically, all of the corresponding sides between two similar
shapes are proportional and all of the corresponding angles are congruent. For
example, most rectangular television screens are similar, since they have a 4-to-3
aspect ratio. That means that conventional television screens are produced so that
the length is 4/3 times the width. The diagonal length of the television screen is
often the reported number in advertisements. Using the 4-to-3 aspect ratio, a tel-
evision screen that has a 25 inch diagonal will have dimensions of 16 inches by 9
inches, and a television screen with a 40 inch diagonal will have dimensions of 32
inches by 24 inches. Notice that the diagonal-to-length ratio is 5 to 4, and the diag-
onal to width ratio is 5 to 3, causing the width, length, and diagonals of every stan-
dard television set to be a multiple of the {3,4,5} Pythagorean triple.
Dimensions of a standard television

screen with a 4-to-3 aspect ratio.
In 1889, engineers in Thomas Edison’s laboratory established that the 4:3

ratio was the best one for movie screens. It is now being challenged by the 16:9
ratio for high-definition TV sets (HDTV) that use a wider screen than the tradi-
tional one to mimic the wide screens in theaters.
Book covers are examples of two objects that are often not similar. Even
though two books may have rectangular covers with congruent angles, they are
only similar if their side lengths are proportional. For example, a book cover with
dimensions of 6 inches by 3.5 inches is not similar to a book cover with dimen-
sions of 7 inches by 4.5 inches. The corresponding ratios of 7/6 and 4.5/3.5, or
9/7, are not equal.
Similarity is used for many real-world purposes. The film on a movie reel is
projected onto a big screen so that the images appear larger, but in the same pro-
portion. If the screen images were not similar to the slides on the reel, the images
would appear distorted, being either too fat or too long (see Proportions for a
more detailed explanation). An overhead projector serves the same purpose,
allowing images such as a teacher’s handwriting to appear larger on a screen so
that it is easier to read. A telescope and microscope also change the size of
images, making them easier to see while preserving the shape of the original
object. The development of pictures from a camera also uses similarity princi-
ples. As negatives are processed onto photo paper, they expand uniformly in size.
If a picture needs to be enlarged into a poster, then the ratio of the corresponding
sides between the negative and the poster need to be identical. This means that if
the different sizes of photo paper are not similar, then some cropping will occur.
122 SIMILARITY
Similarity can be used to approximate lengths and distances. For example, on

a sunny day you can use similarity to determine the height of a tall object such
as a flagpole by using just a tape measure. If you measure your height, your dis-
tance from the flagpole, and the length of your shadow, then you will be able to
set up a proportion to find the height of the flagpole. For instance, suppose you
are standing 5 meters away from the flagpole, you are 1.65 meters tall, and you
measure your shadow to be 1.38 meters long (see the figure below). Similar tri-
angles can be used to show that your height corresponds to the flagpole height,
and your shadow length corresponds to the flagpole’s shadow length.
A method to find the height of a tall

object, such as a flagpole, based on
smaller measurements and principles
of similarity.
f
In this case, the proportion 5+1.38 = 1.64
1.38 can be used to find the height of the
flagpole, f , which equals approximately 7.63 meters (close to 25 feet).
Architects and designers use similarity to create and visualize new buildings.
A miniature two- or three-dimensional model that is a replica of a future building
is often put together during a design phase. It is easier and less expensive to make
changes to a miniature replica of an object than to the object itself, so careful
attention to size and detail is important in model-making. Once the ideas behind
the design of the house are negotiated, the floor plans are passed on to the builders
to replicate the model on a larger scale. Since the actual floor space of the house
is similar to the paper mock-up of the floor plan, the corresponding dimensions
between the real structure and the model are proportional. However, the area com-
paring the house’s floor space to the floor-plan area is proportional to the square
of the ratio of the dimensions. For example, if the house is 50 times larger than
the floor plan, then the area of the house is 2,500 (which is 50 2 ) larger than the
floor plan. This area proportion of similar figures is squared, because area is a
measurement of two dimensions. For example, suppose two similar squares have
respective lengths of 2 and 100 cm. The area of the squares would be 4 cm 2 and
10,000 cm 2, respectively. Even though the ratio of their lengths is 100/2 or 50, the
ratio of their areas is 10,000/4 or 2,500, which is the same as 50 2. Carpenters can
use this information to determine the amount of wood and carpeting needed for
the floors if they are not given the actual dimensions of the house.
Similarity can also be used to predict the mass of unusually large or even
extinct animals, such as dinosaurs. A scale model of a dinosaur can be used to
predict the actual volume of it, assuming that the ratio comparing the actual
length to the model length is available. Suppose that an accurately scaled model
of a tyrannosaurus with a length of 0.3 meters is used to determine its mass.
SIMILARITY 123
Since an actual tyrannosaurus was about 15 meters long, the ratio of the actual
dinosaur to the model is 50 to 1, because 15/0.3 = 50. Use the density ratio of
mass
volume to determine the mass of the tyrannosaurus. Most animals and reptiles
have a density near 0.95 = m v , so the mass of the tyrannosaurus can be calculated
once the volume is found. The volume of the actual tyrannosaurus can be calcu-
lated by using the cube of the ratio of the lengths of the actual dinosaur to the
model. The cube of the ratio is used, because volume is a measure of three
dimensions. Therefore the volume of the actual Tyrannosaurus will be 50 3, or
125,000 times the volume of the dinosaur model.
You can measure the volume of an irregular object, such as a dinosaur model,
by submersing it in a bucket of water. Place a bucket of water filled to the brim
(and larger than the dinosaur model) inside a larger empty bucket. Drop the
dinosaur model into the bucket of water, and the excess water will spill over the
sides into the empty bucket. Pour the excess water into a graduated cylinder,
which is a tool to measure the volume of water. This volume should be the same
as the volume of the dinosaur model, because the model replaced the same
amount of space in the bucket as the excess water. Suppose that the volume of
the model is 61 milliliters. This means that the volume of the actual tyranno-
saurus was about 125,000 times 61, or 7,625,000 milliliters, or 7,625 liters. Since
m
density equals mass divided by volume, the equation 0.95 = 7,625 can be used
to predict the mass, m, of the tyrannosaurus. Note that the units of density are
kilograms per liter, so volume units are in liters and calculated mass units are in
kilograms. The solution to the equation predicts the tyrannosaurus’s mass to
equal approximately 7,243 kilograms, which is about 16,000 pounds. That is the
same as 100 people that have an average mass of 160 pounds. Most football
coaches would like to recruit a tyrannosaurus for their teams!
Similarity is sometimes not used in models, which as a result can cause mis-
conceptions about length and size. Most models of the solar system are inaccu-
rately proportioned so that they can be easily stored, carried, and viewed within
a reasonable amount of space. If a teacher wants to illustrate planetary motion
on a solar-system model, he or she needs to be able to move the planets around
fairly easily, and students need to see all of them. Realistically, however, this
type of model is inaccurate, because the planet sizes vary tremendously and are
spread apart by vastly different distances. For example, if an accurate scale
model of the planets in the solar system were used in a classroom with the sun
at the center of the room, then the first four planets would be within 227 cm of
the center, and the remaining planets would be stretched out to almost 6 meters
away! The large variability in distances among the planets would make it diffi-
cult to build a movable model that illustrates rotation around the sun. Further-
more, the volumes of the planets vary considerably. Large planets, like Jupiter
and Saturn, have diameters that are about ten times larger than the earth. If the
planets were built to scale, these giant planets would have to be a thousand times
larger than the earth, because the ratio of volumes between similar figures is
124 SLOPE
equal to the ratio of the cubes of their lengths. For visualization and instructional
purposes, this would be difficult to create in a hand-held model. It unfortunately
provides misconceptions about the relative sizes and distances among planets in
our solar system.
Map making
<http://www.sonoma.edu/GIC/Geographica/MapInterp/Scale.html>
<http://www.epa.gov/ceisweb1/ceishome/atlas/learngeog/mapping.htm>
Nuclear medicine
Scale model of a pyramid
Scale models
Screen ratios
<http://www.premierstudios.com/ratio.html>
<http://www.pbs.org/opb/crashcourse/aspect_ratio/>
Understanding scale speed in model airplanes
<http://www.astroflight.com/scalespeed.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
SLOPE . S EE LINEAR FUNCTIONS ; RATES
▲ ▼ ▲
SQUARE ROOTS
A square
√ root is the inverse of a squared number. The square root of 49, writ-
ten as 49 or 491/2 , is equal to 7, because 72 equals 49. Many real-world rela-
tionships involve square roots. For example, the height of liquid wax in a candle
is directly proportional to the square root of the amount of time a candle has been
burning. This information is useful in the design of candles, because the presence
SQUARE ROOTS 125
of liquid will slow down the burning of the wick. Hence, fatter candles do not
need very long wicks, because they will likely form a pool of liquid as they burn.
Pilots of airplanes and hot-air balloons use square roots to estimate viewing
distances. The viewing distance in kilometers, d, from an airplane on a clear
depending on its altitude in meters, a, can be estimated by the equation v =
day, √
3.56 a. The viewing distance from an airplane to the horizon is perpendicular
to the radius of the earth, forming a right triangle between the airplane, horizon,
and center of the earth (see the figure below). The Pythagorean theorem can be
a
used to compare the distances, v 2 + 63802 = (6380 + 1000 )2 , using the fact
that the radius of the earth is 6,380 km. The square-root version of the equation
is approximately equal to this format, since commercial airplanes do not fly
much higher than 10,000 meters.
The Pythagorean theorem can be used

to determine the maximum viewing
distance, v, a pilot has in an airplane
compared with its altitude, a.
Note: this drawing is not to scale.
Police investigators use square roots at the scenes of auto accidents. They can
estimate the speed of a car by the length of the tire skids and the conditions
√ of the
road. The speed of a car in miles per hour, s, that skidded d feet is s = 30f d.
The variable f describes the coefficient of friction of the road. On dry concrete,
this value is about 0.8, and in wet conditions, f is about 0.4. Measuring the length
of the skids will help determine if the offender’s speed was a factor that con-
tributed to the accident.
The period of a pendulum, or the time it takes to move back and forth, can
be determined by the equation t = 2π gl , where t is the time in seconds, l is its
length in meters, and g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 meters/second 2 ).
This equation is actually a combination of a couple of equations, g = lw2 and
w = 2π t , that relate to circular motion and the pendulum’s length, period, and an-
gular velocity w. Notice that the mass of the object at the end of pendulum is not
included in the equation, because all objects will fall at the same rate, regardless
of their mass. The pendulum equation is useful for clockmakers, because a
grandfather clock is designed so that its pendulum arm takes one second to swing
in one direction, or two seconds to swing back and forth. If t = 2 is substituted
into the equation, then the pendulum arm length l will be approximately 1 meter
long.
Using square roots can help a person become a better consumer of art. The
best view of a picture is when the angle, α, from the bottom of the picture to the
top is greatest, as shown in the following figure. An ideal distance, d, to stand
126 SQUARE ROOTS
from a painting is based on how much higher the bottom of the painting is from
a person’s eye level, b, and how much higher the top
√ of the painting is from a per-
son’s eye level, t, according to the equation d = bt.
The optimum viewing angle of a painting,

α, is greatest when the distance a person
stands from the painting, d, is equal to the
square root of the product of the distances
from the edges of √
the painting to the eye-
level height (d = bt).
If the average human is about 67 inches tall, and a large painting is 60 inches
tall, and the bottom is placed about 70 inches from the ground, then b =
70 − 67 = 3, and t = 3 + 60 = 63. Therefore a reasonable place to draw a view-
ing line
√ would be about 14 inches away from the wall based on evaluating
d = 3 · 63 ≈ 13.7 inches. This formula can be applied to similar venues, such
as helping you find the best seat in a movie theater.
Best angle of view

