By Kendra Weiss

The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

(Albert Einstein)

Introduction Task Process

Resources Evaluation Conclusion

Introduction

I

know that the actual purpose of math can sometimes be elusive. I also know that we are told that we will use this information in life. That is the truth. Math is all around us everyday, from deciding how much coffee to put in the machine to make the perfect cup of coffee to the engineering behind the roads that we took to get to school. And it can be fun! We will see how we use math in our lives now and also how we might use math in our careers. Who knows where our explorations might lead us. We might even find mistakes around us that can be explained using mathematical ideas.

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Task

T

o illustrate to you how important math is you will be searching for real world applications to the algebra that you learn in school. Math is something you use all the time and can help you accomplish things better, faster, and more cost efficiently. You will put together an oral report teaching your class about how you discovered math to be useful in life, demonstrate a practical application of your material, and write a short report summarizing the project.

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Process

T

o gather the information you will need an understanding of the basic concepts of algebra. First you will need to research algebra and how it might be used in the real world (Hint: Think word problem). A basic understanding is absolutely necessary. Then you will need to search for real world applications of that material. Please refer to the links provided below. Chose one topic to explore that seems most exciting and fun.

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Resources

P

lease follow the link below for the details of your project.

Algebra

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Evaluation

T

he grading will be based on creativity, logical presentation of your chosen material, and a complete illustration of your understanding of the basic concepts of your topic. The break down of points is as follows:

Grading Scale

Oral Report 10-15 minutes Complete presentation of Material	60 points
Demonstration Visual aid Explanation of demonstration	30 points
Written Report Grammar and Writing Skills Summary of project with a Description of personal Reaction to project	10 points

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Conclusion

A

fter the completion of all the oral reports and demonstrations there will a class discussion regarding the practicality of algebra. At this point I want to hear your opinions, concerns, and thoughts. Do you use math in your life today? Of the many careers that you might pursue, would any of them use algebra? How might math make your everyday life easier? Or more fun or more exciting? Or as Albert Einstein suggested, is income tax really that difficult to understand or could you breeze through your taxes and be the envy of people around you?

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