yossarian wrote:
I'm somewhat curious what kinds (if any) of math people encounter on a daily basis. Each item ending in a question mark is worth one point.
Have you, one (or more) times within the past year:
Read a graph:
looked at a graph?
estimated a value from a graph?
estimated the slope or x- or y- intercept of a graph?
looked at a log or semi-log graph? (Hint: often stock values are plotted on a semi-log graph).
estimated either a value or slope from a log or semi-log graph?
Used statistics:
taken an average?
found the median or mode?
taken a standard deviation?
used other statistics then the above?
Made a graph:
make a graph of any kind?
with real units on each axis, if appropriate?
with a trendline/slope or fit?
made a log or semilog graph?
Used a calculator:
used addition/subtraction?
used multiplication/division?
used an exponent?
used a trig function?
used a log?
used some kind of statistics button?
Solved or estimated math in your head:
addition/subtraction?
addition/subtraction involving numbers greater then 100?
multiplication/division (or percentage of/percentage off)?
estimated the size of an angle?
estimated a unit conversion?
For the olde timers:
Used slide rule?
Seen a slide rule?
Used graph paper to make or approximate a graph, by hand?
Used semi-log graph paper (or log-log paper) to make/approximate graph, by hand?
Algebra:
looked at an algebra problem?
converted some real life situation into an algebra problem?
solved two equations with two unknowns?
solved three or more equations for same unknowns?
Calculus:
looked at a calculus problem?
converted some real life situation into a calculus problem?
taken a derivative?
nontrivial derivative, such as using the product rule, quotient rule, chain rule?
integrated?
nontrivial integration, such as integration by parts, arc trig substitution?
Have you, one (or more) times within the past year:
Read a graph:
looked at a graph?
estimated a value from a graph?
estimated the slope or x- or y- intercept of a graph?
looked at a log or semi-log graph? (Hint: often stock values are plotted on a semi-log graph).
estimated either a value or slope from a log or semi-log graph?
Used statistics:
taken an average?
found the median or mode?
taken a standard deviation?
used other statistics then the above?
Made a graph:
make a graph of any kind?
with real units on each axis, if appropriate?
with a trendline/slope or fit?
made a log or semilog graph?
Used a calculator:
used addition/subtraction?
used multiplication/division?
used an exponent?
used a trig function?
used a log?
used some kind of statistics button?
Solved or estimated math in your head:
addition/subtraction?
addition/subtraction involving numbers greater then 100?
multiplication/division (or percentage of/percentage off)?
estimated the size of an angle?
estimated a unit conversion?
For the olde timers:
Used slide rule?
Seen a slide rule?
Used graph paper to make or approximate a graph, by hand?
Used semi-log graph paper (or log-log paper) to make/approximate graph, by hand?
Algebra:
looked at an algebra problem?
converted some real life situation into an algebra problem?
solved two equations with two unknowns?
solved three or more equations for same unknowns?
Calculus:
looked at a calculus problem?
converted some real life situation into a calculus problem?
taken a derivative?
nontrivial derivative, such as using the product rule, quotient rule, chain rule?
integrated?
nontrivial integration, such as integration by parts, arc trig substitution?