Logarithms sound like very advanced math concepts, but they’re not really that much more difficult than many other mathematical concepts. The word “logarithm,” like the word “algorithm,” gives the impression of being a very complex topic. However, much like how an algorithm is nothing more complicated than a set of rules or processes to follow,…
The Merry Christmas Equation
This is a fun post for the holiday season that I first read over at my friend Guillermo’s page, Math and Multimedia. You often hear that everything can be described by mathematics. In this case, we’re going to use some math to convey a special message for this time of year! To begin, let’s start…
Google’s Free Online Calculator
It’s probably happened to you before: you go to do your math homework and you suddenly realize that you don’t have your calculator handy. What if you have a test tomorrow and you absolutely need your calculator right now to help you study? If you have your smartphone or computer with you, you can easily…
Multiplying Integers – Why Multiplying Two Negatives is a Positive
I have recently been asked to explain why two negative numbers multiply together to product a positive number. This can be a difficult concept to grasp at first, but I would like to try to simplify an explanation. First, I would like to recommend and give credit to David’s website, at Practic-All. In particular, he…
What is Scientific Notation?
It is probably one of the first topics you will learn in early physics courses. As such, it is crucial that you understand it and are able to use it. Honestly, without scientific notation, physics problems get INCREDIBLY difficult, and if you don’t get it at first, you should really put in extra effort to…
The Difference Between Precision and Accuracy
What is the difference between PRECISION and ACCURACY? Upon first glance, many students would say that the two terms mean the same thing. In normal day-to-day usage, you would talk about how precise this is, or how accurate that is, and in both cases you would be comparing “how close” some thing is to the…
What are Real Numbers? Rational, Irrational, Natural, and Integer Numbers
What are Real Numbers? When you are first learning to do math with numbers, you never think about what “kinds” of numbers you use. You just add 2 plus 2, or subtract 10 from 20, and later on begin to multiply (-3) times (-5) and other, more complicated functions. What you don’t even realize is…
Working with Polynomials and Monomials, and How to FOIL
Following up on my post explaining Monomials and Polynomials, here I would like to provide a bit more of an explanation about how to actually work with these terms. In particular, first I am going to show you how to multiply a monomial by a polynomial. Then I will similarly show you how to divide…
Monomials and Polynomials Explained
When studying algebra, and learning how to perform more complicated rearrangements and calculations, you will frequently see math terms such as “monomials” and “polynomials.” They may sound like some kind of advanced mathematical concepts, but in reality, they are not. In fact, their definitions are really quite simple, and understanding these will help you when…
What are Significant Figures?
Counting Significant Figures is a concept usually introduced to students in beginner science courses, right near the beginning. However, it is a concept that continually confuses people even beyond their school years. This is because, at first glance, significant figures (commonly referred to as “sig figs”) appears to be very similar to rounding, but that…