Verified answer

Maybe. The fact that the bathtub limits in space the transmission of the waves allows you to create standing wave resonances of various distinct frequencies. However a transient situation like a wave traveling from one end of the bathtub to the other is not a standing wave resonance. Remember also that any standing wave can be represented as two equal traveling waves traveling in opposite directions. So, I guess in some senses it depends on how you look at it.

Any old wave in a bathtub is not necessarily a standing wave, however, you can create them with a little bit of effort. I actually did this as a kid, and believe me it can get messy. The only real advice I can give is that it is easier to do it across the width of the bath because it is (typically) shorter than the length.

To identify a standing wave, there must be points where the wave remains still. These are called "nodes". The points on a standing wave of maximum displacement are called the "antinodes". Take a look at this image from wikipedia

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62...

This shows a wave (red) and a reflected wave (green) and the standing wave that is formed by the two (blue).