Geometric Abstraction Math Example 3
Follow the full solution, then compare it with the other examples linked below.
Example 3
easyA student wants to calculate how much fencing is needed to enclose a garden. List the geometric properties they need to know and the ones they can ignore.
Solution
- 1 Step 1: Fencing encloses the perimeter of the garden. Identify the shape of the garden (e.g., rectangle, irregular polygon) and its dimensions (side lengths).
- 2 Step 2: Properties to keep: the shape and all side lengths (to compute perimeter). Properties to ignore: the type of plants, soil quality, color of the fence, height of the fence.
Answer
Keep: shape and side lengths. Ignore: plants, soil, colors, heights.
Perimeter depends only on the lengths of the sides of the shape. All other physical or aesthetic properties of the garden are irrelevant to the geometric calculation. Abstracting away these details allows a clean mathematical solution using the perimeter formula for the appropriate shape.
About Geometric Abstraction
Deliberately ignoring certain physical details of a shape to focus on the essential geometric properties being studied.
Learn more about Geometric Abstraction →More Geometric Abstraction Examples
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