science

Golovin–Sivtsev table

Golovin–Sivtsev table is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Golovin–Sivtsev table rather than just read about it. In short: The Golovin–Sivtsev table (Russian: Таблица Головина-Сивцева, romanized: Tablitsa Golovina-Sivtseva) is a standardized table for testing visual acuity, which was developed in 1923 by Soviet ophthalmologists Sergei Golovin and D. A.

Key takeaways

Golovin–Sivtsev table belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Golovin–Sivtsev table to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Golovin–Sivtsev table from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Golovin–Sivtsev table (Russian: Таблица Головина-Сивцева, romanized: Tablitsa Golovina-Sivtseva) is a standardized table for testing visual acuity, which was developed in 1923 by Soviet ophthalmologists Sergei Golovin and D. A. Sivtsev. In the USSR, it was the most common table of its kind, and as of 2008 its use is still widespread in several post-Soviet states. The table consists of two parts with 12 rows each, representing visual acuity values between 0.1 and 2.0. The left part consists of series of the Cyrillic letters Ш, Б, М, Н, К, Ы, and И in a definite order, and the right part of the table consists of a series of Landolt C symbols. The width of each character is equal to its height, and the contours have standard 1⁄5 gaps of the overall size. The value D, indicated to the left of each row, gives the distance in meters from which a person with a visual acuity of 1.0 can read the corresponding row. The value V, indicated to the right, gives the minimum visual acuity needed to read the row from a distance of 5 meters. The first row contains symbols 70 mm in size (V = 0.1); the second row, 35 mm; the bottom third row, 7 mm (V = 1.0); the bottom row, 3.5 mm (V = 2.0).

Black and white pattern identification at 1 arcminute angle is considered to be visual acuity of 1.0, which is around 1 mm per 3.44 m distance. A character 7 mm in size has 1.4 mm pattern gaps, so over the 5 m view distance it gives an angle of around 1 arcminutes (atan(0.007/5/5)≈0.963'). There are two types of the table. The first is shorter, second is longer version.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Golovin–Sivtsev table

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Golovin–Sivtsev table claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Golovin–Sivtsev table before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Golovin–Sivtsev table ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Golovin–Sivtsev table

In research: Golovin–Sivtsev table appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Golovin–Sivtsev table in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Golovin–Sivtsev table is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Medical signs, Ophthalmology, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Golovin–Sivtsev table outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Golovin–Sivtsev table in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Golovin–Sivtsev table means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Golovin–Sivtsev table out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Golovin–Sivtsev table in simple terms?

Why does Golovin–Sivtsev table matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Golovin–Sivtsev table?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Golovin–Sivtsev table.