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I have tried this experiment repeatedly. If I pick up the handset of a landline phone cord, make a call, and then hang up, I invariably find the cord has become tangled by several loops. Even if I let the cord hang free, so that it lies untangled, after the next call, it will have multiple loops in it. At most I might change hands once or twice, but that does not in my mind account for it then having six or more loops in it when I hang up. Any material that addresses this? Thanks. μηδείς ( talk) 02:43, 23 April 2017 (UTC)
I could have asked this question at any time, but it came to my attention when I saw recent edits to the polygons template.
Triangles can be classified as:
To generalize these 3 classifications of triangles into n-gons for n > 3, we can do so as follows:
The generalization of the equilateral triangle is clearly the regular polygon. This is the square for n = 4.
But how about generalizing the isosceles triangle?? An isosceles polygon (a generalization of an isosceles triangle) would be a polygon that is not regular but that has at least one line of symmetry. The non-square rectangle, rhombus, kite, and isosceles trapezoid are all examples of isosceles quadrilaterals.
Likewise, a scalene polygon is a polygon with no lines of symmetry. I don't know whether to categorize a polygon with no lines of symmetry but rotational symmetry (a parallelogram that's not a rectangle or a rhombus) is correctly classified as scalene.
These categories can continue for n-gons for any value n. Do isosceles polygons in general have special properties?? How about scalene polygons in general?? Georgia guy ( talk) 12:09, 23 April 2017 (UTC)
Mathematics desk | ||
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< April 22 | << Mar | April | May >> | April 24 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Mathematics Reference Desk Archives |
---|
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
I have tried this experiment repeatedly. If I pick up the handset of a landline phone cord, make a call, and then hang up, I invariably find the cord has become tangled by several loops. Even if I let the cord hang free, so that it lies untangled, after the next call, it will have multiple loops in it. At most I might change hands once or twice, but that does not in my mind account for it then having six or more loops in it when I hang up. Any material that addresses this? Thanks. μηδείς ( talk) 02:43, 23 April 2017 (UTC)
I could have asked this question at any time, but it came to my attention when I saw recent edits to the polygons template.
Triangles can be classified as:
To generalize these 3 classifications of triangles into n-gons for n > 3, we can do so as follows:
The generalization of the equilateral triangle is clearly the regular polygon. This is the square for n = 4.
But how about generalizing the isosceles triangle?? An isosceles polygon (a generalization of an isosceles triangle) would be a polygon that is not regular but that has at least one line of symmetry. The non-square rectangle, rhombus, kite, and isosceles trapezoid are all examples of isosceles quadrilaterals.
Likewise, a scalene polygon is a polygon with no lines of symmetry. I don't know whether to categorize a polygon with no lines of symmetry but rotational symmetry (a parallelogram that's not a rectangle or a rhombus) is correctly classified as scalene.
These categories can continue for n-gons for any value n. Do isosceles polygons in general have special properties?? How about scalene polygons in general?? Georgia guy ( talk) 12:09, 23 April 2017 (UTC)