Sustainability Essays

Sustainability Essays Sustainability Essay Sustainability Essay There are advantages and disadvantages from both sides with a mouse and elephant mergers between them. The mouse benefits from the elephant in that the elephant can provided a larger customer base, more capital, and expertise in the industry. While the disadvantages for the mouse are that some of the company culture can be lost when acquired by a big elephant, control over the company is sometimes lost, and some of the mission of the original company may be lost. For the elephant, the souse brings with it a social brand which relates the their customers, new ideas and a culture of innovation that can sometimes be lost in large companies, and new missions concepts. The mouse also brings with it disadvantages. Sometimes the leadership in the mouse is hesitant to changing to the elephants standards, and the cultural aspects of the two companies dont line up. Overall a well maintained relationship and similar goals is key to making a merger of this sort work out. I interviewed someone who works in the housing industry on sustainability and their rarer and not surprisingly a lot of the focus was the economic sustainability and the importance he had on being able to continue to provide for his family in times like these. He really talked about how sometimes there are things that you cant necessarily plan for, but you must adapt to. He talked about during the housing crisis seeing a complete stop in construction and Just to stay alive he had to switch to doing smaller projects and renovations, which he typically didnt do. In the end, what really hit home to me was that adapting is the key to sustainability.

Nasa essays

Nasa essays For many years NASA has been dedicated to developing knowledge with the red planet, Mars. Many missions have been conducted by NASA to learn about Mars. Some aims of these missions have been carried out to learn about whether water exists on this planet, or whether life can survive under its harsh conditions. Through its researches on the red planet, NASA has been developing ways to build a future for the people of the world. NASA, which stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration, began in the year 1958 on October 1, as a result of the Sputnik crisis of confidence. Throughout the years since its starts, NASA has been making history through such space and technological achievements as putting a man on the moon, through aeronautics, space science, and space applications. Out of all the planets in the solar system, Mars resembles the Earth more than any other planet. This closeness between these two planets is a reason for NASA's high interest toward Mars. Comparisons between Earth and Mars include the average distance from the sun; Mars is 142 million miles from the sun, less than twice of the Earth's distance from the sun, 93 million miles. The Earth's diameter is just a few thousand more miles greater in diameter than Mars; the Earth's being 7, 926 miles while Mars has 4, 220. The length of the years differ greatly between the two in the length of years, the Earth has 365 days while Mars takes 687 Earth days to orbit the sun. Since Mars is further than Earth from the sun, the temperatures differ also. Mars' temperature averages -81 degrees Fahrenheit, and the Earth's average temperature is 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Mars and Earth seem to have large differences but Earth would have much larger differences if compared to any other planet. There have been several missions performed by NASA in search of discovering new details about Mars. One of these missions includes the Mariner 9 mission, launched on May 1971. The ob...

Ethical Perspectives Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethical Perspectives - Research Paper Example pt different cultures, and more importantly operate within different cultures in a more successful manner that transcends all personal organizational grounds. Due to this, every global organization may be identified with one form of cultural issue or the other that they have to deal with. Chevron is no exception when it comes to these issues of culture and globalization. At Chevron the major cultural issue that is identified has to do with cultural diversity among employees. Of the over 62,000 employees that Chevron has across the globe, close to a quarter of the number is found in the United States alone and another quarter of this is at the head quarters of the organization (Chevron, 2013). Among the total population of employees, people have been identified to come from as many as 40 different cultural backgrounds. Even within its head office San Ramon, California, US, there are people from over 12 cultural backgrounds (Chevron, 2013). This means that cultural diversity among empl oyees is a very huge issue that the company deals with at the local and international levels. As it is held by Graham (2006), cultural diversity comes with a lot of ethical and social responsibilities if an organization wants to hold a very balanced status or image as a global organization. In the case of Chevron, there are specific ethical and social responsibility issues that the company must be engaged in so as to satisfy its culturally diverse workforce to ensure that the fact that employees come from different cultural backgrounds and are mostly found working under the same roof does not pose any labor related issues for the company. At the same time, the company has ethical and social responsibilities to keep ensuring that the company is able to have a single and balanced ethical and social standard that works for its entire workforce no matter the part of the world they find themselves. One of these ethical issues is the need to have a common standard of ethical practice that

Learning English on internet compared with leaning English in class Essay

Learning English on internet compared with leaning English in class - Essay Example Several researches have also been conducted to find out the efficacy of internet in helping these students learn. It is found that internet is a way through which the students begin to enjoy learning as a process as they get to choose the exercise that they want to practice. Internet provides the students with a platform where they can engage in activities and use their web page accordingly so that they can be able to deliver accordingly. The research points out that even the students who were unwilling to study in the class, were able to concentrate when given the platform of internet. Moreover this not only helped the students get engaged with the activities but it also improved their pronunciation and kept them motivated. In other words internet is providing a platform through which students can be motivated and in such a manner these students can be able to learn better (Pawlak, Bielak & Wiertelak 2014). A survey by the teachers also shows that the students prefer having online c ourse material when it comes to learning English (Ting 2007). Another advantage of internet learning can be seen in terms of the different types of software that have been developed. This software allows the student to understand English with the help of translation into their home language which they are more comfortable with. This can clearly help the English Second Language learners when compared to the ones who are trying to grasp the language in the classroom (Wilkinson & Shatz 2010). On the other hand the problems with internet can also not be undermined. Internet provides a lot of data to the learners and the students are at will to choose as to which exercise would they like to complete. This brings a problem to the teachers as many students prefer to choose exercises that they are comfortable with. Moreover it also becomes necessary for the teachers to keep a check on the students as

