Hot Math How-Tos

How To: Calculate the area of a parallelogram

Calculating The Area Of A Parallelogram A parallelogram is a 4-sided shape formed by two pairs of parallel lines. Opposite sides are equal in length and opposite angles are equal in measure. To find the area of a parallelogram, multiply the base by the height. The formula is:

How To: Calculate the area of complex shapes

Watch this video to learn how to calculate the area inside complex figures--shapes composed of multiple smaller, simpler shapes. The first step is to break the shape into its simpler component shapes. Then, using the information you have about the large shape, find all information you can about the smaller ones: base, height, etc. Next, find the areas of the smaller component shapes. Finally, add the areas of each of the component shapes together to find the area of the complex shape. Now you...

How To: Find the midpoint of two points using formula

Find the midpoint of two points using a easy formula. Each coordinate has a x and y. X being the first number and y being the second number. So using the formula of x one plus x two then divide the sum by two. Using the same formula with the y coordinates. After plugging the numbers in the formula add the two x coordinates and divide by two. If you follow the same steps for the y coordinate take the two numbers and you have the midpoint of your two coordinates.

How To: Use rise over run to graph a straight line

In this video the tutor shows how to graph a straight line using the rise over run method. The rise over run trick allows you to graph a straight line as long as you have a starting point and a slope value in the form of a fraction. The first step is to graph the starting point. In the second step he states that the numerator of the slope is rise and the denominator of the slope is run. He says that the rise is vertical and the run is horizontal and shows how do rise and run using those value...

How To: Find a missing part of a triangle, similar to another

In this tutorial the author shows how to find out the missing part of a triangle that is similar to another triangle. He explains the concept of similar triangle diagrammatically by showing that similar triangles have similar angles and parallel sides. Now he labels sides of similar triangles and marks the value of unknown side as variable x. Now in similar triangles as the lengths of sides of proportionate he shows how to write a equation of proportion and solves it finding the missing part ...

How To: Add and subtract variables

Math Problem Generator gives a video about how to add and subtract variables. All you have to do is combine the coefficient, which is the number that comes before the variable. The numbers are added or subtracted but the variable remains the same. In the video, the example given is 9x + 6x - x. First you add 9x + 6x, giving you 15x. The equation is now 15x - x. If a variable has no number written in front of it, that means the value is 1. So the equation is 15x - 1x and that is equal to 14x.

How To: Multiply fractions with canceling

This video will show you how to carry out multiplication of fractions using cancellation, which will make your fraction multiplication problems simpler to solve. You will need to look at the numerator of the first fraction and the denominator of the second fraction and see if you can find a common factor between the two numbers. If one does exist, you can simply divide both numbers by that common factor and simplify. Repeat this for the other numerator and denominator and if possible, your fr...

How To: Find the volume of a cone quickly

For people who are interested in math or who need to know how to find the volume of a cone for any reason, whether it be homework or architecture, this video will show you how to do so. The formula for finding the volume of a cone is (1/3) pi x radius^2 x height. You can find the radius of your cone by finding half the length across the center of the circle which is the cone's base. After plugging in all the values into this equation, you will be able to find the volume of any cone when given...

How To: Identify the slope and Y-intercept given y=mx+b

This tutorial shows how to identify the slope and y-intercept given the formula y=mx+b. In this formula m is always going to be the slope and b is always going to be the y-intercept. Therefore if your given a problem like the one displayed in this video: y= 8/3x + 9, the slope would be 8/3 and the y-intercept would be 9. When given these problems all you have to do is match the given numbers to the formula to find the slope and y-intercept.

How To: Find the area of a triangle when given 2 sides & angle

This video shows you how to easily find the area of a triangle when you know the length of 2 sides and the angle between them. The first thing you have to do is mark the sides of the triangle by a, b, c, where a is the side between A and B, b is the side between B and C and c is the side between C and A. If you know 2 of these 3 sides an you know the angle between them you can find the area of the triangle very simple: Area= (a x b x sin c)/2, where a, b are the two sides and c is the angle b...

How To: Apply the 5th Law of Exponents

In this video the tutor explains the 5th Law of Exponents. He reminds the viewer that when polynomials are multiplied, their exponents get added. Now he states that when a polynomial is raised to another power, the exponents are multiplied instead of adding. The 5th Law of Exponents states that when a polynomial with a power 'a' is raised to a power 'b', then the final power of the exponents is the value of the product of the exponents, i.e., a * b. This video states the 5th Law of Exponents ...

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: Find the surface area of a cylinder easily

In this video tutorial the author shows how to find the surface area of a cylinder. He shows a four step approach to solve this problem. First he gives us a formula to find the surface area of a cylinder, where Surface area A = 2 * Pi * R * R + 2 * Pi * R * H, where R is the radius of the base of the cylinder and H is the height of the cylinder. Now he identifies those values and substitutes them in the formula giving the surface area of the cylinder. This video shows how to compute the surfa...

How To: Reduce fractions for easier manipulation

You should always try to reduce a fraction until it can't be reduced anymore. To do this, look at your fraction and figure out the greatest number BOTH the numerator and denominator can be divided by. This is called the GCF - the greatest common factor. In the video, the problem you must solve is (15/18). What number can be divided into both 15 and 18 evenly? The answer is 3.

How To: Divide fractions

Need a little help in the fraction department? Don't sweat it. Luckily, there is this two-part math tutorial on the subject of dividing fractions to help you along the way. In part one, learn how to divide proper fractions an in part two, learn how to divide mixed numbers with whole numbers.

How To: Find the Area and Volume of a Hemisphere

A hemisphere is sphere that has been cut in half. When you cut the sphere in half you are left with the great circle, plus half of a sphere. This fact can be used to find the area, and the volume of a hemisphere. The video works several example problems in which the area and volume of a hemisphere is calculated.