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Friday, June 24, 2011

RRJ # 4

Reference: 
Sullivan,B. (2011). Math disorder makes consumers easy prey. Dtape Chronicles. Retrieved Jun 14,  2011, from http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/13/6851179-math-disorder-makes-consumers-easy-prey


Summary:
According to this article, researchers find that “dyscalculia” is a important reason can make people’s math skill weak. Some people are not be able to understand math as well as others because their genes have a little different with other people. They are vulnerability as consumers and people start to notice this problem. Butterworth’s research also prove this idea. The researchers can fin out if someone is a “dyscalculia” or not by giving some simple test. People konw that this kind of problem may not be able cure, but those guys who have triable with this still can get help from others. 

Reaction:
  After read through this article, I learned that math abilities can be decide natural when your parents given genes to you. I think this article also proved that math skill is an important basic ability. According to the author, this new theory will help people understand how does math ability runs in our mind. We shouldn’t laugh at the people who has triable with math, however we need to find a better to help them. Also, math is closely linked to economy, finance and marketing. I should learn more about the interdisciplinary things about mathematics. There should be many things that can be consider as my career. Maybe become a researcher is not a bad idea for me.


Arthur

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

RRJ # 3

Reference: 
Buck, H. (2011). Math students put skills to work building house. The Columbian. Retrieved May 21, 2011, from http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/21/building-on-homework/?print


Summary:
In this news report, Evergreen and Mountain View high schools let their students use study and use math by practical activities. They think this is a better way than justs teach the students in classroom. They make this activity become a match which can promote self- confidence and teamwork ability. All the students who join this special class say they learn something from it. Thiy think it is a good way to connect math with daily life. Evergreen hope they can sell those house in order to recoup materials costs.


Reaction:

I am very interested in this kind of news reports which telling us that mathematics is a practicable and usual tool in our daily life. Students should understand that the math skills them have learned is much more useful beyond their imagination. This is a good start for learning applied mathematics. If students like to learn and use mathematics this way, then we should use it as normal. I also agree with the reporter that this is not just about math, practical activities can offer many good effects for students. Teamwork ability is an important personal quality in now days, people who know how to work with others can always do better job. Experiences are more valuable than knowledge in some way. And I believe that applied mathematics is the kind of knowledge can easily guide our action. We can get experiences by using our knowledge, and test the knowledge in the real world in order to prove it. 




Arthur

RRJ # 2

Reference: 
Reid, M. (2011). ‘Real world’ math thinking earns students serious money. The Ridgefield Press.com. Retrieved May 14, 2011, from http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/theridgefieldpress/news/localnews/93874-real-world-math-thinking-earns-students-serious-money.html


Summary:
The student from Ridgefield High School try to use there won mathematical model in the ‘real world’. They can get a lot of scholarship from the math challenge to pay for the college. Educator think it is a really good idea and the students also enjoy in this. The student think from separate way, so their solutions are very different from each other. The winners of this challenge are going to their university and continuous work on the science base in mathematics.

Reaction:

I think throes students are very luck, they should cherish this kind of chance in their life. When I was in high school, every one agree my mathematics skill was admirably, but I don’t have that kind of chance to proved myself. We do have a huge system to text people’s math skill, but most part of the system is test your taking examinations ability. Unfortunately, I am not really good at taking test. I believe this math challenge is a good example that worth promoting. Students who work hard and talented can get reward, so they can fell proud and much more interested in the study. And this kind of challenge is more fouce on solve real world issues. These children will become helpful for the whole community, and this is the power of applied mathematics. What I am doing is pretty much same as what they are doing. Use my skill in the ‘real world’ to help people’s daily life. 





Arthur

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

RRJ # 1


Reference: 
Ahlstrom, D. (2011).  Mathematics is universal and ubiquitous. But as with most foreign languages, we tend not to speak it very well.  The Irish Times. Retrieved May 27, 2011, from www.irishtimes.com /newspaper/innovation/2011/0527/1224297520385.html

Summary: 
  This article mainly talk about the importance of mathematics in current international world. At the beginning of this article, the author compare mathematics to a kind of universal language in order to show its wide application. He think that mathematics is the most important tools to communicate with others. Then, he talk about the situation of mathematics in Irish which is not optimistic. In the end of the article, he think mathematicians should make math more simple, and people “need to find the beauty in maths. ”

Reaction: 
The first time I saw the title of this article, I was surprised by the the way that the author compare math to a language. Even I do not think math can replace language in the future, but I agree with the author’s point that how mathematics is universal and ubiquitous. However, this is also the reason that I choose major in applied mathematics. The changing of this world is getting faster and faster. I believe my major can provide me more available selects to become my career. So far, I biased toward financial mathematics as my direction. Through this article, I can be more confident that I choose is sensible and promising. By the way, I am not sure that Chinese people really do better on math because the things I studied in high school is a little bit separated from practice.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Let's start!

Hello every one, this is Arthur(Liang Xu). My weblog, Arthur's studio, is open from today and everyone is welcome here.

Let's have fun right here!^_^



Arthur