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Word Problems

Browse Middle School Definitions

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A Peck of Peppers [02/27/2002]
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick? How much is a peck?

Pentagram [12/08/2001]
Is a five-pointed star on a flag a decagon? Or just five triangles?

Percent Greater Than vs. Increased [11/22/2002]
Is there a difference between the following statements? My profits are 200% greater than they were last year; My profits from last year have increased 200%.


Perfect Numbers [08/14/1997]
What is the highest perfect number that has been found? How many perfect numbers are there? What are they?

Perfect Square: Definition [10/24/1999]
What is a perfect square?

Perimeter of an Oval [04/08/1999]
What is the perimeter of an oval called?

pH Definition [10/20/2001]
What is the 'p' in pH?

Phi [05/18/1997]
What is phi?

Point Symmetry [08/19/2001]
What exactly is point symmetry? How can one tell if point symmetry is present?

Polygon Names [09/18/2001]
Why is a 3-sided polygon called a triangle instead of a tri-gon? Why is a 4-sided polygon called a quadrilateral instead of a tetragon, when all the others are ___-gons? Why is there not a single consistent term?

Polyhedra: Classification, Theorem [02/12/1998]
I would like to know how polyhedrons are classified, which figures can be used for the faces, and the theorem relating the faces, edges, and vertices.

Polyominoes [09/08/1997]

Polyominos [08/11/1999]
What is the definition of a polyomino?

The Pound Sign [04/06/2001]
Can the # symbol be used to represent the weight unit 'pounds'?

Power or Exponent? [10/14/2003]
I always thought that 'power' was just a synonym for 'exponent'. Is that incorrect?

Prime Numbers [01/31/1997]
What are the prime numbers and why are they prime numbers?

Prime Numbers vs. Prime Factors [01/13/1997]
What is the difference between a prime number and a prime factor?

Principal Square Root Positive [10/24/2002]
Why are we always taught that the principal square root of a number is positive?

Profit Margin and Percentage Markup [02/16/2007]
I own a small business and am a little confused about the difference between a percentage markup and a profit margin. Are they the same thing? If not, how are they different?

Pronumerals [05/14/2002]
What is a 'pronumeral'?

Pronunciation of Fractions [03/28/1997]
How do you pronounce fractions with 32, 42... in the denominator...?

Proofs with Isosceles Triangles [10/28/1998]
What are altitudes, angle bisectors, and medians? How do you prove that in an isoseles triangle, the altitude is a median and an angle bisector?

Proportionality Symbol [05/20/2003]
Do you know the name of the little symbol used in the topic of rates and variation that means 'in proportion to'?

Pyramid Corners [05/01/2001]
How many corners does a pyramid have? Is a corner the same thing as a vertex?

Pyramids and Triangular Prisms [05/09/2000]
What's the difference between a pyramid and a triangular prism?

Quadrant [03/25/2001]
What is a quadrant?

Quadratic Equation [7/10/1996]
Why is a quadratic equation "quadratic"?

Quadratic Equations [12/3/1995]
My students want to know why an equation of the second degree is referred to as a quadratic equation. What does the prefix quad have to do with second degree equations?

Quadrilateral Classification: Definition of a Trapezoid [01/15/1997]
What is the correct definition of a trapezoid, and why?

Quadrilaterals [8/31/1995]
What is 4-sided and has no equal angles?

Range, Mean, Median, and Mode [11/17/1998]
Why do we study range, mean, median, and mode? How will these concepts help me in real life?

Ratios and Fractions: A Reconciliation [04/02/2013]
Teachers disagree about whether a fraction can compare part to part. Doctor Peterson first distinguishes between ratios and fractions before reconciling them and warning against inflexible thinking.


Rays and Angles [11/24/1997]

Reciprocals [12/19/1996]
What is the use of reciprocals?

Rectangular Prism [9/10/1995]
What is the term for a 3-dimensional rectangle, i.e., box?

Reflecting a Triangle [9/14/1996]
A right triangle is reflected about its hypotenuse. What is the new geometric figure that is formed?

Reflex Angle [11/30/1998]
What is a reflex angle?

Regression Method [11/18/1997]
What is the regression method?


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