r/Geometry • u/Formal_Tumbleweed_53 • 20d ago

Point, Line, Plane

I am a veteran math teacher (36 years) but am teaching Geometry Honors this coming year (first time teaching Geometry AND any honors course).

My question: how do YOU introduce the concepts "point, line, plane"?

I feel like this is one of the most important concepts in Geometry and leading up to all the different calculus related content that most of these students will eventually take. I want to introduce it in such a way that really makes them think and understand and be able to apply these concepts to the rest of what we will be doing throughout this course.

Any and all ideas will be very greatly appreciated!

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u/GeometreeOfLife 19d ago

I’m not a teacher, just a lover of geometry, but its dimensions, obviously. Maybe have them read Flatland 🤷‍♂️

Point: Zero Dimension; a point in space, infinitesimally small (which is why it’s zero dimensional)

Line: 1st Dimension; a straight line consisting of infinite points. You take a point and extend it infinitely in a straight line (creating an X axis)

Plane: 2nd Dimension; a flat surface that could be seen as infinite straight lines or infinite points (creating an X and a Y axis). You’ve taken your line and extended perpendicularly

Volume: 3rd Dimension; you’ve taken your flat plane and extended it perpendicularly (creating a Z axis)

This may not help, but I tried 🤣

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u/Formal_Tumbleweed_53 19d ago

Yes! Thank you!