Everyday Wonders
The extraordinary is hiding in plain sight. Explore familiar objects, symbols and ideas that are easy to overlook.
The extraordinary is hiding in plain sight. Explore familiar objects, symbols and ideas that are easy to overlook. Take ten thoughtfully chosen questions at your own pace. Each answer comes with a short explanation to help you connect the facts and remember something new.
How many sides does a hexagon have?
Your question-by-question study guide
Prefer to read, or revisit what you learned? Explore every question below. Open an answer when you’re ready.
1. How many sides does a hexagon have?
- Six
- Five
- Seven
- Eight
Reveal answer and explanation
Six — The prefix hexa- means six; a regular hexagon also has six equal angles.
2. Which instrument measures atmospheric pressure?
- Thermometer
- Hygrometer
- Anemometer
- Barometer
Reveal answer and explanation
Barometer — A barometer measures air pressure, which helps forecasters track changing weather.
3. Which language gave English the word “piano”?
- German
- Spanish
- Italian
- French
Reveal answer and explanation
Italian — Piano is short for pianoforte, an Italian name referring to soft and loud playing.
4. What is the Roman numeral L worth?
- 500
- 50
- 10
- 100
Reveal answer and explanation
50 — L represents 50; C represents 100 and D represents 500.
5. Which board game uses the terms check and checkmate?
- Chess
- Go
- Backgammon
- Scrabble
Reveal answer and explanation
Chess — Check threatens a king; checkmate means the threat cannot be legally escaped.
6. What does a compass needle normally point toward?
- True south
- The equator
- The nearest ocean
- Magnetic north
Reveal answer and explanation
Magnetic north — The needle aligns with Earth's magnetic field, rather than pointing exactly to geographic north.
7. Which material is the main ingredient in ordinary glass?
- Limestone alone
- Gypsum
- Silica sand
- Clay
Reveal answer and explanation
Silica sand — Silica forms the main network of ordinary glass; other ingredients lower its melting point.
8. How many minutes are in one quarter of an hour?
- 25
- 15
- 10
- 20
Reveal answer and explanation
15 — An hour has 60 minutes, and dividing 60 by four gives 15.
9. Which writing system uses raised dots read by touch?
- Braille
- Morse code
- Semaphore
- Shorthand
Reveal answer and explanation
Braille — Braille represents characters in cells of raised dots that can be read with the fingertips.
10. Which shape has all points on its boundary equally distant from its center?
- Ellipse
- Square
- Triangle
- Circle
Reveal answer and explanation
Circle — A circle is defined by a fixed radius from its center to every point on its boundary.