Basics of Corresponding Angles.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines corresponding angles to be two equal angles on the same side of a line that crosses two parallel lines and on the same side of each parallel line. Our need to know how to determine the values of corresponding angles is applicable to most fields of endeavor, from architectural design and construction to navigation aids such as radar to locate ships and airplanes. But how do you go about finding the values for corresponding angles?

Park Seo Jun and Park Min Young in What's Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018).

The Theorem of Corresponding Angles
The theorem of corresponding angles states that if two parallel lines are intersected by a transversal line, then the pairs of corresponding angles formed are congruent. A transversal line is a line that passes through two other lines. Corresponding angles are those angles that are in the same relative position at the intersections of a transversal line and two parallel lines. Note that the two lines must always be parallel for this theorem to apply.

How to Find Corresponding Angles
According to the Corresponding Angle Postulate, when a transversal line intersects two parallel lines, all of the corresponding angles must be equal. Thus, if you know the value of one of the corresponding angles, then you know that the other corresponding angle is equal to it. In addition, because a straight line forms a straight angle, which measures 180 degrees, you can also determine the value of the angle adjacent to the known angle by subtracting the known value from 180.

How to Know When Lines are Parallel
According to the converse of the Corresponding Angle Postulate, if two lines and a transversal line form corresponding angles that are congruent, then the two lines are parallel. If the lines were not parallel, a triangle would be formed between the transversal and the point where the two other lines intersect. In this case, the corresponding angles would have no specific relationship to each other, and geometry could be used to determine the value of each of the angles. (Parallel lines are identified by two arrowheads or two small lines for each parallel line.)

Yoo Seung Ho and Chae Soo Bin in I Am Not A Robot (2017).

The Need to Know Corresponding Angles
Everything around us forms lines and angles. From the books we read to the homes and buildings we occupy to the roads on which we drive, it all comes down to lines and angles. Most of our cities are laid out in grid patterns of lines and angles. We use maps and GPS as navigation aids, whether we are driving, flying, or sailing the seas. We even walk in straight lines and angles. Surely, it makes sense that we know the relationship between lines and angles.

Thus, the value of knowing how to find corresponding angles reaches out to us in ways we might not always comprehend, from the simplest gestures to the most complex algorithms. With a little awareness and enough practice, maybe we can begin to recognize the corresponding angles that appear in our own lives. Who knows? Maybe we can even apply that knowledge to improve our lives.

Summer 2019 | Workshops and Classes for Kids and Teens.

Now that my son's Recognition Day is over and done with, I can finally say that we are officially on school break! Yay! No more waking up at the crack of dawn, no quizzes, exams, and projects to worry about, no lectures to rewrite and reviewers to type - for the next eight weeks, at least.

But just because we're on a break from school activities doesn't mean we'll be lazing around at home. In fact, Yue will be hustling even harder with his karate training as he prepares for his next tournament and his upcoming belt test. And now that he's an incoming sixth grader, he needs to prepare for high school entrance exams as soon as possible since some schools hold their exams by early October. We're laying the groundwork by signing up for a review class and doing a writing workshop at home.

That being said, here's a list of workshops and activities that Yue and his friends will be preoccupied with all summer long. If you're from San Pablo City or from neighboring towns here in Laguna, you might want to check these out:

MATH-Inic
MATH-Inic is a series of special Math courses that aims to transform children - turning Math haters into Math lovers, and Math lovers to Math masters. It introduces fun, fast and easy ways of computing Math problems and enriches traditional Math classroom lessons through new solving techniques.

Math-Inic San Pablo City.

Not only does MATH-Inic enhance brainpower through Mental Math exercises, it also guarantees results such as improved grades in Math and increased chance of passing scholarship and entrance exams in prestigious schools (think UP and Philippine Science High School).

Yue took a diagnostic exam before we registered to determine which module will be suitable for him.

MATH-Inic's summer classes will run from April 10 to May 9, 2019. Classes will be held thrice a week, two hours per session. Registration is still ongoing.

Pencils Up 

Pencils Up invites kids and teens to its summer art classes - Drawing and Painting (for beginners and advanced levels), Arts and Crafts, and Creative Play (for younger kids). They also offer Creative Writing Classes for aspiring artists and budding writers.

Pencils Up Summer Art Class.

Their Summer Art Class starts on April 3, and will be offered until July 2019. Registration fee is inclusive of art materials.

B.E.S.T Center Basketball Clinic

The official organizer of Milo Philippines' basketball program, the B.E.S.T Center is perhaps the most popular and longest running basketball clinic in the country, having been established in 1978. This program has helped train champions on the fundamentals of basketball with a scientific and modern approach, and has produced notable graduates such as Benjie Paras, Chris Tiu, Kiefer Ravena, Thirdy Ravena, and brothers Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano.

B.E.S.T. Champions.

B.E.S.T Basketball Clinics will be offered in various locations all throughout summer. For San Pablo City, training will be held at the San Gabriel Sports Complex from May 20 to May 25.

Lake City Swimming Club Learn to Swim Program
Swimming is not just fun and play, but also an excellent activity for a child's overall health and well being. It's a life skill, and something that your kid will retain for the rest of his or her life. These were exactly the reasons why I enrolled Yue in this swimming class in the summer of 2014, and the year after that.

Learn to Swim with the Royal Dolphins.

The Learn to Swim Program offers personalized training for beginners and competitive swimmers. The second batch of swimming lessons will start on April 8, with three more batches after that. 

Ballet Regina Summer Dance Workshop

Founded in 1986, Ballet Regina Academy of Dance and Performing Arts offers a continuous program for classical ballet using the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD London) curriculum.