<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt725/Angle.View/Angle.view.html>
Bouncing ball
<http://www.sosmath.com/calculus/geoser/bounce/bounce.html>
Calculating angles in a pyramid
<http://www.math.toronto.edu/mathnet/questionCorner/miter.html>
Distance between two ships
<http://www.nadn.navy.mil/MathDept/cdp/relatedrates/rates.html>
How to compute baseball standings
<http://www.math.toronto.edu/mathnet/questionCorner/baseball.html>
Latitude and longitude
<http://daniel.calpoly.edu/~dfrc/Robin/Latitude/distance.html>
The square root law of inventory
<http://logistics.about.com/industry/logistics/library/blsqrootlaw.htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
STANDARD DEVIATION 127
STANDARD DEVIATION
The standard deviation is a number that indicates the variability in a set of

data. It is a measure of the dispersion of data in a sample or population. Standard
deviations are used in quality control in business and industry and in the compu-
tation of standard test scores (such as the SAT and ACT). The concept of stan-
dard deviation provides the basis for widely used statistical techniques.
The start of the computation of standard deviation is the deviation about the
mean, the difference of the actual score and mean score. If a college-placement
test has a national mean of 512, and a student has a score of 650, the deviation is
138. Deviations are negative when the score is below the mean.
Even though each deviation tells something about the spread of data, the sum
of deviations is always zero, which gives no overall information about the spread
of the data. To make sure negative deviations do not cancel with positive, statisti-
cians choose to square each deviation. Then they average the squared deviations to
produce a number that indicates how the data is spread out around the mean. The
average squared deviation is called the variance. The square root of the variance is
the standard deviation. There are two formulas for standard deviation.
One form
Σ(X−µ)2
assumes that the data set is the entire population of cases: σ = N , where
µ is the mean of the data, and N is the number of pieces of data. If the numbers
could be considered a sample from the population, then the mean and standard
deviations would represent estimates of the entire season’s scores. The standard
deviation
has a different symbol in this case, and a slightly different formula:
2
s = Σ(X−X) n−1 , where X is the mean of the sample, and n is the sample size.
The standard deviation is used to compute standardized scores for the com-
parison of data from different sets and measures. A standardized score is computed
as z = X−µ σ , or the deviation divided by the standard deviation. As a ratio, it has
no units. The standardized score can compare different measures of the same per-
son. Suppose a student had a score of 540 on the SAT-Math and 24 on the ACT
Mathematics. On which did he or she do better? The national mean for SAT-Math
is 514, with a standard deviation of 113. So zSATM = 540−514 113 ≈ 0.23. The
national mean for ACT Mathematics is 20.7, with a standard deviation of 5.0. So
zACTM = 24−20.75.0 ≈ 0.66. Therefore she did relatively better on the ACT Mathe-
matics, because she had a greater standardized z score.
Z scores have been used to compare baseball players from different eras.
Does Ty Cobb’s batting average of .420 in 1922 represent better batting than
George Brett’s .390 in 1980? It has been argued that it is difficult for a player
today to hit over .400, because the general quality of players is much higher than
it was in the early days of professional baseball. If you use the standard scores
based on means and standard deviations of baseball players in their respective
eras, Cobb has a z score of about 4.15 and Brett, 4.07. The two stars were equally
outstanding in performance during their respective eras.
SAT and ACT scores are normally distributed, which means that a frequency
128 STANDARD DEVIATION
chart or histogram will appear to be bell-shaped. In this type of distribution, there

are some handy “rules of thumb” that use standard deviation to describe the
spread of data. In a normally distributed set of data, about 68 percent of it is con-
tained within one standard deviation of the mean (as shown in the figure below),
95 percent within two standard deviations, and 99.7 percent within three standard
deviations.
About 68 percent of the area under a normal distribution curve is between

-1 and 1 standard deviations (z scores).
The normal curve has two points of inflection where the curve changes from con-
cave-downward, to concave-upward. These are located at ±1 standard deviation
units. The point of inflection at +1 standard deviation is shown in the figure.
The rules of thumb for a normal distribution stop at ±3 standard deviations
from the mean, because almost all of the data is trapped by those limits. That is
not enough for the management goal of “six sigma” quality adopted by many
American businesses. In such cases, the goal is to have fewer than 3.4 defects per
million products. The six sigma, or 6σ, is chosen because 99.99966 percent of
the cases in a normal distribution fall within six standard deviations of the mean.
If that proportion represents defect-free products, then the remainder, 0.00034
percent, represent defects. Such high-quality control standards at six sigma will
likely reduce the number of defects in a product, but at a high cost when an in-
spection fails. Reducing the standards to 99.7 percent defect-free products will
likely save the company money in the long run, unless the company is dealing
with personal health and safety issues. Physicists use a five-sigma criterion in
determining whether a subatomic particle has been revealed. They think that only
a five-sigma result, indicating a 99.99995 percent chance that the result can be
reproduced, is trustworthy and can survive the test of time.
The rules of thumb are often used by manufacturers to design clothing and
furniture that will sell to the broadest audience. For example, an automobile
manufacturer developing an automobile for potential female customers might
design the driver’s seat to fit the heights of most women. To make the greatest
profit, the seat must be as standard as possible. The heights of American women
are normally distributed with a mean of 64 inches, with a standard deviation of
2.5 inches. If the manufacturer has its designers work on a seat that will be com-
fortable for women from 59 to 69 inches tall (two standard deviations above and
below the mean), then the rule of thumb says that the seat would be appropriate
for 95 percent of the women.
In medical quality-control testing it is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness
of a medical instrument, because many medical measurements such as blood
STANDARD DEVIATION 129
pressure, glucose content in urine, and cholesterol in blood can have different
distributions based on sex or age. Some electronic sensors have the statistics for
different population groups in memory. When a reading for a particular type of
patient is more than two standard deviations from the mean for his or her group,
the instrument will sound a tone, alerting nurse or doctor to the critical value. A
dynamic instrument that accounts for patient’s variables establishes a more pre-
cise diagnosis of medical problems.
When the standard deviation is computed from statistics on many samples,
such as a standard deviation of ACT composite school averages for many
schools, the standard deviation is called a standard error. Survey statistics in
newspapers are often reported as a range of values, such as in “our survey of 250
randomly selected adults showed that 62 percent of the residents oppose the new
highway. The margin of error was 6 percent.” In most cases, the margin of error
for a reported statistic is two standard errors. The report of the survey results
would be “62% ± 2•Standard Error.” This gives a range of values that is likely
(95 percent certain) to trap the percentage that would have been obtained had the
entire population been surveyed. So the newspaper would be saying, “If the
entire population of residents had been surveyed, there is a 95 percent chance
that the true proportion is between 56 percent and 68 percent.” In the weeks prior
to national and state elections, you will read about polls that indicate which can-
didate is ahead in the race, and whether the candidate has a clear lead. If candi-
dates are separated by two standard errors, the newspaper would project a win-
ner. The sampling of voters as they leave polling booths is a method that
television networks have used to make predictions of winners on their news pro-
gramming shortly after the polls close. However, as the networks found out in the
November 2000 presidential election, it is necessary that samples be carefully
designed to be representative of the population. Had the networks followed the
cautious recommendations of statisticians, they would not have had to make their
embarrassing switches of victory reports from George Bush to Al Gore based on
the controversial voting reports from the state of Florida.
Statistics computed on samples establish the close connection between stan-
dard deviation and the normal curve. Although the numbers in an entire popula-
tion might not follow a normal distribution, the central limit theorem states that
means of samples from the population will be normally distributed. Further, the
standard deviation of the sample means (standard error of the mean) is the stan-
dard deviation of the population divided by the square root of the sample size.
The central limit theorem is the foundation for inferential statistics, the branch of
statistics that is used to determine whether a new drug is better than older treat-
ments, whether consumers really like the flavor of a new, improved toothpaste,
when an assembly line is producing too many defects, whether students in a
school are not doing well on a state test, and when a stock price is stabilizing.
Pollsters use the central limit theorem to determine how large their samples must
be to reach a desired level of accuracy.
130 STEP FUNCTIONS
Baseball
<http://www.stat.ncsu.edu/~st350_info/reiland/350hw3.htm>
Biomedical electronics
Bioretention applications
<http://www.epa.gov/nps/bioretention.pdf>
Election polls
<http://www.pollingreport.com/election.htm>
Estimating trees
Food technology
Gallup polls
<http://www.gallup.com/>
Indiana custom rates
<http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/extensio/pubs/custom_rates.htm>
Mining
Petroleum technology
Six sigma
<http://www.isixsigma.com/>
<http://www.fnal.gov/pub/ferminews/ferminews01-03-16/p1.html>
Standard deviation in spreadsheets
<http://www.beyondtechnology.com/tips016.shtml>
▲ ▼ ▲
STEP FUNCTIONS
A step function is a mathematical relationship that has a graph that looks like
steps. As a result, the function has the same output for multiple input values. For
example, a telephone company may charge you 12 cents a minute for a long-dis-
tance call. A 3.3 minute, 3.7 minute, or 4.0 minute call will be charged 48 cents,
or the price of a four-minute phone call, because the phone rate rounds up for
every fraction of a minute beyond a whole value. In this case, the price of the
phone call in dollars, p, can be determined by the function p = 0.12⌈t⌉, where t
is the length of the phone call in minutes. The ⌈t⌉ indicates that the value for t
should be rounded up to the nearest integer. This type of step function is called a
ceiling function and is sometimes represented by the expression ceil(t). There-
STEP FUNCTIONS 131
fore the phone-call function can also be written as p = 0.12ceil(t). Any phone
call between 3.01 and 4.00 minutes will result in the same charge, or any phone
call between 4.01 and 5.00 minutes will result in the same charge, and so on. The
figure below illustrates the price of a phone call as a function of its time.
The total price of a long-distance phone call as a function of its length

