RecordNumber
3726
Author
Berezovski, Tetyana
Crop_Body
Tetyana Berezovski, Diana Cheng, Rachel Damiano
Title of Article
Spinning Arms in Motion: Exploring Mathematics within the Art of Figure Skating
Title Of Journal
Bridges
Publication Year
2016
Abstract
In this workshop, participants will explore middle and secondary level mathematics related to a figure
skater’s arm movements while performing an upright spin. From the bird’s eye view, the skater’s elbow and
hands travel in curves. We provide two dynamic animations of the arms’ motions to model and explore the
trajectories in which the hands and arms travel. Some of the mathematical topics used in these activities
include proportional relationships, regression, circular geometry, and trigonometry.