Alternate Assignments (approved list) (last updated April 20th)

Directions:
  • You may do up to three of these assignments to make up quizzes (either low scores or missed quizzes).  They will be graded on thoroughness, correctness, and creativity.  If you only complete some of the instructions, you will get some points.  
  • These are due on Tuesday, April 25th.  No exceptions.  Turn any hard copies in by class time. 
  • Unlike the group projects, where you work together to complete one task, you should do these on your own. 
  • Anything that is typed should be in 10-12 point normal font, double-spaced, 1" margins, with your name and the project number at the top. 
  • These projects will not be returned to you. 

1.

Learn how to use an equation editor.  (Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect each have a good one.)  Use the equation editor to make some kind of handout that teaches a skill or has a table listing formulas, explaining the use of the formula and what each variable stands for.  Save your handout in its original format and also save it as a PDF file.  Make these look nice! 

 

To turn in to me:

  • Two hard copies of the handout
  • Two electronic copies of the handout e-mailed to me: (1) Original format, and (2) PDF format

2.

Find the mistakes in the three articles at this link: http://www.math.utah.edu/~erickson/math1030spring2006/alternateassignment2/

 

To turn in to me:

  • List of mistakes and corrections (e-mailed summary is fine)

3.

Calculate the slope of 6-10 staircases on campus, each in a different building.  Find out when each of the buildings was built.  Graph the slopes of the staircases against the ages of the buildings.  Have staircases gotten more steep, less steep, or have they stayed pretty much the same through time? 

 

To turn in to me:

  • A table showing which building the staircase is in, the rise of the stairs, the run of the stairs, the slope, and the age of the building
  • The graph comparing the age of the building and the slope of the staircases
  • An typed analysis answering the question above, explaining the reasoning and the evidence

4.

Study a section of the textbook we didn't cover in class.  Then make a PowerPoint Presentation teaching the concept and giving examples.  Get creative -- don't be afraid to use animations, graphics, colors, transitions, sounds, etc.  The better the Presentation, the more points earned.  Be sure and put your name somewhere in the Presentation, so if I ever use the slide show you will get credit for your work. 

 

To turn in to me:

  • Hard copy of your slides (4 or 6 slides to a page)
  • Electronic copy of the Presentation (e-mailed to me or on CD)

5.

Write a 3-5 page biography of Archimedes, Newton, Gauss, or Einstein.  Tell about his life and his contributions to math or science.  Write this in your own words.  (Plagiarism will be discovered and will earn you no points.)  Cite all the sources used (websites, books, etc.).  Include stories, pictures, quotes, examples of the mathematics, and anything else you want to make it interesting.

 

To turn in to me:

  • Hard copy of your 3-5 page paper
  • Works cited page
  • Electronic copy of the biography e-mailed to me

6.

Solve these four brainteasers:

  1. What is the smallest number of tennis balls you can fit tightly in a canister and be sure that the height of the canister is longer than the distance around the canister?
  2. There are three level teaspoons in a level tablespoon.  Which has more volume:  One heaping tablespoon or three heaping teaspoons?  (Assume the shape of the teaspoon is similar to that of the tablespoon, and assume the top of the spoon is a circle.)
  3. Suppose you have two cups of liquid:  Cup #1 is full of orange juice and Cup #2 is full of chocolate milk.  You take a spoonful of Cup #1 and pour it into Cup #2.  You stir this mixture thoroughly and then take a spoonful of the mixture from Cup #2 and pour it into Cup #1 and stir thoroughly.  (Can you see where this is going?)  Then you take another spoonful of Cup #1, pour it into Cup #2, stir this mixture thoroughly, and then take one last spoonful of the mixture from Cup #2 and pour it into Cup #1.  Which is more: The amount of orange juice in Cup #2, or the amount of chocolate milk in Cup #1?
  4. Cassie, Jon, Luke, Maria, and Sahas baked a batch of 36 cookies, two-thirds of which were chocolate chip. The rest were plain. They each ate some right away. The cookies were so delicious, only one-and-a-half dozen are left, of which half are plain.  Cassie is allergic to chocolate.

·        Luke ate twice as many chocolate chip cookies as plain cookies.

·        Sahas and Maria each ate as many cookies as Luke and Cassie combined.

·        Sahas ate more chocolate chip cookies than Maria.

            If all the cookies were eaten by the bakers themselves, how many cookies of each kind did each person eat?

 

To turn in to me:

  • Your solutions to the problems
  • Explanations of how you solved it and any calculations made

7.

Read the book Flatland and tell me what you think about it.  You can just read it online if you wish, at this link: http://www.alcyone.com/max/lit/flatland/

 

To turn in to me:

  • E-mailed or typed summary and opinion of the book
  • Response to any inquiries and discussion I initiate

8.

Study the history of the carrying capacity of the Earth.  How did the concept come about?  How has it been applied?  How accurately can they calculate it?  What is the current estimated number?  What else interesting did you find out?  Type up your findings.  Include your sources.  

 

To turn into me:

  • Summary of your research, including answers to the above questions
  • Works cited page
  • Electronic copy of your paper e-mailed to me

9.

Compare the statistics of the current war with those of previous wars.  (Number of casualties, cost, length of time, number of countries involved, etc.)  Type up your findings.  Include your sources.  

 

To turn into me:

  • Summary of your research, including all of the statistics listed above. 
  • Works cited page

10.

Cook something for me (bread, cookies, pizza, etc.).  Calculate the total cost as well as the unit cost (e.g., cost per cookie).  Also calculate the number of calories per serving.  Calculate the recipe halved and also tripled.  Bring me the original recipe along with the two revised recipes.  

 

To turn in to me:

  • Food (you don't have to give me the whole batch)
  • Total cost and cost per serving (show your calculations)
  • Calories per serving (show your calculations)
  • Original recipe, halved recipe, and tripled recipe

11.

Create six test questions for Semifinal Exam 2 (probably 2 easy, 2 medium, and 2 hard questions).

Note: This alternate assignment has a deadline of Sunday, March 5.

 

To turn in to me:

  • Hard copy or electronic copy of your questions and the solutions

12.

Invent a different alternate assignment, convince me that it’s worth extra credit, and then complete it, to the specifications we agree on.

 

To turn in to me:

  • Whatever you and I decide the assignment is