Business plan - CoViTek Essay Example for Free

Business plan CoViTek Essay CoViTek is an Atlanta based company that offers a unique value added service to the $11 billion dollars video rental industry. CoViTek will revolutionize the industry by renting movies through its video vending machines. These machines are already experiencing tremendous success in Europe, where they were invented. Customers will now be able to rent videos twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week in a timely and efficient manner at the lowest price. Our machines can be implemented anywhere, even in locations that are not accessible to our brick and mortar competitors, and we will therefore focus our efforts on all the strategic locations. Reve-lution Int. will offer a unique business-to-consumer service for the rental of videos and DVDs. The technology, containing a fully automated system, will facilitate continuous rental and return of movies bridging the gap between video stores, who only are open 15 hours a day, and services such as the nonexistent Kozmo. com, who offer video delivery for a premium price. The company has a cost-per-action (CPA) pricing structure. CoViTeks target customers will include universities with a student body of at least 10,000 in addition to the rest of the city of Atlanta for the first six months of operation. CoViTek will provide their clientele with a complete set of integrated tools within the machine to make accurate and enjoyable purchasing decisions. CoViTek will give video rental customers the freedom of rental 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year long. CoViTek will build the worlds truly first convenient and efficient rental system Target Customers Movie rentals have proven to be an integral part of the everyday lives of the American population. With more than $11 billion dollars in rental sales in 1999, we acknowledge the aggregate demand for the video rental industry. Constantly seeking immediate gratification, video rental stores want the most efficient and cost-effective methods of satisfying their customers. CoViTek will make rentals simple by providing consumers the most efficient tools for with which to initialize a rental process. With the killer application technology used in these machines, the customer will be able to conduct multiple searches in order to rent the movie of their desire. CoViTek will further assist them through the provisions of an active preference search, which is currently being used by Amazon. com. This application will determine what the customer rented last and list the preferred movies of that category the customer will like based on past rental behavior. CoViTeks potential customers will represent the bulk of video rental households who value rental outlet convenience and flexible payment plans. CoViTek will strive for the most efficient, cost-flexible payments and active searches for preservation of quality time. Market Growth Perspective According to analyst Paul Keagan Associates, at home movie consumption expenditures will increase approximately 40% by 2005 to $27 billion, almost triple the amount spent in 1990. The vast majority of these expenditures, about 83%, will be for video/DVD rentals and retail. However, movie consumption will also encompass pay-per-view and video on demand (VOD) available through cable and satellite services. Video Production Companies Ninety percent of our videotapes will come from one of the six major production companies: 1. Buena Vista 2. Warner Bros. 3. Universal 4. Fox 5. Paramount, or 6. Columbia-Tri-Star The power of these suppliers is very high, as they hold the exclusive rights to the movies they produce. One of our late competitors, Kozmo. com, has built a unique strategic partnership with these production companies. They have developed a profit sharing system with the major production companies requiring no initial investment in the videos, but agreeing to give 40% of the revenue generated by the rentals to the producer of the movie. We believe that this profit sharing system is financially unattractive, although it will allow us to reduce our initial investment costs; it minimizes our profits which in turn will delay our expansion strategy. We will use an initial video vendor, Video Bicicling, based out of Texas to supply us with our videos and DVDs. They will provide us with the most up-do-date movies for competitive prices. Competitor Differentiation CoViTek differentiates itself from its competitors in several key areas. While companies such as Blockbuster and Hollywood Entertainment offer the same features, only CoViTek will incorporate all of the features described below in a way that gives consumers the ultimate ease of use, active preference search, and extremely convenient locations of operations. Time Availability CoViTeks competitive advantage is based on its time availability for rentals. The machines will be open and available for usage 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round. CoViTek will keep customer service readily available even throughout holidays. Strategic Locations CoViTek will implement the vending machines in key strategic locations after performing a detailed demo-geographical analysis of the city of Atlanta. Locations will initially be university campuses and later the urban areas of the city. Each machine will be located in areas where there is heavy human traffic. Payment Flexibility Our pricing will be flexible depending on the amount of time the video is out. Since CoViTek is a system that is open 24 hours a day there are no late fees associated in our model. Our standard rental time for DVDs is midnight of the following day for a price between $2. 50-$3. 00. Each additional day will be between $1. 50-$2. 00. Video Cassettes will be $3. 99 and if returned within 24 hours $1will be credited back. Each additional day will be $1. 99. (Based on new releases) Active Search CoViTek will use an innovative application technology which actively searches for videos categorized by title, actor, new releases, type of movie (action, thriller, comedy), and most frequently rented movies. Relative Competitive Factor Blockbuster Video Hollywood Video Kozmo. com CoViTek Relative Product Quality and Differentiation i i i i Flexible Payment Plan i E-commerce Based i i Brand Recognition % 100% 63% 40% N/A Locations around campuses i i i i Locations on Campuses i i Large video selection.i i Number of employees less than 5/ location i One of the most compelling aspects of the CoViTek model is its portability into untapped realms of video rental opportunities. This will provide the company with a critical advantage-the flexibility to transform itself in response to competitive challenges or to shifts in the video rental market environment. CoViTeks flexibility will give downside protection to its owners by insuring that new, innovative means of generating cash flow can be realized. Future elements of CoViTek may include: National Expansion. Video rental opportunities in selected national markets such as: Washington D. C. , Los Angeles, Miami and Huston. Washington D. C: our second location has similar features to our first city of operation. It has a few large universities, widely used public transportation, and high pedestrian traffic. The schools we target will be American University, George Washington University, and Georgetown University. Our downtown locations will depend on areas where there is an intersection of the public transportation lines and high pedestrian traffic. Data Distribution. Future plans may include the sale of CoViTeks proprietary online consumer data to the major video production companies. Specialized Machine Content Another growth opportunity for CoViTek in the future is the implementation of machines with customized video selection. The content of these machines will be select videos and DVDs targeted toward an audience based on specific themes. These machines will be placed in strategic locations based around their themes. Some possible themed machines may include: classic movie machines, foreign movie machines with Spanish subtitles or dubbing, and award-winning movie machines. The placement of these machines will require careful market analysis and planning, and therefore we plan to wait before implementation to gather enough data about the market and the purchasing patterns of our customers. Investment Needs Michel Khoury founder of CoViTek, has accumulated cash in excess of $10,000 for the development and the start-up cost of the company. CoViTek is now prepared to obtain financing through establishing a line of credit and implementing an equipment loan for its initial machine. It will later apply for loans as needed in order to buy more machines as it expands its operation. Using the machines and earnings as collateral CoViTek should have sufficient funds to obtain a line of credit that will secure its implementation of strategy. The initial stage of funding will be used to complete Web-site development, obtain one machines, invest in computer hardware and software, lease location space needed for the machines and market CoViTek during the first 12 months of operations. After 12 to 18 months of operation, CoViTek will require an infusion of an additional $15,000 to expand its brand image and increase its service offerings at an accelerated pace. Successful development and operation of CoViTek will allow it to be self-sufficient within approximately 9 to 12 months of initial operation. CoViTek will be a for-profit company incorporated in the state of Georgia. CoViTek Start up costs Machines $20,246. 64 Inventory: video tapes $9,210 Cash/ month $2,808 Advertising $8,000 Legal Accounting $7,000 Insurance $3,000 TOTAL $50,264. 64 Management team Michel Khoury Chief Executive Officer Founder While founding CoViTek, Michel Khoury is Assistant Managing Director at Bear, Stearns Co. Inc. He is working hand in hand with the Managing Director of the company in order to implement a system of bringing foreign investment to the company. He has had significance experience with young ventures as he has participated in the creation of several companies nationally and internationally. Michel Khoury is also consultant to the CEO of Santege Capital Asset Management Group in New York City. Michel Khoury graduated in May of 2001 from Emory University with a Bachelor of Business administration with concentrations in Finance, Consulting, Venture Management and Marketing.

