TOP 5 GEOMETRIC SYMBOLS USED IN RANGOLI

Geometry is a branch of mathematics that deals with the properties and characteristics of shapes and sizes. The term is derived from Greek words, ‘Geo’ and ‘Metron’, meaning ‘Earth’ and ‘Measurement’ respectively. Based on the meaning of its term, the actual connection of this branch f mathematics is to entail the properties of space with other objects relatively positioned within their own measurements.

The same concept of geometry is used in the traditional art of rangoli as well. Each shape and structure has its distinctive significance in the field and radiates its individuality in terms of religiousness and auspiciousness. Among the list of best geometric rangoli patterns, here are the top 5 geometric symbols and their significance as a part of rangoli design:

Bindu: This is also known as dot and is considered to be the center of the universe from where all energy, power and life are created. It is known to be the start of each creation and even the end of each creation because everything manifests and merges at the same bindu or dot. Hence, in rangoli design, starting from a small dot, a beautiful rangoli is created to display the radiating energies of life. You can go wild with your imaginations and create incredibly beautiful rangoli patterns just from a single bindu.

Chakra:This is also known as wheel and is considered to be the wheel of life. It also symbolizes the religious chakra of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna from where evolves all the circle of life including time, season and the cycle of human activities. In rangoli designs chakra forms an essential part of the design as it adds a spark of auspiciousness to the contemporary rangoli patterns.

Lines: Lines are simple and easy to draw originating from the central bindu. Whichever way you connect the lines it originates and ends at the same point. Rangoli is often drawn with a closed network to prevent the entry of evil forces and hence lines help to fulfill the purpose with their interconnection. These lines are symbolic to movement of life and progression and that’s the key purpose of rangoli, to invite the blessings of gods and goddess for joy, health and prosperity.

Trikon: This is the basic mathematics symbol we all know as triangle. This holds great significance in the cosmos as it symbolizes the union of three gunas, three dimensions of life or the superlative trinity of the universe. Three gunas are the satva, rajas and tamas and three dimensions are past, present and future. Adding to this, the trinity of the universe is Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The basic concept of triangle is show the deep connection of three strong powers ruling and influencing human life and its co-existence with the cosmos. Some even say that triangle in the rangoli design represents the eternal strength and power of Lakshmi, Saraswati and Kali. You take any meaning and any interpretation of the triangle; it leaves behind an auspicious significance in a rangoli pattern.

Chauk: This is the basic square in mathematics that is considered to be an auspicious symbol in rangoli pattern. The chauk is said to emerge into the religious swastika with four lines of the square encircling the religious symbol with a bindu in the center. Swastika denotes the four directions of the universe and signifies that the energy spreads into all directions from a central point of universal connection. At the outward corner of each line is the purna kumbhas that are known to be the pot of auspiciousness pouring out the essentials of life.

GEOMETRIC TOOLS - DESCRIPTIONS AND USES

We come across a number of shapes in our day to day life. You are already aware of a couple of them such as triangles, squares, hexagons, circles, parallelograms and so on. Different figures have characteristic properties such as length, breadth, diameter, etc. which set them apart from one another and are parameters to produce the figures on paper. Practical geometry is the most pragmatic branch of geometry that deals with the construction of different geometrical figures using geometric tools such as rulers, compasses and protractors. In this article, we list the basic geometric tools, their description and uses.

Geometric Tools and Their Uses

The early geometer studied figures such as points, lines and angles which required the use of rulers and compasses only. With the advent of more geometric designs, other geometric tools were invented. Some of the most commonly used geometric tools are:

• The Ruler: Also known as the straightedge, a ruler is used to construct straight lines and measure the lengths of a line segment. It is a straight edge originally used only for drawing straight lines. However, for our convenience, it is graduated into centimeters and millimeters on one side, and into inches on the other.

• The Compasses: It is a ‘V’-shaped tool which holds a pencil on the one side of the ‘V’ and a pointer on the other side. The distance between the pencil and the pointer is adjustable. It is used to trace arcs, circles and angles. It is also used to mark equal lengths.
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• The Protractor: It is a semi-circular disc used to draw and measure angles. It is graduated from 0 to 180 degrees and can be directly used to measure any angle within its range. It has two set of markings, 0 to 180 degrees from left to right and vice versa.

• The Divider: It looks similar to the compasses with its ‘V’-shaped structure. However, it has pointers on both ends of the ‘V’. The distance between them is adjustable and it is used to measure and compare lengths.

• The Set-Squares: These are the triangular pieces of plastic with some portion between them removed. There are two kinds of set squares available in the market. One has the angles 45, 45 and 90 degrees at the 3 vertices while the other has 30, 60 and 90 degree angles. They are used to draw parallel and perpendicular lines.

