Marine Science
Due Date Assignment
Monday, Feb 6 Please catch up if you are behind in any work (lab reports, HW, etc.). Get on track!

Graph each of the following functions on a graph with the axes labeled from x = -6 to 6 and the y-axis from -10 to 20. Have an idea of what it will look like, but plot points carefully to find out for sure.
a) f(x) = 10/x  -  3
b) g(x) = 0.1(x+2)^3
c) h(x) = (x - 2)^4 - 1
d) k(x) =  - 4/x^2
For each one, identify and write down the basic, core function and the transformations (scaling, translations, reflections) that you observe.
Friday, Feb 3 1) This for is Friday! Don't forget Thursday below! Complete the lab write-up. What does this mean? You don't have to re-write procedures or the materials used. But you must have-data, calculations, observations and explanations, and well-reasoned conclusions. In order please. Complete sentences are the standard-typed, and doubled-spaced as well.

2) Graph f(x) = x^2 on a graph with the axes labeled from x = -6 to 6 and the y-axis from -10 to 20. {This is the same as y = x squared.} 

3) On the same axes, graph g(x) = 0.5x^2 - 8
Thursday, Feb 2 1) Complete all calculations from the lab. You have all the data you need to do so.
2) If you are stuck on any calculations please bring them in tomorrow. Please check all data for sense, i.e. if you get a density of .003 g/mL you probably have not checked your measurements correctly.
3) Let's say we're going skiing this weekend. The first two hours of trip the weather is lovely and so we travel at 65 mph. Then the weather outside gets frightful and we have to travel at a more cautious 35 mph for the next 3 hours until we get to our yurt. Can we add the speeds together to find our total average speed? Why or why not? Explain in detail. Calculate the average speed on your trip to confirm your answer above.
Wednesday, February 1 Do the Ferris Wheel problems on function notation (the last two pages were done in class).

Sketch the graphs of y=x, y=x^2, y=x^3, y=x^4, y=1/x, y=1/x^2, y=1/x^3 from memory if possible. If not, review and try again.

Haben's prize moose's need for food is proportional to its weight. If it needs to eat 18 kg of vegetables when it weighs 350 kg, how much will it needs when it weighs 420 kg?

A moose's weight is proportional to the cube of the length of its antlers. A 300 kg moose has 0.6 meter long antlers. How much does a moose with 0.4 meter long antlers weigh? 
How long are the antlers of a 400 kg moose (need a root? look under the MATH menu).
In general, if a moose's antler's double in length, how much heavier will it be?
Mon 1/30 Finish all the questions on the updated lab question sheet from Thursday.
Thurs 1/26 1) Find the Domain for:
a) 5/X^2-6x
b) The square root of x-3
c) The square root of x-3 divided by x-2.

2) For the functions g(x)=x^2-x+1, and h(x)=x^2-1 find:
a) h(0)
b) g(-1)
c) g(e)
d) g(h(4))
e) h(g(0))
f) h(g(h(0))
 
