Lame Saturday Night Activities: How Bad Is It?

[DoggyDaddy]

Yep!

Some people use it every day and don't realize it. Electricians use it all the time with V = IR.

I had a roommate that did flooring for a living. He said he never understood algebra, but I gave him an example of how he used basic algebra everyday (figuring square footage) but just didn't know it and it finally clicked for him. A lot of people get hung up on the x's and y's and don't realize those variables are just "place holders" for whatever value they need to plug in for them.

 

[rhino]

I had a roommate that did flooring for a living. He said he never understood algebra, but I gave him an example of how he used basic algebra everyday (figuring square footage) but just didn't know it and it finally clicked for him. A lot of people get hung up on the x's and y's and don't realize those variables are just "place holders" for whatever value they need to plug in for them.

Or carpenters who are using slope for stairs and ramps, highway workers who do the same thing for road grades . . . it's endless!!

 

[riverman67]

I would argue that most of the useful things you are discussing are trigonometry and geometry
Not friggen algebra.
At least that's what they were called when I studied them.

 

[actaeon277]

oops

 

[actaeon277]

I would argue that most of the useful things you are discussing are trigonometry and geometry
Not friggen algebra.
At least that's what they were called when I studied them.

Your instrument measures a -25 to +300 degree Fahrenheit process.
it outputs 4-20 milliamps.
While testing, you insert a 100 degree signal.
What output should you see?

 

[actaeon277]

Your instrument measures a -25 to +300 degree Fahrenheit process.
it outputs 4-20 milliamps.
While testing, you insert a 100 degree signal.
What output should you see?

Similar.
input 2,500 to 3,500 degrees.
output 4-20 milliamp.
insert 2,700 degree signal
what is the output?

 

[lovemywoods]

It depends on whether your sensor has a linear relationship to temperature and that depends on the specific sensor you're using.

 

[actaeon277]

It depends on whether your sensor has a linear relationship to temperature and that depends on the specific sensor you're using.

Most instruments are now linear compensated through a chip.

But if you want to talk about differential pressure instruments used as flow instruments, then you have linear vs. square root.
And you have to remember, square root must be in the instrument, or the computer. NOT both. and not neither.

 

[rhino]

I would argue that most of the useful things you are discussing are trigonometry and geometry
Not friggen algebra.
At least that's what they were called when I studied them.

You can't really separate them that way as many concepts overlap the three subjects and all of them feed into calculus, which is the starting point for truly useful math.

 

[rhino]

I regret to inform the group that I have failed to score 100% on a homework assignment for the first time. On the set I completed tonight, I scored 11.5/12 points for a percentage of 95.83%.

That brings my course score down from 100% to 99.68%.

I am ready for the shame and ridicule.

In my defense, I did not make an actual error in working the problem. Sometimes it is unclear in the online system exactly which form of an answer you should enter or which step of the solution you should answer. Everything I entered was correct (and confirmed by the system), but it was not in the expected format or it was either too early or too late in the middle of the solution. I exhausted the number of allowed attempts and now I have an irrevocable blemish on my permanent record.

MY PERMANENT RECORD.

 

[actaeon277]

 

[rhino]

I thought of another very common application of algebra: financial calculations. Without algebra, determining compounded interest for a loan would be a challenge if the time of the loan was long and the compounding period was short. That affects interest you earn on investments with fixed rates of return, interest you pay on credit cards, interest you pay on loans, etc. etc. etc. All of those are examples of exponential growth.

 

[rhino]

That's a mild punishment given the severity of my transgression!

Looking back, there was only class in my in my college career in which I almost scored 100% for the semester: machine dynamics. For some reason, the combination of the course material and the way the professor presented (Don Dekker if you remember him, lovemywoods) meshed with my brain well. I had all of the points on the homework, quizzes, and exams during the term. Then on the four hour final exam I made a small error on one problem and didn't catch it.

My other courses . . . nowhere close to that. Dynamics was the sophomore year "weed-out" course for mechanical engineering majors. My course grade was a C and I was fortunate to pass. About 2/3 of the students that term either failed or dropped the class and had to repeat it. I may need a do-over on Dynamics.

 

[riverman67]

You can't really separate them that way as many concepts overlap the three subjects and all of them feed into calculus, which is the starting point for truly useful math.

I use the first two
All the time.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I regret to inform the group that I have failed to score 100% on a homework assignment for the first time. On the set I completed tonight, I scored 11.5/12 points for a percentage of 95.83%.

That brings my course score down from 100% to 99.68%.

I am ready for the shame and ridicule.

In my defense, I did not make an actual error in working the problem. Sometimes it is unclear in the online system exactly which form of an answer you should enter or which step of the solution you should answer. Everything I entered was correct (and confirmed by the system), but it was not in the expected format or it was either too early or too late in the middle of the solution. I exhausted the number of allowed attempts and now I have an irrevocable blemish on my permanent record.

MY PERMANENT RECORD.

Well... if that's the best you can do...

 

[rhino]

Well... if that's the best you can do...

Heh!

 

[riverman67]

Your instrument measures a -25 to +300 degree Fahrenheit process.
it outputs 4-20 milliamps.
While testing, you insert a 100 degree signal.
What output should you see?

I don't know,or care, that's why we have instrument techs
It would be some where between 4-20 milliamps .

 

[rhino]

Had a rough weekend. I completed everything that was due Sunday night by Thursday, but a lower respiratory infection and a visit from the inlaws took everything I had. I took Monday off from work and homework.

I resumed last night with the section in integration using trigonometric substitutions. I'm sure I covered that in high school and again in college, but it seems "new" to me. It's a powerful set of tools within the application for which it is applicable, but the process from beginning to end is tedious with lots of opportunities for small errors.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Had a rough weekend. I completed everything that was due Sunday night by Thursday, but a lower respiratory infection and a visit from the inlaws took everything I had. I took Monday off from work and homework.

I resumed last night with the section in integration using trigonometric substitutions. I'm sure I covered that in high school and again in college, but it seems "new" to me. It's a powerful set of tools within the application for which it is applicable, but the process from beginning to end is tedious with lots of opportunities for small errors.

I don't see color.

 

[rhino]

I don't see color.

Wait! I just realized why racists can't do math!