Mathematical thinking and reasoning begins for students long before it is taught through any sort

of schooling. Beginning as infants, humans are attracted to patterns, designs and shapes. Parents
reinforce this by often purchasing toys or mobiles with brightly colored shapes, pictures or
designs. Babies are attracted to these items before they are able to reach, grasp or manipulate
them in anyway. Later, toys are manipulated in such a way as to provide further hands on
learning to develop these types of skills. These shapes and designs are the very foundational
level of the mathematical field of geometry.

Geometry is everywhere. Angles, shapes, lines, line segments, curves, and other aspects of
geometry are every single place you look, even on this page. Letters themselves are constructed
of lines, line segments, and curves! Take a minute and look around the room you are in, take
note of the curves, angles, lines and other aspects which create your environment. Notice that
some are two-dimensional while others are three-dimensional. These man-made geometrical
aspects please us in an aesthetic way.

An angle is formed when two rays come together at the same point (end point). The distance
between the two rays is measured in degrees using a tool known as a protractor. Angles can be
found on the human body as well as in the many structures we have created for living and
working. On your body, each joint as it is moved creates different sized angles based on how far
apart the body parts are located. An example of angles with in a home might include the
brackets holding a shelf to the wall. Angles are created as shapes come together.

Shapes are unique representations with specific properties to

define them. Shapes can be two- or three- dimensional. There are
numerous defined shapes. Shapes include things such as
polygons, which include squares, circles, rectangles, triangles,
etc.., quadrangles, which include parallelograms, rhombus,
trapezoids, etcsolids, which include cylinders, pyramids, prisms, etc Each item in our
tangible world is created by combining shapes of some sort together. Thinking of a soda can as a
cylinder or a refrigerator as a combination of squares, cubes and rectangles provides a deeper
understanding of how shapes can be combined together to create the world around us.

A line is the path, which is always straight, and extends out infinitely (forever). A line will not
necessarily extend forever, but in order for it to be considered a line, it has the potential to, if
continued on, to never end. Lines are represented by a straight line with arrows on both ends,
indicating that it could extend forever. Line segments are similar to lines, in that they are
always straight, but they do not extend out forever, instead they end at specific points, known as
endpoints. Line segments are typically represented by a straight line with two dots at each end,
representing the end points. These end points are generally given a label such as line segment
AB. Acurve is similar to a line segment in that it has two specific end points, however it is
never straight. A curve would be represented in the same manner; however, instead of being
straight the portion between the two end points would be curved.

Nature also has an abundance of geometry. Patterns can be found on leaves, in flowers, in
seashells and many other places. Even our own bodies consist of patterns, curves and line
segments. It is through the observation of nature that scientists have begun to explore and

explain the more basic principles now accepted as scientific truths. These observations and
realizations have lead to the progression of new learning in both science and geometry. This
began with the simple repetitive patterns such as the orbiting of the planets or the back and forth
motion of a pendulum. It continues today as new theorems and natural events are explained and
represented through geometric representations, thinking and principles.

At the most basic level, geometric principles occur all around us. Mankind craves the
geometrical principles and to explain events occurring within the natural world. Home builders,
interior designers, landscape designers all rely on geometric principles to attract the eye of
prospective customers. In nature, animals use the patterns and other geometric ideas as part of
the reproduction process, defense mechanisms, and as a method to attract others. In some cases,
the geometry found in nature has provided inspiration for man-made items. While in other cases,
it is the natural events which have provided the inspiration for further developments and
understanding of geometric principles and ideas.

Homes maximize their geometric aspects to draw the eye of potential buyers. Curves
are added to break up traditional rectangular patterns. Spiral stairways might be added
to replace the traditional straight staircases. Patterns are found in every single part of
the home including: painting designs, window placements, carpeting, and numerous
other examples. In addition to the aesthetic principles, geometric thinking is needed to
ensure homes and buildings are structurally sound. Understanding which angles
provide make for stronger and safer buildings has helped to change trends in
construction. Additionally, laws, in this case building codes, have been changed to

include the implementation of the known laws of geometry into various trades. These
changes have significantly increased the safety of many things in our world.

Therefore, many professions require at least a foundational understanding of geometry. Sports,

construction, weaving, sewing, decorating, as well as many others require the use of the concepts
learned through the study of geometry. In many of these professions, the knowledge learned
through a complete understanding of geometric principles has provided not only an increase in
safety, but also an increase in the creation of tools, skill level enhancement, and aesthetically
pleasing arrangements. In sports, an understanding of angles might allow a baseball player to
better catch or hit a ball farther. In weaving and sewing, aesthetics can of course be increased by
using geometric designs, but other designs can be introduced, perhaps increasing sales for a new
clothing designer.

