The Boffins Portal Team 
DEFINITION: In mathematics, translation refers to shifting a figure or object in a specific direction without altering its shape, size, or orientation. It involves moving every point of the figure by the same distance. EXPLANATION: Walking, running, and turning are all types of movement. In mathematics, movements through space are known as transformations. There are …
Triangles are one of the most common geometric shapes we encounter daily. Our food, jewelry, and the structures around us feature these fascinating shapes. However, have you ever taken the time to observe these triangles and determine what type of triangles they are? There are different types of triangles. These include equilateral, scalene, and isosceles …
DEFINITION: Torque is the measure of a force’s ability to cause rotational motion around an axis. It’s calculated as the product of the force and the distance from the axis of rotation. EXPLANATION: Many forces familiar to us operate in a linear fashion. For example, a car moving on a straight road. Forces are the …
DEFINITION: Concurrent forces are multiple forces acting on a single point or object, where their lines of action intersect at a common point, resulting in a combined effect on the object. EXPLANATION: From mashing potatoes in the kitchen and typing on a keyboard to using a crane to lift heavy construction materials, we apply force …
Being faced with many numbers can be overwhelming. It makes sense to try and find a number that is representative of the data you’re looking at. This is where average comes in. Average in mathematics is a value that is a representation of all the numbers in a data set. Average or mean isn’t always …
DEFINITION: Permutations represent the arrangements of a set of elements in a particular order, where the order matters. It calculates the number of possible arrangements without repetition. EXPLANATION: When you arrange items in a particular order, we call this a permutation. An example is when you have A, E, T and want to take three …
DEFINITION: Utilitarianism is an ethical theory emphasizing actions that generate the greatest overall happiness or utility for the largest number of people, focusing on maximizing collective well-being or benefit. EXPLANATION: Utilitarianism is a moral theory about what should be good or right in a society. Famously expressed through the maxim “the greatest amount of good …
DEFINITION: In mathematics, slope refers to the measure of steepness or inclination of a line, expressed as the ratio of vertical change (rise) to horizontal change (run) between two points on the line. EXPLANATION: Have you ever walked or ran up a hill and found yourself feeling exhausted? You may have wondered at how steep …
One of the most interesting objects in geometry is prisms. These are solid objects that have straight-level sides with identical opposite facing ends or bases. They take many different shapes such as the square prism, rectangular prisms, pyramids, hexagonal prisms, etc. A common prism that you will often encounter is the triangular prism. It gets …
Transversals are one of the best ways of gaining insights into the principles of geometry and angles. These principles are also useful for practical purposes such as when building structures. However, before we get into them, let’s first understand a few basics… What are parallel lines? When two lines never cross each other, we call …