Learning how to work out volume of a prism can be very important for all sorts of applications - mainly in manufacturing and transportation. A 'prism' is a shape with a constant cross section, such as a cardboard box. It basically means that if you cut the prism in half the shape will be the same in the middle: Try the Quick Test volumes of 3D shapes To work out the … [Read more...]
Why and how to calculate density
How to calculate density can be very important in design and construction.. Density is measured by how much something weighs for a fixed volume, usually a 1cm cube. It's a measurement that compares different materials of the same size. This is a level C GCSE question: "An 8cm solid hexagonal prism has a cross-section area of 15cm squared. The prism is made from wood … [Read more...]
Why and how to use stratified sampling
Stratified sampling is all about using a smaller sample to collect data .. and then using the information to make conclusions about the whole population. It's usually cheaper and quicker - so, if you want to find out how many students, in a high school, like football - you can just ask a few and decide the outcome. That's the theory... but there is a bit of a problem. Suppose … [Read more...]
How to use upper and lower bounds – with video
Learning how to use upper and lower bounds can be very important - particularly in manufacturing... .. although they tend to be called 'tolerances' and are not always related to just measurements. For example 'high tech' manufacturers need to work within very tight tolerances: On a Boeing 747 the jet engine turbine blades spin at upto 3500 revs per minute - 60 times every … [Read more...]
How to use sin, cos and tan to find the size of an angle in right angle triangles
'How to use sin, cos and tan to find the size of an angle in right angle triangles' .. can seem a little daunting.. but they are used extensively in maths and have some real, practical applications. Watch the video and try the quick test. Click here to try the Quick Test SohCahToa You can use sin, cos and tan - some of the "trigonometric functions" to find the size of an … [Read more...]