A Math Question For The Masses

[pinqy]

One says square feet and the other feet square, there is no difference.

Yes, there is.

Look up the definition of square feet and feet square then...

I did...and gave two examples supporting my point. Here's a third example: 217baseball
The problem given is that a baseball diamond is 90 ft square, and the accompanying diagram shows the first baseline as 90 ft long.

But it does not say that the area is 90 ft square.

Exactly. It says 90 feet square. This supports my point that square feet refers to area and feet square is the length of a side.

Seems like a grammerical error is causing multiple interpretations.

There's no error. Perhaps it's more of a British use, or an archaic use, but X feet square has the meaning of a square with each side X units long.

 

[OKTexas]

Area is square units. 210 square feet can be written as 210 ft^2.

But 210 feet square is linear, not square units.

Wrong.

 

[JoeMoma]

Area is square units. 210 square feet can be written as 210 ft^2.

But 210 feet square is linear, not square units.

Reread the original question. It says the area is 210 feet square. Area is not linear. The phrasing of the question is simply wrong.

 

[saveliberty]

One says square feet and the other feet square, there is no difference.

Yes, there is.

Look up the definition of square feet and feet square then...

I did...and gave two examples supporting my point. Here's a third example: 217baseball
The problem given is that a baseball diamond is 90 ft square, and the accompanying diagram shows the first baseline as 90 ft long.

It was a trick question, there is no definition of feet square.

 

[pinqy]

Area is square units. 210 square feet can be written as 210 ft^2.

But 210 feet square is linear, not square units.

Reread the original question. It says the area is 210 feet square. Area is not linear. The phrasing of the question is simply wrong.

210 feet square is a square with a side of 210 feet. I've given three examples of this use.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

If the area is 210 feet squared, it contains 210 square feet.

Is that how you were taught how to square a number? I was always taught you multiply the number by itself, like 210 X 210, not 210 X 1 which is what you did.

Why would I square that number? I'd do that if you gave me a side, but you already gave me the area.
Is that why you think the teacher is wrong? Did they say 210 square feet?

What you are missing is that we were NOT given the area. The wording was "210 feet square," NOT "210 square feet" NOR "210 feet squared."
X feet square means a square with a side of X feet.

The wording was "210 feet square,"

Yes, an area 210 square feet.

Wrong...you're reversing the word order. It did not say area and it did not say "square feet." The phrase was "feet square."

X feet square means a square with a side of X feet

If it said side in the question, I would agree. It didn't.

It doesn't have to say side, because that's what it means....."feet square" refers to the length of the side of a square.

Math Forum - Ask Dr. Math
And for a real world example: Pastscape - Detailed Result: EYE PRIORY "The claustral buildings were arranged to the north, the cloister being 90 feet square." I don't think a cloister that is 9.5' by 9.5' makes any sense. Prison cells are larger than 90 square feet.

It doesn't have to say side, because that's what it means....."feet square" refers to the length of the side of a square.

You think it refers to side length, I think it refers to area.

 

[saveliberty]

A 210 foot square could be a reference to perimeter. That answer is 2,756.25 square feet.

 

[JoeMoma]

Area is square units. 210 square feet can be written as 210 ft^2.

But 210 feet square is linear, not square units.

Reread the original question. It says the area is 210 feet square. Area is not linear. The phrasing of the question is simply wrong.

210 feet square is a square with a side of 210 feet. I've given three examples of this use.

And your examples did not say that "the area" is X feet square. If 210 feet is a linear unit, then it is incorrect to say that the area is 210 feet square. Perhaps the question should be what is the area of a 210 feet square.

 

[pinqy]

One says square feet and the other feet square, there is no difference.

Yes, there is.

Look up the definition of square feet and feet square then...

I did...and gave two examples supporting my point. Here's a third example: 217baseball
The problem given is that a baseball diamond is 90 ft square, and the accompanying diagram shows the first baseline as 90 ft long.

It was a trick question, there is no definition of feet square.

I've shown 3 examples of its use.

 

[pinqy]

Area is square units. 210 square feet can be written as 210 ft^2.

But 210 feet square is linear, not square units.

Reread the original question. It says the area is 210 feet square. Area is not linear. The phrasing of the question is simply wrong.

210 feet square is a square with a side of 210 feet. I've given three examples of this use.

And your examples did not say that "the area" is X feet square.

Correct. Who said it did? The original question doesn't say the area is 210 feet square either.

If 210 feet is a linear unit, then it is incorrect to say that the area is 210 feet square.

why? It means a square with sides of 210 feet.
Look again at the baseball example: "A baseball diamond is 90 feet square" and the diagram and the math shows the length of each baseline as 90 ft. Does a 9.5 ft baseline make any kind of sense?

 

[OKTexas]

One says square feet and the other feet square, there is no difference.

Yes, there is.

Look up the definition of square feet and feet square then...

Read and learn.

Math Forum - Ask Dr. Math

 

[saveliberty]

One says square feet and the other feet square, there is no difference.

Yes, there is.

Look up the definition of square feet and feet square then...

I did...and gave two examples supporting my point. Here's a third example: 217baseball
The problem given is that a baseball diamond is 90 ft square, and the accompanying diagram shows the first baseline as 90 ft long.

It was a trick question, there is no definition of feet square.

I've shown 3 examples of its use.

