Journal

1. Which one do you find more difficult: handling money or measuring? Explain. [4 lines]

I find handling money more difficult than measuring. I find it more difficult because money uses certain numbers like .1, .5, .10, .25, 1.00, 2.00. A ruler uses every number up to thirty which makes it easier to use. You need money to live and measurement you do not need to live. With money it deals with more math and figuring stuff out. The ruler just measures it out for you.

2. Create a timeline of what I’ve learned in math since kindergarten. [Plot 10 pts on timeline]

K. --gr 7 counting Addition subtraction/ intro to fractions Multiplication division Fractions Long division/multiplication Algebra Integers probability

3. How does my mom use math at work? [4 lines]

My Mom is a piano teacher. She uses math at work when she calculates the money, to see how much she made. In the kitchen, my Mom uses math to measure for recipes. When grocery shopping, she needs to know how much the groceries will cost. My Mom uses math more often than I thought!

4. Which would you prefer: a final math EXAM or a final math PROJECT? Which is more useful for the future? [5 lines]

I would prefer a final math project over a math exam. A math exam requires lots of studying, which is very time consuming, and mostly bothersome to do. A math project, however, does not require much studying. Notes is also big factor in persuading my thoughts about a math project over a math exam. In an exam, you are not allowed to look at your notes, whereas in a project you are free to look at your notes at your leisure. A math project would be more practical for the future because you are learning as you are doing. In an exam you are just answering questions and are not quite sure if you are right. However, in an exam you would learn in the studying process.

5. Explain a situation where bad math could cause a disaster. [4 lines]

A disaster could be caused by bad math in a plane situation. If a pilot miscalculated the conversion of fuel into distance, they would end up crash landing halfway through their flight. In 1983, the guy fuelling up a Boeing 767 miscalculated the amount of fuel needed to reach their destination. The plane ran out of fuel halfway through the flight. You may have heard of this as the "Gimli Glider" incident.

6. Where are you most productive when doing math assignments? Explain. [4 Lines]

I am most productive at school when I do my assignments. At school there are no temptations other than friends, whereas at home I am usually tempted by what my siblings are doing. At school I have friends that are always working on the same things as me, so they know more about it and I don't need to re-explain it, like I do to my mom. In the library, there are people coming in and out, so it is hard for me to concentrate. In the classroom, all my friends are there to help me if I need help.

7. How do you prepare for math exams? [4 lines]

I prepare for my math exams by doing the reviews that Mr. Wieb gives me. I could also take all my tests home and see what I did wrong and study off those. Another thing that I could do is study out of my textbook, though that would be tougher because you would need to know what to study. My dad usually helps me by giving at least 3 or 4 questions from each chapter.

8. How I used math this week, not including school/homework. [4 lines]

I used math this week on Saturday. I went to woodlands and ran a penny carnival. I needed to measure the distance at which the contestants could stand at. Then I needed to double the measurement for the older kids. It ended up being a success and my math calculations worked out perfectly.

9. What would be a common mistake when calculating today's problem? [3 lines]

A common mistake when calculating today's problem is at the checkout. The cashier might use the wrong price to calculate the cost of the item that you purchase. The person buying the item may end up paying either more or less. For example, my dad bought some bolts and the cashier made a mistake in entering the price. The result was that he overpaid.

10. What are some ways that you can be neat and organised at school? Why is this important? [5 lines]

One way I can be neat and organised at school is keeping my handouts in my binders in chronological order. Another way is to have separate binders for each subject so that you are not flipping through French in ELA class. In your binder you should repair the ripped binder holes regularly so you don't have pages flying all over the place. You should also take home any old work that you will not need any longer and file it for future reference. In terms of locker cleanliness, it would be a good idea to organise your locker every month at least so you won't wreck your work with an unwanted liquid.