Wed 1/25 1) Finish  the sky-diving function questions/graphs from class.
2) As we briefly discussed, domain means the set of numbers that are allowed for inputs (which variable is this when using x-y graphs?) in our function. What numbers of the domain for these 2 functions:
a) 3x
b) 1/x
Tuesday, 1/24 Read the double-sided handout "1-3 Function Notations".
Read page 178-181. On page 181-2, do # 1all, 2 all, 3, 4abcdjk, 5all.
Monday 1/23 Complete the plain white handout from class that says Fundamental Theorem of Variation  on top and fill in the right hand column (but cross out the word "(doubles)").
Read "2-3 The Fundamental Theorem of Variation." Really read and reread each line of mathematics (especially the proof at the bottom of page 85). 
Do problems #1-5, 7-12.
We are going to have a quest on these ideas and the graphs of different equations (y = x^n and y = 1/x^n) soon so please start making review notes in one tidy place.
Thurs 1/19 1) Explain the important differences between mass and weight. Which one would change if we went to the Moon? Why?
2) Based on the concepts of force and weight, explain how we know that gravity is also an acceleration. Support this claim with some algebraic evidence.
3) Do you think your weight would be greater on Earth or the sun?
4) What units is mass typically measured in? What about volume? Can they ever be measured in the same units?
5) Describe the differences between mass and volume in your own words.
Wed 1/18 1) Finish Physics assignment
2) Finish 2nd planetary data graphs, as well as tables and explanation of how well the data fit your graph. Why was there a strong or poor fit? Could a different equation model the data better?
Tuesday 1/17 1) If the force acting on a block (whose mass remains the same) sliding down a ramp is tripled, how will the acceleration change?
2) If the mass of a box is quadrupled while a constant force is applied, by how much will the acceleration change?
3) Calulcate the acceleration of a 2000-kg, single-engine plane just before takeoff when the thrust (the force) is 500 Newtons.
4) What is the acceleration of a 300, 000 kg passenger jet whose thrust, just before take off, on the aircraft is 110, 000 N?
5) What is the force that must be applied to produce an acceleration of 19.6 m/s^2 for 1.2 kg tennis ball I serve?
6) What might be some methods to improve on experiment done at the end of class to get a more accurate measure for the acceleration due to gravity near the surface of earth?
Friday, January 13th
  1. Get Healthy!
  2. If you missed class, catch up on the problems below.
  3. Put your noodle data into your calculator prior to class.
Thursday, January 12
  • Very carefully, with lots of points (pick several points less than -1, several between -1 and 0, several between 0 and 1, and several greater than 1. Also graph for x = -1 and x = 1.), graph y = x + 1/x.
  • Herman works long hours. His tolerance for noise varies inversely with the square of the number of hours that he has been awake.
    • If he can deal with a 100 decibel sound when he has been awake for 6 hours, how much will he tolerate when he has been awake for 9 hours? 
    • How long will he have to be awake before a 10 decibel sound (which is pretty soft) is intolerable?
Wednesday, January 11
  • If you did not do the back side of the Enormous HS cookie baking sheet (the question and graph about the rectangle), please do so.
  • On the handout section 2-2 from last class, do problems 16 & 17.
  • On graph paper, make a very careful graph of y = 1/x. Pick several points less than -1, several between -1 and 0, several between 0 and 1, and several greater than 1. Also graph for x = -1 and x = 1. 
  • What is the biggest difference between the graph of y = 1/x and y = 1/x^2?
  • Reuben's room is 6 meters by 6 meters. If he uses tiles that are s units on each side, how many will be needed to cover his floor? Make a table for s = 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 0.6, 0.5, 0.1 and graph the data.
  • Finish scaling your Planetary Graphs, inputting the data into your calculators, and plot the Orbital Periods vs Distance.
Monday, January 9, 2012 Read the handout on inverse variation carefully and do problems 1-8, 10.
January 6, 2012
  1. If you did not finish the graph of y = x^3 (this is x cubed, ^ means raised to the power of) in class, please do so.
  2. Graph y = x^4 for values of x = -4 to 4. Also calculate for x = 1/2.
  3. What do you think y = x^5 and y = x^6 will look like? Why?
  4. The table below gives the data for the video of the ball that we dropped. The ball was dropped from a height of 1.966 meters.
    • Graph the data (you can use graph paper, a spreadsheet, etc.). The time units are in 1/30ths of a second.
    • Look at the graph. Is it linear? Quadratic? Cubic? Depending on how it looks to you, pick an equation (y=kx, y=kx^2, y=kx^3) and find the constant of proportionality (K) and then graph your equation on the same axes to see how well it fits. 
Time in Seconds (X) Distance Fallen in Meters (Y)
0.000 0
0.033 0.037
0.067 0.125
0.100 0.202
0.133 0.297
0.167 0.388
0.200 0.513
0.233 0.662
0.267 0.838
0.300 0.979
0.333 1.162
0.367 1.344
0.400 1.517
0.433 1.736
0.467 1.966
0.500 1.966

