The Amaz ing Math Behind 3-D V i deo Games
in a game, they put in directions to describe how that point should move so the computer understands the command. Once these descriptions are inputted, a computer can reassemble the images in just an instant, making them appear as they do on-screen. The computer uses hundreds to millions of triangles to assemble the images. The instructions given by the engineer make the movements look accurate on the viewer’s screen. These calculations bring 3-D characters to life and give the entire world depth. Cambridge University’s NRICH Project tells us the nuts and bolts behind the concept: “The basic idea of 3-D graphics is to turn a mathematical description of a world into a picture of what that world would look like to someone inside the world.” If your child enjoys video games, they’re accessing math every day, most likely without realizing it. If they’ve ever asked, “When will I actually use this?” you can respond that it’s right in front of them.
If you’ve ever collected golden coins as Mario or searched for bananas in the universe of Donkey Kong, you’ve probably felt the exhilaration of pulling off some crazy moves as a video game character. Maybe you felt this exhilaration as a kid and you now get to watch your kids have the same experience — only in much more realistic worlds. Isn’t it amazing how much video games have changed? Games have evolved from one-dimensional side scrollers with pixelated graphics to dynamic 3-D worlds filled with characters, depth, and color. Most video games you see today are three- dimensional, and the math behind these images is almost as amazing as the technology. Gaming engineers use vectors to plot geometric shapes, allowing them to be understood by a computer program so they can take on movement and life. Simply put, vectors are a mathematical representation of a point. You can use a set of symbols to create a vector, often seen as (x, y). As an engineer plots these points
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Pasta Wi th Turkey & Broccol i
Ingredients • 3/4 pounds pasta (shells or orecchiette) • 2 cups broccoli florets • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper • Salt • Parmesan cheese
directions 1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add broccoli when pasta is 1 minute from done. Drain both and return to pot. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, garlic, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook while breaking up meat with a wooden spoon for 3–5 minutes. 3. Combine turkey with pasta and broccoli mixture, adding the remaining olive oil as you stir. Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan cheese.
(Recipe inspired by realsimple.com.)
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