Hot Math How-Tos

How To: Draw a right trapezoid in Geometry

Watch this video to learn how to draw a right trapezoid using given specifications for lengths of sides. A right trapezoid is a four-sided shape with two right angles and two parallel sides. First, draw the long base. Then draw a 90 degree angle at one end of the base, using a protractor. Mark the angle to show it is 90 degrees. Then draw another 90 degree angle at the top. This is the first video in a set--to finish learning you must watch the next segment. If you watch these videos you will...

How To: Find a number given Its percent

This how-to video is about how to find a number when its percent is given. This video is really helpful and effective in finding the number when the percent is given, the following steps are explained in the video to find the number when its percent is given:

How To: Find outliers using the Z-score method

If you use Microsoft Excel on a regular basis, odds are you work with numbers. Put those numbers to work. Statistical analysis allows you to find patterns, trends and probabilities within your data. In this MS Excel tutorial from everyone's favorite Excel guru, YouTube's ExcelsFun, the 49th installment in his "Excel Statistics" series of free video lessons, you'll learn how to find outliers with the +/- 3 Z-score rule and the ABS function. See how to do a box plot by hand and in Excel. For th...

How To: Use the Fundamental Rule of Proportions in Algebra

The author in this video explains the concept of fundamental rule of proportions. Fundamental rule of proportions means cross multiply. He explains that to arrive from an equation which has fractions into the one without equation multiply the top of left side with the bottom of right side and equal it with bottom of left side multiplied with top of the right side. In this way proportions can be cross multiplied to arrive at an algebraic expression. If you want to master the rule of proportion...

How To: Multiply & Divide Numbers (Basic Elementary Math)

Adding and subtracting may be the easiest of mathematical operations, but once you get it down, multiplication and division can be just as easy. That's why it's called elementary arithmetic. If it were harder, it would be called college algebra or trigonometry. But it's not— it's basic math, and once you get your head around the numbers, you'll never hate math class again! (Okay, maybe you will.)

How To: Simplify a quadratic formula result

In this video the tutor shows how to simplify a quadratic formula result. You can solve a quadratic equation using the quadratic formula. The first thing you have to do when given the quadratic equation is bring all the terms to one side so that you have a zero on the other side of the equals to sign. Now the formula to calculate the roots of the quadratic equation ax*x + bx + c = 0 is x = (-b + root of(b*b - 4*a*c) ) / 2 * a. The other root can be obtained by using the minus sign before the ...

How To: Find the Slope Given 2 Ordered Pairs

Slope is the change in Y over the change in X. Written out, the formula looks is as follows: (y2-y1)

How To: Calculate Faster Than a Calculator

When you need to crunch numbers quickly — and I mean really quickly — there's a cool method you can use to multiply two numbers together in just a few seconds.

How To: Use ">" (greater than) and "<" (less than) symbols

In this video the author explains how to identify the less than (<) and greater than (>) symbols and when to use them. She explains to us to relate the numbers to animals stating that the smaller numbers are smaller animals and bigger numbers are bigger animals. Now she tells us to imagine that smaller animals are eaten up by the larger animals. So she shows a smaller number comes on the left side of '<' sign and bigger number comes on the right side of '<' sign stating that the bigger number...

How To: Subtract a mixed number from a proper fraction in basic math

From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps. With this free math tutorial, you'll learn how to subtract a mixed number from a fraction in basic arithmetic.

How To: Find the circumference of a circle

Use a simple mathematical formula to find the circumference of a circle. The circumference of a circle can be determined by using the formula 2 times pi times the circle's radius. Pi is equal to 3.14. If a circle's radius is 10 centimeters, first multiply pi times 2. Pi, or 3.14, times 2 is 6.28. The next step then is to multiply 6.28 times the circle's radius. Since the circle's radius is 10 centimeters, multiply it by 6.28. This gives you 60.28. 60.28 inches, then, is the circumference of t...

How To: Find extra points for a parabola (quadractic equation)

This is a mathematical educational video on how to find extra points for a parabola. In the first two examples there is no need for finding extra points as they have five points and have zeros of the parabola. In example 3 we need to find extra points. The equation is y=4xsquare-4x+4. You can take x= -1 and get the value for y. You will get a point now. Similarly you can substitute -2 for x in the same equation and get the value for y. Now you get another point. Now you can draw the parabola.

How To: Solve a word problem that involves proportions

In this Education video tutorial you will learn how to solve a word problem that involves proportions. To solve such problems you got to express the scenario in proportions. For example, in the problem, ‘Jacob ran 10 miles in 80 minutes’; this rate can be expressed as 10miles/ 80 minutes. The second part of the problem is to find out ‘at that rate how far would he run in 2.5 hours’? ‘How far’ being a variable, write it as ‘x’ and this can be expressed as x/ 2.5 hours. So, the complete equatio...

