It’s one thing to solve math problems for a quiz, it is quite another thing to take those skills and use them to solve problems in your real life. Applying math skills to daily life is a large part of why we learn these skills in the first place. In this assessment, you will have the opportunity to practice translating what you have learned to three topics you are interested in that relate to a scenario you might encounter (or have encountered) in your personal or professional life.
Review the material in this course and identify three different topics that you are interested in and that relate to a scenario you might encounter (or have encountered) in your personal or professional life. To do this, review the material covered in the resources and assessments to get ideas for applying the material to everyday life problems.
For example, here is a scenario using linear equations (Chapter 7 of the text):
Problem: Suppose you have $15,000 in a savings account to pay for your children’s education and you contribute $225 a month to it. How many months will it take for the balance to reach $30,000?
Solution: The balance y follows the linear equation y = 15000 + 225x, where x is the number of months. So, you need to solve the equation 30000 = 15000 + 225x. Subtracting 15000 from both sides gives 15000 = 225x. Dividing by 225 gives x = 15000/225 = 66.666 . . . , so you will need 67 months (or 5 years and 7 months) to reach $30,000.
Below are some resources to assist with writing:
You may wish to review Capella’s Writing Process page for an overview of the writing process. Following each of these stages will help you write a strong, clear, and organized presentation.
You may see the Writing Strategies information in the Capella Writing Center for more on outlining.
Instructions
In a Word document, write 2–3 paragraphs for each of the three topics. For each topic:
Explain briefly the real-world situation to which it applies.
State the problem. Which question should be answered?
Explain the solution. What are the mathematical steps necessary to solve the problem?
Competencies Measured
Clearly describes three real-world situations that are related to mathematical topics in this course and explains how the topics are related to one’s personal and/or professional life.
Explains three problems to be solved using the correct mathematical notation and how the problems fit into a larger class of problems.
Explains how three problems can be solved using the correct mathematical notation and how the solution can be applied to a larger class of problems.