when the fee is 12 cents per minute or any fraction thereof.
Other rates that use discrete values for pricing can often be modeled with step
functions. The price to mail a package is dependent on its mass according to a step
function. If the cost to deliver a letter is 34 cents for the first ounce and 23 cents
for each additional ounce, then the function p = 0.23⌈m − 1⌉ + 0.34 describes
the total price in dollars, p, as a function of the mass in ounces, m. This equation
is slightly different than the one for the price of a phone call, because there is a
different rate for the first ounce. The ⌈m − 1⌉ portion of the equation accounts for
the additional price of any mass above one ounce. You can determine this rela-
tionship in the equation because any value of m between 0 and 1 will cause the
quantity ⌈m − 1⌉ to equal 0, meaning that nothing additional to 34 cents will be
added to the cost of postage for mail that is between 0 and 1 ounces.
Consulting and repair rates are often represented by step functions. A visit to
an attorney’s office might be $100 for making an appointment, and then an addi-
tional $150 per hour, or fraction thereof. That means that an hour-and-a-half
appointment would be equivalent to a $400 fee—$100 for showing up and $300
for two hours of work. Sometimes rates are divided into smaller increments of
time, such as with automobile repair. Some auto shops may charge $80 per hour,
and make charges to the next one-half hour. That means that a car that has been
repaired for an hour and 13 minutes will be charged for 1.5 hours of labor, or
$120. As a step function, the repair cost in dollars, r, in terms of the number of
hours of labor, h, is represented by the equation r = 40⌈2h⌉. This equation needs
to consider the number of half-hour intervals, since the overall charge is rounded
to the nearest half-hour. The 2h in the equation describes the number of half-
hours of labor, and the 40 represents the half-hour rate of $40.
The cost of a taxicab ride also relates to a step function in terms of the dis-
tance traveled. Often there is an initial amount charged for getting in the cab, like
$2.70, and then an additional fee, like $0.30, for every block or fraction of a
block traveled. In this case, a 9.3-block cab ride would cost 2.70 + 0.30⌈9.3⌉, or
$5.70. Notice that the distance traveled would be equivalent to 10 blocks, since
there is not a specific fee for 0.3 blocks. In fact, in most cases involving fees or
costs paid by the consumer, rates are usually rounded up with a ceiling function.
132 STEP FUNCTIONS
It is easier to charge someone for partial time or expense than to give that person
an added bonus.
A case in which expense is rounded down is in the payment of hourly wages.
If an employee works 40.7 hours in a week, then he or she might only get paid
for 40 hours time, since she did not put in a full 41 hours. A step function is used,
because it is easier to pay employees at an hourly rate than a minute rate, as well
as to encourage employees to follow a tight schedule. In this situation, the step
function that rounds down is called a floor function, or the greatest integer func-
tion. If the employee earns $12 per hour, then his or her weekly salary payment
in dollars, s, as a function of the number of hours worked, h, is s = 12[h]. The
[h] is the symbol to represent the greatest integer value of h, which in essence
rounds the value down to the nearest integer. This equation can equivalently be
written as s = 12⌊h⌋ or s = 12 floor (h) so that they include symbols describ-
ing the floor function.
A floor function has also been used to identify the day of the week for any
date on the calendar since 1582. The remainder of the division in the equation
3(m+1) y y
d+2m+ 5 +y+ y4 − 100 + 400 +2
w= 7
is used to predict the day of the week, w, where Sunday is the first day of the week
and Saturday is the seventh or zero day. The variable d represents the day of the
month, m represents the number of the month, and y represents the year. An
exception to the value of m is in January and February, which are the month num-
bers according to the previous year. That means that January is represented by 13,
February by 14, March by 3, April by 4, and so on. For example, February 16,
1918 occurred on a Tuesday, because the remainder is equal to 3 when d = 14,
m = 16, and y = 1918 are substituted into the equation.
Calendars
<http://astro.nmsu.edu/~lhuber/leaphist.html>
<http://www.smart.net/~mmontes/ushols.html>
Find hourly rates
<http://www.allfreelance.com/>
Houston Lighting and Power calculator
<http://www.energydotsys.com/lgscalc.htm>
Postage rate calculators
<http://postcalc.usps.gov/>
<http://wwwapps.ups.com/servlet/QCCServlet [updated 4/26/01]>
<http://www.federalexpress.com/us/rates/>
Telephone rate calculator
<http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/5395/ratecalc.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
SURFACE AREA 133
SURFACE AREA
There are more uses of surface area than determining how much paint to buy
to paint a house. The mathematics of surface area determines how objects retain
heat, how cans are cut from sheets of metal, how cells exchange fluids, and how
animal metabolism relates to size. Two important mathematics questions about
surface area are: “What shapes make surface area a minimum for a specific vol-
ume?” and “For the same shape, how do volume and surface area change as the
figure is scaled up or down?”
The first question has some simple results for common figures. The cube is
the solid that minimizes surface area for a specific volume in a prism. The sphere
is the solid that minimizes surface area for any volume. This last result shows up
in soap bubbles or oil drops. In the absence of other forces, these will be spheres.
Packaging companies have additional minimization issues to handle when
they determine how a package such as a cereal box or a soda can should be con-
structed from raw materials. The desired volume is not the only issue they must
consider. If the product is going to grocery stores, then it has to have standard
dimensions. The shape of the product may determine or restrict the dimensions
of the package. If the carton is glued together, then additional surface is needed
for the glued regions. Finally, most packaging is cut from one piece of flat mate-
rial, so the engineer has to decide how the cuts will be made to minimize waste.
Some of the issues have natural solutions. For example, the first illustration in
the figure below shows a wasteful method of cutting circular-can lids from sheets
of aluminum. The middle diagram shows that stacking the circles like the cells
in a beehive would produce four more lids from the same sheet of material. The
complexity of cutting single cartons is shown by a flattened box of bandages in
the last illustration. Many of these cartons must be cut from large pieces of
glazed cardboard.
inefficient way of cutting cutting circles with less pattern for cutting a bandage
circles (18 circles) waste (22 circles) box
Cutting shapes from sheets of material that will be used in packaging.
Nature has solved the minimization issue in remarkable ways. In a beehive,

each cell is a regular hexagonal prism, open on one end and with a trihedral angle
at the other. The trihedral angle must have a consistent geometry, because the
bees build identical cells on the other side of one wall of cells. It is believed that
this shape developed because it is strong and because it uses the least amount of
134 SURFACE AREA
wax (surface area) for the necessary storage area (volume of √ thecell). The sur-
2
face area of the cell is given by S = 6sh − 23 s2 cot(θ) + 3s 2 3 csc(θ), where
S is the surface area, s is the length of the sides of the hexagon, and h is the
height. The values of s and h are constant for specific species of bees. Using cal-
culus, the angle that requires the least volume of wax for cells has a size of 55°
regardless of s and h. Measurements of the actual angles in hives rarely differ
from this value by more than 2°.
Nature sometimes needs to maximize surface area. The interiors of your
lungs are networked with air sacs (alveoli). The sacs are formed from very thin
membranes that allow oxygen to pass from the air in the lungs to your blood, and
carbon dioxide to move from your blood to the air that will be exhaled. The sur-
face area covered by a human’s skin is about 2 square meters, but the total sur-
face area of the alveoli is about 100 square meters! The massive surface area is
needed to provide sufficient exchange of the two gasses within the time of one
breath. Similarly, fish have gills that offer substantial surface membranes
between the water and the bloodstream so that they can quickly exchange the car-
bon dioxide in blood for oxygen from the water.
Some common household tasks favor larger areas. If you want to dry wet
clothes, you should spread them out rather than rolling them into a ball. If you
want to cool a drink fast, crush an ice cube into the beverage rather than drop-
ping a solid cube into it.
The fundamental law of similarity asserts that when you scale up (or down)
a solid figure by a scale factor k, you scale up the surface area by k2 and the vol-
ume by k3 . If you build a car model that is a 1:24 scale model of a real car, that
means you are multiplying each dimension of the car by 1/24. The surface area
would be changed by a factor of (1/24) 2, and the volume by (1/24) 3. If the model
and the real car were made from the same materials, then the weight scale would
match volume. Weight would be scaled down by (1/24) 3. (See Ratio.) Because
scaling has such a dramatic influence on surface area and volume, larger animals
have an easier time maintaining their metabolism levels than do smaller ones.
This can be shown by examining the ratio of volume to surface area for a series
of cubes, starting with 1 cm on a side through 1 meter on a side.
side (cm) area (cm2) volume (cm3) ratio of volume to area

1 6 1 1/6 ≈ 0.17
3 54 27 27/54 ≈ 0.5
10 600 1,000 1,000/600 ≈ 1.67
50 15,000 125,000 125,000/15,000 ≈ 8.33
80 38,400 512,000 512,000/38,400 ≈ 13.33
100 60,000 1,000,000 1,000,000/60,000 ≈ 16.67
Ratio of volume to area for different cubes.
SURFACE AREA 135
An animal loses heat through external surface area. The energy needed for
basic metabolism is roughly proportional to the volume of the animal. An animal
that has a large volume with respect to its surface area will have an easier time
maintaining its metabolism. A large animal will have a lower heart rate and food
requirements that are a fraction of its weight. An animal that has a small volume
compared with surface area will have to work hard to replace the heat lost. We
can expect small animals to have rapid heartbeats and daily food requirements
that may be multiples of the animals’ weight. A polar bear is compact: Its large
bulk means that it will have a large volume-to-area ratio. A hummingbird has a
volume-to-surface-area ratio close to 0.5. It loses heat rapidly and hence must
have a rapid heartbeat and relatively large food intake to maintain its metabolism.
Perhaps that is one of the reasons that there are no hummingbirds in the Arctic.
Of course, animals aren’t cubes. A human being is not packaged like a polar
bear. We have hands that are very useful, but in winter they provide more surface
area proportional to the volume they contain, so the wise person will wear mit-
tens instead of gloves to reduce the heat loss.
The volume-to-surface-area ratio is a factor at the microscopic level. Cells
cannot benefit from larger volume-to-surface-area ratios. Since energy must come
through the cell membrane, small ratios are an advantage. The compensation
made by plant cells is that larger plant cells maintain less of a spherical shape
(more cylindrical), while small plant cells are close to spherical. With a less spher-
ical shape, the larger cells maintain an advantageous volume-to-surface-area ratio.
Camping (wearing gloves)

<http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/winter/wintcamp.shtml>
Figuring out how many rolls of wall covering you need
<http://www.homerepairworkshop.com/scripts/hrw.mv?ACTN=DSPLY&ART=146>
Lead paint concentrations
<http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/lead/leadapp2.html>
Medicinal tablet surface area
<http://www.micromeritics.com/sa_gem_a91.html>
Minimum surface area of a can
<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt725/MinSurf/Minimum.Surface.Area.html>
Painting
<http://www.resene.co.nz/archspec/datashts/olsurf.htm>
Soap bubbles
<http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/bubbles/bubbles.html>
<http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/featuredmicroscopist/deckart/index.html>
Size effects on airplane lift
<http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/size.html>
Theory of flight
<http://web.mit.edu/16.00/www/aec/flight.html>
136 SYMBOLIC LOGIC
Ultracapacitors
<http://www.powercache.com/products/technical.html>
Unfolding the human brain
<http://scientium.com/drmatrix/sciences/math.htm>
▲ ▼ ▲
SYMBOLIC LOGIC
The nineteenth-century mathematician George Boole is the acknowledged

founder of modern symbolic logic. He recognized that an algebra of logic could
be developed following the model of the algebra of real numbers. The variables
of the algebra are statements that have one of two values: TRUE (1) or FALSE
(0). The fundamental operations are NOT, AND, and OR, as opposed to the num-
ber operations of opposite, multiplication, and addition. The algebra of logic
underlies decision-making, modern electronics, library searches, and branching
in computer programs.
Computer software is built on logical structures. If a market analyst had to
select all of the California residents who were female from a computer database
of customers in the United States, the status of each person in the database would
be evaluated with an expression such as “this person is from California and this
person is a women.” Sarah Jones (female) from San Francisco would evaluate as
TRUE for both parts. Amy Redfox (female) from Arizona would be evaluated as
FALSE AND TRUE. Since Amy misses one criterion, she should be excluded
from the final set. Hence the value for Amy should be FALSE AND TRUE =
FALSE. Although there may be millions of people in the database, each one falls
into only one of four categories of logic. If you use a spreadsheet program, you
can build truth tables that show the relationships among NOT, AND, and OR for
these four cases. In the table below, all possible cases of statements p and q are
listed using the words TRUE and FALSE. Each case has been evaluated with the
spreadsheet’s functions for logic. For example, the spreadsheet formula in cell
D2 is = AND(A2,B2). The formula in cell E4 is = OR(A4,B4). The last column
gives truth values of an expression that uses of all of the Boolean operations.
(p AND q)
p q NOT p p AND q p OR q OR (NOT q)
True True False True True True

True False False False True True
False True True False True False
False False True False False True
Truth tables from Microsoft Excel.

