This week we learned about probability. The teacher use dice, cards and a coin. I like how my teacher was able to teach me about probability with common things. One thing that I liked in class was that, I learned that rolling snake eyes on a dice is a one in 36 chance when using two dice. The class also learn that getting a four of a kind is very slim. This is how I remember it
I need four matching cards so I draw one card, it doesn't matter what it is. (Technically probability 1). I then draw a second the probability if matches the existing card is 3/51. The third card probability if it matches the first two is = 2/50. The fourth card's probability if matches the other three = 1/49. So the probability of four of a kind is 1 * (3/51) * (2/50) * (1/49) = (7/124950)= 1/17850 or 5/6 x 10^-5
And this is why our teacher said we should not play pokers because the odds are stacked against us and that is why they call it gambling. The odds are that you will always lose all your money to the house.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
I'm the first one!
Hi!
The teacher drew my name out to be the first one to write on this blog. I've never written on a blog before, so it's sort of cool. Maybe I'll make my own blog some day!
Today we learned about exponents. We never did much with them before in middle school.
Our teacher is pretty strict. She wants us to be in our seats when the bell rings!
But we're learning things right away.
I like that we do a lot of things together with the person next to me, Karyn, who I didn't know before, but I guess this way we'll get to know each other. Except that we're only supposed to talk about math in our groups.
-Michelle T.
The teacher drew my name out to be the first one to write on this blog. I've never written on a blog before, so it's sort of cool. Maybe I'll make my own blog some day!
Today we learned about exponents. We never did much with them before in middle school.
Our teacher is pretty strict. She wants us to be in our seats when the bell rings!
But we're learning things right away.
I like that we do a lot of things together with the person next to me, Karyn, who I didn't know before, but I guess this way we'll get to know each other. Except that we're only supposed to talk about math in our groups.
-Michelle T.
The first week of class
During the first week of class, we are starting right off with "exponential expressions" or "powers." The students will be multiplying, dividing and taking the power of powers.Exponents are a shortcut to show how many times a number or variable (like x), called the "base," is multiplied by itself. For example, 3x3x3x3 = "3 to the 4th power" = 81. You can see other examples in the picture.
- When students multiply powers, they add the exponents.
- When they divide powers, they subtract the exponents.
- When they raise a power to another power, they multiply the exponent by the exponent.
- A base to exponent 1 is the same as itself.
- A base to exponent 0 equals 1, never 0.
- If the exponent is negative, then it is the same as the reciprocal of the expression.
The students will work in pairs and 4-student groups to solve some problems,and we will practice getting quickly into groups, working together in groups, and reporting back to the class from groups.
We will work on learning all the new math words, and use them regularly both when we talk about math and in writing exercises. And of course this blog journal will give the students an opportunity to show that they have learned to write about math.
Welcome to our math class blog
The first period Algebra I class at OurTown High School will be using this blog to tell our families what we are doing in class this year.
Almost every day all the students will write a short comment in their Math Journals about what we did in class that day. We will pick one student each day to write his or her journal comments here on the blog. Every day will be a different student, so everyone will write in the blog at least once.
As the teacher, I will also write messages regularly, to keep you up-to-date on our activities.
If the students create products that are interesting to look at, I will scan them and upload them here as well.
You are very welcome to write comments on any of our posts. However, I will monitor all comments to avoid inappropriate language. You are, of course, always welcome to call me or email me with questions about your student.
We have a visitor counter on the page. When we get to studying statistics in class, we'll be using statistics from the counter, so we hope we get a lot of visitors. You can ask other family members to take a look, too!
Almost every day all the students will write a short comment in their Math Journals about what we did in class that day. We will pick one student each day to write his or her journal comments here on the blog. Every day will be a different student, so everyone will write in the blog at least once.
As the teacher, I will also write messages regularly, to keep you up-to-date on our activities.
If the students create products that are interesting to look at, I will scan them and upload them here as well.
You are very welcome to write comments on any of our posts. However, I will monitor all comments to avoid inappropriate language. You are, of course, always welcome to call me or email me with questions about your student.
We have a visitor counter on the page. When we get to studying statistics in class, we'll be using statistics from the counter, so we hope we get a lot of visitors. You can ask other family members to take a look, too!
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