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Publisher
The Great Courses
Description
We commonly define the Pythagorean theorem using the formula a2 + b2 = c2. But Pythagoras himself would have been confused by that. Explore how this famous theorem can be explained using common geometric shapes (no fancy algebra required), and how it’s a critical foundation for the rest of geometry.
Series
Great Courses volume 9
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2016.
Description
Logic is intellectual self-defense against such assaults on reason and also a method of quality control for checking the validity of your own views. But beyond these very practical benefits, informal logic—the kind we apply in daily life—is the gateway to an elegant and fascinating branch of philosophy known as formal logic, which is philosophy’s equivalent to calculus. Formal logic is a breathtakingly versatile tool. Much like a Swiss army...
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Description
Explore the beautiful and mysterious world of fractals. Learn what they are and how to create them. Examine famous examples such as Sierpinski’s Triangle and the Koch Snowflake. Then, uncover how fractals appear in nature—from the structure of sea sponges to the walls of our small intestines.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2009.
Description
For those cases that defy simple factoring, the quadratic formula provides a powerful technique for solving quadratic equations. Discover that this formidable-looking expression is not as difficult as it appears and is well worth committing to memory. Also learn how to determine if a quadratic equation has no solutions.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2016.
Description
Probability problems can be confusing as you try to decide what to multiply and what to divide. But visual models come to the rescue, letting you solve a series of riddles involving coins, dice, medical tests, and the granddaddy of probability problems that was posed to French mathematician Blaise Pascal in the 17th century.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Description
Algebra can be used to solve geometrical problems, such as finding where two lines cross. The technique is useful in real-life problems, for example, in choosing a telephone plan. Graphs help us better understand everything from lines to equations with negative or fractional exponents.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Description
The trig identities you explored in the last lecture go beyond circles. Learn how to define all of them just using triangles (expressed in the famous acronym SOHCAHTOA). Then, uncover how trigonometry is practically applied by architects and engineers to measure the heights of buildings.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2009.
Description
Examine the distinctive graphs formed by rational functions, which may form vertical or horizontal curves that aren't even connected on a graph. Learn to identify the intercepts and the vertical and horizontal asymptotes of these fascinating curves.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Description
Examine how our usual definition of parallelism is impossible to check. Use the fundamental assumptions from the previous lectures to follow in Euclid’s footsteps and create an alternative way of checking if lines are parallel. See how, using this result, it’s possible to compute the circumference of the Earth just by using shadows!
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2016.
Description
Learn why quadratic equations have "quad" in their name, even though they don't involve anything to the 4th power. Then try increasingly challenging examples, finding the solutions by sketching a square. Finally, derive the quadratic formula, which you've been using all along without realizing it.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Description
Using nothing more than an ordinary pencil, see how three angles in a triangle can add up to 180 degrees. Then compare how the experience of turning a pencil on a flat triangle differs from walking in a triangular shape on the surface of a sphere. With this exercise, Professor Tanton introduces you to the difference between flat and spherical geometry
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Description
How can you figure out the "height"of the sun in the sky without being able to measure it directly with a ruler? Follow the path of ancient Indian scholars to answer this question using "angle of elevation"and a branch of geometry called trigonometry. You learn the basic trig identities (sine, cosine, and tangent) and how physicists use them to describe circular motion.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2009.
Description
Discover how to solve equations that contain radical expressions. A key step is isolating the radical term and then squaring both sides. As always, it's important to check the solution by plugging it into the equation to see if it makes sense. This is especially true with radical equations, which can sometimes yield extraneous, or invalid, solutions.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Description
Wrap up the course by looking at several fun and different ways of reimagining geometry. Explore the counterintuitive behaviors of shapes, angles, and lines in spherical geometry, hyperbolic geometry, finite geometry, and even taxi-cab geometry. See how the world of geometry is never a closed-book experience.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2020.
Description
First, find a shortcut solution to a classic word problem in algebra. This introduces the episode's theme: forget your algebra and use cleverness to solve problems without x's and y's. Along the way, you'll learn that sometimes having too much information can make a problem harder. Also find out why transcontinental flights take longer in one direction than the other (not counting wind effects).
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2009.
Description
Linear equations reflect the behavior of real-life phenomena. Practice evaluating tables of numbers to determine if they can be represented as linear equations. Conclude with an example about the yearly growth of a tree. Does it increase in size at a linear rate?
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