Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Help! I need math (who thought I would say that?)

Anyone with specialized math knowledge should let me know. My narrator is a mathematician, and I need lots of cool math facts that would be part of her regular brain space (though of course they are not a part of mine.) I've already learned that the word "algebra" comes from a word meaning "to reassemble bones." I have lots to say about that. But any cool math stories, problems or hip vocab, please tell me. I'm just a poor struggling English teacher, trying to write fiction.
It helps that my husband knows math, but I don't want to burn him out on the project.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Simple, lovely fact: The non-square sides of a right-angle triangle always add up to 90 degrees! Beautiful.

An isosceles triangle is more fun to say than lovely to look at.

Cheap advice: Google fun math facts and enjoy!

Leah-Kim said...

Freewomen...I just started reading your blogs! May I suggest "The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure" by Hans Magnus Enzensberger....I really enjoyed it, it is a quick, fun read, whimsical with illustrations and all kinds of fun math facts!

LK here...not to be confused with the previously posting Leah!