Anthrax :: viruses, diseases,vaccines

A minor scratch or abrasion, usually on an exposed area of the face or neck or arms, is infected by spores from the soil or a contaminated animal or carcass. The spores germinate, vegetative cells multiply, and a characteristic gelatinous edema develops at the site. This develops into papule within 12-36 hours after infection. The papule changes rapidly to a vesicle, then a pustule, and finally into a necrotic ulcer from Unlike chemical agents like Cyanide which disperse over time, Anthrax [spores] can survive in soil, water and elsewhere for as long as 40 years and is highly resistant to eradication. They can only be killed by steam sterilization or burning, but not by disinfectants. An infection of wild stock populations could follow a biological attack with spores. The infected animals could then pass on the disease to people. An Anthrax Vaccine does exist and it is at present produced under contract to the Department of Defense. The immunization consists of three injections given two weeks apart followed by three additional shots given at 6, 12, and 18 months. Annual booster injections of the vaccine are required to maintain a protective level of immunity. This particular method is effective when dealing with Anthrax contacted through the skin and is believed to be effective against inhaled spores in the case of a biological warfare attack. For those unvaccinated individuals, antibiotics like penicillin is known to lessen the severity of the illness, two million units every two hours administered intervenously It was formerly thought that inhaled spores are 100% fatal despite treatment but monkeys exposed to Anthrax spores have responded successfully to antibiotics, implying that antibiotic therapy may be useful in a biological warfare setting.

