Can anyone tell me

[Pamela H in Texas]

a couple times (in real life) when I would need to know the length between two points on a 3D plane. I'm sure I'm missing some really good examples. So far, I've come up with:

 

1) trying to fit something in a sphere (never done that, btw).

2) trying to put a stick/rod in a box that is too short length wise.

3) when I googled it, I got a lot of video game design.

4) the shortest distance between 2 points? like how far, straight shot, is it from here to the valley on the other side of that mountain?

 

Anyone got any better reasons?

 

NOTE: I lied. I have put a hamster in one of those hamster balls before :)

[Tammyla]

I've got one...When you're a homeschooling mom and expected to teach it.:001_huh:

 

QUOTE=Pamela H in Texas;685445]a couple times (in real life) when I would need to know the length between two points on a 3D plane. I'm sure I'm missing some really good examples. So far, I've come up with:

 

1) trying to fit something in a sphere (never done that, btw).

2) trying to put a stick/rod in a box that is too short length wise.

3) when I googled it, I got a lot of video game design.

4) the shortest distance between 2 points? like how far, straight shot, is it from here to the valley on the other side of that mountain?

 

Anyone got any better reasons?

 

NOTE: I lied. I have put a hamster in one of those hamster balls before :)

[Pamela H in Texas]

I've got one...When you're a homeschooling mom and expected to teach it.

 

Hee hee

[Jen500]

Hmmm....... I remember trying trying to fit a king size mattress up through a stairway. Would. not. fit.

[Pamela H in Texas]

anybody else?

[Unicorn.]

Well, I keep thinking architecture. Drawing up plans for a building, or a bridge, or a street.

[dm379]

my DH uses it ALL the time when drawing up flight plans. he's a pilot.

[AnnetteB]

Our breezeway deck rotted and we designed and are rebuilding it. The house is built on an uneven slope and the measurements and angles are all very interesting. We've drawn the plans with elevation. We've also used math to figure out what we can and cannot move in our van to save frustration. Figuring the leach lines for the septic system drainage field also takes math skills with that darn slope complicating things.

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

Building a deck. Must figure out distance from wall to one point, and figure out how to level the boards/supports.

 

Flying

 

Here's my dh's input: Problems like this establish a way to think critically. With computers, why teach anything? A computer/calculator can do it all for you. But, teaching complex ideas encourages critical thinking and makes the learner (and the teacher) look at problems from many different angles. A certain level of frustration is good for a child....if one is never frustrated, one never reaches the point of satisfaction felt when the veil is finally lifted, the epiphany is reached, and the problem solved!