Geometry Who Am I? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Euclid

"Elements" was the standard book used in geometry classes for close to 2000 years. The standard type of geometry studied is Euclidean geometry, although there are non-Euclidean geometries too.

Answer: Right Angle

Another definition for a right angle is a quarter of a circle. Right angles are very important in the geometry of triangles - also known as trigonometry.

Answer: Straightedge

In classical geometry, only straightedges and compasses can be used for constructions. Even though you can't measure things, these two instruments are very powerful. However, there are three things they can't do alone: square a circle, trisect an angle, and duplicate a cube.

Answer: Ellipse

Even the original Copernican Theory used circles (known as epicycles) to describe the orbit of the planets. The advantage over the Ptolemaic Theory was that the Copernican system used a lot fewer epicycles.

Answer: Asymptote

A hyperbola approaches but never reaches two intersecting lines called asymptotes. A focus is the point in the plane that determines where the conic (circle, ellipse, hyperbola, parabola) lies. A directrix is a line that is only involved with parabolas.

Answer: Hexagon

The only three regular polygons that can fill a plane without leaving spaces are the equilateral triangle, square, and regular hexagon. The hexagon holds the most honey for a given amount of wax, so this is the shape of the cells in a honeycomb.

Answer: Square

A rhombus and a rectangle both have four sides. A rhombus has all of its sides the same size and a rectangle has right angles for corners. A square is the only object that is both a rhombus and a rectangle.

Answer: Triangle

Triangles can be described by their largest angle: acute, right, or obtuse. They can also be described by their sides. A scalene had no equal sides. An isosceles has at least (some say exactly) two equal sides. An equilateral has all three sides the same size.

Answer: lozenge

A diamond is the same thing as a rhombus (a quadrilateral with all four sides the same). A diamond is a parallelogram but they are not the same thing since a parallelogram only has to have *opposite* sides the same size. A kite has two adjacent side the same length and the other two side equal to each other but different than the first two sides. A trapezoid is nothing like a diamond.

A lozenge is a true synonym for a diamond. Do you know why cough drops are called lozenges? The first ones made were diamond-shaped.

Answer: Rene Descartes

Legend has it that Descartes was inspired by a fly walking across the shadow of a window lattice. Although analytical geometry has led to major advances in mathematics and is very common (remember all of the Cartesian planes you used in school), classical geometry has a certain elegance and still has a place today.