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MATHEMATICIANS

FATHER OF MATHEMATICS -ARCHIMEDES

FATHER OF ALGEBRA -ABU JAAFAR MOHAMMAD IBN MOUSA AL KHWARIZMI

FATHER OF STATISTICS – ROBERT FISHER

FATHER OF TRIGONOMETRY - HIPPARCHUS

FATHER OF GEOMETRY - EUCLID

FATHER OF SETS – GEORG CANTOR

FATHER OF NUMBER THEORY – PIERRE DE 

FERMAT

FATHER OF GRAPH THEORY – LEONHARD

EULER

THE IMPORTANCE OF MATHEMATICS IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Mathematics is a methodical application of matter. It is so said because the subject makes a man methodical or systematic. Mathematics makes our life orderly and prevents chaos. Certain qualities that are nurtured by mathematics are power of reasoning, creativity, abstract or spatial thinking, critical thinking, problem-solving ability and even effective communication skills.
Mathematics is the cradle of all creations, without which the world cannot move an inch. Be it a cook or a farmer, a carpenter or a mechanic, a shopkeeper or a doctor, an engineer or a scientist, a musician or a magician, everyone needs mathematics in their day-to-day life. Even insects use mathematics in their everyday life for existence.

Snails make their shells, spiders design their webs, and bees build hexagonal combs. There are countless examples of mathematical patterns in nature's fabric. Anyone can be a mathematician if one is given proper guidance and training in the formative period of one's life. A good curriculum of mathematics is helpful in effective teaching and learning of the subject.

Experience says learning mathematics can be made easier and enjoyable if our curriculum includes mathematical activities and games. Maths puzzles and riddles encourage and attract an alert and open-minded attitude among youngsters and help them develop clarity in their thinking. Emphasis should be laid on development of clear concept in mathematics in a child, right from the primary classes.
If a teacher fails here, then the child will develop a phobia for the subject as he moves on to the higher classes. For explaining a topic in mathematics, a teacher should take help of pictures, sketches, diagrams and models as far as possible. As it is believed that the process of learning is complete if our sense of hearing is accompanied by our sense of sight. Open-ended questions should be given to the child to answer and he/she should be encouraged to think about the solutions in all possible manners. The child should be appreciated for every correct attempt. And the mistakes must be immediately corrected without any criticism.

The greatest hurdle in the process of learning mathematics is lack of practice. Students should daily work out at least 10 problems from different areas in order to master the concept and develop speed and accuracy in solving a problem. Learning of multiplication-tables should be encouraged in the lower classes.
Another very effective means of spreading the knowledge of mathematics among children is through peer-teaching. Once a child has learned a concept from his teacher, the latter should ask him to explain the same to fellow students. Moreover, in the process all the children will be able to express their doubts on the topic and clear them through discussions in a group.

The present age is one of skill-development and innovations. The more mathematical we are in our approach, the more successful we will be. Mathematics offers rationality to our thoughts. It is a tool in our hands to make our life simpler and easier. Let us realize and appreciate the beauty of the subject and embrace it with all our heart. It is a talent which should be compulsorily honed by all in every walk of life.

ALGEBRA AND GEOMETRY WITH CALCULS

One of the earliest algebra topics learned is how to find the slope of a line--a numerical value that describes just how slanted that line is. Calculus gives us a much more generalized method of finding slopes. With it, we can find not only how steeply a line slopes, but indeed, how steeply any curve slopes at any given point.

Without calculus, it is difficult to find areas of shapes other than those whose formulas you learned in geometry. You may be able to find the area of commons shapes such as a triangle, square, rectangle, circle, and even a trapezoid; but how could you find the area of the shape like the one shown below?

With calculus, you can calculate complicated x-intercepts. Without a graphing calculator, it is pretty difficult to calculate an irrational root. However, a simple process called Newton's Method (named Isaac Newton) allows you to calculate an irrational root to whatever accuracy you want.

Calculus makes it much easier to visualize graphs. You may already have a good grasp of linear functions and how to visualize their graphs easily, but what about the graph of something like y= x^3 + 2x^2 - x + 1? Elementary calculus tells you exactly where that graph will be increasing, decreasing, and twisting. You can even find the highest and lowest points on the graph without plotting a single point.

One of the most useful applications of calculus is the optimization of functions. In a small number of steps, you can answer questions such as:

If I have 500 feet of fence, what is the largest rectangular yard I can make? or Given a rectangular sheet of paper which measures 8.5 inches by 11 inches, what are the dimensions of the box I can make containing the greatest volume?

The traditional way to create an open box from a rectangular surface is to cut congruent squares from the corners of the rectangle and then to fold the resulting sides up as shown:

Calculus develops concepts in other mathematics that lets us discover more about them and enables us to achieve greater feats than the mathematics that it is built on. It is vital to understanding and making sense of the world we live in.