Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, and Trigonometry
 

Who knew - way back when - that these subjects would be useful for quilting?

For many of us, when we are actually using geometry, we are doing it on an intuitive basis - but it is still doing/using geometry.

i thought about that the other day... saw a FB posting that said 'another day and didn't use algebra once'. maybe not algebra, but the geometry is used all the time. and i thought about doing trig one time to figure out a weird angle.

Ditto -- I used to teach Geometry and wish I had been quilting then so I could really show folks how much it is used. I also use algebra and a bit of trig too in my quilting. Wish I could have brought a carpenter into Geometry too since that is another occupation that uses a lot of math -- DH had real issues figuring out how much the saw reduces the cut and I sometimes obsess about the width of the lines on the ruler.......

I knew a gal who was a quilter. Her kids were great at math. Her sons often had to repair and make their own clothes. They even helped with her quilts. The one son liked a shirt he saw in a store but couldn't afford the store price. Went home and made a better one. He made it to wear in barrel racing. One owns a bakery, another teaches math and the other works in engineering. She only had sons no girls. They had to learn how to do girl things. They had to teach their wives. They use math as the rest of us in normal every day chores.

I hated math in school. I only went as high as prealgebra. If someone would have shown me how it was used in quilt making or every day life I might have continued.

Hummmmm.........that must be the reason I have so much trouble with quilting, I never understood algebra, geometry much less trig.

Maybe I should find a different Hobby!!

One of the things that intrigues me about quilting is the geometry of it all.

I love the geometry in quilting. Keeps my brain sharp. Wish I had some use for all that Calculus and Trig I took!

I used my high school geometry years ago when I figured how many pallets of sod to buy for the irregular shaped backyard we were redoing. It was so exciting to discover I was off barely a half pallet when it was all done, a bit of a win in a challenge between engineering major DH and little old me! :o

Jan in VA

My daughter teaches math in the elementary level. And she found that when the kids see what they are doing and why they are doing something it stays with them much longer. We were taught to memorize everything, and to some extent they still need to do that, but we use math in so many things without even realizing it. She uses sports and shopping for things so they can visualize it easier. Her kids usually test better than other classes for that reason. Another way she found the kids did better was when she put their names in the word problems. That was a mega difference by just putting in their own names. And it was kind of funny too if they were sharing candy bars almost 100% of them got the right answer even working out fractions. :-)