Life in the Ocean

Question 1: Parts of Chesapeake Bay were affected by unexpected blooms of a toxic dinoflagellate, Pfisteria piscicida, in 1997. Research those occurrences in the internet, and discuss the blooms and their effects on the local economy. Was it sensationalist press coverage, or a real danger to humans?Ans.:Â  During the summer of 1997, the Chesapeake Bay was reported to have an unexpected bloom of the plankton, Pfisteria piscicida. Experts believed that it was caused by too much pollution from the surrounding districts of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Farms, factories, and towns contribute to the pollution. According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 318 million pounds of nitrogen and 19 million pounds of phosphorus are deposited into the Bay as the result of development, run-off, and air pollutants. Agriculture and poultry operations constitute a large part of the causes of pollution of the Bay. The presence of these pollutants at high concentrations triggered the pfisteria bloom, the result of which was devastating. Thousands of fishes were killed rendering massive losses in the local economy, i.e. seafood sales drop. Maryland alone had lost $43 million in sales. Many people were sick due to the toxins taken from the Bay products which increased expenditure in healthcare and medicine.Pfisteria bloom in the Chesapeake Bay posed a threat to humans as well as other organisms. In Maryland, environmentalists are making some steps to minimize pollution of the Bay. The US government had spent millions of dollars in trying to eradicate the cause of such phenomena.Question 2: Whale watching is considered as a worthwhile environmental activity. Some tour guide operations even allow `whale petting`, as in the Pacific Gray whale nursing grounds in Baja California. `Swim with the Dolphins` operators are popular in Florida, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Discuss the potential deleterious effects that these inter actions with humans may have on these marine mammals.Ans.:Â  Human activities have substantial effects to the marine environment, especially the marine mammals. Activities like that cause loud underwater noise, deep-water gillnetting and driftnet fishing, pollution, whaling, large-scale industrial fishing, vessel traffic as well as activities like whale-watching, whale-petting, or simply interacting with the marine mammals have deleterious effects to them. The immediate effect of these interactions to the marine mammals is disturbance.Whale-watchers observed that whales are becoming more difficult to search in the open seas because of changes of areas and modes of operation as the result of these disturbances. Visual and acoustic surveys proved that whales are susceptible to acoustic changes, i.e. sound of the vessel engine, as it is there primary mode of communication. Whales and other marine mammals use echolocation in searching for food and other activities (i.e. mating, social contact). Noise from tour boats disrupts the sound signals transmitted and received thereby affecting their senses. This resulted to decline in whale population and other marine mammals. Research also showed that the presence of tour boats in their surroundings causes stress which affects their behavior.Question 3. What fish and shellfish populations are at or below historic levels? What restoration efforts are being revised to manage the most important fisheries more effectively? Discuss these and other issues affecting marine resources RIGHT HERE in Maryland.Ans.:Â  Chesapeake Bay fish and shellfish populations are largely affected by pollution from the surrounding states. Blue crab, oyster, striped bass, Susquehanna shad, and menhaden are some of the species studied. Different strategies used to increase harvest were examined by scientists and natural resource managers. The American shad and the blue crab were found to have increased over the past decade and are no longer below historic levels.This increase was attributed to the responsible fisheries management. Current reports have shown that the Bay’s fish and shellfish are three-fifths away from the desired levels. In this regard, scientists and managers are trying their best to restore the Bay’s abundant estuarine ecosystem. The restoration efforts include the following activities and plans: reducing pollution, maintain restoring habits, responsible fisheries management, watershed protection, and fostering stewardship. Pollution, as the primary cause of death of estuarine species was tackled by different states by enforcing laws that protects the Bay area from ruthless throwing of waste matter, i.e. increasing taxation of industry-scale poultry operations in Maryland. ReferencesSpotts, P.N. (1997). US Pours Money, Expertise into Halting Legal ‘Blooms’ [Electronic Version]. Christian Science Monitor, 10/08/97(United States), 3. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://www.whoi.ed u/redtide/notedevents/gennews/generalHABnews.htmlGoodman, P.S. (1998). Ma., Va. Brace for Pfiesteria Outbreaks. The Washington Post, April 5, 1998.Lauhakangas, R. (n.d.). Special Aspects of Sperm Whales and Their Relevance to Whale Watching. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://www.helsinki.fi/~lauhakan/whale/education/sc4876.htmlStiffler, L. (2002). Whale-watchers Might be Harmful to Orcas, Study Shows. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/72927_orca01.shtml

