It has to do with Geometry.
2006-11-06 14:23:34 · 7 answers · asked by Lady_Troublez 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Whoever is requiring you to solve this sentence probably wants you to write "not". There's a mild conflict between the community of mathematicians and the community of elementary educators about whether the definition of trapezoid should include parallelograms.
As a mathematician, it seems that a parallelogram or even rectangle should be counted as a trapezoid, because everything true about trapezoids is also true about them. Also when you use the Trapezoid Rule for approximating integrals, it would be foolish to say "and Rectangle Rule", to handle the flat case.
I'm not entirely clear on the educator's argument, some nebulous idea about how children should view them as being essentially different things. Since trapezoids don't have much application in mathematics, this debate has gone unnoticed by most. However in every textbook on geometry I've seen they insist on forcing this unpleasant definition down pupil's throats by having test questions like the above.
Anyway I want you to get a good grade so write "not". It's not your teacher's fault. :/
2006-11-07 06:57:04 · answer #1 · answered by Steven S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A trapezoid is NOT ALWAYS a parallelogram.
It's the best answer one can come up with as a trapezoid has little to do with a parallelogram. A trapezoid is a quadrilateral with at least one pair of its opposite sides parallel. Note that some previous answerers have it wrong. It can be a parallelogram if both the pairs of its opposite sides are parallel. In most cases it is not.
The second best answer can be:
A trapezoid is A QUADRILATERAL, JUST LIKE a parallelogram.
Note: The words in Caps indicate the words above the blanks
2006-11-07 06:51:07 · answer #2 · answered by Akilesh - Internet Undertaker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A trapezoid is NOT a parallelogram because a parallelogram must have 2 sets of parallel sides. A trapezoid has only 1 set of parallel sides!
2006-11-07 00:03:16 · answer #3 · answered by mathteacher 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A trapezoid is a quadrilateral and has 2 parallel sides but it is not a parallelogram.
I think this is right because I took Geometry last year. Hope it helps. :)
2006-11-06 22:44:17 · answer #4 · answered by . 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They both have 4 sides parallel to each other. A trapezoid is a quadrilateral parallelogram.
2006-11-06 22:27:52 · answer #5 · answered by ihv1hus2kids 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a parallelogram.
2006-11-06 22:28:41 · answer #6 · answered by Black Rose 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not?
2006-11-06 22:27:15 · answer #7 · answered by mattiebouge 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