Geometry and trig proofs, with diagrams

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around geometric definitions, specifically the nature of triangles and the concept of degenerate forms in geometry. Participants explore the implications of these definitions and share resources related to geometry and trigonometry.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the definition of a triangle should be a shape with three angles, each greater than 0, questioning the classification of degenerate triangles.
  • Another participant explains that degenerate forms, such as a triangle flattened into a line, are technically still considered triangles in mathematics, despite being confusing for learners.
  • Several links to external resources on geometry and trigonometry are shared, indicating a desire for additional information and context.
  • A participant mentions the historical reasoning behind the 360-degree system, linking it to ancient calendars and observations of celestial movements.
  • There is a reference to a website containing exercises related to geometric theorems, suggesting a resource for further study.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the definition of triangles, particularly regarding degenerate cases. While some acknowledge the validity of degenerate triangles, others propose a stricter definition that excludes them. The discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

The conversation highlights the complexity of geometric definitions and the potential confusion arising from degenerate cases, which may not be emphasized in early education. There are also references to external resources that may not be universally accepted or verified.

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http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/degrees.html said:
Why 360 degrees? Probably because old calendars (such as the Persian Calendar) used 360 days for a year - when they watched the stars they saw them revolve around the North Star one degree per day.

I thought that was a fairly interesting statement. If I was a student, I would want my professor to state things like this. Liekwise, if I was a professor, I would introduce things like this to my class.
 
I was messing with the triangle on the interactive thing, and made the triangle just a line. It said the line is an obtuse isosceles triangle. Really? Is "obtuse isosceles triangle" really another way to say "a line"?

Edit: I was thinking about this and I think the definition of triangle should be (if it's not already) a shape with 3 angles, each greater than 0.
 
Last edited:
leroyjenkens said:
I was messing with the triangle on the interactive thing, and made the triangle just a line. It said the line is an obtuse isosceles triangle. Really? Is "obtuse isosceles triangle" really another way to say "a line"?

Edit: I was thinking about this and I think the definition of triangle should be (if it's not already) a shape with 3 angles, each greater than 0.

I haven't used this tool, so I can't check what you were looking at. However, in mathematics you will find many examples of what are called "degenerate" forms of familiar objects. Yes, you can flatten a triangle into a straight line and it is still technically a triangle. You can also squash a cube into a flat plane and you can do many other strange things. When first learning the subject, these special cases are just confusing so teachers avoid them. However, they turn out to be important further on in mathematics so it is useful to get comfortable with degenerate cases of geometric and algebraic objects.
 
There is also a very good site about geometry:gogeometry.com .the site contains a big number of theoremes as exercises with many question in order to prove the theoreme,
 
leroyjenkens said:
I was messing with the triangle on the interactive thing, and made the triangle just a line. It said the line is an obtuse isosceles triangle. Really? Is "obtuse isosceles triangle" really another way to say "a line"?

Edit: I was thinking about this and I think the definition of triangle should be (if it's not already) a shape with 3 angles, each greater than 0.

Why would you want that to be the definition? There is nothing inconsistent or wrong about a degenerate triangle like the one you describe.
 

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