An Assignment on the Linguistic Acquisition Device Essay

In linguistics, language acquisition is the process through which human beings obtain the capability to comprehend and perceive language as well as produce sentences and words and utilize them to communicate. According to Chomsky, his Linguistic Acquisition Device (LAD) encompassed a device that children were born that could be defined as the inborn ability to comprehend the language principles. This LAD fits his innateness Hypothesis of language acquisition because he believed that once a child was exposed to language, the LAD would enable him or her to learn language in an outstanding pace as also elucidated under his critical period hypothesis Question Two According to Noam Chomsky’s critical period hypothesis, human speech encompassed a genetically programmed ability that had a critical age threshold. This is because like a variety of other human behaviors, an individual’s ability to acquire language is based on critical periods that are defined as the limited time span during which the individual is sensitive to the language acquisition external stimuli that enables him or her to acquire language. Once this time is surpassed the individual has minimum chances of acquiring language. This critical period in language acquisition was adolescence to Chomsky. Question Three Genie was discovered in Los Angeles on November 4, 1970. She was discovered by a social worker in Temple City, California when she accompanied her mother as she sought for disability benefits due to near blindness. The social worker had initially sensed that something was wrong with Genie and she got so shocked when she greeted them and discovered that Genie was actually 13 years old though the social worker had estimated that she was autistic and half that age. The social worker contacted her supervisor, who after questioning Genie’s mother contacted the police. Genie’s parents were later arrested and she was made the ward of the court and later transferred to the Children’s Hospital Lost Angeles. She was unable to acquire a language within a critical period due to the severe child abuse she went through under the hands of her father. Question Four The symptoms she displayed of this failure after she was discovered were here severe undersize regardless of her advanced age of 13 years. She had no understanding of grammar she could only comprehend 15-20 words. Two short phrases were what consisted of her active vocabulary and hence she had complete lack of speech, not because she was selectively mute but because she lacked any type of language. Though she had considerable memories of her past she lacked a way to communicate them. Question Five The forbidden experiment was the language deprivation experiment under which infants were isolated from any normal utilization of signed or spoken language as an attempt to discover the origin or language or human nature’s fundamental characteristics. Viktor became a model of this experiment because before his discovery he had lived in a forest like a wild animal and had been unable to understand or speak any language. After being placed under the care of Dr Jean Marc Gaspard Itard, he acquired the language rudiments and became socialized. Question Six She began to use the two-word phrases when she started to understand about 200 vocabulary words. Her speech began to improve after settling in her ne surrounding though it continued to exhibit latency. With time she started using negative forms with not rather than the prefix un. By October 1973 she could easily comprehend complex negation forms. By October 1971 she could listen to people talking and even contribute to the conversations. By November f the same year her speech and grammar could be equated to that of an 18 or 20 month old baby. By 1972 she could use complex noun phrases and regular plurals as well as understand interrogative words. By 1973 she was using determiners, definite articles, possessives and imperative sentences. She however did not acquire automatic speech. Question Seven The ethical implications of the language deprivation experiment are that it encompassed an inhuman experiment that would deprive the infants of their language acquisition abilities. Regardless of this Viktor benefited from this experiment because he was later able to acquire language rudiments and be socialized. The ethical implications of the experiments on Genie were linked to the fact that they subjected her to additional child abuse rather  than help her because the researchers were more focused on the results of their results rather than hoe the research could benefit Jeanie. To some extent Jeanie benefited from the experiments because her language abilities improved but the researchers used her to acquire fame. Works Cited: Linda, Garmon, dir. The Secret of the Wild Child. IMDBPro, 1994. Film.