If you do not have lots of graph paper, buy some. You can also print some out here: http://www.incompetech.com/beta/linedGraphPaper/plain.html
January 5,
2012		 Using your bouncy ball data:
  1. Pick one of the data sets for one ball and graph drop height (x) versus bounce height (y). 
  2. What kind of graph does it appear to be (linear, quadratic (squared), etc.). Based on appearances, pick your equation (y=kx, y=kx^2, etc.) and find k using your data. Rewrite your equation using that value.
  3. Graph the equation on the same graph and see how well it fits your data. Does the value of k work well for all points? If not, try to find a better choice.
  4. What height does your equation predict for that ball if it were dropped from 200 cm (2 m)? What height does it predict for 2000 cm (20 m)? How confident are you in each of these two predictions? Explain.
  • Now, use a second set of data for a different ball and repeat the four questions above. How do your equations differ? How are they the same? What do they tell you about the two balls that you used?
  • What would be different if we dropped a mushy ball. What is the highest value of k that one of these equations for ball rebounding could have?
  • For your first data set and equation, if a ball were dropped from 50 cm, how high would it bounce? If you did not catch it, how high would the second bounce be? The third bounce?
January 4, 2012
  • The distance needed to stop a car is given by D = 1/16*S^2, with D in meters and S in miles per hour (^ means raised to the power). Make a neat graph on graph paper for speeds ranging from 0 to 70 miles per hour that shows the relationship between speed and braking distance. (Need graph paper? Click here.)
  • Read the handout (the title was "Lesson 2-1 Direct Variation"). The examples are important. Study them and make sure that you understand each step. Do problems #2, 3, 6-11, 13, 14.
  • I have a small cat that is 15 inches high and weighs 14 pounds. He accidentally ran in front of Willy Wonka's TV device that shrinks items so that they are 10 times smaller in each dimension. How high is my cat now and how much does he weigh? Why do you have to do something different to answer these two questions?
  • The cost of carpeting a square room is proportional to the square of the length of the side of the room. If the cost of a room 10 feet on a side is $1600, what is the cost of a room 22 feet on a side? What is the general equation for the cost for all such rooms?
  • Problem Set C worksheet distributed in class by Elliot.
Monday, 12/20
   These are y variables:
x W, Width SA, Surface Area V, Volume
1 1 6 1
2 2 24 8
3 3 54 27
4 4 96 64
5      

The table above comes from our analysis of cubes of different sizes. Complete the next row and then:
  1. Describe whether each of these situations is an example of direct or inverse variation:
    1. How fast a car is traveling and how long it takes to stop.
    2. How much fuel is in a car's tank and how much air is in it. 
    3. How much a restaurant meal costs and how tasty it is.
    4. How much a meal costs and how much time it takes to be served.
    5. How much you sleep and how often you forget information.
    6. How many guests come to an exhibition and how much time you spend talking with each guest.
  2. Make a careful graph (on graph paper) for all three variables (each graph uses the x column for x and the other columns as y coordinates. You should have one set of axes with three graphs on it. Make sure that all data points fit on the graph. Pick your axes carefully (the x and y axes can be scaled differently). Yes, the graph for W is going to be rather low and hard to see well. 
  3. Is the surface area always going to be the biggest value? How do you know? Offer a convincing explanation or demonstration.
  4. We said that for rules that exhibit direct variation, growth in x, produces consistent growth in y. For example, every time x goes up by a factor of a, y will go up by a factor of b. Consider our formulas 6w^2 and w^3 for surface area and volume.
    1. When width is tripled, how many times bigger does the volume get? Show two different comparisons of values with tripled x's to demonstrate your claim. 
    2. When width is quadrupled, how many times bigger does the surface area get? How many times bigger does the volume get? 
    3. When width is made k times bigger, how many times bigger does the surface area get? How many times bigger does the volume get?
    4.  Does the 6 in the surface area formula affect your answers? Why or why not? (Be sure to test things out before offering a claim and then back that claim up).
Monday 12/12 1) Check your e-mail! I will be e-mailing each of you with important ideas and suggestions to help round out your math projects. Please take the time to read them carefully and to start to incorporate this feedback into your graphs, plots, equations, inequalities etc.
2) Start your write-up for the project. As we discussed, it should be about 1 page, double spaced. What events, patterns, or trends are described by your inequality, graphs, and data? How could it be helpful in addressing the model or inequality you worked on?
Friday 12/9 1.) State and research 4 types of Fauna & 4 types of Flora
      in your estuary.

