Projects

These projects represent your ability to apply the mathematics of this course as well as your mathematical reasoning and communication skills. Collectively they are valued with a greater weight than any single exam. Good mathematics is seldom produced in isolation, therefore you are encouraged to talk and work with others in solving these problems but the final written narrative analysis is to be done individually.

Requirements for all projects:

1. A stand alone narrative analysis, written as if the reader is unfamiliar with the given problem. Projects are to include a statement as to the nature and rationale of the problem to be solved including any assumptions made regarding the problem and its solution.

2. A reasoned solution to the problem with explanation, including graphs diagrams or tables for reference.

3. A clear statement of the conclusions drawn from the solution as well as possible generalizations of the solution and/or problem.

4. Projects are to be typed or neatly printed, double spaced. (MLA format)

Projects are scored out of 50 points:

10 Problem formulation

15 Narrated solution

15 Conclusions and generalizations

10 Quality of presentation

Math 104

Project 1 –Risks and Choices

Chapter 6 (Group Activity)

Use your knowledge of polynomials and area to create a mathematical model for fencing a school playground. Use your mathematical model to find the optimal solution.

Project 2 – An Algebraic Model

Chapter 7or 8 (Group Activity) choose one

Ch 7 - Collect and organize raw data, then construct an algebraic model explaining the draining of a cylindrical container. Use your model to evaluate and interpret specific results and predict when the container will be empty.

OR

Ch 8 – Analyze production data and create approximate cost/production functions. Use your model to analyze and interpret factory operations.

Project 3 – An Algebraic Model for Real Data

Chapter 10 (Group Activity)

Ch 10 – Gather and record data in a lab experiment regarding the height of a bouncing ball. Use the data collected to construct an algebraic model for the height of the ball as an exponential function. Interpret and explain the parameters of the general exponential function.