3 Key Strategies for SAT Passport to Advanced Math

3 Key Strategies for SAT Passport to Advanced Math SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Worried about exponents or coordinate geometry on the SAT? Never fear, this guide is here! I'll explain everything you need to know about SAT Math's trickiest subject area: Passport to Advanced Math. This topic tests all the algebra skills you must have firmly in place before you move into the study of more complex math, including systems of equations, polynomials, and exponents. Of course, the questions are presented in a uniqely SAT way, so I'll walk you through exactly what you can expect from this subsection of SAT Math. Basic Data: Passport to Advanced Math There are 16 Passport to Advanced Math questions on the test (out of 58 total math questions). These questions will not be explicitly identified- there's no label or anything marking these questions as members of this category- but you will receive a subscore (on a scale of 1 to 15) indicating how well you did on this material. You will see this type of question in both the calculator and no-calculator sections. There will also be both multiple choice questions and grid-in questions covering these topics. Passport to Advanced Math Concepts Below are the major skills tested by Passport to Advanced Math questions. Pay attention, now! Understanding Equation Structure The College Board wants to know that you understand how expressions, equations, and the like are structured. Also, the College Board will call upon you to demonstrate a real comprehension of why they're structured that way- and how they work as a result. For a question like this, you need to put both sides of the equation in the same form. So we'll start by FOILing the left side of the equation: $$abx^2+7ax+2bx+14=15x^2+cx+14$$ By comparing the two sides of the equation we can draw two conclusions: $$ab=15$$ $$7a+2b=c$$ Now we can use the following system of equations to determine the possible values for $a$ and $b$: $$a+b=8$$ $$ab=15$$ Therefore, $a=3$ and $b=5$, or $a=5$ and $b=3$. Finally, we plug both of those possible sets of values into the equation $7a+2b=c$ and solve for $c$, which gives us $c=7(3)+2(5)=31$ or $c=7(5)+2(3)=41$. Thus, (D) is the correct answer. Modeling Data You'll have to demonstrate the ability to build your own model of a given situation or context by writing an expression or equation to fit it. Here, the testmakers are asking us to recognize that $C$ is a function of $h$. We're looking at a variation on $y=mx+b$ where $C$ is on the y-axis and $h$ is on the x-axis. In order to find the correct equation for the line, we need to determine the values of constants $m$ (slope) and $b$ (y-intercept). We can look at the graph and immediately see that the y-intercept is 5, but that only allows us to rule out answers A and D. We need to find the slope as well. The equation for the slope of a line is $m=(y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)$ Let's choose points $(1,8)$ and $(2,)$ from the graph and plug these values into the slope equation: $$m=(-8)/(2-1)=(3/1)$$ Given a slope of 3 and y-intercept of 5, we know the correct equation is $C=3h+5$, so the answer is (C). Mathematical modeling will, unfortunately, not get you on the front page of Vogue. Manipulating Equations This skill is very important to have mastered, as it will be useful in a large number of problems. It's all about where you can rearrange and rewrite expressions and equations. This question is pretty straightforward in asking you to rearrange the original formula. The math needed to do so, however, looks pretty nasty, by a glance over the answer choices. Let's take a look. Really, all we're doing is dividing both sides by the big nasty part, which is to say we're dividing by: To do that, we can multiply both sides by the reciprocal, which is: $${(1+r/1200)^N-1}/{(r/1200)(1+r/1200)^N}$$ So, we have: $$m{(1+r/1200)^N-1}/{(r/1200)(1+r/1200)^N}={(r/1200)(1+r/1200)^N}/{(1+r/1200)^N-1}{(1+r/1200)^N-1}/{(r/1200)(1+r/1200)^N}P$$ The two fractions on the right cancel each other out and this simplifies to: $$m{(1+r/1200)^N-1}/{(r/1200)(1+r/1200)^N}=P$$ The answer is (B). Math is one place where manipulation is not a malicious or fraudulent activity. Simplification This aspect is all about turning down the noise within an expression or equation by canceling out useless terms. In other words, the testmakers are likely to throw a whole lot of impenetrable garbage at you and wait for you to rearrange it so it makes human sense. This question is relatively straightforward: it just looks like a handful. It's all a matter of lining up like terms and combining them; careful of the signs. First, we distribute the negative to the terms in the second set of parentheses: $$x^2y-3y^2+5xy^2+x^2y-3xy^2+3y^2$$ Then we combine like terms: $$(x^2y+x^2y)+(-3y^2+3y^2)+(5xy^2-3xy^2)=2x^2y+2xy^2$$ Thus, (C) is the correct answer. Specific Topics in Math Here, we'll talk less about the broad scope of skills you'll need and more about specifics topics you have to be familiar with. Systems of Equations You need to be able to solve a system of equations in two variables where one is linear and one is quadratic (or otherwise nonlinear). Often, you will need to identify extraneous solutions- so don't forget to double-check the answers you find to make sure they work. There's a lot going on with this question, so let's start by simplifying the first equation. $$x^a^2/x^b^2=x^16$$ $$x^(a^2-b^2)=x^16$$ Since we know $x=x$, we can infer the following equation: $$a^2-b^2=16$$ $$(a+b)(a−b)=16$$ We know $a+b=2$, so we can plug that in and solve for $a-b$: $$2(a-b)=16$$ $$a-b=16/2=8$$ The equations on the SAT tend to be more complicated than this one, though. Polynomials You need to be able to add, subtract, multiply, and even occasionally divide polynomials. With polynomial division comes rational equations. You've got to be able to clear variables out of the denominator in rational expressions. Clearly the issue here is simplifying that rather intimidating denominator. Let's try multiplying the whole thing by ${(x+2)(x+3)}/{(x+2)(x+3)}$. $$1/{1/(x+2)+1/(x+3)}{(x+2)(x+3)}/{(x+2)(x+3)}$$ $${(x+2)(x+3)}/[{(x+2)(x+3)}/(x+2)+{(x+2)(x+3)}/(x+3)]$$ $${(x+2)(x+3)}/{(x+3)+(x+2)}$$ $$(x^2+5x+6)/(2x+5)$$ You'll recognize that as answer (B). The "polynomial" heading also includes your friendly neighborhood quadratic functions and equations. You need to be able to devise your own quadratic equation from the context of a word problem. Exponential Functions, Equations, Expressions, and Radicals You need an understanding of exponential growth and decay. You also need a solid comprehension of how roots and powers work. This question looks vaguely impossible, but the trick is just realizing that $8=2^3$. Once we know that we can rewrite the expression: $(2^3^x)/2^y=2^(3x-y)$ Per the question, we know that $3x-y=12$, so we can plug that value into the expression above to get $2^12$ or (A). Oh, the fun we can have with exponents! Algebraic and Graphical Representations of Functions Here are some terms you should understand, both as they apply to functions and as they apply to graphs. What do they mean in each case? x-intercepts y-intercepts domain range maximum minimum increasing decreasing end behavior asymptotes symmetry You'll also need to understand transformations. You should understand what happens, algebraically and graphically, when $f(x)$ changes to $f(x)+a$ or $f(x+a)$. What's the difference? Adding a outside of the parentheses moves the function up or down, graphically, and increases or decreases the overall values being spit out, algebraically. Adding a inside of the parentheses moves the function side to side, graphically, and shift the output the corresponds to the formal input, algebraically. Analyzing More Complex Equations in Context Sometimes you need to combine your "mathematical" knowledge with a plain old sense of logic. Don't be afraid to plug numbers in and watch what's going on in that alphabet soup when you try some actual values. Take everything step by step. Tips for Passport to Advanced Math The Passport to Advanced Math questions can be tricky, but the following tips can help you approach them with confidence! #1: Use multiple choice answers to your advantage. Always keep an eye out for what may be plugged in, tried out, or worked backwards from. One of the answers listed has to be the right one, so toy around with those four options until it all falls into place. Be sure to read our articles on plugging in answers and plugging in other useful numbers. Also, don't forget the process of elimination! If two answers are definitely bad and two might be okay, at least you're now guessing with a 50-50 chance of success- and that's not too bad! #2: Remember that squaring an expression isn't something you can really undo. There are so many problems where it's tempting- and often best- to square an expression, but remember there are caveats if you do. You may end up with extraneous solutions or some other such nonsense. Squaring also wipes out any negatives that are present. Taking a square root messes with the signs in a different way: you're going to have a positive case and a negative case, and that may not be appropriate. #3: Make sure you understand how the laws of exponents and how powers and radicals all relate. These laws can be pesky to memorize, but they're crucial to know. Exponents show up a lot on the test, and not knowing how to manipulate them is just a way of robbing yourself of all of those points. There he is! The dreaded points-robber! Closing Words There are a few fundamental skills that are essential to doing well on Passport to Advanced Math questions on the SAT. A lot of it comes down to knowing the different forms that an expression or equation can take- and understanding what they al mean. Basically, get comfortable with equivalences, and with mathematical operations used on terms more complex than plain old constants, because you'll be seeing plenty of them. Another thing that this type of question tests is your ability to recognize information- and I mean this in the pure sense of noticing that a certain term can be factored out, that it would be convenient to rewrite an equation with a different system of organizations, or that if I shoved most of the terms in an equation to the opposite side of the equals sign than I would be left with the difference of squares on one side. This awareness is, unfortunately, the hardest part to teach- and one of the most important to practice. Remember to stay calm- and breathe. Use your time wisely: if a problem looks totally overwhelming, skip it. Save it for the end, and however much time (if any) you have left over. If you sense that you're truly stuck, guessing is not the end of the world- it's better than leaving a question blank. There's no guessing penalty, so you won't lose points for a wrong answer. Before you throw in the towel, though, and time permitting, take a few minutes to fiddle around with the problem, trying out some different strategies. Try anything that comes to you! Work backwards from the answer choices, trying them out and plugging things in. What's Next? Now, if I gave the impression that any of these skills are impossible to learn, I apologize. Certain skills are harder to pick up, but we've got resources that should give you a leg up. We've got articles that cover just about anything you could ever want to know about SAT Math. Now, anxiety results from anticipating the unknown, so make the worst of the possible worst on SAT Math a little less mysterious by trying out some extra tough problems. And, just in case, learn how to do your very best guessing on SAT Math. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math strategy guide, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

