Episode Guide

1. Discovering Patterns — This program introduces the use of patterns to explain, create, and predict. Patterns in card tricks, game strategies, music, laser light shows, woven cloth, baskets, and weather are used to illustrate the importance of organizing and analyzing information to find patterns and make predictions.

2. Patterns with Ten — The use of patterns in base ten place value, exponents, scientific notation, and the metric system is explored in this program.

3. Sequences and Ratios — The patterns of the Fibonacci Sequence and Golden Ratio are shown in the world around us to introduce sequences and ratios and to reinforce measuring skills.

4. Tessellations/Transformations — Tessellations are explained and are shown in quilt patterns, architecture, and nature. The written materials instruct students in making tessellations and increase skill in the transformations of rotating, reflecting and translating shapes.

5. Networks, Paths, and Knots — Mathematics is portrayed as an evolving subject that develops through experimentation and discovery of patterns. Euler’s earlier work with networks is connected to recent use of network theory. Topology and knot theory are presented as evaluations of their earlier mathematical work.

6. Patterns In Pieces (print only/no video) — The written material presents a review of decimal fractions, common fractions, and percents from the perspective of finding patterns.

7. 2D Visions in a 3D World — This program investigates the necessary spatial skills for visualizing, representing, and interpreting object drawings and objects. These skills are explored in various arenas such as holograms, stereoscopic vision, box-making and computer-assisted design.

8. What’s Your Angle? — Various types of angles and their prevalence, importance, and use in the world around us are studied. Parallel and perpendicular lines are also explored.

9. Trusting Triangles — Triangles have two important uses in our world: structural support and a means to indirectly measure distance. Important proper ties of triangles are also presented.

10. A World of Quadrilaterals — Many of the things we have constructed in this world are four-sided figures called quadrilaterals. Perimeter and area, as well as properties of certain types of quadrilaterals, are illustrated from examples and occupations in the world around us.

11. Circles, Curves, and Spheres — Properties of circles, curves, and spheres, as well as area and circumference problems, are illustrated in the action of car races and amusement parks.

12. Containers: Surface Area and Volume — Using animals, people, buildings, and other things which could collectively be called “containers,” surface area and volume and the relationship between the two are explored.

13. Data: How do You Get It? — Gives examples of common ways to collect data including surveys, observations, examining past records, experiments, and simulations.

14. Data: How Do You Show It? — Illustrates the variety of possible data displays and the arenas in which they may be most appropriate.

15. Data: What Does it Mean? — Illustrates the challenges and techniques in accurately interpreting a variety of data displays.

16. Chances Are — Illustrates data being used to make decisions and predictions based on the theories of probability.