The Boffins Portal Team 
One of the most thrilling encounters with ellipses is in a room of the National Statuary Hall of Washington D. C. The oval-shaped room introduces you to a whispering chamber where sound can travel along the walls in a unique way due to its elliptical shape. Ellipses are special figures resembling circles. They are like …
When a data point or observation falls outside the normal range, it is considered by data scientists as an outlier. They are what most people would simply refer to as being too big or too small in comparison to what is considered normal. Outliers are therefore considered to be rare or unusual occurrences. Outliers can …
In mathematics, there are several types of transformations of shapes and figures. A transformation is the manipulation of a shape around a plane or coordinate system. Mathematical transformations include: Reflection Translation Dilation Rotation Today, we will take a look at reflection and explore its examples in real life. What is reflection? A reflection is a …
A derivative in mathematics can be defined as a measure of the rate at which a function will change with respect to a variable. Derivatives are the rates at which variables or factors of interest change. Derivatives in mathematics are often used in solving problems such as differential equations. They are also commonly used in …
An equation is any algebraic expression that has two parts set up to be equal to each other through an equal sign. Examples are: x + 4=10 x + 5=y There are many kinds of equations but linear equations are the simplest and most common ones. It is a special type of equation that contains …
Rotation is a mathematical concept that involves the turning of a shape about a fixed point. It is a type of transformation that results in the change of the position of the shape in a clockwise (through a positive angle of rotation) or counterclockwise (through a negative angle of rotation) direction. The object and its …
A ray in geometry can be defined as any line that has an endpoint called a point of origin and extends forever in a single direction. As it travels toward infinity, the ray can also pass through many other points. Rays are usually represented with an arrowhead at one end to indicate their direction of …
Dilation is taking place around us all the time. From pupil enlargement to forensics, it is a fixture of our environment. In geometry, whenever figures are allowed to change, flip, move or undergo a change in their shape, we say they have been transformed. Dilations are a special kind of transformation that makes a figure …
Rational functions are defined as functions that can be written as the ratio of two polynomial functions i.e. f(x) = P(x) /Q(x). The functions are known as being ‘rational’ because one of the polynomial functions is divided by the other just like in a ratio. With rational functions, the denominator can never be equal to …
A plane is any flat surface with two dimensions that are extended infinitely. It has zero thickness, zero curvature, and its width and length are infinite in extent. This means it has no borders or edges and so you can’t see the whole of the plane at any point. To help you visualize a geometrical …