Popular Woodworking 2007-12 № 166, страница 9

Popular Woodworking 2007-12 № 166, страница 9

than is safe if one wasn't paying attention? No! We were cautioned because there was some geometry coming straight for us!

Please - let's get a little perspective here. Woodworkers use tools that can dismember if not outright kill. On the previous page in the issue, there is a picture of a table saw without its blade guard (which I am certain was removed only for the clarity of the picture - woodworkers never work without the blade guard), but the warning is because the Pythagorean theorem is used to ensure a right angle.

I have seen this in your magazine several times - warnings that some aspect of the design might require doing a little figuring or methods of marking designed to avoid, horror of horrors, fractions.

Fractions and the Pythagorean theorem are grade-school mathematics. We learned these things before we were tall enough to use a table saw. We shouldn't need to be warned about them, and more important, we shouldn't be scared of them. Mathematics is a necessary part of design - you should be embracing it instead of perpetuating fear, even if you think it is somewhat tongue-in-cheek. PW

— Chris Kennedy, Ph.D.

Department of Mathematics Christopher Newport University Newport News, Virginia

Question? Comment?

We want to hear from you.

Popular Woodworking welcomes comments from readers about the magazine or woodworking in general, as well as questions on all areas of woodworking. We are more than happy to share our woodworking experience with you by answering your questions or adding some clarity to whatever aspect of the craft you are unsure about, and if you have a complaint, we want to address it whenever possible.

though we receive a good deal of mail, we try to respond to all correspondence in a prompt manner. Published correspondence may be edited for length or style. all correspondence becomes the property of Popular Woodworking.

Send your questions and comments via e-mail to popwood@fwpubs.com, via fax to 513-8917196, or by mail to: letters

Popular Woodworking 4700 E. Galbraith road Cincinnati, oh 45236

popularwoodworking.com ■ 15