2.) State why these species are important to that
      particular estuary.

3.) State where the fauna fit into the food chain. (Diagram
      it out.)

4.) List specific evironmental conditions necessary for
     survival for your selected species.

5.) Define and explain the difference between: temperature
      and climate.

6.) Continue to add to your work on the Ecosystem
      presentation project.
Monday 12/5 1.) Continue to add to our group presentation!  Everyone
      has an assigned part: Salt Marshes, Estuaries, &
      Mangroves.

2.) Go to www.estuaries.org and do your own research!
      Look at this site's tool bar and select Estuary
      Restoration then Scroll down and select Why Restore  
      Estuaries?  When done, scroll down to: "read more"  
      and select a reading that appeals to you and respond    
      to the two questions under 2(b)
 
      Questions to respond to:
      a.) Why is it important to restore estuaries?
                       (No more than 2 paragraphs.)      
      b.) Under "read more" select a reading that appeals to
           you and then answer these two questions:
              1. Why you selected this paragraph?
              2. What did you learn?
                         (No more than 1 paragraph per question.) 

--Happy Reading!
Monday 12/5 Complete reading the Northeast Continental Shelf packet and post vocabulary words that you are unfamiliar with on your Excel Document.
Friday 12/2 Complete your portion of the Ecosystem presentation.
Wednesday 11/30 1) Please print out all of your critical data for your inequalities project and bring it to class. Do not worry if you had trouble with the weekend assignment-we'll work on it in class tomorrow. However, you need to have your data with in in hard copy form (i.e. you have to print it out!).
Tuesday 11/29 1) Make up 5 inequalities from the data you have developed for your project so far.
2) Try to graph these inequalities, in 2 dimensions if possible.
Friday 11/18 1.) Define vocabulary words and post on Google Docs: words were given in class.

2.) Respond to the four questions in class, can find on the Class Explorer of the Seas Document.

3.) Set up a time to meet with Cindy one-on-one to go through the Explorer project.

Posted 11/15 -CR
Wednesday 11/16 First find the equation of the line passing through these points.
Then graph the line for 6 points of your choosing.
1) (-7, -3), (-5, 1), (-3, 5), (-1, 9)
2) (5, 3), (6, 1), (7, -1)
3) Bring in your computer or tablet so we can spend some time researching tomorrow in class.
Monday 11/14 1) Solve the 5 formulas for the indicated variable:
2) Work on your projects. The data set you are going to use for your inequalities, graphing, and modeling should be soon be complete.
Wednesday 11/8 1) Worksheet 18-40 EVEN. Choose any 6 values you want for x to graph.
2) If you have a laptop, please bring it in so we can continue to work on gathering data for our project.
Thursday 11/3 One paragraph description of your project topic and how you are going to design and implement your project.
Thursday 11/3 1. Biology of the Northeast Continental Shelf (due 11/3)
     a. Read pgs. 12-13 (Take notes)
     b. Underline the words you do not know
     c. Define the new words in the Google Docs (spread
         sheet is preferred.)

2. On-going Explorer project (completed & due Friday 11/4).

3. Define vocabulary words and post on Google Docs, given in class.  (**Will post words later tonight [11/2] due Mon. 11/7) 

Posted 11/2 -CR
Monday 10/31 1.) Finish watching the documentary on the Kon-Tiki and respond to the questions given out in class.

--Have a nice weekend and stay warm!  --CR
Posted 10/28
Tuesday 11/1 1) Brainstorm at least 3 potential topics for your inequality project. Each topic should have a few sentences attached to it, explaining how and with what mathematical tools you might explore this idea.
2) Graphing Inequalities worksheet (to be handed out Friday), #'s 1-12 only. Graph for x values such that -2 ≤ x ≥ 4
Friday 10/28
*See due dates on the various assignments. 		 1.) Print up your Explorer Project and find 10 minutes to
      meet with me today to go over the document so far.
     