In fact, almost all professions require some basic understanding of the more basic
principles of geometry. Whether it includes the idea of shapes or on the more complex
end, the understanding of the process involved in proving a supposition, geometry is a
direct or indirect influence. Part of geometric thinking is the understanding of thinking in
a critical manner and deducing answers given specific facts. In this way, geometry is a
life-long skill. It is this type of thinking which is used to create new inventions or
discover solutions to a variety of life's problems. In the end, geometry surrounds all
of us, making it a safer and more productive place.

Exercises:
1. Identify five items in nature and man-made which demonstrate a
geometrical pattern. Do not use any of the previously mentioned
items.
2. Take a digital picture of a home. Identify the geometric aspects
which can be seen in the picture.

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What Is Geometry? When Do You Use It In The Real World?

Geometry is one of the classical disciplines of math. Roughly translating in Greek as "Earth
Measurement", it is concerned with the properties of space and figures. It is primarily developed to be
a practical guide for measuring lengths, areas, and volumes, and is still in use up to now. Euclid turned
the study of geometry into an axiomatic form at around 3rd century BC, and these axioms are still
useful up to the present day. An important evolution for the science of geometry was created when
Rene Descartes was able to create the concept of analytical geometry. Because of it, plane figures can
now be represented analytically, and is one of the driving forces for the development of calculus. In
addition, the rise of perspective gave rise to projective geometry. Nowadays, modern geometry has
strong ties with physics, and is an integral part of new physical concepts such as relativity and string
theories.
The most basic form of geometry is so the so called Euclidean geometry. Lengths, areas, and volumes
are dealt here. Circumferences, radii, and areas are one of the concepts concerning length and area.
Also, the volume of 3 dimensional objects such as cubes, cylinders, pyramids, and spheres can be
computed using geometry. It used to be all about shapes and measurements, but numbers will soon
make its way to geometry. Thanks to the Pythagoreans, numbers are introduced in geometry in the
form of numerical values of lengths and areas. Numbers are further utilized when Descartes was able
to formulate the concept of coordinates.
In real life, geometry has a lot of practical uses, from the most basic to the most advanced phenomena
in life. Even the very basic concept of area can be a huge factor in how you do your daily business. For
example, space is a huge issue when planning various construction projects. For instance, the size or
area of a specific appliance or tool can greatly affect how it will fit in to your home or workplace, and
can affect how the other parts of your home would fit around it. This is why it is essential to take
account of areas, both of your space, and the item that you are about to integrate in there. In
addition, geometry plays a role in basic engineering projects. For example, using the concept of
perimeter, you can compute the amount of material (ex.: paint, fencing material, etc) that you need
to use for your project. Also, designing professions such as interior design and architecture uses 3
dimensional figures. A thorough knowledge of geometry is going to help them a lot in determining the
proper style (and more importantly, optimize its function) of a specific house, building, or vehicle.
Those are some of the more basic uses of geometry, but it doesn't end there. As some more professions
use geometry in order to do their job properly. For example, computer imaging, something that is used
nowadays for creating animations, video games, designing, and stuff like that, are created using
geometric concepts. Also, geometry is used in mapping. Mapping is an essential element in professions
such as surveying, navigation, and astronomy. From sketching to calculating distances, they use
geometry to accomplish their job. In addition, professions such as medicine benefit from geometric

imaging. Technologies such as CT scans and MRIs are used both for diagnosis and surgical aids. Such
methods enable doctors to do their job better, safer, and simpler.
As you can see, geometry affects us even in the most basic details of our lives. No matter what the
form, it helps us understand specific phenomena and it helps us in uplifting the quality of life.

Websites For Learning All About Geometry

1.

Encyclopedia of Triangle Centers

2.

Euclid's Proof of the Pythagorean Theorem-

3.

Fundamentals of Geometry

4.

Geometry of the Sphere

5.

A Gallery of Interactive On-Line Geometry

6.

Geometric Group Theory

7.

Geometry Formulas and Facts

8.

Geometry in Action

9.

The Geometry Junkyard

10.

Mathematical Curves and Surfaces

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Because geometry is part of life. Just look around you and see all the geometric shapes that you just take
for granted. Not only man-made objects, but in nature also.
Mutt 1 decade ago