One of the biggest debates people have over Pesach is which is better: square matzah or round matzah?
It depends on what you mean by “better.” I think most people mean which one tastes better. However, this is a math column. I’ll just talk about their areas and let you decide which type of matzah you prefer.
In a square matzah, each side usually has a length of 7 inches. A round matzah typically has a diameter (the distance from one side of a circle to the other) of 11 inches. Using these measurements, we can calculate the area of a square or round matzah. Do you remember the formulas for the area of a square and the area of a circle?
Square: Area = Side X Side
Circle: Area = 3.14 X Radius X Radius (the radius is half the diameter)
Therefore, a standard square matzah has an area of 7 in. X 7 in. = 49 square inches.
Since a standard round matzah has a radius of 11 in. / 2 = 5.5 in., its area is 3.14 X 5.5 in. X 5.5 in. This is approximately 95 square inches.
But what would happen if we switched the dimensions? Here’s what I mean:
- Imagine a square matzah with a side length equal to the diameter of a round matzah. What would its area be?
- Imagine a round matzah with a diameter equal to the side length of a square matzah. What would its area be?
Solution:
- This is the area of a square where each side is 11 inches long. So, the area of this matzah would be 11 in. X 11 in. = 121 square inches.
- This is the area of a circle with a diameter of 7 inches. This means the radius (half the diameter) is 3.5 inches. Therefore, the area of the round matzah would be 3.14 X 3.5 in. X 3.5 in. This is approximately 38.5 square inches. Shabbat Shalom.
Ari Blinder is a math educator living in Highland Park, New Jersey. He is the owner of Math for the Masses, an innovative tutoring and consulting company. Please visit www.math4masses.com for fun activities and helpful worksheets. Ari can be reached at ari.m4m@gmail.com. Never think you are “not a math person.” You are very much one already, but no one has shown you how.
