Why is
Geometry Important in Everyday Life?
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| Geometry Important |
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.
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| Angel |
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, etc…solids, 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. A curve 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.
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| Gometry |
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.
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