Ballet Regina Summer Dance Workshop.

They offer weekend classes during the school year and intensive training program every summer. This year's Summer Dance Workshop will be held from April 27 to June 2, with a free trial class on April 6. Modern dance and hip hop dance classes are also offered in their summer program.

Young Chefs' Kitchen
Young Chefs’ Kitchen offers hands-on training courses in different areas such as Culinary Arts, Baking / Pastry Arts, and other Food and Beverage training. These courses are designed to provide basic skills and training for women and youth for employment and business enterprise development purposes; and ultimately to enhance their socio-economic condition, to acquire desirable values and attitude, and to develop environmental awareness.

Young Chef's Kitchen Kiddie/Teens Workshop.

This summer, the kitchen will be open to kids age 6 and up. This special workshop will teach kids the basics of cooking and baking, plus lessons on proper food selection, dining etiquette, and mise en place (set up).

Karate-do and Taekwon-do at Kaleidoscope Kids Learning Center
Yue's karate journey began at Kaleidoscope Kids Learning Center (K2LC) four years ago. Back then, K2LC had only two classrooms, offered just a few summer programs, and had a small number of enrollees. Fast forward to 2019, K2LC is now a Dep Ed-recognized private school which offers pre-school and elementary education programs.

Kaleidoscope Kids Learning Center - home of martial arts champions!

Over-all karate champions at the 2019 In-School Youth Martial Arts Games!

For this summer. K2LC will offer various music, arts, and enrichment programs, including karate-do and taekwon-do. Summer classes will start on April 22. Come train with us! :)

Ready to make this summer a productive and memorable one for your kids? I know I am. :)

25 Math Short Cuts | Math Made Easy.

Perhaps two of the most meaningful gifts that Yue received last Christmas (at least in terms of educational purpose) were these books from MATH-Inic - Algebra Made Easy as Arithmetic and 25 Math Short Cuts. 

Christmas gifts from MATH-Inic!

Yue and I only managed to flip through the pages of these books during the Christmas break as we had been too busy with family gatherings and stuff (it is the season of partying, after all). We finally had the time to read the books properly during our very recent 5-day stay hospital. Yue got admitted for pneumonia last Saturday, and one of the the things that kept him preoccupied whilst there - aside from eating and watching cartoons - (no gadgets for him during that time) was this book, 25 Math Short Cuts.

25 Math Short Cuts.

Written by Mr. Virgilio 'Ike' Y. Prudente, the creator and founder of MATH-Inic, this book was first published in 2014, in celebration of MSC's 25th Foundation Day. MSC is the first and only school in San Pablo City which specializes in Math, Science, and Computing - an institution also founded by Sir Ike.

Now on its fourth printing, this book contains practical algebra tricks for everyday use. For students, these simple tricks can help them solve problems and equations easily and might help in improving their grades.

An overview of the book and the author.

My initial thoughts as I skimmed through the pages of this book was, "Homaygad, numbers! I can't believe I'm seeing all these numbers again!"

You see, Math and I were never friends. I won't deny it - I struggled A LOT with Trigonometry and Calculus back in high school. I was probably the only student at UP Rural High School (or at least in my batch) to be part of both the Advanced English Class and the Math Remedial Class during my junior year, lol.  Also, that wretched 4-point-oh I got in Statistics back in college was the only eyesore in my otherwise nifty TOR.

But as Yue and I read the book carefully, understanding each short cut presented, and solving the exercises as we went along, I started to see Mathematics in a different light. I was like, "Why didn't this book exist when I was still studying?!" My life could have been much easier in high school had I learned all about these tricks when I was younger, lol.

One of the many 'math tricks' you will find in this book.

For Yue, however, it's a different story. He loves numbers, and numbers seem to love him too, considering how he excels in Math. That being said, he enjoyed 25 Math Short Cuts from the get-go. The title of the book alone was enough to pique his curiosity, and he really did immerse himself in this book, with matching 'oohs' and 'aahs' as he applied the short cuts to the math exercises.

Math Short Cut #3. Subtraction without Borrowing.

Math Short Cut #12. Dividing by 4 and 8.

Aside from numbers, equations, and exercises, this book also contains 'Math Stories' - snippets of Sir Ike's life and career and how he incorporates these math tricks into his daily activities. I really enjoyed reading these stories, as it gave me a glimpse of how Sir Ike is as a father, as a friend, and as a mentor.

A Math Story.

Similarly, you'll get a 'feel' of how impressive Sir Ike is based on the testimonials from several academic and public personalities. The book's foreword, for instance, was written by Mr. Cielito Habito, former Director General of NEDA and Sir Ike's batchmate in Philippine Science High School.

About the Author.

All in all, the book 25 Math Short Cuts makes a great supplement to your child's Math lessons. True to the MATH-Inic motto, this book turns Math haters into Math lovers, and Math lovers into Math masters. The book is easy and fun to read (just don't let the numbers intimidate you), and can be read however you want it - in order, or by skipping to the chapter that you find most interesting or useful. If you're a hustler with numbers, you can probably finish this book in one sitting. Yue and I took our time, 'digesting' all the information (remember, I'm quite the slowpoke with numbers, lol) as we read about the short cuts one by one.

Thank you for the gift of knowledge, Sir Ike!

You can get your own copy of 25 Math Short Cuts online via the official MATH-Inic website. Each book retails for Php 250 each, or you can purchase it as a bundle with the Algebra Made Easy as Arithmetic for Php 500. And yes, they ship anywhere in the Philippines!

Outside of the country? No worries! This book is also listed on Amazon!

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