Help! Planet question for school

[mackymaddyconnorsmom]

Hi, my daughter needs your help. I don't know the answer. What is the distaqnce around the widest part of a planet called? It is 8 letters long and the 6th letter is a t. Thank you. Come on science buffs.l

 

[golfgal]

Equator. But that isn't 8 letters I guess.

 

[KelNottAt]

circumference doesn't work
perimeter doesn't work

 

[KelNottAt]

diameter????

but that's across, not around.

 

[olena]

I think it's equator. Maybe there's an accepted alternate spelling?

 

[horseshowmom]

If it's not circumference or equator, I can't imagine what it is. Having spent a lot of time in classrooms, I can say this - it's not very uncommon to find errors in the materials (sounds like this is a crossword puzzle, and I've seen it several times with those). We complain a lot about problems with textbooks (up to and including information that is just plain wrong).

Scan her textbook, and if you don't find anything, this might be an example of a misprint.


Good luck to your DD!

 

[disneynutt1225]

I'm pretty sure it's diameter.

di·am·e·ter ( P ) Pronunciation Key (d-m-tr)
n.
Abbr. d or diam. Mathematics.
1. a) A straight line segment passing through the center of a figure, especially of a circle or sphere, and terminating at the periphery.
b) The length of such a segment.
2. Thickness or width.
3. A unit for measuring the magnifying power of a microscope lens or telescope, equal to the number of times an object's linear dimensions are apparently increased.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Diameter is not around, it is across. I say an error (7, not 8), equator.

 

[disneynutt1225]

Could it be the question was worded incorrectly? Instead of around it may have been across? I dunno. Let us know what the answer is when you get it, because frankly this is driving me nuts.

 

[mickeyboat]

Circumference is around. But for the answer I would guess equator, withthe clue being wrong.

Denae

 

[mackymaddyconnorsmom]

She is putting down diameter. She is going to put equator down by the question(its a crossword puzzle) I am asking her teacher tomorrow, I will let you know the answer

 

[VickiVM]

She is putting down diameter. She is going to put equator down by the question(its a crossword puzzle) I am asking her teacher tomorrow, I will let you know the answer

I'm fairly certain it is diameter. See the following link - it refers to measuring the a planet as its diameter.

http://erc.arc.nasa.gov/HowBig/diameter.htm

 

[mackymaddyconnorsmom]

Diameter was the correct answer. Thanks for the help.

 

[Dan Murphy]

So it should have been worded across, not around? Thanks for getting back.

 

[Charade]

I hope they correct the question for the next class. I'd hate to see the kids go through life thinking the diameter of the earth is the same as it's circumference.

 

[horseshowmom]

I hope they correct the question for the next class. I'd hate to see the kids go through life thinking the diameter of the earth is the same as it's circumference.

Me too, because "around" and "across" are NOT the same thing. I would have hoped that the teacher would have recognized the error and commented on it to the students.

But, there was that time I was visiting a school and while walking down a hallway, I heard a 2nd or 3rd grade teacher (can't remember which) talking about hurricanes and how we don't have them where we live, because they come in off the water, but if we lived over on the Mississippi River it would be different...

 

[VickiVM]

Apparently measuring the size of a planet is commonly referred to as its diameter according to this weblink:

http://erc.arc.nasa.gov/HowBig/diameter.htm

I think both answers are correct. Confusing, though.