Hot Education How-Tos

How To: Find the equation of a circle given: center & tangent

In this video, the instructor shows how to find the equation of a circle given its center point and a tangent line to it. To do this, take a graph and plot the given point and the tangent on that graph. Now, from the center of the circle, measure the perpendicular distance to the tangent line. This gives us the radius of the circle. Using the center point and the radius, you can find the equation of the circle using the general circle formula (x-h)*(x-h) + (y-k)*(y-k) = r*r, where (h,k) is th...

How To: Calculate the area of a parallelogram

Calculating The Area Of A Parallelogram A parallelogram is a 4-sided shape formed by two pairs of parallel lines. Opposite sides are equal in length and opposite angles are equal in measure. To find the area of a parallelogram, multiply the base by the height. The formula is:

How To: Find a slope of a straight line with: Ax + By + C = 0

In this video the instructor shows how to find the slope of an equation which is in the form Ax + By + C = 0. He says that the formula to find the slope of a line in the above form is slope m = -A/B, where A and B are the numeric constants of the variables x and y in the given equation. He goes on and further shows how to do this with a couple of examples. He shows how to reduce any equation into the general form and how to apply the slope formula then. This video shows how to find the slope ...

How To: Empty a large water bottle in two seconds with a straw

Bottled-beer chuggers the world over already know that letting air into your beverage with a straw makes it pour faster into your mouth. Did you know, however, that the same technique can be modified and used to empty a fluid into another container (or onto the floor) even more quickly? This video will show you how to use a modified straw technique to introduce air into a large bottle of water or other drink bottle, causing the contents to empty at a torrid pace.

How To: Make elemental sulfur (sulphur)

This video tutorial is in the Education category which will show you how to make elemental sulfur (sulphur). The chemicals you need are nitric acid and sodium thiosulphate. The reaction produces toxic SO2 gas so keep it coved with a watch glass. Put 12.9 grams of sodium thiosulphate in a beaker and dissolve it in minimum amount of water. Pour about 15ml of nitric acid in to the beaker. Let it sit in a warm place for a couple of hours and the sulphur will settle at the bottom of the beaker. Th...

How To: Make your own nylon

In this tutorial, we learn how to make your own nylon. You will need: pipettes, pipette filler, forceps, beaker, stir rod, sebacoyl chloride and hexanediame solution. Now, pour some of the hexanediame solution into the small beaker. Add in a food coloring if you want to make this a specific color. After this, add in 4 cc's of sebacoyl chloride and carefully drip into the side of the beaker. You should see a layer of where the two liquids are after this. Now, take your tweezers and reach into ...

How To: Do normal probability calculations on a calculator

Probability computation is a complex process and even using a calculator can be difficult. But normal probability calculations can be performed quickly with the help of calculator once you know how to use it. So when you have to calculate a probability from a normal distribution you can use the functions on your scientific calculator. You can use the normal CDF function from you calculator to compute the area under a normal curve. The function requires lower band and upper band values, the me...

How To: Find the area of a circle when you know the diameter

In this video, it is shown how to calculate the area of a circle where the diameter is given. The formula for calculating the area of a circle is pi multiplied by square of radius. Radius is actually half of the diameter. In this video, the diameter is given as 10.6 meters. Hence, the radius will be half of 10.6 which is equal to 5.3 meters. Now, to find the area we shall multiply pi with the square of 5.3. Square of 5.3 is 28.09. If we multiply 28.09 with pi we shall get the area of the circ...

How To: Multiply fractions with mixed numbers

This video teaches the viewer how to multiply fractions with mixed numbers. You would first need to multiply the denominator by the whole number, and then add the product to the numerator. This number is your new numerator and the new denominator is the same as before. For example, 2 1/5 = 11/5. Now you have an equation with fractions and no whole numbers. You may now proceed to multiply straight across. Multiply the numerators together to create a new numerator and do the same for the denomi...

How To: Multiply & Divide Numbers (Basic Elementary Math)

Adding and subtracting may be the easiest of mathematical operations, but once you get it down, multiplication and division can be just as easy. That's why it's called elementary arithmetic. If it were harder, it would be called college algebra or trigonometry. But it's not— it's basic math, and once you get your head around the numbers, you'll never hate math class again! (Okay, maybe you will.)

How To: Calculate Type I (Type 1) errors in statistics

Need a quick primer on how to solve type-1 error problem in stats? Let this video be your guide. From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps. For all of the details, watch this installment from Internet pedagogical superstar Salman Khan's series of free math tutorials.

How To: Get your official SAT score from College Board online

The SATs are a very valuable college entrance test and could determine if you're accepted or denied to your favorite university. So, once you've learned to ace the SATs and have already taken your test, get your scores as soon as they're out! Don't sit in dreaded anticipation— go to College Board and get your SAT test results now!

