Need some handy math tips from someone who has been up and down both sides of the parabola? You’re in luck—the Math Nerd is here to help! Welcome to the first of a series of articles from the Math Nerd providing tips and advice for making math class a little more entertaining! This week I thought I would start off by reviewing one of my favorite geometry tools, a fantastic little device with all pros and no cons.
Fed up with flimsy compasses that seem to have a mind of their own? Desperate for polished circles that are easy and soothing to draw?
If you answered “yes” and “yes,” then you’ve happened to strike mathematical gold: smooth, effortless and consistent, the Angle and Circle Maker pushes aside its meandering predecessor, the lowly metallic compass, as a geometry must-have. Offered by Helix for $6.49 on Amazon, this reimagined compass is unique, simple and elegant, and comes in several appealing colors.
Yes, it’s time to kiss that stubborn metal contraption “goodbye,” and welcome the Angle and Circle Maker—a paragon of simplicity—to its rightful new home alongside your metric ruler and graphing calculator. By the time a traditional compass has already seen several frustrating (but ultimately futile) attempts, the circular compass has traced unlimited whirls and roulette curves, known to some geeks as hypotrochoids and epitrochoids.
But what is the secret sauce that enables this ingenious instrument to perform its wonders? The answer lies in the product’s unique concentric circle design, with a free spinning inner wheel connected to a stationary outer rim. Fix a pencil to a given measurement, pin down the outer rim with one hand and rotate the inner wheel with the other to see the mathemagic unfold. Slide your new best companion off the page, and voila: A gorgeous circle awaits. And if drawing precisely measured angles is your thing (and who doesn’t love making a perfect 30-60-90 triangle), this baby has all 360 of them, precisely measured out with the rotating inner spinner, leaving the ordinary protractors of yesteryear in its dust!
Well, Mathletes, I hope this tool brings you as much joy as it did me. I look forward to sharing more of my math adventures and inspirations in the coming months. Please feel free to email me (lhkatz@students.chccs.k12.nc.us) with any ideas you may have on all things math, and please specify in the email whether you want your name mentioned or prefer to be an anonymous Mathlete.
I look forward to sharing more musings with you in the Math Nerd’s next column. (Hint: expect it to be quite calculating!)
Photo by Helen Katz/ECHO