GED Overview - Prep, Online Help, Courses, Practice

GED Overview - Prep, Online Help, Courses, Practice Once youve decided to get your GED, it can be difficult to figure out how to prepare. Our poll shows that most people searching for GED info are either looking for classes and study programs, or are taking practice tests and looking for a testing center. It sounds easy, but it isnt always. State Requirements In the U.S., every state has its own GED or high school equivalency requirements that can be difficult to locate on the states government pages. Adult education is sometimes handled by the Department of Education, sometimes by the Department of Labor, and often by departments with names like Public Instruction or Workforce Education. Find your states requirements in GED/High School Equivalency Programs in the United States. Finding a Class or Program Now that you know whats required by your state, how do you go about finding a class, either online or on campus, or some other kind of study program? Many of the state sites offer learning programs, sometimes called Adult Basic Education, or ABE. If your state’s classes werent obvious on the GED/High School Equivalency page, search the site for ABE or adult education. State directories of schools offering adult education are often included on these pages. If your state GED/High School Equivalency or ABE websites dont provide a directory of classes, try finding a school near you on Americas Literacy Directory. This directory provides addresses, phone numbers, contacts, hours, maps, and other useful information. Contact the school that matches your needs and ask about GED/High School Equivalency prep courses. Theyll take it from there and help you achieve your goals. Online Classes If you cant find a convenient or appropriate school near you, what next? If you do well with self-study, an online course may work for you. Some, such as GED Board and gedforfree.com, are free. These sites offer free study guides and practice tests that are very comprehensive. Check out the math and English courses at GED Board: Free Math Videos and QuizzesFree Help with English Others, such as the GED Academy and GED Online, charge tuition. Do your homework and make sure you understand what youre buying. Remember that you cannot take the GED/High School Equivalency test online. This is very important. The new 2014 tests are computer-based, but not online. There is a difference. Do not let anyone charge you for taking the test online. The diploma they offer you is not valid. You must take your test at a certified testing center. These should be listed on your states adult education website. Study Guides There are many GED/High School Equivalency study guides available at national book stores and in your local libraries, and some of these are probably available at your local independent book store as well. Ask at the counter if youre not sure where to find them. You can also order them online. Compare prices and how each book is laid out. People learn in different ways. Choose the books that make you feel comfortable using them. This is your education. Adult Learning Principles Adults learn differently than children. Your study experience is going to be different from your memory of school as a child. Understanding adult learning principles will help you make the most of this new adventure you’re beginning. Introduction to Adult Learning and Continuing Education Practice Tests When youre ready to take the GED/High School Equivalency test, there are practice tests available to help you find out how ready you really are. Some are available in book form from the same companies that publish the study guides. You may have seen them when you shopped for guides. Others are available online. Following are just a few. Search for GED/High School Equivalency practice tests and choose a site that is easy for you to navigate. Some are free, and some have a small fee. Again, be sure you know what youre buying. Test Prep ReviewGED Practice.com from Steck-VaughnPeterson’s Registering for the Real Test If you need to, refer back to your state’s adult education website to locate the testing center closest to you. Tests are usually offered on certain days at specific times, and youll need to contact the center to register in advance. Effective January 1, 2014, states have three testing choices: GED Testing Service (partner in the past)HiSET Program, developed by ETS (Educational Testing Service)Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC, developed by McGraw Hill) Info about the 2014 GED Test from GED Testing Service is below. Watch for info about the other two tests coming soon. The GED Test from GED Testing Service The new 2014 computer-based GED test from GED Testing Service has four parts: Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) (150 minutes)Mathematical Reasoning (90 minutes)Science (90 minutes)Social Studies (90 minutes) Sample questions are available on the GED Testing Service site. The test is available in English and Spanish, and you can take each part up to three times in a one-year period. Calming Test Stress No matter how hard youve studied, tests can be stressful. There are lots of ways to manage your anxiety, assuming youre prepared, of course, which is the first way to reduce test stress. Resist the urge to cram right up to test time. Your brain will function more clearly if you: Arrive early and relaxedTrust yourselfTake your timeRead the instructions carefullyAnswer the questions you know easily first, and thenGo back and work on the harder ones Remember to breathe! Breathing deeply will keep you calm and relaxed. Relieve study stress with 10 Ways to Relax. Good Luck Getting your GED/High School Equivalency certificate will be one of the most satisfying accomplishments of your life. Good luck to you. Enjoy the process, and let us know in the Continuing Education forum how youre doing.