How To: Balance chemical equations the right way

In this tutorial, we learn how to balance chemical equations. The first thing you want to do is to draw a graph and label one side reactants and the other side products. Go through each of the atoms that are in your equation on both sides. Write out how many atoms are in each chemical. Then, find a common multiple that will give you and equal amount on each side of the equation. Continue to do this same for all the chemicals in your equation, then when you are finished write it out. Now you w...

How To: Find percentages using a standard calculator

Want to find a percentage of one number relative to another? With a calculator, it's easy. And this free video math lesson will show you how to go about it. From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps (or just finish your homework or study for that next big test).

How To: Find the inverse of a function in algebra

Need a little help figuring out how to find the inverse of a function in algebra? Watch this free video lesson. From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps (or just finish your homework or study for that next big test). With this free math tutorial, you'll learn how to calculate the inverse of a given algebraic fun...

How To: Find the North Star from the Northern Hemisphere

In this how to video, you will learn how to find the North Star in the northern hemisphere. To do this, you must know how to locate the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. The Big Dipper is one of the brightest constellations in the sky. You can use this constellation to find the location of the north star. The two stars at the cup of the Big Dipper will point towards Polaris, also known as the North Star. The North Star is the end of the handle of the Little Dipper. This will be helpful if you...

How To: Find the area of a circle with a given radius

This video describes how to find the area of a circle given a radius of 4cm. The video begins by describing the formulas needed to find the area of the circle. The narrator cautions the viewer on a few common mistakes that people frequently make while using these formulas, such as not properly squaring the radius of the circle. The solution to the formula for a 4cm radius is 50.24 cm^2. The video then demonstrates that this value makes sense by overlaying a grid onto the circle and visually s...

How To: Find the volume of a sphere with radius r

Are you slightly rusty on your math skills? This video demonstrates how to find the volume of a sphere with a given radius. The first step is to sketch a solid and cross-sectional view of your sphere to get an understanding of the process to come. Next, find a formula for the area of this cross-section. Third, find the limits of integration. This will allow you to take the area of each cross-section in the sphere, not just the singular one you are viewing. Lastly, integrate this formula from ...

How To: Make manganese dioxide electrodes

Various electrochemical reactions requires that anodes do not degrade when used. Carbon is cheap, but degrades easily and platinum is extremely expensive. In a previous video, you learned "How to make cobalt and manganese nitrates", and you saw that titanium could be used as a cathode, but not as an anode due to an effect called passivation.

How To: Change Fahrenheit to Celsius

This video is a tutorial on how to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit. The title of the film says it will teach you how to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, but it does not. It does just the opposite. The video begins by comparing Fahrenheit and Celsius. He points out that Fahrenheit measures water to freeze at 32 and water to boil at 212. Celsius measures water to freeze at 0 and water to boil at 100. To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius temperature by 1.8 and add 32. Many countrie...

How To: Draw a right trapezoid in Geometry

Watch this video to learn how to draw a right trapezoid using given specifications for lengths of sides. A right trapezoid is a four-sided shape with two right angles and two parallel sides. First, draw the long base. Then draw a 90 degree angle at one end of the base, using a protractor. Mark the angle to show it is 90 degrees. Then draw another 90 degree angle at the top. This is the first video in a set--to finish learning you must watch the next segment. If you watch these videos you will...

How To: Analyze cheap sulfuric acid for concentration & purity

In this home scientist video the instructor Robert Bruce talks about cheap sulfuric acid. He says that sulfuric acid is very important in any lab both as a reagent and a precursor for preparing other chemicals. He points to the battery acid saying that it is a good source of sulfuric acid which is 35% concentrated. Now he shows various methods to obtained sulfuric acid and shows how to test one of the thus obtained sulfuric acid for its concentration. In this video the author talks about sulf...

How To: Write a slope-intercept equation given an X-Y table

In this tutorial the author shows how to derive a slope-intercept equation of a line given an X-Y table. He explains that the general form of slope intercept form which is y = m*x + b. Now he intends to find value of slope, i.e. m first. Now slope is change in y over change in x. He computes the slope using the X-Y values from the table. Next he substitutes a pair of x, y value in the equation to compute the value of y intercept b. Now finally substituting the values in the equation the slop-...

How To: Find the volume of a cone quickly

For people who are interested in math or who need to know how to find the volume of a cone for any reason, whether it be homework or architecture, this video will show you how to do so. The formula for finding the volume of a cone is (1/3) pi x radius^2 x height. You can find the radius of your cone by finding half the length across the center of the circle which is the cone's base. After plugging in all the values into this equation, you will be able to find the volume of any cone when given...