Statistics: Coke vs. Pepsi

Now that we have completed the Coke vs. Pepsi taste test and analysis, write a response to this post in which you reflect on the process we followed.  Touch on the following:

• Do you think the experiment was valid?  What would you change to improve the validity of the results?
• Was there anything about the activity you did not fully understand?  Try to explain where you may have gotten lost.
• Do you believe the simulation resulted in good results?  What would you have expected to happen if we had only simulated 25 taste test trials?  50,000 taste test trials?
• Why are histograms a good way to visualize data in this case?
• How would you change the dice simulation if you wanted to taste test the entire senior class as opposed to just our statistics class?  What expected outcome would we anticipate if the seniors truly could not taste a difference?

Please post your response and comment on one classmate's response no later than the start of class on Fri, Sep 14.

Stats, Calc, Physics: Add class calendars to your Google Apps calendar

You all need to add our class calendars to your Google Apps calendar so that you may easily access all course info.  To do this, open your Google Apps calendar and copy the following urls into the Add a coworker's calendar field in the Other Calendars section on the lower left side of your window:

Statistics:  http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=wpschools.net_8cds42l5aen1qva9apibk2ssko%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York

Calculus:  http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=wpschools.net_2uppnlm3ao6lhempltr3au2oq0%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York

Physics:  http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=wpschools.net_pjiounu0putkf03c72r5gvuc4s%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York

The calendars will then be shared with you and color-coded uniquely so that you can quickly recognize class events on your calendar by their color.  I recommend that you view your calendar in Day or Week mode, but you may do whatever you find most useful.

My convention will be to create daily lesson plan entries for each class as All Day events (they will show up at the top of your calendar if you are in Day or Week mode, as opposed to appearing during an hour block in the body of your calendar.

I encourage you to ask (and help) your other teachers to share their calendar addresses with you as well, so that when you access your calendar, you'll see all of your course calendars in one easy-to-access place.

Statistics: Why Are You Here?

For your initial blog post for this class, answer the question, "Why are you taking statistics?"  In particular:

• Be honest.  Why did you choose to take statistics this year?  What other alternatives did you consider?
• How would you describe the study of statistics if asked by a stranger?
• Identify and describe one statistics-related news story that is currently in the news.

In addition to your post that addresses the above talking points, please respond to a comment posted by one of your classmates.  Your responses are due no later than the start of class on Mon, Sep 12.

Physics: What is Physics?

For your first physics post of the year, answer the question "What is physics?" in your own words.  In particular:

• Think about word association with other bodies of science:  earth science, biology, chemistry.  What words come to mind when you hear the word "physics"?
• Who are some of the great physicists you can recall hearing/learning about?  What do you know about them?
• Identify and comment on one topic in physics that is of current interest to the scientific community.  Cite your source(s).

In addition to your response to the above questions, please comment on the posts of two of your classmates.  Your responses are due no later than the start of class on Monday, Sep 12.

Calculus: Are you ready for Calculus?

For your first blog posting, I'd like you to reflect on your level of preparedness for this course.  In particular:

• In your own words, if someone asked you to describe what calculus is, how would you answer them?
• What do you prefer more, algebra or geometry?  Why?
• How well do you know trigonometry?  Briefly, discuss what you know about the unit circle.
• How about exponential and logarithmic functions?  How are they related to one another?

In addition to reflecting upon and answering the questions above in a substantive manner, please read and respond to the posts of two of your classmates.

This assignment will be graded as homework, to be completed no later than the start of class on Mon, Sep 12.

So it all begins again ...

Welcome to the 2011-12 school year, Pointers!

As part of the Google Apps suite, we will use Blogger to reflect on topics of importance in our study of calculus, physics, statistics, and more.

The first thing I'd like you to do is to fill out and submit the form below: