Non-Euclidean Geometries (Jacobs ch. 16)

[Momling]

Our geometry plan for this year (Jacobs third Ed) ended up needing to be adjusted a little bit to work further on some areas that needed more practice (ch 11 - trigonometry). Now I'm realizing there's no way to get through the final chapter 16 on non-Euclidean geometrries before she heads off to camp for a month.

I'd like to just give her the final exam before she goes and not worry about Lobachevsky and such... But will I be doing her a disservice? Will she need to know this later on? Should we work through ch 16 when she returns?

Thanks!

[Kathy in Richmond]

You can safely skip Ch 16 if she's running out of time. Better idea to work on the trig chapter & master that.  :) 

[kiana]

Agree with Kathy. That chapter would also make an awesome enrichment chapter later on.

 

Sometimes with enrichment chapters I do 'read it, do a few problems, read the solutions to the problems, understand what they're asking and why it works, but this isn't on the test'.

[Jane Elliot]

Even Derek Owens skips that chapter. It was such a relief when we discovered that.

[Mike in SA]

Will she be taking up quantum relativity soon? No? Ok, she can skip it.

 

Really, it's just a topic of interest for most of us, not much more. When it becomes needed, it will be covered far better than any high school textbook can pretend to.

[Brad S]

I have a somewhat different take on this.  I think that at least a quick pass through the non-Euclidean material is important, although maybe just an hour or two if you're comfortable doing it and your daughter is really pressed for time.  While I agree that you won't need it for the next math class or two, I think it's important to understand that many of the results of (Euclidean) geometry depend on certain postulates -- and with slightly different postulates the world is a very different place.  While not necessary for the grade in the next math class, it is mind expanding and helps put some of the geometry course in perspective.  It's fun stuff too.  If you have a little time over the summer for a couple hours, the geometry course should be fresh in her mind, but after a few years, it's a little bit removed.  Just my 2c.