Content Showcase: Video Library

The ancient port city of Corinth in Greece allows us to explore the evolution of sailing. The shapes of sails went from rectangular to triangular. The use of right-triangle-shaped sails changed the nature of sailing.

The Eiffel Tower includes quite a number of exposed triangular trusses. The properties of triangles are used to explore and explain the frequent use of triangular trusses in many building. In particular, isosceles and equilateral triangular trusses are explored.

The Bank of China building in Hong Kong is a dramatic example of triangular support. The notion of triangular trusses is introduced, along with the key concepts developed in the rest of the program.

In this program we explore the properties of triangles. We do this in the context of two real-world applications. In the first, we explore the triangular trusses in the Eiffel Tower and in the process learn about key properties of triangles.

The Gemini telescope in Hawaii is an example of architecture that moves. All observatories rotate in order to follow objects in the sky. This also provides an opportunity to explore rotations, reflections, and symmetry.

Cargo ships transport tons of merchandise from one country to another and accounts for most of the global economy. Loading and unloading these ships requires a great deal of organization and provides an ideal example of three-dimensional translations.

Roller coasters provide an ideal opportunity to explore translations and rotations. Displacement vectors are also introduced.

In this program we look at applications of transformations. We do this in the context of three real-world applications. In the first, we look at translations and rotations in the context of roller coaster rides.

The Puerta de Europa towers in Madrid bring parallelograms front and center. These tilted towers, looking like modern-day towers of Pisa seem to defy gravity, but rely on the stability brought about by its quadrilateral structure.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece Falling Water is also a stunning assembly of quadrilateral shapes.

Stonehenge is best known as a circular structure. But it’s the post and lintel construction used that is noteworthy, and this type of construction involves quadrilateral shapes.

In this program we explore the properties of quadrilaterals. We do this in the context of two real-world applications. In the first, we explore the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright as an application of squares and rectangles; in particular, we look at his Fallingwater house.

The Petronas Towers in Indonesia provide an opportunity to explore the composite shapes used in the design of the towers.

In the ancient city of Marrakesh polygons are on display.

The Pentagon is one of the most famous polygon-shaped buildings in the world. But why was this shape chosen over a more straightforward quadrilateral shape? We briefly explore the properties of pentagons and use this as a way of introducing the key concepts throughout the program.

In this program we explore the properties of polygons. We do this in the context of two real-world applications. In the first, we look at Islamic tile patterns as examples of regular polygons. We explore how such intricate patterns were created using a compass and straight edge.

Many cities are laid out in a rectangular grid and are examples of intersecting lines and rays. We visit the city of Houston to investigate the geometric nature of the city grid in its downtown area.

Geometric objects are abstractions that seem to have a connection to real world objects.

Our understanding of geometry owes much to the ancient Greeks. We visit the ancient Acropolis and explore some of its geometric secrets.

In this program we explore the properties of points and lines. We do this in the context of two real-world applications. In the first, we go to CERN and learn about the Large Hadron Collidor. We look at how points can represent particle positions in space and look at properties of points and lines.