Homework Ban?

So, in class we were asked to read this article on cbc pertaining to a family who signed an agreement with their childs Catholic school. The agreement was that their children would no longer receive homework, as they were apparently receiving too much of it and it wasn't benefiting them. If I was their age, I would be pumped. But realistically, I believe homework is essential, as long as it's not assigned specifically for home. If it is work you could not finish in class, thats your own fault.

When it comes to specifically math, I think we have too much homework. I myself feel completely bogged down with accelerated math, cumulative exercises and feeling like I'm always studying for a test. I don't think there is enough hours in the day to balance math homework (which we have daily), with the not so consistant homework of other classes, as well as any extra curricular activities which I participate in, or a part-time job, which I also have. I myself am up until midnight often, just trying to get my homework done. So yes, we do have too much homework, but how could we fix it?

I don't think a "no homework clause" is the answer. I believe homework is an important part of school, especially in math because for me, I need to practice doing the work for me to actually get it. I believe math is not like other classes though. One can't really study for math as they study for English or Biology. I think that the way you study for Math, is to do your homework. I truthfully don't have an answer to what could fix our overload of homework. I don't think there is a fair answer, because some kids need more homework then others, but it's probably impossible to decide who gets what. Maybe assign a few questions of what you cover in class that HAS to be completely by every member in the class, and make the extra questions optional, like if you feel you don't get it, you could work on it, but if you do get it, you don't have to? I don't know how well that would work, but if the kids choose not to do the extra stuff, and don't do well then it's their own fault. Homework is a controversial topic, and I highly doubt it will ever find a solution that will make everyone happy.

So it's been a while...

I have been severly lacking in the consistant blog posting over the past little while. So, heres whats been going on.

We had a test cancelled last week, and the bi-weekly cycle is restarting next wednesday. We just finished learning about Logarithms, Natural Logarithms and all that jazz. I missed one day of examples.. so I'm kind of confused how the natural logarithm thinger works. I'll start doing some exercises sometime..maybe..which will hopefully let me understand.

Today, we started probability. Not going to lie, I'm kind of nervous about this unit. Basically due to the fact that we haven't done any math since Grade 9, where Jill and I TLE cheated our way though the whole unit. We got 100%, but we didn't learn a thing. Oh snap.

Lastly, I'm basically all caught up on exercises. And I'm trying my hardest to get caught up in accelerated math. It's super hard though, there is not enough time in the day for everything going on in my life. I wish I didn't need sleep. If only I was a vampire, not only would I not have to sleep, I would have eternity to learn this stuff. Wayy more convenient. But sadly, I'm not, so I got to buckle down. My mom made me a deal though, if I get my mark up to 75% before the exam, she'll pay for me to get my nose pierced at the end of the semester, as opposed to waiting til April when I turn 18 and paying it for myself.

It's on mom.

Identitiez

So we've been learning how to add/subtract identities, and for the most part its not too bad. Just basically plugging in the right formula. It's a little confusing though trying to figure out what certain calculations are. I probably should have memorized the unit circle a while ago. But i didn't. And now it's slightly biting me in the butt. This weekends gonna = mad studying.

Proofing Identities.. kinda.

Today, we started learning steps on how to simplify trigonometric identities, and how to prove them. It's not too hard actually, just like basic simplification. The challenge is deciding which step to actually use. I think it'll get easier deciding how to go about the simplifying just by doing more questions. Practice makes perfect. Or better at least.

Trig Identities - What are you?

• Involves the sums and differences of angles
• equations, equalities, same sames, just different versions
• they work for any value to any variable
• always work no matter what the imputs are

Update Time

So I realized I hadn't written a blog post in a while, so I figured I should put a little something something on here. We had a test yesterday. Holy stuff. Hardest test of my life. I'll be pretty pumped if I get in the 40's on this bad boy. So thats basically all thats new in my math life. Starting a new unit today. Woop! Hopefully it's not too terribly difficult.

Absolute Value Functions

Today we learned about Piece - Wise functions. I pretty much understand the idea of how it works. Basically its a function, with more then one rule to it. I missed 2 classes this week due to soccer. Note to self: refrain from doing that anymore. I'm soo far behind now and am slightly panicking at the idea of having a test on this stuff when I barely understand whats going on. So, cross your fingers!

Transformations

So I missed class on Friday due to soccer, and I guess we started a new unit called Transformations! We continued with that today, and I kind of understand whats going on with the whole horizontal stretch/compression idea and vertical stretch/compression dealio. The one upside is I have a ridiculous amount of spare time in my schedule this week, so it's gonna be math time all the time.

