Math: working down the page vs across
Tutoring math, you encounter presentation methods. The tutor explains which is best. At the high school level, math should be worked down the page, rather than across. Example: 2x – 7 = 11 2x = 18 x = 9 not …
Category: math
Statistics: how often can something “better” be expected to perform better?
Tutoring statistics, you might imagine everyday situations. The tutor brings up one. Let’s imagine we have two mile runners. Runner 1, called R1, has mean time 4:45, with standard deviation 10s; R2 has mean time 5:00 with standard deviation 12s. …
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Spreadsheets: Excel: finding the monthly loan payment
Tutoring financial math, spreadsheets might be used. The tutor shows how to find the monthly payment on a loan using Excel. In yesterday’s post I tell how to find the amount against the principal that a certain payment removes, using …
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Excel: payment against principal
Tutoring financial math, amortization arises. The tutor mentions the Excel function for it. Example: For a 25-year loan of $100,000 at 4%, compounded monthly with monthly payments, what is the amount against the principal of the 101st payment? Solution: Using …
Financial math: what does amortization mean?
Tutoring math, definitions are needed. The tutor shares the definition of amortization. Amortization schedules and amortization functions are commonly encountered in financial math. What does amortization mean? amortization: the separation of a loan payment into two amounts: the payment against …
Calculus: the cooling constant of the casserole
Tutoring calculus or differential equations, Newton’s Law of Cooling will surface. The tutor looks at a real-life example. In yesterday’s post I mention that a casserole dish taken out of the oven cooled from 177C to about 40C during one …
Math: ideas about infinity: how an infinite series can have a finite sum
Tutoring math, you realize that infinite series can be hard to visualize. The tutor offers perspective. An infinite series is a sum of terms that never end. An example is a repeating decimal, such as 0.2222222….., which means 0.2222222…. = …
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Math: what discount will exactly cancel the tax?
Tutoring high school math, you see financial word problems. The tutor gives an example. Problem: At 12% tax, what discount will lead to paying exactly the sticker price after tax? Solution The final price, f, is as follows: f = …
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Math: how far away is the goose?
Tutoring math, you notice that people like relatable examples. The tutor brings up his observation of a Canada goose. Looking out over a lake in Nanaimo on Sunday morning, I saw an exceptional Canada goose swimming apart from the others. …
Math: Excel: entering complex numbers
Tutoring differential equations or complex variables, you might use a spreadsheet sometimes. The tutor gives a hint about entering complex numbers on Excel. Excel does, indeed, handle complex numbers. Formulas for them are among the Engineering ones. Apparently, to enter …