How To: Find the equation of a line given 2 points

This tutorial teaches you how to find a mathematical equation of a line given 2 points that exists on the line. The tutorial starts off with 2 points labeled (2,-4) and (3,6). The first step is to determine the slope of the line using the formula given in the tutorial in blue. The slope is then solved as 'm'. Plug the slope and the points into another formula given in green. The tutorial maker provides a tip that one can use x1 and y1 or x2 and y2, however, it must be consistent. After, solve...

How To: Find the slope of a line given 2 points with fractions

In this video tutorial the instructor shows how to find the slope of a line given two points with fractional values. To do this first name your two points as point 1 with coordinates as x1, y1 and point 2 with coordinates x2, y2. Then substitute the values in the equation of the slope which is slope m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1). Now all you have to do is simply the fraction after substituting the point values. Be careful about the signs while substituting in the formula. Now finally after solvin...

How To: Find the standard deviation with the Z-Score formula

In this tutorial, we learn how to find the standard deviation with the Z-Score formula. First, take your problem and write it out one by one underneath each other. Then, you will need to substitute the numbers in for the variables that are in the problem. Once you do this, you will follow the basic rules of math to find out what the answer to the problem is appropriately. Once you have done this, finish off the problem to find the answer, then you will have found the standard deviation using ...

How To: Add fractions with unlike denominators

In order to add fractions that are not alike, you will need to find the lowest common denominator. This is the least common multiple of the fractions. To add 2/3 plus 1/5, you will need to find the lowest common denominator. Here, it is best to think of all of the multiples of the denominators. If it helps, make a list. For 3, it is 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, etc. For five, the multiples are 5, 15, 20, 25, etc.

How To: Solve word problems involving domain and range

See how to find the domain and range of a function implied by a word problem with this free video math lesson. From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps (or just finish your homework or study for that next big test). With this installment from Internet pedagogical superstar Salman Khan's series of free math tutor...

How To: Find the 100th term in a sequence

Need to find the nth term in a given arithmetic sequence? See how it's done with this free video math lesson. Need help finding the From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps (or just finish your homework or study for that next big test). With this installment from Internet pedagogical superstar Salman Khan's seri...

How To: Solve equations with the order of operations

In mathematics, the order of operations define the priority in which complex equations are solved. The top priority is your parenthesis, then exponents, followed by multiplication and division, and finally addition and subtraction (PEMDAS). This video tutorial demonstrates the order of operation with various examples and explains the associated methodology. From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autod...

How To: Add and subtract rational expressions in algebra

In this math tutorial, you'll be trained in the arcane art of adding and subtracting rational expressions by finding the common denominator. A skill many discard upon leaving middle school, it is used by the villians who operate under the acronym "SAT" to test those caught blank minded and whose minds are unrationalized.

How To: Find surface area and volume of a sphere

In this how to video, you will learn how to find the volume of a sphere and surface area. Let's say you need to find the volume of a sphere with a surface area of 200 cm cubed. You will need to know the formulas for surface area and volume of a sphere. The formula for surface area is 4 pi r squared. The formula for volume is 4/3 pi r cubed. Plug in the surface area of 200 cm cubed and plug it into the formula. You should get an answer of about 3.99 cm. Now you just have to solve for the radiu...

How To: Solve math problems using proportions

Proportions or ratios are fundamental concepts of mathematics. A proportions is an equation that states that two ratios are equal. Hence proportion can be written in two ways as a:b=c:d or a/b=c/d. In these equations a and d are called as extremes and b,c are called as means. So when working with proportions we can state that product of the means is equal to the product of the extremes i.e. a*d = b*c. This is obtained by cross multiplying the second form of proportions. In mathematics you are...

How To: Use and find x & y-intercepts in algebra

A straight line can be represented in the form of a liner equation containing two variables x and y. When the equation is graphed on a pair of coordinate axes, the line passes cut through the axes in two points. The point where the line cuts the x-axes is called as its x coordinate and the point where the line cuts the y-axes is called as its y coordinate. In this way a line has x-intercept and y-intercept. The x-intercept of a line lies on x axes and is in the form (a,0). Similarly the y-int...

How To: Find the area of triangles and other geometric shapes

The video shows us how to find the area of triangles and other geometric shapes. First, before starting to find the areas, we need to know the basics of what do those shapes actually mean and we need a little bit of vocabulary to back us up. First, the parallelograms are four sided figures with two sets of sides which are parallel to each other. The rectangles and the squares qualifies the parallelograms and also the parallelograms except that they have slanted sides and the triangles are thr...

How To: Find the equation of a perpendicular line

In this video the instructor shows how to find out an equation of a perpendicular line. If you need to find the equation of a line passing through the given point and perpendicular to another line, the first thing you need to do is compute the slope of the given line. Obtain the slope of the equation by writing it in the form of y = mx + b. Now the product of slopes of two perpendicular lines is negative one. So the slope of our required line will be negative inverse of the slope of given lin...

