figurate arithmetic
nounUK /ˈfɪɡjərət əˈrɪθmətɪk/
US /ˈfɪɡjəreɪt əˈrɪθmətɪk/
Figurate arithmetic is a kind of math where numbers are made into shapes like triangles or squares.
In figurate arithmetic, the number 10 can be drawn as a triangle of dots.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The branch of number theory that studies numbers representable as regular geometric arrangements of points.
Figurate arithmetic explains why 6 is a triangular number but 7 is not.
3. A teaching method that uses visual shapes to help children understand number patterns.
The teacher used figurate arithmetic with counters to show how square numbers grow.
4. The historical study of polygonal numbers by ancient Greek mathematicians such as Pythagoras.
Figurate arithmetic dates back to the Pythagoreans, who loved patterns of dots.