SYMBOLIC LOGIC 137
Each of these has a representation in an electrical circuit. The diagram below

is a circuit showing two ON–OFF switches p and q. The circuits pass through
AND, OR, and NOT connectors that act on the current as though it were a logic
statement, with ON represented by TRUE, and OFF by FALSE. When will the
light bulb be on? The logical expression corresponding to the circuit is in the last
column of the spreadsheet in the previous table. The light is off when p is FALSE
(OFF) and q is TRUE (ON). All other situations result in the light being ON.
An electrical circuit using logic switches.
Two Boolean expressions that yield the same truth tables are equivalent.
When complex circuits are expressed as Boolean algebra statements, the rules of
logic can be used to simplify the circuit to one that is logically equivalent. The
result is lower cost. Some circuits are used so frequently that they are designed
as “new” Boolean operations. One of DeMorgan’s laws is that (NOT p) OR
(NOT q) is equivalent to NOT(p AND q). The first form would require a circuit
with three logic switches. The second requires only two. The result is usually
combined in a switch called a NAND switch. There is also a NOR switch that
computes NOT(p OR q).
Computers represent numbers in binary form, whereby the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6 look like 0, 1, 10, 11, 100, 101. The digits in a base 2 number can be stored
as a sequence of memory positions (bits) that are on (1) or off (0). Addition rules
for three cases of digit pairs are easy: 0 + 0 = 0, 0 + 1 = 1, 1 + 0 = 1. The third
case requires a “carry”: 1 + 1 = 10. Circuits called “half-adders” perform the addi-
tion of two bits to produce a sum bit and a carry bit. The addition of multidigit
numbers requires many half-adders.
Boolean operators are the fundamental connectors in written commands that
perform searches on the Internet or in computer-based library card-catalogs.
Inquiries on such databases are called “Boolean searches.” The set operations
of union and intersection are used in place of OR and AND, respectively, in set
theory.
The example of the light circuit assumes that electricity flows through a cir-
cuit instantaneously. Circuits that represent sequential firing of switches require
that the algebra include a parameter for time. Although this complicates the oper-
ations, a time parameter makes the Boolean operators effective for describing
neural nets in the brain and spinal cord, as well as simplifying computer circuits
that require timed pulses of electricity.
Boole suggested that the truth values of 1 and 0 could be extended to proba-
bilities of a statement being correct. In the late 1960s his idea was formalized in
the field called fuzzy logic. The algorithms for fuzzy logic related to the binary
logic shown here, but have been more successful in providing answers to prob-
lems that start with vague or contradictory information. Applications have in-
138 SYMMETRY
cluded the computer recognition of handwritten Japanese Kanji characters,

home-use blood-pressure indicators, and recognition of trends in masses of infor-
mation on stock prices. Fuzzy logic procedures appear in such diverse applica-
tions as determining the length of hospital stays, detecting insurance fraud,
deciding where to drill for oil, and selecting the television slot time that would
be the best for an advertiser.
The DOIT Information Science online course (select “hardware”)

<http://doit.ort.org/course/intro.htm>
Boolean search vocabulary
<http://www.netstrider.com/search/logic.html>
<http://www.health.library.mcgill.ca/eguides/boolean.htm>
Logic in the computer language C
<http://www.learn-c.com/boolean.htm>
Logic in humor: Monty Python’s argument clinic
<http://www.infidels.org/news/atheism/sn-python.html>
Logic in rhetoric
<http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/itl/graphics/main.html>
Fuzzy logic
<http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~nd/surprise_96/journal/vol1/sbaa/article1.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
SYMMETRY
Many everyday objects are symmetrical. Something is reflection-symmetric

if it is divided into two equal pieces so that one piece can fold directly over the
other piece. The folding line is called the line of symmetry, and is also a reflect-
ing line. Numerous types of insects are reflection-symmetric, such as butterflies
and ants.
The wings of butterflies are reflection-

symmetric with their bodies.
Human faces are nearly reflection-symmetric, but no one is perfect! Seldom

are human feet perfectly symmetrical, since one foot is typically slightly larger
SYMMETRY 139
than the other. However, shoes are manufactured to be symmetrical because the
same foot is not larger on every person nor is the larger foot uniformly larger
among people. Hence, one foot may have a tighter fit in one of the shoes.
Shoes are reflection-symmetric. The size

and shape of the soles of each shoe match
when they are placed on top of each other.
Some objects are designed to be reflection-symmetric so that they can bal-

ance and have more support. For example, airplane engines and wheels are
placed equidistant from the fuselage to divide equally their mass and power. Cer-
tain merchandise might be intentionally built not to be reflection-symmetric if it
is customized to meet a person’s needs. For instance, scissors are made especial-
ly for right-handed or left-handed people. A left-handed person will find it more
difficult cutting with a right-handed pair of scissors.
Many kites are reflection-symmetric, because they have a cross beam that is
a perpendicular bisector of the other cross beam, as shown in the following fig-
ure. The perpendicular bisector then becomes a line of symmetry that divides the
kite into two equal pieces.
The cross beams in a kite divide it in

equal pieces and provide support when
the kite is in the air.
An object is rotation-symmetric if one of its pieces can be rotated around a

point so that it is congruent with its other piece(s). For example, some flowers
are rotation-symmetric, because their pedals are uniformly distributed, as shown
below.
The pedals of a flower are rotated around

its center and are evenly spaced apart.
140 SYMMETRY
Some items are constructed to be rotation-symmetric so that they can be use-

ful at multiple angles, or provide an equal distribution. For example, wrenches can
turn bolts at many different positions, and screwdrivers can twist screws continu-
ously. An eggbeater is equally productive at all of its angles when mixing cookie
batter. The blade at the bottom of the lawn mower cuts the grass evenly. A fan
helps circulate air continuously and equally. Playing cards can be held either right-
side up or upside down. A quarterback can throw a smooth spiral to optimize the
distance of a throw because a football is shaped symmetrically.
An object that is intentionally produced so that it is not rotation-symmetric
sometimes serves a unique purpose, such as that it can only be used in one posi-
tion or does not want its mass distributed equally. For example, a knife is intended
to be held by its handle; a gun can only be fired in one direction; and a pitcher of
water has a handle and lip to provide more support and smoother pouring.
Frieze patterns
<http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~mathed/Geometry/Transformations/frieze.html>
Occupations
<http://www.kitezh.com/symmetry/>
Oriental carpets
<http://mathforum.org/geometry/rugs/>
Symmetry activities
<http://www.camosun.bc.ca/~jbritton/jbsymteslk.htm>
Symmetry and the shape of space
<http://comp.uark.edu/~cgstraus/symmetry.unit/>
Symmetry around the world project
<http://www.schools.ash.org.au/stkierans-manly/Classes/Yr6/6B/Symmetry/>
Symmetry, crystals, and polyhedra
<http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/symmetry/symmetry.htm>
Symmetry in physics
<http://www.emmynoether.com/>
Symmetry point groups
<http://newton.ex.ac.uk/people/goss/symmetry/>
Symmetry project
<http://www.stleos.pvt.k12.ca.us/StLeosSite/classes/Seventh/realworldgeometry/
SYMMETRY/symindex.html>
Types of trusses
<http://www.trussnet.com/Resources/Basics/types.cfm>
Wallpaper groups
<http://www.clarku.edu/~djoyce/wallpaper/>
▲ ▼ ▲
TANGENT 141
TANGENT
The term tangent can be used to describe a function (see Periodic Functions)
or a ratio in trigonometry applications (see Triangle Trigonometry). A geomet-
ric tangent is a segment or line that locally touches a curve or figure at one point,
but does not pass through the curve at that location. For example, y = x3 − 3x2
+ 2x − 7 has a tangent of y = 2x − 11 at the point (2,–7), as shown below.
A line tangent to a A line tangent to the function

circle at point C. y = x3 – 3x2 + 2x – 7 at (2,–7)
A line can be tangent to many types of curves, including geometric shapes and functions.
The slope of a tangent line represents the derivative of a function at a point.

This value is the same as the instantaneous rate of change of an object with vary-
ing rate. For example, the number of bushels, b, of corn removed in a field can be
modeled with the function b = 50 − 50e−0.08h , where h is the number of hours
past 8:00 AM. The rate of productivity during any hour of the day can be deter-
mined by evaluating the derivative with a specific value of h, which is the same
as the slope of the line tangent to the curve at that point, as shown in the figure
below. Without the derivative, the slope of the tangent line can be approximated
by finding the slope of a secant line that contains two points that are extremely
close to the point of tangency. For example, h = 4 at 12:00 PM. The production
rate at noon can be approximated by the slope of the line between 11:59:59 and
12:00:01. These times should be converted into decimals so that they can be sub-
stituted into the equation. Since there are 3,600 seconds in an hour, the difference
of 1 second from 12:00 PM will be measured as 1/3600, or approximately
0.000278 hours, from h = 4. Using the slope formula, m = xy22 −x −y1
1
, the slope of
the tangent is
b(4.000278)−b(3.999722) .001615
m≈ 4.000278−3.999722 ≈ .000556 ≈ 2.9 bushels per hour.
The slope of the tangent line can predict the

productivity rate at a particular moment in time.
142 TANGENT
At this rate, it would seem appropriate to take a break so that workers can rejuve-
nate for the afternoon.
Besides worker productivity, the slope of a tangent line can help determine
the speed of an object, the location where business profits are at a maximum, the
hourly rate for business consulting, the moment when ticket sales for a particu-
lar movie have declined rapidly, and many other applications about rates that can
be modeled with functions (see Rates).
Tangents are also used in applications related to circles. For example, radio
signals will reach a distance from the antenna on the tower to the horizon. The
visible sight to the horizon represents the point of tangency, where no other parts
of the earth can be seen. Since a line tangent to a circle is perpendicular to its
radius, this distance can be determined using the Pythagorean theorem. A radio
antenna that is 200 meters tall can have a signal that reaches a distance of approx-
imately 50 km. Since the radius of the earth is approximately 6,380 km, the equa-
tion s2 + 6, 3802 = 6, 380.22 is used to find the signal radius, s, based on the
geometric representation depicted below.
A cross-sectional view of the earth that

illustrates the broadcasting distance of
a radio antenna—the distance from the
top of the tower to the horizon. Note
that the diagram is not drawn to scale.
An object released from a circular-motion path will leave in a straight-line

tangent to the circle at the point of release. For example, a discus thrower spin-
ning in a circle will throw the disc out towards the open field in a straight path
after she releases the weight from her hand, as shown below. When a cowboy
spins a lasso in a circular path, and then releases his grip, the rope will travel in
a straight path towards the calf that he is trying to capture.
A discus thrower rotates rapidly to

add momentum to a throw. Even
though the thrower is rotating as she
releases the discus, the projectile will
be along a straight path.
TANGENT 143
The smoothness in sidewalk curves is designed using common tangents from

arcs on different circles. Without the use of tangents, curved sidewalk paths
would have jagged corners, as depicted as follows.
sidewalk curves with nontangent arcs of circles sidewalk curves with tangent arcs of circles
Smooth curves in sidewalks are created with tangent arcs of circles.
Belts that operate machinery, as shown in the figure below, are wrapped
around circular wheels that keep the belts in motion as they rotate. Since the belts
are tangent to both circles, they can smoothly cycle around the wheels without
jumping or falling off.
Moving belts remain tightly on spin-

ning wheels, because they are tangent
to both circles at both locations.
Centripetal force
<http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/circles/u6l1c.html>
<http://regentsprep.org/Regents/physics/phys06/bcentrif/default.htm>
Curved mirrors
<http://www.math.montana.edu/frankw/ccp/calculus/deriv/mirror/learn.htm>
Eliminating the discharge snub pulley
<http://www.mineconveyor.com/snubhead.htm>
Ferroelectric complex oxides
<http://www.sas.upenn.edu/chem/gallery/phys/rappe.html>
Introducing the ellipse (flashlight)
<http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/3550/ellipse.htm>
Selection and installation of conveyer belt scales
<http://www.rocktoroad.com/selection.html>
Surfing
<http://www.ies.co.jp/math/java/calc/doukan/doukan.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
144 TRANSLATIONS
TRANSLATIONS
A translation is a shift of points over the same distance and in the same direc-
tion. When you slide a checker piece across a game board from one square to
another, you are performing a translation. A home run in baseball represents the
hitter’s four translations: home plate to first base, first to second, second to third,
and third to home. The carpet design that is produced in hundreds of yards of a
carpet roll represents many translations of a single design. Musicians who trans-
pose a piece of music down to the range of a singer are performing a translation.
Translations in the coordinate plane can be expressed by the addition of coor-
dinates. The following figure shows the translation of the plane by the translation
6 right and 2 down. The translation can be expressed as an ordered pair (6,–2),
and the transformation by addition of ordered pairs. This is shown on the draw-
ing as the movement of a triangle. Every point (x, y) in the preimage of the tri-
angle will be translated 6 right and 2 down to a corresponding point (x′ , y ′ ) in
the image triangle. This gives the equation (x, y) + (6,-2) = (x′ , y ′ ). Applying
this to the vertex (-3, 4) gives (-3, 4) + (6,-2) = (3, 2) as shown. Applied to the
vertex (-5, 1) gives (-5, 1) + (6,-2) = (1,-1). The picture shows that the corre-
sponding vertex in the image triangle is (-1, 1).
The translation (slide) of a triangle by 6 right

and 2 down, (x, y) + (6,-2) = (x′ , y ′ ).
Translations change equations of functions in a systematic fashion. If a graph

of a function y = f (x) is translated by (h, k), the resulting graph will be the
function y − k = f (x − h). If you translate a parabola y = x2 by (3,-2), the
resulting graph has the equation y − (-2) = (x − 3)2, or y = x2 − 6x + 7.
Translations apply to three-dimensional figures and functions in the same way as
they do in two dimensions.
The language of translations depends on the application. Translations that
represent moves of chess pieces can be indicated by the column or rank (labeled
with letters in the picture below) and rows or files (labeled with numbers).
Coordinate system in chess.