How To: Find the vertical asymptotes of rational functions

To find a vertical asymptote, you are trying to find values of x that produce 0 in the denominator but not in the numerator. If 0/0 occurs, that means you have a "hole" in the graph. A vertical asymptote is a place in the graph of infinite discontinuity, where the graph spikes off to positive or negative infinity. To find the vertical asymptote, set the denominator equal to zero and solve for x. Check that the values also do not give a zero in the nominator. If the values work, you have found...

How To: Graph a line using an x-y table

In this video the instructor shows how to graph a line using X-Y table values. He specifies a four step approach. In the first step he picks numbers for the value of x. In the next step he substitutes the values of x in the equation of the line to obtain the corresponding y values, in the third step he plots these ordered pairs on a graph sheet. Finally in the fourth step he joins them resulting in a straight line for the given equation. This video clearly shows how to graph a line using an X...

How To: Find a slope of a line parallel/perpendicular to it

This video tells you how to find a slope of a parallel / perpendicular to it. In the equation y = mx + c, m is the slope. To calculate the slope of a line that is parallel to another line, you have to consider the rule m1 = m2 which means slope of the first line m1 is equal to the second line m2, if both the lines are parallel. Take the equation y = 2/3x - 7.2/3 is the slope. According to the rule m1 = 2/3 and so m2 = 2/3.Now to calculate the slope of perpendicular line you have another rule ...

How To: Find Leg Lengths and Hypotenuse of a 45 45 90 Triangle

A 45 45 90 triangle is a special right triangle because you can use short cuts to find leg length and hypotenuse length. This video solves two problems involving leg length and hypotenuse length.

How To: Evaluate factorials with a TI-83 calculator

The factorial of a number n can be defined as the product of all positive integers that are greater than 0 but less than or equal to n.

How To: Find the volume of a swimming pool

In this video, we learn how to find the volume of a swimming pool. To do this, you will first need to find the measurements of all the sides that are on the pool. After this, you will plug in the measurements that you found into the equation to find the volume. This equation is: V=AH, volume= area(height). So, plug in the area and the height to the equation for A and H and then multiply these two together. Once you do this, you will find the answer! Don't forget to label the units on the fina...

How To: Use a unit circle to find trig values

In this tutorial, we learn how to use a unit circle to find trig values. The unit circle has a radius one, use the definition of the trig functions to figure this out. Write them down if you need to, to remember what they are. You will also need two special triangles to help figure this out. Make sure you know the short side is opposite 30 degrees. Now, draw out your graph and find the ordered pair of pie, then find the y value of it. From here, find the cosine, tangent, and other units using...

How To: Change fractions to decimals

In this tutorial, we learn how to change fractions to decimals. Once you learn how to do this, it can help you learn more levels of math. Start out with easy problems and work your way up to more difficult ones. First, try rewriting the equation. Take your top numerator and divide it out by hand by your denominator. After you have done the long math for this, the number that is on the top of the division sign will be your answer. You will need to have a good sense of what numbers add into wha...

How To: Draw an isosceles trapezoid

This is a video tutorial in the Education category where you are going to learn how to draw an isosceles trapezoid. This video demonstrates how to draw an isosceles trapezoid with a long base (B), a short base (b) and a 35 degree angle. First you draw the long base. Now center the short base at the center point of the long base and mark the end points of the short base with dots. Next draw perpendicular dotted lines from the dots extending upwards. Draw 35 degree angles from either end of the...

How To: Calculate the width of a fence given its length and perimeter

From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps. With this installment from Internet pedagogical superstar Salman Khan's series of free math tutorials, you'll learn how to find the width of a fence when given numbers for its length and perimeter.

How To: "Back out the tax" from a receipt

In this video, we learn how to back out the tax from a receipt. If you have a receipt where you see how much you paid and know the tax rate, except you want to figure out the cost of the item before the tax. First, take the cost of the item including tax and what the tax rate is. To figure out the original price, let x equal the cost of the item. Add the tax to the cost of the item which will equal the cost you paid. Perform the equation 1x+(tax rate)= (total price). After you figure this equ...

How To: Know if matrices can be multiplied

In this Education video tutorial you will learn how to know if matrices can be multiplied. If the column of the first and the row of the second match, you can multiply them. For example if, matrix A has 2 rows and 3 columns (A: 2x3) and matrix B has 3 rows and 4 columns (B: 3x4), then you can multiply them. But, if A: 3x2 and B: 3x4, you cannot multiply them. The shape of the resultant matrix will be the shape of the outer numbers. For example, we saw that if A:2x3 and B :3x2, then they can b...

How To: Simplify a radical expression including variables

Want to simplify a radical expression with algebraic variables? See how it's done with this free video algebra lesson. From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps (or just study for that next big test).

How To: Use radical notation to evaluate rational exponents

Learn how to evaluate rational exponents using radical notation in this free video algebra lesson. From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps (or just study for that next big test).