Math 816 (2007): Romulo's Scribepost

SCRIBE POST

So today in math we first went over this math sheet we had for homework called 7.3 Solving Geometric Problems. This took up about 45 minutes of the class and for the rest of the class we had time to do some of our homework which I'm scribing today.

Since no one has scribed anything about Algebra problem solving I'll post the 6 steps.

1. Simple Sentence Answer
2. Unit Values
3. In A Geometry Question DRAW THE SHAPE
4. Whatever You Know Nothing About Is The Variable
5. Identify Your Variable
6. The Other Unknown Relates To The Variable

Those are the 6 steps for sucess.

Here's an example on how you solve an Algerbra problem solving question.
The question is "A farmer uses 54 metres of fencing to enclose a rectanguler field. If the width is two metres less than the length, find the dimensions of the field.

1. Simple Sentence Answer

For the simple sentence answer all you need is 3 words. Those 3 words are
The, are and whatever the question is asking you to find. So in this case your looking for the dimensions. So your simple sentence answer would be

The dimensions are _________ and _________

2. Unit Values

Unit values simply ask you to put whatever value you're working with in your simple sentence answer. So since we're working with metres you put "m" in your sentence. So it should now look like

The dimensions are _________m and _________m

3. In A Geometry Question DRAW THE SHAPE

This one pretty self explanitory

4. Whatever You Know Nothing About Is The Variable

For this one your variable(x or n or whatever you want) is the thing you have no clue about. So your first need to figure out who the playaz are. So the playaz are length, width and the perimeter. We know already know that the perimeter is 54 metres so it can't be the variable. We also know that the width is 2 metres less than the length so that leaves us with length which we know nothing about. So length is the variable.

length= variable

5. Identify Your Variable

I don't really understand this step but I think this is the one were we have to remember to put let x= length somewhere or we lose a half a mark. So add
x= length

6. The Other Unknown Relates To The Variable

I dont really understand this one but I think it means if you have two unknowns they relate to the variable.

After all 6 of those steps you can finally start doing your work.
So all that was just an explanation on the steps. Now to get to the point of this scribepost. So the side I'm doing is the geometry side. The side that has the title
What's the Quickest Way for an Ant to Go From the Ground to the Tree Trunk

Questions

1. The length of a rectangle is 3 times the width. The perimeter is 96 cm. Find the width and length.