Yep, and still not a definition of square feet and feet square. Feet square has no definition and is open to interpretation.

 

[JoeMoma]

Area is square units. 210 square feet can be written as 210 ft^2.

But 210 feet square is linear, not square units.

Reread the original question. It says the area is 210 feet square. Area is not linear. The phrasing of the question is simply wrong.

210 feet square is a square with a side of 210 feet. I've given three examples of this use.

And your examples did not say that "the area" is X feet square.

Correct. Who said it did? The original question doesn't say the area is 210 feet square either.

If 210 feet is a linear unit, then it is incorrect to say that the area is 210 feet square. [/quote] why? It means a square with sides of 210 feet.
Look again at the baseball example: "A baseball diamond is 90 feet square" and the diagram and the math shows the length of each baseline as 90 ft. Does a 9.5 fit baseline make any kind of sense?[/QUOTE]
Look at post no. 1 in this thread.

 

[saveliberty]

One says square feet and the other feet square, there is no difference.

Yes, there is.

Look up the definition of square feet and feet square then...

Read and learn.

Math Forum - Ask Dr. Math

Again, this person is interpreting the question. Feet square does not have a definition. Square feet does. Feet square can reference the perimeter or a side.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

This relates to a discussion in another thread. I would like you to answer the question and give a brief description of your math background.

The question is: How many square feet are contained in an area 210 feet square?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

If the area is 210 feet squared, it contains 210 square feet.

Is that how you were taught how to square a number? I was always taught you multiply the number by itself, like 210 X 210, not 210 X 1 which is what you did.

Why would I square that number? I'd do that if you gave me a side, but you already gave me the area.
Is that why you think the teacher is wrong? Did they say 210 square feet?

You do know that a square has four equal sides and contains four ninety degree angles, right? You are describing a rectangle that would be 210' by 1', not a 210' square.

You do know that a square has four equal sides and contains four ninety degree angles, right?

Yes. And if the question mentioned side or length, you'd have a point.

You'll notice it did say area. How many square feet are contained in an area 210 feet square?


If it said How many square feet are contained in a length 210 feet square, or, How many square feet are contained in a 210 foot side square?

So, what did the teacher claim?

 

[OKTexas]

Is that how you were taught how to square a number? I was always taught you multiply the number by itself, like 210 X 210, not 210 X 1 which is what you did.

Why would I square that number? I'd do that if you gave me a side, but you already gave me the area.
Is that why you think the teacher is wrong? Did they say 210 square feet?

What you are missing is that we were NOT given the area. The wording was "210 feet square," NOT "210 square feet" NOR "210 feet squared."
X feet square means a square with a side of X feet.

The wording was "210 feet square,"

Yes, an area 210 square feet.

Wrong...you're reversing the word order. It did not say area and it did not say "square feet." The phrase was "feet square."

X feet square means a square with a side of X feet

If it said side in the question, I would agree. It didn't.

It doesn't have to say side, because that's what it means....."feet square" refers to the length of the side of a square.

Math Forum - Ask Dr. Math
And for a real world example: Pastscape - Detailed Result: EYE PRIORY "The claustral buildings were arranged to the north, the cloister being 90 feet square." I don't think a cloister that is 9.5' by 9.5' makes any sense. Prison cells are larger than 90 square feet.

It doesn't have to say side, because that's what it means....."feet square" refers to the length of the side of a square.

You think it refers to side length, I think it refers to area.

You might want to read it again.

 

[pinqy]

Is that how you were taught how to square a number? I was always taught you multiply the number by itself, like 210 X 210, not 210 X 1 which is what you did.

Why would I square that number? I'd do that if you gave me a side, but you already gave me the area.
Is that why you think the teacher is wrong? Did they say 210 square feet?

What you are missing is that we were NOT given the area. The wording was "210 feet square," NOT "210 square feet" NOR "210 feet squared."
X feet square means a square with a side of X feet.

The wording was "210 feet square,"

Yes, an area 210 square feet.

Wrong...you're reversing the word order. It did not say area and it did not say "square feet." The phrase was "feet square."

X feet square means a square with a side of X feet

If it said side in the question, I would agree. It didn't.

It doesn't have to say side, because that's what it means....."feet square" refers to the length of the side of a square.

Math Forum - Ask Dr. Math
And for a real world example: Pastscape - Detailed Result: EYE PRIORY "The claustral buildings were arranged to the north, the cloister being 90 feet square." I don't think a cloister that is 9.5' by 9.5' makes any sense. Prison cells are larger than 90 square feet.

It doesn't have to say side, because that's what it means....."feet square" refers to the length of the side of a square.

You think it refers to side length, I think it refers to area.

I've shown several examples already.....here's more: eight foot square
The room must have been about 20 foot square with... - Review of Barton Hall - TripAdvisor (or do you think a hotel room of 4.5x4.5 makes sense?)

 

[saveliberty]

BTW, a baseball diamond happens to be a square, but it is possible to have four sides of equal length, be a diamond, but NOT a square.

 

[pinqy]

BTW, a baseball diamond happens to be a square, but it is possible to have four sides of equal length, be a diamond, but NOT a square.

But when the problem says it is 90 feet square, does it mean that the area is 90 square feet or that each side is 90 feet?

 

[saveliberty]

Google feet square, what does it say?