In the unit Meadows or Malls, we learned about many concepts leading up to the unit problem. To start, we looked at equations that had multiple variables and solved them to warm us up. We were then introduced to using three coordinates (x, y, z) instead of two (x, y). We plotted these points in three dimensions. How they interacted with each other and what they made was also learned as we moved through this unit. In our first quiz for Meadows or Malls, we were given many questions, all having to do with these topics. My quiz is included in this portfolio. The next topic that we learned about was matrices. I quickly found that the concepts were confusing and hard, but the underlying math was basic. Throughout the next weeks, we solved many problems relating to matrices, including how to add, subtract, and multiply them. An example of this work was done on the worksheet Matrices 1, which was when I really understood how to use a matrix. When we had covered the previous topics, we were almost ready to solve the unit problem using matrices and multiple variables, but we hadn’t learned how to divide a matrix. As our teacher, Lauren explained, you can’t explicitly divide a matrix by another, but you can multiply by the inverse to get the same answer. Finally, with all these concepts, we applied our knowledge to the unit problem and solved for many equations, weighing out each option. We finally decided on D, being the least money.
Personal Growth
Last year when I completed the unit “Cookies”, I was proud of myself. I quickly forgot about the math behind the problem though, retaining the fact that there we many variables and it was a complicated problem. So this year, “Meadows and Malls” held a similar structure as last years unit, but it was more complex. Having the skill of organizing large amounts of numbers and relating them all together was very helpful for this problem, as the unit consisted of mostly that. However, a lot of the math work that I did last year was not stored in my long-term memory and therefore probably did not help greatly in this new process/unit. Some new mathematical topics that I learned throughout this unit were calculating, solving and writing matrices, and solving equations through elimination. Learning how to efficiently use a calculator is an important skill throughout high school and testing days. Entering matrices and working with the calculator to get it to do what I wanted became very easy with enough practice, and I think that was a valuable thing that I learned throughout this unit. Overall, throughout this unit, I learned a lot of valuable skills that I think will be necessary for me in the future.