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     So this is our final Math Monday blog post!  This is also our last Monday here at ECMS this school year.  Since we are winding down this year, I am going to write about how writing these posts, like this, has helped me this year.  Here we go.
     First off, I think that this has helped me to slow down and recognize my accomplishments this school year.  Not only my accomplishments, but also things that I struggled with and overcame in math.  I have also had to explain how to solve certain types of math problems, here on Math Mondays.  How has that helped me?  Well, as you know, the curriculum for all math is changing.  Not just in math, but also in every other subject.  The state of California wants to make our state's education system similar to other states.  How are they going to do that?  Well, they are going to change some ways that we are taught and tested.  
     It is said that we will no longer have multiple choice questions, and we will soon have to explain our answers and how we got them.  Basically, they want to see if we really do understand what we are learning, and the only way to find out, is to change the way we are tested.  The blog posts that we have done this year are preparing us for what we might have to see later on in our education.  Therefore, I think that they have helped to "train" us for what may come our way in our futures.

 
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     This year, my most difficult subject in math that I faced was Parabolas.  Parabolas are basically arcs on a graph.  They have a midpoint and have a lot of equations to help complete a parabola.  It must have a minimum of 5 points; that's including the vertex.  
     I think that the reason it was hard for me was because of all the different equations that you had to use.  You had one just for the vertex, one for the axis of symmetry, one for the first set of points, and one for the second set of points.  You also had a formula for the arc's width.  That formula would tell you if you had a slim or wide parabola.  There was also a formula for if the parabola would be a "smiley face" or a "sad face".  
     I overcame this struggle by asking questions in class and getting help.  I didn't quite understand the process of solving the parabolas so I asked for help.  I also just tried to find things that helped me remember the equations.  I knew all the equations, but I just didn't know what order to put them in.  Eventually, I figured it out though.

 
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     Have you noticed that there are several similarities with math and science?  I bet you have.   Well, there are some that I would like to point out.  One similar thing is that you use a lot of math on science.  For example, you have to add and subtract things so you can get your answer in science.
     Some other examples are that you have similar objectives or things to figure out in science as you do in math.  You use a lot of math in science actually.  There are several things that are simple like decimals and rounding etc. that you use in science, but you learned in math.  All in all, there are several things in science that you use, but you learned them in math.

 
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     What are negative numbers?  Where do you find them?  How do you use them in real life?  These are all some questions that you might ask about negative numbers, and I am going to try to answer them for you.
     You can find negative numbers anywhere in math, I mean we should all know at least that much.  They are also found in real life situations such as banking deposits, debt, etc.  So, basically, they are found in money.  You might see a negative number where you are looking at a bill of some sort.  For example, when you spend money with a credit or debit card, it will show a negative number which is the price you paid i.e.- you paid $20 for a shirt, it would show up as -$20  showing that you paid that amount.  They are also found in temperature such as below 0 degrees i.e. - it is -15 degrees outside todayAll in all, negative numbers are used everywhere and everyday.

 
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     Today I am going to explain step by step how to solve the equation 2x-7=15.  Here we go:
2x-7=15
Step 1:  add 7 to both sides.
Why?  You add 7 to both sides in order to get x alone.  You will end up with 2x=22.
Step 2:  divide by 2.
Why?  Right now you have the quantity of 2x.  In order to get the amount of x, you must divide by 2.  This will leave you with x=11.  Now you are done.  Your answer is x=11.

 
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     How do you convert fractions to decimals?  Well, its simple.  You divide the numerator by the denominator.  Then, if you have to, you add a zero at the end in order to complete the decimal.  If the decimal goes on further than the thousandths place, then you stop and round to the hundredths place.
     Now for changing decimals to fractions, that is different.  There are different ways to change them, but what I usually do, for example, to simplify .05, I would change it into 5/100.  Then, I would simplify it.  If you divide it by 5 then you get 1/20.  That is the simplest form, so that would be the fraction.  All in all, they are very similar, but also have multiple steps in order to solve them.

 
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     Say you were in a restaurant, would you pay for the food in ratio or percentage?  I would pay for it in percentage.  What would you do?  Now, you're probably wondering why I am asking these weird questions, but it's a math situation.  Here is why I would pay in percentage.
     I would use percentage because you use percentage already to pay for food.  You might not realize it, but you do.  Tax is a percentage of your bill.  So are tips!  Usually you tax is 8-9% of your bill.  Plus, you use percentages to find out the tip.  The tips vary from 10-15% usually, however some people only tip say 8%.  

 
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     Today, I am going to be talking about pi.  Now, not the kind of pie you eat, but the mathematical term pi.  What do you know about pi?  What does it mean?  Why is it special?  These are all questions that you will no longer need to ask because I am going to answer them right now.
     As you all know, pi stands for 3.14.  Now, we all know that pi is a never ending decimal, so we just round it off to 3.14.  Many terms in math use pi.  Pi is special because pi is an irrational number and is the circumference of the unit circle.  Well, that is all for today so I hoe that I helped you better understand pi.

 
     Last week, I explained the y=mx+b formula and how it comes in handy.  Well, this week, I am going to explain the steps to graphing a line in the y=mx+b form.  Let's use the equation y=2x+7.  In order to graph this line, you would need to use the steps in graphing equations in this form.
     Now, the first thing you do when you have an equation in this form is look at the number in the b spot.  That number is the y-intercept on the graph.  Next, you would look at the m spot and that number represents the slope.  So, in this problem, you would go up 2 spaces, and over 1 space since 2/1 is the same as 2.  Now, you can plug in any of the points on the line that you just graphed.  Plug in the x and the y in their spots in the equation and that'll prove your line correct or incorrect.  Well that's all for today, so see ya later!
 
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     I'm sure you have heard of the equation of a line before.  You may also know it at y=mx+b.  See, when you are graphing a line or inequality equation, you use this formula.  The formula comes in handy a lot once you learn how to use it and what it means.
     In Algebra, we have even learned how to find the m and b in this equation.  All you need it two points it goes through and you can find out what the equation is.  The y=mx+b formula can be confusing when you first learn in, but after a while you get the hang of it.  All in all, the formula y=mx+b is a great use after you re