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• Oblong Or Rectangle?

Oblong Or Rectangle?

By GuestNovember 5, 2008 in School Curriculum and General issues

Share https://eyfs.info/forums/topic/15499-oblong-or-rectangle/ More sharing options... Followers 0

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Guest

Posted November 5, 2008

Guest

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Posted November 5, 2008

Is there a maths wizz out there who can give me the latest on this old chestnut, please? Last time I asked a numeracy consultant, I was told that we were supposed to explain that a rectangle was a shape with 4 right angles and therefore could be either an oblong or a square. Is that still right, or is oblong met with sharp intakes of breath as it once was?

Thanks,

Tracylu

Guest

Posted November 5, 2008

Guest

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• Guests

Posted November 5, 2008

Ah - Problem solved. Found this on the national centre for excellence in teaching maths - if it's good nough for them....http://www.ncetm.org.uk/Default.aspx?page=...or+Rectangle%3F

Tracylu

mundia

Posted November 5, 2008

mundia

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Posted November 5, 2008

Ahah that old chestnut. Glad you found that answer, its always one of those tricky ones where many books still use the term rectangle, but I have noticed more now using the word oblong. I always explain it in the way described in your link, that a square and an oblong are 'special' rectangles. The clue is in the word... 'long' indicating that the oblong has longer and shorter sides.

JacquieL

Posted November 5, 2008

JacquieL

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Posted November 5, 2008

This is a problem isn't it as we are used to using rectangle for a shape with two sides longer that the other two, and square for a shape with all four sides the same length? A rectangle is a shape with 4 ninety degree angles, so a square and what we call a rectangle are both rectangles. An oblong has two sides longer than the other two sides, but still has 4 ninety degree angles. We are used to using the term square for a shape with all sides all the same length which is correct, and rectangle for two sides long and two sides short, when actually that is an oblong. I suppose we go for custom and practice now, as that is what everyone is used to . It seems to me that it would have been simpler if some time ago this was sorted out, instead of allowed to establish itself in this way.

Beau

Posted November 5, 2008

Beau

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Posted November 5, 2008

It will always be an oblong to me - it's what my mum taught me, so it must be right! However, some children look at you as if you are bonkers if you call it that.

HappyMaz

Posted November 6, 2008

HappyMaz

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Posted November 6, 2008

some children look at you as if you are bonkers if you call it that.

Children are such good judges of character aren't they, Beau?

JacquieL

Posted November 6, 2008

JacquieL

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Posted November 6, 2008

Goodness Maz what were you on with your bangers and mash last night! Looks like you were the star turn.

Guest

Posted November 6, 2008

Guest

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Posted November 6, 2008

After a discussion about this with another member, I decided to post my understanding as I tend to make things as simple as possible to understand. I'm told this is a strong point of mine and why people always come to me with their computer problems as I explain everything so simply!

 

As I understand it a rectangle is a 4 sided shape with 4 90 degree angles and 2 sets of parallell lines in it so both a square and an oblong are rectangles and any other 4 sided shape is a quadrilateral.

 

Rectangles are a collective term for both squares and oblongs but has been recently just been used to describe oblongs rather than them being a collective term.

HappyMaz

Posted November 6, 2008

HappyMaz

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Posted November 6, 2008

After a discussion about this with another member, I decided to post my understanding as I tend to make things as simple as possible to understand. I'm told this is a strong point of mine and why people always come to me with their computer problems as I explain everything so simply!

And as a supplement to this, I asked Nichola if we should be using 'oblong' and 'square' so as not to confuse children later, and tell them that both squares and oblongs can be rectangles. She offered this analogy: think of trousers. You can have boot cuts, skinny leg and flared legs. But they are all trousers! Somehow I'm much better when I can think of trousers rather than mathematical descriptions of shapes (or slices of Mars bars when working out fractions!)

 

Thanks, Nichola. Whenever I see an oblong standing on its short side I shall think of you and skinny legged jeans!

 

Maz

Guest

Posted November 6, 2008

Guest

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• Guests

Posted November 6, 2008 (edited)

Just to throw a spanner in - did you spot that other post on the link I found above that says an ellipse is also an oblong?

Edited November 6, 2008 by Guest

mundia

Posted November 6, 2008

mundia

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Posted November 6, 2008

That is quite true also...

JacquieL

Posted November 6, 2008

JacquieL

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Posted November 6, 2008

Oh goodness now I really am confused....maths was never my strong point!

JacquieL

Posted November 6, 2008

JacquieL

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Posted November 6, 2008

Well I asked google

 

ob·long (blông, -lng)

adj.

1. Deviating from a square, circular, or spherical form by being elongated in one direction.

2. Having the shape of or resembling a rectangle or an ellipse.

3. Botany Having a somewhat elongated form with approximately parallel sides: an oblong leaf.

n.

An object or figure, such as a rectangle, with an elongated shape.

 

Well back to the jeans!

Susan

Posted November 6, 2008

Susan

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Posted November 6, 2008

Thats beginning to sound like the best option Jacquie!

JacquieL

Posted November 6, 2008

JacquieL

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Posted November 6, 2008

Yes.

Well if we can't get it right there isn't much hope for the children is there?

HappyMaz

Posted November 6, 2008

HappyMaz

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Posted November 6, 2008

Well if we can't get it right there isn't much hope for the children is there?

My children are all doomed, then Jacquie!

 

Nothing in maths is ever as straightforward as it would seem. Is it just an urban myth or did some clever mathematician once prove that if parallel lines are elongated long enough they actually touch? Or is that just the product of my own warped mind?

JacquieL

Posted November 6, 2008

JacquieL

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Posted November 6, 2008

I seem to remember hearing that said but who knows. I avoid as much Maths as possible- except of course adding up money!

mundia

Posted November 7, 2008

mundia

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Posted November 7, 2008

That depends on the kind of geometry...

HappyMaz

Posted November 7, 2008

HappyMaz

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Posted November 7, 2008

That depends on the kind of geometry...

Is that like puppetry, mundia?

• 6 months later...

JacquieL

Posted May 26, 2009

JacquieL

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Posted May 26, 2009

Just resurrecting this thread. We would have no trouble with the word oblong if we were French. I noticed that the plum tomatoes in a French supermarket were labelled tomate oblong!

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