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Does a circle have a side??

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kaydoh On December 19, 2011




nottingham, United Kingdom
#1New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 09:18:30
Wasn't sure where to put this, so it ended up here.

My four year old was asked by his teacher to talk about shapes as part of his homework, we had to trace some shapes and then talk about and write observations about that shape. eg, a square has four corners and four sides. so anyway we did a circle and I said that it has no sides. When the teacher looked at the homework she pointed out to me that I was wrong, saying that without a side the shape would collapse in on itself. I didn't argue, it didn't seem worth the bother at the time, but it's been bugging me.

I always thought that in order to have a side a shape or object had to have three corneal points, therefore a circle can't have a side

So is she right?
JorieJukebox On January 29, 2024
...





Right Here, Not There,
#2New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 09:58:57
It has two sides... inside and outside.
thequietman On August 29, 2018
Scapegrace





Rusty Bullet Hole, Washington
#3New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:09:29
@kaydoh Said

Wasn't sure where to put this, so it ended up here.

My four year old was asked by his teacher to talk about shapes as part of his homework, we had to trace some shapes and then talk about and write observations about that shape. eg, a square has four corners and four sides. so anyway we did a circle and I said that it has no sides. When the teacher looked at the homework she pointed out to me that I was wrong, saying that without a side the shape would collapse in on itself. I didn't argue, it didn't seem worth the bother at the time, but it's been bugging me.

I always thought that in order to have a side a shape or object had to have three corneal points, therefore a circle can't have a side

So is she right?

WTF are they doing teaching this to four year olds? Mathematicians even say that the question is too ambiguous to have a definite answer.
kaydoh On December 19, 2011




nottingham, United Kingdom
#4New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:09:49
@jorie_13 Said

It has two sides... inside and outside.



lol! yeah but that would mean a square has six sides!
kaydoh On December 19, 2011




nottingham, United Kingdom
#5New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:11:11
@thequietman Said

WTF are they doing teaching this to four year olds? Mathematicians even say that the question is too ambiguous to have a definite answer.



She made the comment to me rather than him, because I had written the note next to the shape. In fairness she is an amazing teacher.
sAeGeSpAeNe On October 05, 2021
Part-time Nidologist





The other Bristol..., Connecti
#6New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:11:24
Jorie_13 is right.

Just step back, and think "out-of-the-box" -- Your definition of a 'side' is patently 'one-sided'.

Nevermind the circle! What about the sphere? Sides are not required to be straight or exist in only one plane....
thequietman On August 29, 2018
Scapegrace





Rusty Bullet Hole, Washington
#7New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:12:40
Oh I see. I've heard of kids having this question in their homework though.
offbeat On November 18, 2022




london, United Kingdom
#8New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:13:00
@thequietman Said

WTF are they doing teaching this to four year olds? Mathematicians even say that the question is too ambiguous to have a definite answer.



yes i agree , teacher would be better served by showing that little girl how to fill out a benefit claim form
JorieJukebox On January 29, 2024
...





Right Here, Not There,
#9New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:13:04
@kaydoh Said

lol! yeah but that would mean a square has six sides!

Yep, it's all a matter of persective...
kaydoh On December 19, 2011




nottingham, United Kingdom
#10New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:14:40
@sAeGeSpAeNe Said

Jorie_13 is right.

Just step back, and think "out-of-the-box" -- Your definition of a 'side' is patently 'one-sided'.

Nevermind the circle! What about the sphere? Sides are not required to be straight or exist in only one plane....



Don't get technical on me on a Friday! ha ha. The point wasn't to think outside of the box, rather to define whether a regular circle has a side or not. The more I think about it the more confused I get. then again as pointed out if Mathematicians can't agree then least I don't feel so bad
kaydoh On December 19, 2011




nottingham, United Kingdom
#11New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:15:34
@offbeat Said

yes i agree , teacher would be better served by showing that little girl how to fill out a benefit claim form



WTF is that supposed to mean?
JorieJukebox On January 29, 2024
...





Right Here, Not There,
#12New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:17:29
Maybe it even has four sides... inside, outside, right side and left side... lol.
Or six... adding topside and bottomside...
sAeGeSpAeNe On October 05, 2021
Part-time Nidologist





The other Bristol..., Connecti
#13New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:23:11
@kaydoh Said

Don't get technical on me on a Friday! ha ha. The point wasn't to think outside of the box, rather to define whether a regular circle has a side or not. The more I think about it the more confused I get. then again as pointed out if Mathematicians can't agree then least I don't feel so bad



But look at your definition! That would mean, in a 2-D situation, the 'side' must be a straight line. [Just what is a 'corneal point'?] Taken one step further, in a 3-D world (reality!), your definition would not permit the existance of any ball-shapes! Tell the teacher that you accept the validity of what she says, but can't agree with how she explains it.

I have the same sort of 'issue' with any number of things my nephew brings home from school, as a part of his homework. Either the text-books or the teachers manage to express the most illogical things while trying to explain a concept, when they should -- first and foremost -- be teaching the child how to think, logically!
offbeat On November 18, 2022




london, United Kingdom
#14New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:25:31
@kaydoh Said

WTF is that supposed to mean?



not a remark about your little girl , but a rant about the current state and the future state of employment in this country ...regarding the circle ...it has no sides ..of course .
kaydoh On December 19, 2011




nottingham, United Kingdom
#15New Post! Nov 12, 2010 @ 10:27:28
@offbeat Said

not a remark about your little girl , but a rant about the current state and the future state of employment in this country ...regarding the circle ...it has no sides ..of course .



Boy actually, and you could be right but hope springs eternal!
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