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patterns
Geometry

Geometry is the branch of mathematics that involves studying the shape, size, and position of geometric figures. These figures include plane (flat) figures, such as circles, triangles, and rectangles, and solid (three-dimensional) figures, such as cubes, cones, and spheres.

The name geometry comes from two Greek words meaning earth and to measure. The world is full of geometric shapes and patterns.

Sample some of the following activities to learn more about geometry.

 

Places To Go    People To See    Things To Do    Teacher Resources    Bibliography

Places To Go

The following are places to go (some real and some virtual) to find out about geometry.

Euclid's Elements
Travel back in time in ancient history and get geometry advice from Euclid himself.
Geometry & Trig Reference Area
Take yourself to the reference area for geometry help.
Geometry Center
Visit the Geometry Center. It has interactive activities, geometry articles, and classroom help.
The Geometry of Crop Circles
Visit crop circles to practice your geometry skills.
Illuminations: Geometry Resources
This site features links to 120+ sites that deal with geometric concepts. Each site has been reviewed by math professionals to ensure its academic value.

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People To See

August Ferdinand Möbius
Get to know August Ferdinand Möbius. He was a German mathematician who focused on analytical geometry.
Euclid of Alexandria
Spend time with Euclid. He was a Greek mathematician, born about 300 BC. He is the man to see about plane geometry.
Euclid: The Father of Geometry
Perhaps antiquity's most prominent mathematician, Euclid of Alexandria is best known for his treatise on mathematics entitled The Elements, which arranged and perfected many geometric theorems. The beauty and symmetry of Euclid's work was even celebrated by poet Edna St. Vincent Millay in her poem "Euclid Alone Has Looked on Beauty Bare."
Pythagoras of Samos
Meet Pythagoras. He was born about 569 BC on the island of Samos off the coast of Greece. He is known for being a mathematician, but he was really more of a philosopher.

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Things To Do

Dave's Math Tables: Geometry
Locate formulas for area and volume of geometric shapes.
Gallery of Interactive Geometry
Explore the relationship between geometry and art.
Geometry Flashcards
Use these interactive flashcards to test your knowledge of geometry.
Geometry Formulas and Facts
Review basic information about geometry formulas and miscellaneous facts.
Geometry Jokes
Impress your friends with good, quality geometry jokes. What did the little acorn say when he grew up? ----"Geometry"
Geometry Junkyard
Although Euclidean geometry, in which every line has exactly one parallel through any point, is most familiar to us, many other geometries are possible.
Geometry Problem of the Week
Have students solve a new geometry problem each week. Students can submit solutions by using the submit link at the bottom of each problem. The answer to each problem is posted the following week. You can also browse through the archives of previous problems and solutions.
History of Geometry
Read a brief synopsis of geometry throughout history. This site describes the contributions of Egyptians, Babylonians, and Greeks. It also includes links to biographies of major contributors to geometry.
Illuminations: Interactive Geometry Dictionary—Areas
Area is one of the most fundamental measurements in geometry. These three JavaSketchpad applets can help you to understand and investigate how to find the area of the rectangle, parallelogram, and triangle.

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Teacher Resources

Lesson Plans/Webquests

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Bibliography

  • Bulloch, Ivan. Patterns. New York: Thomson Learning, 1994.
  • Leff, Lawrence S. Geometry the Easy Way. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 1997.
  • Miller, Robert. Bob Miller's Geometry for the Clueless: Geometry. New York: McGraw Hill, c2000.
  • Smoothey, Marion. Angles. New York: M. Cavendish, 1993