TRANSLATIONS 145
Coordinate notation indicates the starting square for the piece and the ending
square. The white knight can move B1-C3. This represents the translation, or
move, of the knight. Chess players keep track of games and communicate with
distant players using this coordinate system or the similar algebraic system.
When you sing “Frere Jacques” or “Row, Row, Row My Boat” with other
people, it is likely that you separate into groups. When the first group finishes the
line “Row, row, row my boat, gently down the stream,” the second group will
start singing. When it finishes the first line, the third group will start. Meanwhile,
the first two groups continue singing. Songs that are melodious when the start is
shifted by line are called rounds. The shift is a translation in time.
Shifts in musical keys are called transpositions. Shown below is a four-note
theme from a Mozart symphony in C major transposed down to G major. Each
note has been shifted six piano notes down.
Transposition from C major to G major.
Translations have been used to build patterns in painting, architecture, weav-

ing, and ceramics from ancient Greeks to medieval Celts to contemporary Acoma
Pueblo potters in New Mexico. The basic ribbon pattern is based on repeated
translations of a simple design (see the left figure below). Another design is
based on translating the basic figure, then reflecting it. This is called a glide
reflection (right figure, below). Translations, rotations, and reflections of “seed”
patterns are fundamental in designing quilt patterns.
Left: A translation pattern from Pueblo pottery. Right: A glide reflection—

a translation alternated with a reflection.
The simple translation of a simple seed figure, as in the left illustration, is the
basis of periodic functions. A seed, such as the two nodes of the sine function
from 0° to 360° can be translated in 360° moves to create the full periodic func-
tion of the sine. (See Periodic Functions.)
Art
<http://hometown.aol.com/Cyrion7/celtic/index.htm>
Music
<http://www.musictheory.halifax.ns.ca/20key_trans.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
146 TRIANGLE TRIGONOMETRY
TRIANGLE TRIGONOMETRY
Trigonometry can be used to find unknown lengths or angle measurements.

In a situation involving right triangles, only a side length and an angle measure-
ment are needed to determine the length of an object. This information is useful
to engineers, because they can find large or hard-to-measure distances without
having to measure them. For example, the height of a flagpole or a tall building
can be determined using a measured distance from the pole and an angle of ele-
vation from the ground (see below).
The height of a tall object, such as a flagpole,

can be determined with trigonometry by
measuring a distance along the ground and
an angle of elevation.
Suppose you measure a distance 10 meters away from a flagpole along the
ground. You record an angle of elevation at that point equal to 40°, as depicted.
In right-triangle trigonometry, one of the following three ratios can be used to
find the flag height of the poll:
opposite adjacent opposite
sin θ = hypotenuse cos θ = hypotenuse tan θ = adjacent .
In this case, tan θ (pronounced tangent) should be used, because the opposite
side from the angle of elevation θ is unknown (the height of the flagpole), and
the adjacent side is the distance along the ground of 10 meters. Therefore the
height of the flagpole, approximately 8.4 meters, can be found by solving the
equation tan 40◦ = flagpole
10 .
Engineers use transits to measure

angles of tall or hard-to-reach objects.
Sometimes the angle of elevation is recorded from an object above the ground,
such as a transit sitting on a tripod, as illustrated. If the angle measurement is not
taken from the ground, then the height of the tripod will need to be included in the
final calculation. In this case, if the transit is 1.5 meters off of the ground, then the
angle of elevation would be approximately 35° (see the following figure).
The missing length will be approximately 6.9 meters, after setting up an
equation using the tangent function, tan 35◦ = length above 10
transit
. To find the
complete flagpole length, the height of the transit will need to be added to this
calculation in order to obtain the same answer calculated earlier.
TRIANGLE TRIGONOMETRY 147
A transit can be used to measure the angle of elevation to help

determine the height of a tall object, such as a flagpole. The
sum of the height of the transit and the leg of the right triangle
along the flagpole represents the total height of the flagpole.
Right-triangle trigonometry can be used to determine an unknown angle

based on two lengths. For example, the navigator of a ship will try to minimize
the traveling distance by adjusting the direction of the boat to account for the
water’s current. If the current is moving parallel to the waterfront, then the speed
of the boat observed from land will be greater due to the push from the current.
Suppose that the ship is moving perpendicular to the shore at 40 feet per second
and is recording a land speed of 42 feet per second.
Boats need to turn an angle by θ against the current

in order to account for the force of it so that they can
head in the most direct path towards the shore.
The current will push the boat off course if it is trying to reach a destination
directly across the river. Using the cosine of the angle cos θ, the ship’s navigator
can determine the angle in which to rotate the boat so that it does not move off
course. The cosine function is used in this case, because the two measurements
known are the adjacent (the boat speed) and hypotenuse (the land speed) sides of
the right triangle. Substituting the given values in this relationship, the unknown
40
angle of 17.8° can be found by solving the equation cos θ = 42 . To find an angle
−1
measurement, the inverse cosine of the ratio, or cos (40/42), needs to be
entered on the calculator. This means that if the boat moves straight towards its
journey, it will actually veer off course by 17.8°. If the boat is still headed straight
without accounting for the current, it will veer almost one-third of a mile off
course for every mile traveled. To avoid this problem, the ship’s navigator will
have to turn the boat 17.8° away from the perpendicular path and against the cur-
rent in order to travel directly across the river.
Applications of right-triangle trigonometry also exist in areas outside of sur-
veying and navigation. Air-traffic control at small airports must establish the
cloud height in the evening to determine if there is enough visibility for pilots to
safely land their planes. A light source directed at a constant angle of 70° towards
the clouds situated 1,000 feet from an observer, and the observer’s angle of ele-
148 TRIANGLE TRIGONOMETRY
vation θ to the spotlight in the clouds, are sufficient information to determine the
cloud height (see below).
Determining the cloud height.
In this situation, the equations tan θ = hy , tan 70° = hx , and x + y = 1, 000

can be used to find the cloud height, h. Planes can safely land if the cloud height
is above 1,000 feet, with horizontal ground visibility of at least three miles.
The pilot can also use right-triangle trigonometry to determine the moment
when a plane needs to descend towards the airport. If the plane descends at a large
angle, the passengers may feel uneasy due to a quick drop in altitude and also
may not adjust well to changes in pressure. Consequently, the pilot tries to antic-
ipate the opportunity to descend towards the airport at a small angle, probably
less than 5°. Based on the plane’s altitude, air-traffic control at the airport can
determine the point at which the plane should begin to descend. With a descent
angle of 3° and altitude a, the plane should start its approach at a distance of
tan 3◦
a feet away from the airport, assuming that the plane descends at the same
angle until it reaches the ground.
Construction workers can determine the length of a wheelchair ramp based
on restrictions for its angle of elevation. For example, suppose an office needs to
install a ramp that is inclined at most 5° from the ground. If the incline is too
great, it would be difficult for handicapped people to move up the ramp on their
own. Based on this information, the architect and construction workers can deter-
mine the number of turns needed in the ramp so that it will fit on the property
and stay within the angle-of-elevation regulations. In addition to wheelchair
ramps, a similar equation can be set up to determine the angle by which to pave
a driveway so that an automobile does not scrape its bumper on the curb upon
entering and leaving.
All triangle applications finding unknown sides or angles, however, are not
always situated in settings where a right triangle is used. In these cases, either the
law of sines or law of cosines can be applied. One example of applying the law
of sines is to find the height of a hill or a mountain, since it is unlikely that one
will be able to find the distance from the base of a hill or mountain to its center,
as shown in the following figure.
The law of sines states that the ratio of the sine of an angle to the side length
of its opposite side is proportional for all opposite angle and side pairs. That is,
in triangle ABC, sina A = sinb B = sinc C . If a person measures an angle of eleva-
TRIANGLE TRIGONOMETRY 149
The height of a hill can be determined

using the law of sines and right-triangle
trigonometry by measuring the angles of
elevation at points A and B, and the dis-
tance between points A and B.
tion from the base of the hill to its peak, and then repeats the measurement at a
given distance away, the law of sines can be used to find the height of the hill.
Actually, it can first be used to find the length along the side of the hill, and then
right-triangle trigonometry can be used to find the hill’s height. In this case, a
surveyor takes measurements c = 1, 000 feet apart and measures angles of ele-
vation to the tip of the hill equal to m < B = 75° and m < A = 43°. The fol-
lowing equation to find the length alongside the hill, a, can be set up using the
32◦ sin 43◦
law of sines: sin
1,000 = a .
The 32° angle opposite the 1,000 foot distance can be found by using the fact
that the sum of the angles in a triangle is equal to 180°. This length of a, approx-
imately 1,287 feet, can help engineers determine the amount of railway needed
to build a funicular to transport materials, or the amount of cable needed to build
a gondola line for skiing. Since a right triangle is in the diagram, right-triangle
trigonometry can be used to find the hill’s height. Solve the equation sin 75° =
h
1,287 to determine the height of the hill, h, which is approximately 1,243 feet.
That is a length equal to about four football fields, but straight up in the air!
The law of cosines is a theorem used in triangle trigonometry to find the
measurement of a side when two sides and an included angle are given, or to find
the measurement of an angle when three sides are given. For example, a public-
works contractor can determine the amount of cement needed to pave a new road
that intersects two other intersecting roads in town (to form a triangle), as shown
below.
The length of a newly paved road can be

determined using the law of cosines, given
the length of two adjacent roads and angle
C—the angle between the existing road.
In this case, the contractor needs to determine the angle formed between the
existing roads, m C, and the location of the intersection of the other two roads
in order to predict the distance of the new road. Since the distance traveled is pro-
portional to the amount of cement used, the formula c2 = a2 + b2 − 2ab cos C
will help determine the amount of cement needed to connect the roads, where a,
b, and c are sides of the triangle (the length of the roads), and C is the angle in-
cluded between the existing roads a and b. A similar type of investigation would
also be needed for bridge designers or tunnel developers.
150 VARIATION
Triangle trigonometry has many other applications that help find unknown
lengths or angle measurements. For instance, paintings, motion pictures, and
televisions have ideal viewing distances in order to create the greatest possible
image from the eye. The triangle is formed between the view and the top and bot-
tom (or the sides) of the viewing object.
Astronomers use triangle trigonometry to determine distances and sizes of
objects. For example, the distance from the earth to the moon, and earth to the sun,
can be found by identifying their angles from the horizon during an eclipse. The
height of a solar flare can also be determined by measuring the angle from the sun
to the tip of the flare, and using distance information about the earth and sun.
Astronomy and geography

