The word formula has many meanings: Abracadabra is a magic formula, that is, a ritual word that magicians

say to get their spells to work; in automobile racing, it refers to a category of car, such as Formula One. In mathematics or in physics, a formula indicates a calculation process; it contains variables and sometimes numbers. The equation E = mc must be the most well-known physics formula. I. An example: the area of a rectangle If we want to calculate the area of a rectangle, we just need to multiply the lengths of its sides. Thus, a rectangle that has sides 5 an The word formula has many meanings: Abracadabra is a magic formula, that is, a ritual word that magicians say to get their spells to work; in automobile racing, it refers to a category of car, such as Formula One. In mathematics or in physics, a formula indicates a calculation process; it contains variables and sometimes numbers. The equation E = mc must be the most well-known physics formula. I. An example: the area of a rectangle If we want to calculate the area of a rectangle, we just need to multiply the lengths of its sides. Thus, a rectangle that has sides 5 and 8 meters long has an area of 40 m. We can generalize by saying that to find the area of a rectangle with sides of length l and w, we just need to apply the formula A = l w. This means that we can replace the two variables l and w with numbers in order to calculate A; however, we need to take care always to express the dimensions A, l, and w in corresponding units. For example, if A is in cm, l and w must be in centimeters. Note: If we know the values of two of the variables in the formula A = l w, we can find the value of the third. For example, if we know that a rectangle has an area of 54 dm and a side of length 9 dm, we can find its width by writing 54 = 9 w. The width is therefore equal to 6 dm. II. Other formulas There are formulas that allow us to calculate the areas of standard polygons. In order to apply them, we need to know the significance of the variables that they are made up of. For example, the formula that gives the area of a trapezoid is: .

The variables b, B, and h respectively denote the lengths (in the same units) of the shorter parallel side, the longer parallel side, and the height of the trapezoid. A denotes the size of its area, expressed in a unit corresponding to that chosen for the lengths. If we know the values of three of the four variables that make up the formula, we can find the value of the fourth.

Problem: What is the length in centimeters of the shorter parallel side of a trapezoid, where the area is 35 cm, the height is 0.7 dm, and the longer parallel side is 6 cm? Solution: We can use the formula and replace the letters with their respective values, taking care to convert 0.7 dm to 7 cm. We get: Therefore we get: 35 2 = (b + 6) 7 70 = (b + 6) 7 10 = b + 6 b=4 The length in centimeters of the shorter parallel side is equal to 4 cm. Conclusion: To apply a formula, we replace one or more of the variables that make it up with numbers in order to obtain the numerical value of the remaining variable. Copyright 2006 Ruedesecoles, translated and reprinted by permission. Translation Copyright of Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. The word formula has many meanings: Abracadabra is a magic formula, that is, a ritual word that magicians say to get their spells to work; in automobile racing, it refers to a category of car, such as Formula One. In mathematics or in physics, a formula indicates a calculation process; it contains variables and sometimes numbers. The equation E = mc must be the most well-known physics formula. I. An example: the area of a rectangle If we want to calculate the area of a rectangle, we just need to multiply the lengths of its sides. Thus, a rectangle that has sides 5 and 8 meters long has an area of 40 m. We can generalize by saying that to find the area of a rectangle with sides of length l and w, we just need to apply the formula A = l w. This means that we can replace the two variables l and w with numbers in order to calculate A; however, we need to take care always to express the dimensions A, l, and w in corresponding units. For example, if A is in cm, l and w must be in centimeters. Note: If we know the values of two of the variables in the formula A = l w, we can find the value of the third. For example, if we know that a rectangle has an area of 54 dm and a side of length 9 dm, we can find its width by writing 54 = 9 w. The width is therefore equal to 6 dm. II. Other formulas

There are formulas that allow us to calculate the areas of standard polygons. In order to apply them, we need to know the significance of the variables that they are made up of. For example, the formula that gives the area of a trapezoid is: .

The variables b, B, and h respectively denote the lengths (in the same units) of the shorter parallel side, the longer parallel side, and the height of the trapezoid. A denotes the size of its area, expressed in a unit corresponding to that chosen for the lengths. If we know the values of three of the four variables that make up the formula, we can find the value of the fourth. Problem: What is the length in centimeters of the shorter parallel side of a trapezoid, where the area is 35 cm, the height is 0.7 dm, and the longer parallel side is 6 cm? Solution: We can use the formula and replace the letters with their respective values, taking care to convert 0.7 dm to 7 cm. We get: Therefore we get: 35 2 = (b + 6) 7 70 = (b + 6) 7 10 = b + 6 b=4 The length in centimeters of the shorter parallel side is equal to 4 cm. Conclusion: To apply a formula, we replace one or more of the variables that make it up with numbers in order to obtain the numerical value of the remaining variable. Copyright 2006 Ruedesecoles, translated and reprinted by permission. Translation Copyright of Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. d 8 meters long has an area of 40 m. We can generalize by saying that to find the area of a rectangle with sides of length l and w, we just need to apply the formula A = l w. This means that we can replace the two variables l and w with numbers in order to calculate A; however, we need to take care always to express the dimensions A, l, and w in corresponding units. For example, if A is in cm, l and w must be in centimeters. Note: If we know the values of two of the variables in the formula A = l w, we can find the value of the third. For example, if we know that a rectangle has an area of 54 dm and a side of length 9 dm, we can find its width by writing 54 = 9 w. The width is therefore equal to 6 dm. II. Other formulas

There are formulas that allow us to calculate the areas of standard polygons. In order to apply them, we need to know the significance of the variables that they are made up of. For example, the formula that gives the area of a trapezoid is: .

The variables b, B, and h respectively denote the lengths (in the same units) of the shorter parallel side, the longer parallel side, and the height of the trapezoid. A denotes the size of its area, expressed in a unit corresponding to that chosen for the lengths. If we know the values of three of the four variables that make up the formula, we can find the value of the fourth. Problem: What is the length in centimeters of the shorter parallel side of a trapezoid, where the area is 35 cm, the height is 0.7 dm, and the longer parallel side is 6 cm? Solution: We can use the formula and replace the letters with their respective values, taking care to convert 0.7 dm to 7 cm. We get: Therefore we get: 35 2 = (b + 6) 7 70 = (b + 6) 7 10 = b + 6 b=4 The length in centimeters of the shorter parallel side is equal to 4 cm. Conclusion: To apply a formula, we replace one or more of the variables that make it up with numbers in order to obtain the numerical value of the remaining variable. Copyright 2006 Ruedesecoles, translated and reprinted by permission. Translation Copyright of Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.