Homework:
PART I: for class on Monday
1. Convert the following numbers from base 10 to whatever is asked for:
14 (binary [base 2])
48 (base 7)
128 (binary [base 2])
150 (hex [base 16])
101 (base 8)
2. Select five different numbers in base ten (like I did above) and set them to different bases (again, like I did above). Create a sheet with these five problems. Create a separate sheet with the answers and bring both of them to class. We will trade these in class on Monday as a start up problem.
3. How are your mental mathematics when it comes to multiplication and division? Test yourself:
Go to: http://www.math-drills.com/multiplication.shtml . Print out one of the five minute frenzies. These are like what you might have had a while back (like ten years ago), but they aren't in any order, which means that you really do have to know what you are doing. See how many you can get in five minutes (the answers are on the second page that will print; you can either print that or just scroll after.
If you got them all in five minutes, fantastic. If not, you have some work to do. The other frenzys there are just like the first, but with the numbers in different orders. Try those and see how well you can do.
wash, rinse, repeat: http://www.math-drills.com/division.shtml
WE WILL DO ONE OF THESE IN CLASS ON MONDAY.
I should have explained in class why I think this is important. If I didn't, ask me on Monday.
PART II: Emailed to me by Sunday at midnight:
4. E-mail (jmundt at bennington dot edu) me answers to the following questions:
why are you taking this course?
what was the last math class that you took?
how long ago was that?
what areas of mathematics would you like to get better at?
what areas of your life do you expect to be using math?
is there anything about you I should know? (very open question--for example, I would have answered: "I'm a pretty good student, but have troubles with organization and sometimes jump to conclusions about an answer before I think it through. Also I like kittens and youtube videos about kittens").
What have teachers done for you in the past that has helped you learn? (for example: "I need to do problems out on my own and then compare them with other people to know I have the material. It's hard for me to just watch someone else do math rpoblems and then try them on my own.")
5. Find another number system other than the ones we discussed in class (this can either be an ancient one or one currently in use, but it should differ in more than just the symbols used in a place system). Describe its attributes in a similar way to how we did for our own number system in class. Compare the number system you selected to ours, giving benefits to each.