<http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/8245/trigonometry.html>
Cable television
<http://www.wake.tec.nc.us/math/Projects/Raychem/deb-raychem_trig.htm>
Civil engineering and navigation
<http://www.ece.utexas.edu/projects/k12-fall98/14545/Group1/app.html>
Height of a tree
<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt725/Kite/kite.html>
Inclined ramp
Pipe flow
Saturn’s mass and distance from earth
<http://www.amtsgym-sdbg.dk/as/AOL-SAT/SATURN.HTM>
Surveying
<http://catcode.com/trig/trig13.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
VARIATION
When two quantities increase proportionally, we say they are directly related.
Mathematically, the two quantities x and y must be related as y = kx, where k is
a nonzero constant called the constant of variation. The formula for circumfer-
ence c of a circle in terms of radius r is c = 2πr. The constant of variation is 2π.
The independent variable can be a power. The area of a circle is directly related
to the square of the radius, A = πr2 . The constant of variation is π. Kepler’s
VARIATION 151
third law of planetary motion uses a fractional power. The period T of a planet’s
orbit around the sun is proportional to the 3/2 power of its distance R from the
sun, T = kR3/2 . Because Kepler’s first law stated that planets circle the sun in
elliptical paths, the semimajor axis provides the measure of distance.
Many geometry formulas can be expressed as direct variation. Since the area
2
of a cube is A = 6s , where A is the surface area and s is the length of an edge,
it follows that s = A 6 . The length of an edge varies directly as the square root
of surface area of the cube. The length of the edge varies directly as the cube root
√
of the volume V , s = V 3 .
Joint variation occurs when the dependent variable varies directly as the
product of two or more independent variables. Many geometry formulas are in
joint variation. The volume of a cylinder is V = 13 πr2 h. The volume V varies
jointly as the radius r squared and the height h. The constant of variation is 31 π.
The volume of a rectangular solid having length L, width W , and height H is
expressed in the formula, V = LW H . The volume varies jointly as length,
width, and height. The constant of variation is 1.
Biologists and medical scientists have provided formulas for the surface area
of a human-being’s skin. The DuBois formula relates area in square centimeters
jointly to the 0.425 power of weight in kilograms and the 0.725 power of height
in centimeters, A = 71.84W 0.425 H 0.725 . The formula estimates the surface area
for the average adult male to be about 1.8 square meters, and for the average
adult female, about 1.6 square meters.
Population biologists use different kinds of variation to express rates of
change. The change in a population undergoing rapid growth (see Exponential
Growth) is c = rP , where c is the change in the number of organisms, P is the
population count before change, and r is the rate of change. In 1995, Mexico’s
population was 91.1 million people. It was increasing at a rate of 2.0 percent per
year. The change formula for Mexico would be the direct variation formula, c =
0.02P . Using the formula to predict the change in population for 1995 to 1996
gives, c = 1.822 million people. The change for the following year would be
based on 92.2 people. If there is a limit to the population of a country, say M
people, then the change formula would be c = kP (M − P ). Change in a popu-
lation varies jointly as the current population and the available capacity for peo-
ple. This leads to a more complex pattern of growth. (See Logistic Functions.)
Inverse variation occurs when the variables are related through a reciprocal.
If you must travel 200 miles at a constant rate, the distance-rate-time formula
says that 200 = rt. Solving for t gives the equation t = 200 r . In this equation, t
varies inversely as r. The constant of variation is 200. The independent variable
can be a power. For example, the intensity I of light falling on an object varies
inversely as the square of the distance d from the light. The formula is I = dk2 .
(See Inverse Square Function.)
The law of the lever is an inverse variation. The distance d from the fulcrum
in feet needed to stabilize the seesaw with a person who weights w pounds is
152 VARIATION
k
d= w . If Jane weighs 100 pounds and sits 5 feet from the fulcrum, how far away
will Juan, who weighs 150 pounds, have to sit in order to balance Jane? Use
Jane’s data to find the constant of variation k: 5 = k/100, so k = 500. Now
solve for Juan’s distance: d = 500/150 = 3.33. Juan would have to sit 3 feet 4
inches from the fulcrum in order to balance Jane. Note that the constant k was
computed from Jane’s statistics. If she were to change position or be replaced by
someone else, the value of k would change.
Pulley systems are a series of ropes and wheels that help lift and support
heavy objects by distributing weight in multiple locations. Elevator shafts rely on
pulleys to move the cabin, and movers use pulleys to transport cumbersome or
heavy objects such as pianos into tall buildings. A 100 pound weight can feel like
a 50 pound weight when it is moved by a two-pulley system, because half the
weight is distributed at the other pulleys. As the number of pulleys in the system
increases, the amount of force needed to move the object decreases proportion-
ally. Therefore a three-pulley system needs a 33.33-pound force to move the 100
pound weight, a four-pulley system needs a 25 pound force to move the 100
pound weight, and so on. The force, f , needed to move an object, the weight of
the object, w, the number of pulleys needed in a system, p, are related with the
equation, f = w/p. If the weight is constant, then the force applied varies in-
versely with the number of pulleys used.
Compound variation combines direct and indirect variation with two or more
independent variables. The gravitational force between two planets varies
directly as the product of the masses of the planets, and inversely as the square
of the distance between them: F = Gmd12m2 , where F is the force in newtons, G
is a gravitational constant (6.67 × 10−11 newton-meters per square kilogram), r
is the distance in meters between the centers of two planets, and m1 and m2 are
the mass of each planet in kilograms. The constant of variation would be differ-
ent if measurements are made in different units, such as in feet rather than meters
and pounds rather than kilograms. The formula works if one of the planets is the
earth and the other “planet” is a person high above the earth’s surface. It simpli-
fies to an inverse-variation formula for the weight of a body above the
earth: W = dk2 , where W is the weight above the planet, d is the distance be-
tween the person and the center of the earth, and k is a constant. It may seem
strange that both masses have disappeared, but they are handled by the constant.
Consider a 170 pound astronaut who is 9,000 miles above the surface of the
earth. How much does he weigh at that altitude? First write the equation for his
weight at the surface of the earth. Since the radius of the earth is about 4,000
k 9
miles, 170 = 4,000 2 . Solving for k yields, k = 2.72 × 10 . The inverse-square
formula is therefore W = 2,720,000,000

d2 . Using this formula with the distance d =
13,000 miles from the center of the earth gives, W ≈ 16.09. The astronaut would
weigh about 16 pounds.
The deflection D of a diving board is a function of the weight W of the diver,
the length of the board L, the elasticity E of the material making up the board,
VARIATION 153
and the moment of inertia I of the cross section of the board. The variation for-
L3
mula is D = k W 3EI .
Ohm’s law is a direct variation statement V = IR, where V is voltage, I is
current, and R is the resistance in a particular conductor. R, which is measured
in ohms, is constant of variation for the particular conductor. Resistance is meas-
ured in ohms and will vary across different wires. For example, electrical resist-
ance R in a wire varies directly as its length L, and inversely as its cross-sec-
tional area A: R = ρL A , where ρ is the constant of variation. The constant of vari-
ation is called resistivity and has been computed for many materials: gold has a
resistivity of 2.35 × 10−8 ; carbon, 3.50 × 10−5 ; and wood, 108 . If one assumes
that the wire is round, then the variation is R = kLr2 . The coefficient of variation,
k, would be the resistivity divided by π. If resistance in a wire must be reduced,
there are two routes: you could shorten the wire, or you could use a wire with a
larger radius. The latter might have the most payoff, because the radius is squared
in the formula. The three-dimensional graph below shows the resistance (verti-
cal axis) of copper wire wrapped into a coil. The lower-left axis shows the radius
in meters of wire running from 2 mm up to 1 cm (0.01 meter). The axis on the
right shows how long the wire would be if it were unwrapped. The axis runs,
right to left, from 0 to 1,200 meters. The length does not appear to affect results.
However, radii under 5 mm send the resistance soaring.
Resistance of coiled copper wire for

wire diameters from 0.002 to 0.01 m,
and lengths from 0 to 1200 m.
Some laws appear in different forms of variation depending on the situation.

The simple form of Poiseuille’s law states that the speed S at which blood moves
through arteries and veins varies directly with the blood pressure P and the
fourth power of the radius r of the blood vessel: S = kP r4 . This is derived from
Poiseuille’s law for the flow of fluids, which relates to flow F rather than speed
r4
(flow is speed times cross-section area of the tube): F = k∆P nL , where ∆P is
the change in pressure from the beginning of a tube to the end, r is the radius of
the tube, n is a measure of viscosity of the fluid, L is the length of the tube, and
k is a constant of variation. In this version, which is used to determine the flow
of oil through pipes and also fluids through tubes in an automobile, flow is
directly related to the change in pressure and fourth power of tube radius, and is
inversely related to viscosity and the length of tube.
In general, solving variation problems involves two steps: first, solve for the
constant of variation in a known situation; and second, use that constant to
154 VECTORS
rewrite the formula and evaluate the dependent value for the unknown situation.
Variation problems can also be solved with proportions. (See Proportions.)
Applications of variation
<http://www.iln.net/html_p/c/72782/62079/53795/53836/58708_58712.asp>
Diving
<http://library.thinkquest.org/28170/34.html>
Fan laws
<http://www.apco1650.demon.co.uk/fdr.htm>
Financial hedging
<http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~rjensen/000overview/mp3/138intro.htm>
Galilieo’s pendulum experiments
<http://es.rice.edu/ES/humsoc/Galileo/Student_Work/Experiment95/galileo_pendu-
lum.html>
Kepler’s laws
<http://www.cvc.org/science/kepler.htm>
Harmonics, resonance, and interference
<http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/physics/u5c42phy.html>
Murphy’s law of locksmithing
<http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=7&q=http://www.jfbdtp.com/Murphy.html
&e=747>
Population growth described in Annenberg Math in Everyday Life
<http://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/population.html>
Ventilation
<http://human.physiol.arizona.edu/SCHED/Respiration/Morgan31/Morgan.L31.
html>
Formulas that show different variation can be found in XREF
<http://www.xrefer.com/>
▲ ▼ ▲
VECTORS
Vectors emerged from the study of physical situations in which two or more
forces were applied to an object. A vector is a directed line segment whose length
is proportional to the time, distance, or force being measured. Many people use
vectors to give directions. “Go down this street six blocks. Turn left at the stop
sign. Go another two blocks to the stoplight. Turn left at the stoplight at Maple
VECTORS 155
Street. Go southwest eight blocks on Maple.” Applications of vectors appear in

physics, navigation, computer graphics, airplane design, and statistics.
In the illustration below, Sarah and James are pulling a wagon. Sarah pulls
with 25 pounds of force, and James with 15 pounds. They are pulling at an angle
of 20°. What is the net direction and force on the wagon? The James vector j is
drawn along the x-axis of the grid. The three units represent 15 pounds of force.
The vector for Sarah, s, is 5 units long, representing 25 pounds of force. It is
drawn 20° from j. The parallelogram law in physics states that the resultant vec-
tor r is the diagonal of the parallelogram that is formed with sides parallel to the
vectors. (See Quadrilaterals.) The obtuse angle in the triangle is formed by two
sides and the diagonal is 160°. By the law of cosines (see Triangle Trigonometry),
r2 = s2 + j 2 − 2sj cos θ
r2 = 252 + 152 − 2(25)(15) cos 160°.
Solving for r yields a force of 39.43 pounds. Using the law of sines computes the
angle between r and j to be about 12.5°. Because they are pulling at an angle,
the forces don’t add to the total possible for Sarah and James (40 pounds of
force), but they come close.
Vectors showing James j and