The comparative analysis of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and The Essay

The comparative analysis of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and The Necklace - Essay Example The comparative analysis of â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† and â€Å"The Necklace† To begin with, James Thurber’s â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† and Guy de Maupassant’s â€Å"The Necklace† have much in common thematically. Specifically, both of them examine relationships between a husband and a wife in a marriage. Even more, both stories center on roles played by major characters in marriage. For example, in â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty†, James Thurber creates a portrayal of a marriage which is not typical at all. The protagonist Mr Walter Mitty is husband to a woman who plays a dominant role. The way she acts may even be called authoritarian. Besides, she bears the burden of duties typical for a male partner in a marriage. In particular, Mr Mitty’s wife runs the house. In this context, whatever happens, Mrs Mitty behaves as if she was Mr Mitty’s boss. At the same time, Mr Mitty is treated as if he was of a considerably lower status. Having taken up Mr Mitty’s role, his wife acts in a manner t ypical for a man rather than a woman. Respectively, Walter performs the role of a woman in marriage, a child, or whatever Mrs Mitty thinks he is. To illustrate, once Mrs Mitty returns home from the hairdresser’s and meets Walter in a hotel, she pushes him in shoulder and addresses her husband in a rough manner not typical for a woman. Because of this, their conversation looks more like quarrelling. For instance, â€Å"Something struck his shoulder. â€Å"I've been looking all over this hotel for you,† said Mrs. Mitty. â€Å"Why do you have to hide in this old chair? How did you expect me to find you?† â€Å"Things close in,† said Walter Mitty vaguely. â€Å"What?† Mrs. Mitty said. â€Å"Did you get the what's-its-name? The puppy biscuit? What's in that box?† (Thurber, 2011) The foregoing example and other examples in the story allow claiming that Mr Mitty’s wife has such character traits that evidence her masculinity. Apparently, she is a kind of a woman that is not likely to be admired by men. Indeed, her masculinity and acting in a manlike manner would divert any typical male. On a similar note, one of the themes explored by Guy de Maupassant in â€Å"The Necklace† is relationship as well as gender roles within marriage. Yet, the contrasting point is that the woman in the marriage portrayed in the story is very feminine. Unlike Mr Mitty’s spouse, Mathilde is described as â€Å"beautiful† as well as â€Å"charming†, the one who longs to be adored by men. Evidently, this desire is the greatest motive to get expensive things. For example, in the story â€Å"She had no dresses, no jewelry, nothing. And she loved nothing else; she felt herself made for that only. She would so much have liked to please, to be envied, to be seductive and sought after† (Maupassant, 2011). Apart from this, Mathilde’s femininity is demonstrated by her excessive sensitivity and overwhelming emot ions. This adds up to her feminine image especially with the male-dominated world in the background. Also, both stories enjoy the common theme of escapism. To specify, in Thurber’s â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty†, escapism is the central theme. Walter Mitty is described as â€Å"a middle-aged, middle-class man who escapes from the routine drudgery of his suburban life

Reflection about Management and Organizational Behavior Term Paper

Reflection about Management and Organizational Behavior - Term Paper Example However, effective leadership also depends upon how leaders mend their approaches to suit the characteristics of their followers. Drawing different leadership-related teachings from literature, the most applicable leadership to the situation at Buddy Delight will be identified and evaluated for its effectiveness and applicability. Buddy Delight, a fast food restaurant at the far end of the high street market in Brookshire, Colorado had to close its 5-year old business shortly after the sudden demise of its previous owner. Just before his death, the owner had expanded Buddy Delight to two more floors of the building; and had hired few employees. The owner’s son took over the business after his father’s demise, and brought about many changes, one of which included appointing a new manager in the restaurant section. During earlier years, all business related activities were managed by the owner, the sole manager of the restaurant. However, increasing number of customers and business resulted in high workload as a result of which the new owner decided to bring in more people to manage the business. New employees were hired again at various positions including managerial and reception, operations and for customer service activities. Dissatisfaction, frustration and low performance surfaced in the ope rations team within few weeks after they welcomed their new manager along with two new chefs in their team. The new manager was highly qualified management graduate and possessed years of managerial experience in the marketing division. He had the ability to command and get the tasks accomplished. The manager was young, energetic and highly innovative, which could have been the reasons that had pleased the owner’s son to hire the manager. This team comprised of 12 employees including 4 chefs and eight waiters that were responsible for working in the main restaurant section that was directly involved in preparing food items as per