     Preferably during SREPT (Haben, Ben, Shayna, Yvonne,
     Laila)  (Due 10/25) **Met with those who are italized.

    a. Continue to work on your Explorer project. (On-going.)

2.) Download Google Earth on you computer at home.
    a. Go to Google Earth and download.
        Any questions please e-mail me. (Due 10/27)

3. Biology of the Northeast Continental Shelf (due 10/28)
     a. Read pgs. 6-11
     b. Underline the words you do not know
     c. Define the new words in the Google Docs (spread
         sheet is preferred.)
Posted 10/25
Wed. 10/26 Graph the following inequalities for x, -2 ≤ x ≥ 4:
1) y< 3x + 7
2) y >-2x
3) 3x-7≤ -13
4) y ≥ -4x-4
Monday 10/24 1. Green packet Q. 1-4  (due Fri. 10/14)
2. Respond to the two questions & terms given in class
    (due 10/14.)
3. Bioloby of the Northeast Continental Shelf (due 10/24)
     a. Read pgs. 2-5
     b. Underline the words you do not know
     c. Define the new words in the Google Docs (spread
         sheet is preferred.)

Posted 10/22
Friday 10/14 I.  Start the groundwork for the Explorer of the Seas
    presentation & Report.

       1. Set up the sharing of the documents with Cindy.
            a. Word Document
            b. Powerpoint Document

       2. Read the guidelines sent to each of your e-mails.

Posted 10/13
Tuesday 10/18 Inequalities Packet
Wednesday 10/12 Multi-Step Inequalities worksheet, front and and back.
E-mail by 10PM on Thursday 10/6.
Will be shown in class on Friday 10/7		 On 4 power point slides, explain why water spins in a particular direction as it goes down a drain (or toilet) in the northern & southern hempisphere.  Include one YouTube.com link that you feel backs up what you wrote.

Site all sources.

E-mail completed presentation by Thursday 10PM to crubin@meridianacademy.org

Posted 10/4
Wednesday 10/5  Inequalities Worksheet
Tuesday 10/4 Questions:  (site your source[s]!)

1.)  What is the current tilt in degrees of the
      Earth?
2,) Describe and state name of the shape of the
     Earth.
3.) Memorize the three atmospheric convection
     cells: where they are found, their names, &
     the direction of their flow.  *State why you
     think these cells are important regarding the
     surface of the oceans.

Posted 10/3
Monday 10/3 1.) Be familiar with the chart we diagramed in class: circulation cells of the Earth.

2.) What is the latitude & longitude of Meridian Academy, Brookline, MA?

Posted 9/27
Wednesday 9/29 Math Worksheet Pg.115 #'s 1-38
Wednesday 9/28 1. What ingredients in fertilizer are responsible in making house & field plants grow faster?

Posted 9/27
Tuesday 9/27 Define 20 terms given in class today.
**May work with friends to share the work load
**Evapotranspiration may only be found as: 
  Evaporation and Transpiration.

Posted 9/26
Tuesday 9/27 Homework Questions:

1.) What & where the percent of the world’s water is salt water and freshwater?

2.) When did the last ice age (glacial period) end?

3.) How do we know the age of the Earth?

4.) What was the first life form on Earth?

*Cite all sources, have at least two for each answer.

Questions will be due on Tuesday 9/27, due to the late posting of the homework.

Posted 9/25
 
Tuesday 9/20 1.) When is the first day of Fall?
2.) When are the other first days of the other
     seasons?
3.) Study for 9/20 Lab Safety Quiz.

Posted 9/19
Wednesday 9/21 New Worksheet Problems #1-12.

Thursday 9/15/11

Worksheet distributed Thursday 9/8 in class.

Thursday 9/15

Create 5 Hypotheses (using the if...then statement.)
       -- Label: Independent Variable & Dependent
          Variable on each statement.

Posted: 9/12/2011

Monday 9/12

Science Current Events Assignment
1.) Handout and Article

Posted 9/9/2011

Welcome!

Thursday 9/8

Formal Lab write up:  Art of Observation
1.) What did you observe?
2.) What happened?
3.) Why do you think that happened?
**Include: drawings, materials, and procedures

Posted 9/7