Sarah s pulling on a wagon. Their
resultant force is r, indicated by the
diagonal of the parallelogram.
The same kind of analysis applies to paths of airplanes. The next figure
shows an airplane pointed due northeast at 400 miles per hour. Its vector a is
drawn 45° clockwise from north. A 90-mile-per-hour wind is blowing 10° south
of east. The wind vector w is shown at 10° clockwise from east. The angle
between the plane vector and the wind vector is 55°. The plane will be blown
somewhat off course. What is its direction and ground speed? The situation
depicted indicates directions in degrees according to navigation conventions.
Complete the resultant vector r and compute its length and direction. From the
Vector diagram for an airplane headed

northeast that is blown off course by a
wind 10° south of east.
156 VECTORS
law of cosines r2 = 4002 + 902 − 2(400)(90) cos 125◦ . The length of r is about
458 miles per hour. The angle between a and r is about 9.3°. So the direction
would be about 45◦ − 9.3◦ = 35.3◦ north of east. Even though the airplane
would be pointed northeast, from the ground it would appear to be traveling only
35.3° north of east. (See Triangle Trigonometry.)
When vectors are written as an ordered pair, the length is written first, and
the angle second. (See Polar Coordinates.) Sarah’s vector would be written as
s = [25, 20◦ ]; James’ vector would be j = [15, 0◦ ]. The brackets indicate that the
vector is written in polar-coordinate form. The lengths of the vectors are written
with the absolute value sign. The length of Sarah’s vector would be | s | = 25.
Polar form is a natural way of presenting force vectors, but the algebra of vec-
tors is easier to work with in Cartesian-coordinate form (x,y). This is called the
component form. To convert a vector in polar form v = [d, θ] to component form,
use the formulas x = d cos θ and y = d sin θ. Sarah’s polar vector would be
s = (25 cos 20◦ , 25 sin 20◦ ) ≈ (23.50, 8.55).To reconstruct the length of Sarah’s
vector from component form, use the Pythagorean theorem:

| s | = (25 cos 20◦ )2 + (25 sin 20◦ )2 = 25.
The addition of vectors in component form is done by the addition of coor-
dinates. If v = (a, b) and w = (c, d), the parallelogram law requires that the vec-
tor sum be v + w = (a + c, b + d). Component form makes it easier to handle
problems involving gravity. If a golf ball is hit with an impact of 70 meters/sec-
ond at a 30° angle, the distance of the ball (ignoring wind resistance and gravity)
is given by the vector b = [70t, 30◦ ], where time t is given in seconds. The com-
ponent form is b = (70t cos 30◦ , 70t sin 30◦ ). A graph would show the golf ball
traveling upwards into space at an angle of 30° from the ground. However, grav-
ity provides a force vector that reduces vertical distance as g = (0,–4.9t2 ). The
vector addition of the ball and gravity gives a parabolic path produced by
b + g = (70t cos 30◦ , 70t sin 30◦ − 4.9t2 ). Algebra can be used to determine
how far the ball has traveled horizontally when it hits the ground. (See Angle for
computations of the path of a projectile.) Vector descriptions of motions and
forces are used to describe the collisions of atomic particles, the interaction of
chemical substances, and the movements of stars and galaxies.
Component form has operations that are somewhat like multiplication, but
yet different. The dot product of two vectors is given by v • w = (ac, bd), where
v = (a, b) and w = (c, d). Lengthening a vector by a scale factor k is given by
k v = (ka, kb). The dot product is used in the formula for the cosine of an angle
between two vectors: cos θ = |vv||•w

. The effectiveness of component-form vec-
w|
tors comes when vectors operate in more dimensions. For three-dimensional
space, the dot product of v = (v1 , v2 , v3 ) and w = (w1 , w2 , w3 ) is v • w
=
(v1 w1 , v2 w2 , v3 w3 ), an easy-to-remember extension of the two-component
model. Further, the equation for the cosine of the angle between two vectors
looks exactly the same, even though there is an additional dimension.
VECTORS 157
Since the concepts of addition, dot product, and angle between vectors scale
up to many dimensions, vector mathematics adapts well to statistical computa-
tions. Consider the test-score data on five students shown in the table below. The
deviation scores form vectors with five components. The science vector is s =
(5, 0, 1,-1, -5). The math vector is m
= (5,-3, 3,-2,-3).
science math science math

raw score raw score deviation score deviation score
student X Y x y
Albert 85 25 5 5
Manuel 80 17 0 -3
Bonnie 81 23 1 3
Sharon 79 18 -1 -2
Elena 75 17 -5 -3
average (mean) 80 20
Test data on five students. Deviation scores are computed by taking the test score
minus the mean (e.g., xBonnie = 81 − 80 = 1;. yElena = 17 − 20 = -3).
Computations with the vectors give the lengths to be

√ √
| s | = 52 + 02 + 12 + (−1)2 + (−5)2 = 52 and |m| = 56.
When each of these lengths is scaled by the reciprocal of the square root of
dimensions, √15 , the computation produces the standard deviation for each vec-
tor. These are about 3.22 for s and 3.34 for m.
(See Standard Deviation for uses
and formulas.) The cosine of the angle between the two vectors is

s•m 5(5)+0(−3)+1(3)+(−1)(−2)+(−5)(−3)
cos θ = |
s ||m|
= √ √
52 56
≈ 0.83 .
This is called the correlation coefficient for the two vectors and is commonly
designated with the letter r. We say that for this group of students, science scores
correlate 0.83 with math scores. Because it is a cosine, the correlation coefficient
r ranges from -1 to +1. Correlations at +1 (angle θ = 0◦ ) and -1 (angle θ = 180◦ )
indicate that the vectors are collinear. Correlations close to 0 (angle θ = 90◦ )
indicate that the vectors are going in different directions. In the first case (r = 1),
the vectors are pulling in the same direction. In the second case (r = -1), they are
opposites. Our correlation coefficient for science and math tests (r = 0.83) cor-
responds to an angle between the vectors of about 33.5°. In a space of five
dimensions, these vectors are separate enough that each one is measuring some
underlying skills that are different for different students, but they are also meas-
uring something that is the same for all students. Generally, students who scored
high on science also scored high on math. The square of the cosine provides a
measure of overlap. This coefficient of determination is r2 = 0.832 ≈ 0.70. It
158 VECTORS
indicates that 70 percent of the variability in math scores is accounted for by the
variability in science scores. When statisticians work with many scores, they
examine the correlations among all the variables to determine how the number
of dimensions of the original space can be reduced to fewer, stronger, and more
interpretable dimensions.
In the case of three dimensions, the operation of cross product provides a
way to compute perpendiculars to planes. The cross product of v = (v1 , v2 , v3 )
and w = (w1 , w2 , w3 ) is defined as v × w = (v2 w3 − v3 w2 , v3 w1 − v1 w3 ,
v1 w2 − v2 w1 ). The cross product is a vector. Its relationship to the plane formed
by v and w is shown in the figure. The cross product is said to be orthogonal to
the plane.
The cross-product vector v × w

is perpendicular to the plane
formed by the vectors v and w.

The cross product is computed for surfaces of airplanes or boat hulls. The
direction of air or water currents across the surfaces is modeled by the angles that
the currents make with vectors that are orthogonal to the surface. This is not a
recent concept. Sketches in the notebooks of the Wright brothers one hundred
years ago show computation of vector forces on the different wings they tried
before achieving the first airplane flight. A spinning wheel, like the disk in a
gyroscope, produces a force called torque. This is a force that is perpendicular to
the plane of rotation. If you ride a bike very fast, you will feel resistance as you
try to tilt the bicycle to the left or right. The torque produced by the spinning
wheels will try to maintain its direction, so you must use some pressure to pro-
duce a tilt. If you are traveling slowly, the torque isn’t very strong, so it is easy
to tilt the bike and fall. Large cruise ships have gyroscopes with heavy wheels
that spin rapidly. The torque produces a force that counters the movement from
waves, making for a smoother ride for passengers.
Computer-graphic programmers use orthogonal vectors to determine how
light sources would hit surfaces visible in a computer game or architectural image.
The angles between the light rays from an external source to orthogonal vectors
on the surface are computed. If the angles are close to 0°, then the light will be
shown at full intensity. If close to 90°, then the light is reaching the surface with
minimal intensity. The vector computations (the vector-graphic phase) are then
transferred into the display device as light intensity and color for the different
points (pixels) that would be visible. This is the raster graphic phase. By control-
ling the brilliance of pixels on the screen according to vector computations, com-
puter-graphic designers present realistic scenes to the viewer. Some computer
files store images as vectors (the rules that create the image), and some files keep
the bitmap of the image (a snapshot of the pixel intensity). Postscript files contain
VOLUME 159
rules for generating graphics on printers and computer screens, and use vector
concepts in drawing letters as well as pictures. Graphics files on your computer
that end in .GIF or .JPG are raster files. Vector files (geometric files) are easier to
modify than raster files. Raster files display faster than vector files, although the
high speed of modern processors makes this a negligible difference to the ordi-
nary computer user. Vector descriptions of images are used for computer identifi-
cation of faces, for translating handwriting into computer text, for descriptions of
protein structures, and for the location of tumors in medical CAT scans.
Animations of vector operations

<http://www.reed.edu/~obonfim/Phys100.html>
<http://id.mind.net/~zona/mstm/physics/mechanics/vectors/components/vector
Components.html>
<http://www.frontiernet.net/~imaging/vector_calculator.html>
Computer graphics
<http://www.enginemonitoring.org/illum/illum.html>
<http://www.sli.unimelb.edu.au/envis/hidden.html>
<http://www.ati.com/na/pages/resource_centre/dev_rel/sdk/RadeonSDK/Html/
Tutorials/RadeonBumpMap.html>
<http://www.greuer.de/ecalc3d.html>
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (medical visualization)
<http://www.cis.rit.edu/htbooks/mri/>
Parachute vectors
<http://www.explorescience.com/>
Vector properties
<http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~jenolive/homevec.html>
<http://forum.swarthmore.edu/~klotz/Vectors/vectors.html>
<http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/vectors/u3l1a.html>
Vectors in text
<http://www.wdvl.com/Authoring/Graphics/Tools/PSP7/Text_Path/>
▲ ▼ ▲
VOLUME
Volume describes the amount of space contained in a three-dimensional

object. Almost every object we use has volume, due to having depth. Even a
sheet of paper has volume, because it has thickness, although a very thin one. If
an object, such as paper, does not have volume, then it could be stacked indefi-
nitely without having any height. You can estimate the thickness of a sheet of
160 VOLUME
paper by measuring the height of a ream of paper and then dividing by 500
sheets. Hence, to find the volume of the sheet of paper, or the amount of wood
needed to make the paper, you would divide the volume of the prism formed by
the ream by the number of sheets of paper in the ream.
Manufactures think about volume as they build containers for their products.
Canned and boxed foods are often sold by their mass. Knowing the density of the
substance can help determine the amount of volume it will use in a container,
since density, d, is the ratio of mass, m, and volume, v. In terms of an equation,
d= m v . Nonuniform products that contain air pockets such as potato chips and
cereal will often have additional empty volume when a package is opened,
because the contents will have settled and filled air pockets.
In addition to packaging food, companies that produce fragile items need to
consider the volume of additional materials that are needed, such as Styrofoam,
shredded paper, or packing bubbles. The amount of insulated packaging needed
would be equal to the difference between the volume of the box and the volume
of the item. If the item being shipped is in the form of a geometric solid, such as
a prism, pyramid, sphere, or cylinder, then the volume can be predicted with an
equation. For example, suppose a crystal ball with a radius of 2 inches is shipped
in a cubical container with an edge length of 6 inches. The volume of packaging
material needed to surround the crystal ball would be: the volume of the cube
minus the volume of the sphere = 63 − 43 π • 23 ≈ 182 cubic inches. That is al-
most 85 percent of the space in the box!
Beverage production and distillation centers use the concept of volume to
determine how many containers can be filled based on their available raw mate-
rials. Cola companies need large tanks, usually cylindrical, to mix the raw ingre-
dients needed to create soft drinks. Once created, the cola will need to be emp-
tied into cans for distribution. Suppose a 5,000 gallon tank of cola is ready to be
dispersed into 12 ounce cans. If each gallon is equivalent to 128 fluid ounces,
then 5,000 × 128 = 128,000 ounces of cola are available to produce a little more
than 53,000 soft drinks (128,000/12 ≈ 53,333), and over 2,200 (53,333/24 ≈
2,222) cases for distribution.
Ice cream cones are constructed so that the ice cream drips inside of the cone
as it melts. When ice cream is served, the spherical scoops lie on top of a cone
that is empty inside. The volume of ice cream inside the cone will gradually
increase as the temperature of the ice cream rises and pressure is applied at the
top of the cone. The cone keeps the ice cream inside it from melting more
quickly, since it is not exposed to the outside air temperature. An ice cream cone
with a height of 8 cm and base radius of 2 cm can hold close to half of a scoop
of ice cream with radius 2.5 cm. This is determined by dividing the volume of
the cone 31 π • 22 • 8 by the volume of the spherical scoop 34 π • 2.53 , whose ratio
is approximately 0.512.
Construction workers who use concrete consider the amount of cement
needed to complete a job. When a driveway for a new house is planned, its
VOLUME 161
dimensions need to be measured so that an appropriate amount of cement is