Review Review Review

Today, we tied up some loose ends before the test. Mostly having to do with graphing sinusoids and stuff. Then we went over some practice questions on an old exam, similar to what we'll see on the test on thursday. We also were told we won't be allowed to use our unit circle diagram, or our chart during the test on Thursday. Not going to lie, that kind of freaks me out. I'm not very confident with my skills from memory about this stuff yet. Tomorrow is early dismissal, so we don't have math, so I'm going to be doing some serious studying. Today is math tutoring day as well, and I will definately be hitting that up. I'm so scared for Thursday. I don't want to bomb my first test.

Substitute!

Yesterday, Mr. Penner was our sub because Mr. Max was away. It was just a work block to get caught up on Accelerated math (Which I still pretty much have no idea how to do), our student exercises (which I'm actually almost all caught up on) and review for our test (probably should get on that).

Exercise 6

So, today we learned how to graph things called sinusoids. I've never been very good at graphing, but I actually kind of understood how to go about this. For sine anyways. We learned a bit more detail into what we've been trying to understand since grade 10, and 11. So better late then never I guess. I seriously need to hit up tutoring. I also need to be better at doing my homework. Time to improve!

Solving Using Reals

Well today we did a mental math. Holy crap. I got 2 out of 5, which was actually pretty good compared to how the whole class did. We aren't allowed to scribble. My whole life I have scribbled for mental math. It's so hard without being able to scribble! We also learned how to solve trig equations using an infinite domain. Surprisingly, I understood the concept. I don't know if I understand enough to actually do my homework, but, I'll try. This class goes by way too fast for my brain.

Practice Makes Perfect

Today we kept doing example questions of solving Trig equations with the unit circle. Some questions seem to make sense, but other questions I have no idea what I'm doing. It's hard when we're doing practice questions too because I'm not as confident or familiar with the unit circle yet, so when he asks us how to find a certain thing it takes me longer to think of it, then someone shouts it out instantly and we move on. It's just going a little quick for me. I'm definately gonna hit up math tutoring soon.

Work Block!

Today, we got use the block to work on our charts, exercise 4, and a new assignment involving "showing and telling". We are to pick a question from an old provincial exam, and show on our blogs how to go about answering it for our classmates to see. I picked my question, but I decided to put off answering it because I was behind in my exercises homework. I finished exercise 4, #1-8 and finished fixing my chart. The unit circle is still a bit confusing, but having the chart is helping a lot. Also, doing questions that makes us check back to the chart for converting degrees to rads is helping me remember without having to check.

Solving Trig Equations

On Friday I was away, so it was a huge relief to find out that todays class was going to be pretty much a repeat of Fridays class. We did alot of example questions showing how to solve equations using our charts and the 6 trig functions. He also taught us how to go about our accelerated math. I understood how to solve the equations, but when I use my chart to find the answers, some of them would be wrong. Thats when I realized half my chart is backwards. So that explained why I was so confused why I couldn't get the right answer.

Recipricals

Today we learned a bit more about how recipricals work. I had originally understood what we did yesterday, but the chart we were supposed to make kind of blew my mind. I understand how the concept work, along with the 30-60-90 and 45 triangles, it just takes a lot of effort to understand it. I'm realizing I definately need to start memorizing some stuff.

Unit Circles & 6 Trig Functions

Today we continued learning about learning circles. We had to draw our own unit circle. Drawing my own diagram helped me understand the relationship between the degree points, to the radian points.

Then we started learning about the 6 Trig Functions. Which are:

sin = y/1 csc = 1/y
cos = x/1 sec = 1/x
tan = y/x cot = x/y

It is kind of a confusing concept to grasp, but after doing an example question together, I feel like a kind of understand how the reciprical functions work.

Monday

On Monday we reviewed that:

- Supplementary = angles that equal 180 degrees
- Complementary = angles that equal 90 degrees

Then we began learning about the unit circle. Truthfully, I didn't really understand anything he was talking about at the time. It's starting to make more sense now though.

Work Block

Yesterday we had a sub. We were supposed to work on Exercises 1 & 2. The stuff we're learning is kind of hard to understand, so we were supposed to help each other. I had to ask some classmates for help, and once I got a print out of the unit circle, it started to actually make some sense. I only got half way through the assignment though before I had to stop.

Measuring Angles Using Radians

• In 180 degrees, there is 1 pi radians
• In 360 degrees there are 2 pi radians
• One radian is roughly 57.3 degrees, or just about 1/3 of a pi.

Goals

1. Ask questions when I don't understand something.
2. Not feel too shy about going to tutoring when I don't know what I'm doing
3. Try to keep up with my daily assignments and accelerated math.
4. Give help to people if I'm asked, and if I know how to do it.
5. Pass this course this semester.