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September 20th, 2015, 11:59 PM   #11
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Quote:
 Originally Posted by skeeter Quite a revealing statement on your part ...
Lol, but the point of the thread wasn't that I dislike geometry... it's that I'm still yet to find how geometry is useful (unlike statistics or calculus).

September 21st, 2015, 12:25 AM   #12
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 Originally Posted by studiot Here are two geometry exam questions from 1956 and 1958. Can you answer them? Geometry is the first subject a pupil meets where he cannot directly obtain the answer but has to calculate some intermediate result first. This is enormously important since life and the real world is like that. You have to decide what you need to know in order to obtain the answer you want.
My geom is a bit rusty (even though I've just left school...), but fortunately I still managed.

3a)
\displaystyle \begin{align} y+2-3y+5+3&=0\\ -2y+10&=0\\ y&=5 \end{align}

3bi)
\displaystyle \begin{align} x &= \sqrt{1.5^2 - 1^2}\\ &= \sqrt{1.25}\\ &= \frac{\sqrt{5}}{2} \end{align}

3bii)
By cosine formula,
\displaystyle \begin{align} 2^2 &= 1.5^2 + 1.5^2 - 2(1.5)(1.5)(cos \angle AOB) \\ \therefore \angle AOB &= 83.6^{\circ} \end{align}

10.
$\displaystyle AB = 1.5 - \sqrt{1.5^2 - (\frac{1.8}{2}^2}) = 0.3$

(I think these don't really involve intermediate results :P)

Last edited by 123qwerty; September 21st, 2015 at 12:36 AM.

 September 21st, 2015, 07:01 AM #13 Member   Joined: Jan 2014 Posts: 86 Thanks: 4 Geometry is used all over in engineering. We wouldn't have working cars if we didn't have geometry. Thanks from 123qwerty
September 21st, 2015, 09:13 AM   #14
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Quote:
 Originally Posted by 123qwerty Lol, but the point of the thread wasn't that I dislike geometry... it's that I'm still yet to find how geometry is useful (unlike statistics or calculus).
Looks like you've already made up your mind regarding its lack of utility ... why try to convince you otherwise?

September 24th, 2015, 07:00 AM   #15
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Quote:
 Originally Posted by 123qwerty It seems that most of the stuff you learnt in high school will help you later in life. Even if it isn't related to my major, it may be related to someone else's. This includes most of the stuff in the maths curriculum: probability and statistics, algebra, set theory, etc. are all used in a wide variety of fields. However, I don't really see the point of geometry... Does proving the size of angles, etc. have any real use?
I'm reminded of this outtake from QI...

But seriously, whilst the average person probably won't need to know how to prove circle theorems later in life, what it can also do is endow one with -- or encourage one to develop -- problem solving skills, or perhaps critical thinking skills (though that's less likely to stem from proving circle theorems). Those are abilities which will help you in many facets of life.

 September 25th, 2015, 11:59 AM #16 Member   Joined: Sep 2015 From: Philadelphia Posts: 36 Thanks: 3 It does if you're a carpenter or architect or possibly even an engineer Thanks from 123qwerty
September 27th, 2015, 07:50 AM   #17
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Quote:
 Originally Posted by Tau Geometry is used all over in engineering. We wouldn't have working cars if we didn't have geometry.
Quote:
 Originally Posted by hhmathgeek It does if you're a carpenter or architect or possibly even an engineer
Do they really need stuff like angles in the same segment or 'perpendicular from centre to chord bisects chord', or is it mostly just mensuration?

September 27th, 2015, 07:53 AM   #18
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Quote:
 Originally Posted by LearnMathsFree I'm reminded of this outtake from QI... But seriously, whilst the average person probably won't need to know how to prove circle theorems later in life, what it can also do is endow one with -- or encourage one to develop -- problem solving skills, or perhaps critical thinking skills (though that's less likely to stem from proving circle theorems). Those are abilities which will help you in many facets of life.
Critical thinking skills are best developed through learning sentential logic and predicate logic, I think. I don't deny the value of problem-solving skills (or taking pleasure in knowledge for that matter), but I think the compulsory curriculum should only cover content that a significant portion of students will need later, not just prospective mathematics majors. Problem-solving skills can still be taught in other subject areas, including other areas of maths.

 September 28th, 2015, 01:06 AM #19 Senior Member   Joined: Apr 2014 From: UK Posts: 895 Thanks: 328 I've used geometry a lot over the years, from software (3D calculations/collision detection, force calculations etc...) to electronics (oddly, I can't think of an example right now).

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