brought to the site. Suppose a driveway 12 feet wide and 30 feet long is needed
for a new home, and the cement poured needs to be 1.25 feet deep so that it will
not break apart under pressure from automobiles or extreme temperatures. The
volume of cement needed to complete this job can be determined by the product
of its dimensions, since the cement will fill into a rectangular prism. Therefore
the amount of cement needed is (12)(30)(1.25) = 450 cubic feet. If a bag of
cement mixture prepares 0.75 cubic feet of concrete, then the cement truck will
need to contain 600 bags of mixture in order to create the driveway. Since each
bag is about a hundred pounds, multiple trucks will be needed to carry the 60,000
pound load.
The dispersion of an oil spill can be predicted based on the amount of oil that
is lost. On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef in
Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling more than 11 million gallons of oil. There
are 231 cubic inches in a gallon, so the spill had an approximate volume of 254
billion (231 × 11,000,000 = 254,100,000,000) cubic inches of oil. Thousands of
marine animals and fish were killed by the oil that contaminated the water. As oil
spreads, it typically leaves a layer that is 1/100 inch thick on the surface of the
water. The direction of the spill is influenced by the placement of the spill and
the direction of the ocean’s current. In this circumstance, much of the oil had
brushed on shore, at the beaches. What if the spill had happened in the middle of
the ocean? Imagine the effect of spilling water in an open space on the floor.
Assuming that the floor is flat, the spill will disperse in nearly a circular region.
If the oil had spilled in the middle of the ocean without land interference, the spill
could have covered nearly 2.5 billion (254,100,000,000 ⋆ 1/100) square inches
of the surface of the water. If the path of the oil dispersed in the shape of a cir-
cle, then it could have spread in a radius of close to half a mile. This information
can be determined by solving for r in the equation πr2 = 2,541,000,000, and then
converting the inch units to miles. There are 5,280 feet in one mile, and 12 inches
in a foot. Therefore the conversion is 5,280 × 12 = 63,360 inches for every mile.
Benjamin Franklin was one of the first to determine that very little oil will spread
out over a huge area of water. His work actually gave one of the first estimates
of the thickness of a molecule of oil, even though no one in Franklin’s time knew
about molecules.
Aluminum tanks
<http://www.fifthd.com/gear/tankspecs.html>
Application to environmental health
Balloon volumes
<http://www.overflite.com/volume.html>
162 VOLUME
Blood pressure
<http://www.shodor.org/master/biomed/physio/cardioweb/application.html>
Cost for landscaping
<http://gardening.sierrahome.com/tools/landscaping/volumeandcost_calc.jsp>
Density of water, ice, and snow
<http://astro.uchicago.edu/cara/southpole.edu/flaky.html>
How big are your lungs?
<http://www.troy.k12.ny.us/schools/ths/ths_biology/labs_online/school_labs/print_
versions/lung_lab_school_print.html>
Measurement microphones
<http://www.josephson.com/tn6.txt>
Spherical polytropes
<http://www.phys.lsu.edu/students/valencic/approject1.html>
Tank volume
<http://www.grapl.com/vmlnotes/examples/tank_volume.htm>
Unit converter
<http://www.webcom.com/legacysy/convert2/volume.html>
<http://www.ex.ac.uk/cimt/dictunit/ccvol.htm>
Volume of an irregular solid
<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt725/Envir/Volume.html>
▲ ▼ ▲
Bibliography
▲ ▼ ▲
Anton, H., and C. Rorres. (1987). Elementary Linear Algebra with Applications. New
York: Wiley.
Austin, J. D. (Ed.). (1991). Applications of Secondary School Mathematics. Reston, VA:
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Bennett, J. O., W. L. Briggs, and C. A. Morrow. (1998). Quantitative Reasoning: Mathe-
matics for Citizens in the 21st Century. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Boole, G. (1958). An Investigation of the Laws of Thought. New York: Dover.
Braun, M. (1983). Differential Equations and Their Applications. New York: Springer-
Verlag.
Breiteig, T., I. Huntley, and G. Kaiser-Messmer. (Eds.). (1993). Teaching and Learning
Mathematics in Context. Chichester, UK: Ellis Horwood.
Burkhardt, H. (1981). The Real World and Mathematics. Glasgow: Shell Centre for Math-
ematics Education.
Bushaw, D., M. Bell, H. O. Pollak, M. Thompson, and Z. Usiskin. (1980). A Sourcebook
of Applications of School Mathematics. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics.
Crawford, M., and M. Witte. (1999). Strategies for mathematics: Teaching in context.
Educational Leadership 57(3): 34–38.
Evans, J. (1999). Building bridges: Reflections on the problem of learning in mathemat-
ics. Educational Studies in Mathematics 39: 23–44.
Gasson, P. C. (1983). Geometry of Spatial Forms. Chichester, UK: Ellis Horwood.
Glazer, E. M. (2001). Using Internet Primary Sources to Teach Critical Thinking Skills in
Mathematics. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Goldstein, L. J., D. C. Lay, and D. I. Schneider. (1990). Calculus and Its Applications, 5th
ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Gustafson, R. D., and P. D. Frisk. (1992). Algebra for College Students. Pacific Grove,
CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing.
Hoppensteadt, F. C. (1982). Mathematical Methods of Population Biology. Cambridge,
UK: Cambridge University Press.
164 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Horton, H. L. (1990). Mathematics at Work, 3rd ed. New York: Industrial Press.
Jacobs, H. R. (1970). Mathematics: A Human Endeavor. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.
Johnson, A. F. (1991). The t in I = Prt. In Applications of Secondary School Mathematics,
ed. J. D. Austin (pp. 122–28). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathe-
matics.
Lowe, I. (1988). Mathematics at Work: Modelling Your World. Canberra: Australian Acad-
emy of Science.
Masingila, J. O. (1993). Learning mathematics practice in out-of-school situations. For
the Learning of Mathematics 13(2): 18–22.
Masingila, J. O., S. Davidenko, and E. Prus-Wisniowska. (1996). Mathematics learning
and practice in and out of school: A framework for connecting these experiences.
Educational Studies in Mathematics 31: 175–200.
Mathematical Sciences Education Board, National Research Council. (1998). High
School Mathematics at Work: Essays and Examples for the Education of All Students.
Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
McCliment, E. R. (1984). Physics. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
McConnell, J. W., S. Brown, Z. Usiskin, et al. (1996). UCSMP Algebra. Glenview, IL:
Scott, Foresman.
Miller, C. D., and V. E. Heeren. (1986). Mathematical Ideas, 5th ed. Glenview, IL: Scott,
Foresman.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and Standards for
School Mathematics. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Nave, C. R., and B. C. Nave. (1985). Physics for the Health Sciences, 3rd ed. St. Louis:
W. B. Saunders.
Nunes, T., A. D. Schliemann, and D. W. Carraher. (1993). Street Mathematics and School
Mathematics. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Olinick, M. (1978). An Introduction to Mathematical Models in the Social and Life Sci-
ences. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Pauling, L., and R. Hayward. (1964). The Architecture of Molecules. San Francisco: W. H.
Freeman.
Peck, R., C. Olsen, and J. Devore. (2001). Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis.
Pacific Grove, CA: Duxbury.
Peressini, A. L., J. W. McConnell, Z. Usiskin, et al. (1998). UCSMP Precalculus and Dis-
crete Mathematics, 2nd ed. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman/Addison-Wesley.
Phagan, R. J. (1992). Applied Mathematics. South Holland, IL: Goodheart-Wilcox.
Pozzi, S., R. Noss, and C. Hoyles. (1998). Tools in practice, mathematics in use. Educa-
tional Studies in Mathematics 36: 105–22.
Reagan, J. (1991). Get the message? Cryptographs, mathematics, and computers. In Ap-
plications of Secondary School Mathematics, ed. J. D. Austin (pp. 189–93). Reston,
VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Rhoad, R., G. Milauskas, and R. Whipple. (1984). Geometry for Enjoyment and Chal-
lenge, rev. ed. Evanston, IL: McDougal, Littell.
Senk, S. L., D. R. Thompson, S. S. Viktora, et al. (1996). UCSMP Advanced Algebra, 2nd
ed. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.
Smith, K. J. (1998). The Nature of Mathematics. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Pub-
lishing.
Stewart, J. (2001). Calculus Concepts and Contexts, 2nd ed. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/
Cole Publishing.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 165
U.S. Census Bureau. (1999). Statistical Abstract of the United States: 119th Edition.
Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.
Usiskin, Z., C. H. Feldman, S. Davis, et al. (1995). UCSMP Transition Mathematics, 2nd
ed. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.
Usiskin, Z., D. Hirschhorn, A. Coxford, et al. (1998). UCSMP Geometry, 2nd ed. Glen-
view, IL: Scott, Foresman.
Watson, A. (Ed.). (1998). Situated Cognition and the Learning of Mathematics. York, UK:
QED.
Yates, D. S., D. S. Moore, and G. P. McCabe. (1999). The Practice of Statistics. New
York: W. H. Freeman.
Zitzewitz, P. W., M. Davids, and R. F. Neff. (1992). Physics Principles and Problems.
New York: Glencoe.
About the Authors
EVAN M. GLAZER is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia in the

Department of Instructional Technology, and a former mathematics teacher at
Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, Illinois. He has written in the math-
ematics and technology areas. His book, Using Internet Primary Sources to
Teach Critical Thinking Skills in Mathematics, was published in 2001 by Green-
wood Press.
JOHN W. MCCONNELL is a lecturer at North Park University, earning his
doctorate in mathematics education from Northwestern University. Before his re-
tirement, he was instructional supervisor of mathematics at Glenbrook South
High School in Glenview, Illinois, for twenty-seven years. He has written many
publications in the field of K–12 mathematics, including three textbooks in the
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project.

Real Life Math Everyday Use of Mathematical Concepts

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Real Life Math Everyday Use of Mathematical Concepts

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Real Life Math Everyday Use of Mathematical Concepts

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Real-Life Math

EVAN M. GLAZER and JOHN W. McCONNELL

The paper used in this book complies with the

the mathematics teachers at Glenbrook South High School

“When are we ever going to use this?”

This plaintive question from frustrated mathematics students is heard in schools

their bare structures—is a feature that makes mathematics a powerful intellectual

This book is intended to be a reference guide for anyone interested in under-

This reference guide is an effort to provide exposure to mathematical appli-

online sources for further exploration

The Math Forum

Restructuring the angles

right-angled parking spaces obtuse-angled parking spaces

Parking-space arrangements in parking lots.

The amount of space, s, saved by using right-angled spaces is s = −l cos α

Variables that affect the extra hori-

Multiplying both sides of the equation by l will change it to s = l cos θ. The

An overhead view of a car making

Airplane pilots, military-orienteering specialists, and ship-navigation crews

30° North of West 60° West of North

Alternate methods of denoting direction when a boat is 3 miles from

The navigation angle, β, of a

The path of a boat from its starting

The angle of a ball

Horizontal distance (meters) trav-

The angle of light rays will

Gems such as diamonds have a high index of refraction, allowing them to

online sources for further exploration

The best angle to view a baseball game:

An asymptote is an imaginary line or curve that a function approaches as its

Graph of f (x) = x−2

In the real world, horizontal asymptotes typically represent a leveling-off

A graph of the temperature,

A person jumping from an airplane will

Vertical asymptotes typically appear in applications that deal with improba-

A graph describing the hourly rate

Vertical asymptotes also sometimes symbolize quantities that are nonexist-

online sources for additional exploration

The basics of cooling food

Scaling the Internet Web servers

Coordinates are useful to determine relative position and distances. For

An image map uses coordinates

The position of Chicago on the earth

(34,118) to approximately (0.5934,2.0595). Using this formula, the distance be-

online sources for further exploration

A trundle wheel can be used to

Another useful application of circumference is to determine the age of cer-

The age of a tree is related to

A keystone at the center of an arc above a

The skater slows her camel spin

online sources for further exploration

The arch in architecture

CIRCUMFERENCE . See CIRCLES

online sources for further exploration

The relevance of imaginary numbers

Complex numbers in real life

Cutting a cone to make Parabolic reflector used in a A parabolic reflector

Various representations of the conic section called a “parabola.”

Johannes Kepler (1571–1630) revolutionized astronomy when he recognized