Syllabus scavenger hunt for Math 303

Answer the following based on the syllabus for this class. Raise hands when completed.

  1. What is the preparation for next class? Can you work with other classmates on these tasks?
  2. What is "active learning"?
  3. What is WeBWorK homework? Can you do the first task?
  4. What are "MP"? How many MP does each student begin with? What is your estimated final points if you have 27 MP of 35 MP at midterm?
  5. How would you recommend a student prepare for the graded assignments? (i.e., How would you recommend a student study for math class?)
  6. Is this a "teaching methods" course? That is, a course designed teach you how to teach mathematics. (hint: no)
  7. Why is it important to be able to do mathematics multiple ways?
  8. Who is _____?
  9. Which recommendation do you think will be most helpful and why? Which recommendation, if any, doesn't seem to be helpful?
  10. Why was the math book so sad?
  11. Ask one question about the course.

What is a statistical question?

For each of the following, decide whether or not it is a statistical question. What makes them statistical? Feel free to look up definitions of "statistical" to help you classify the questions below.

  1. How heavy is my backpack?
  2. How heavy are the backpacks of the students in this class?
  3. How much time did you spend doing homework yesterday?
  4. How much time did students at the university spend doing homework?
  5. A bag contains 10 red marbles and 10 white marbles. If you reach into the bag and pull out 5 marbles, how many red marbles did you get?
  6. What is the area of a circle with radius measuring 3 cm?
  7. A factory produces widgets. As an experiment, 3 widgets were found to be defective out of 100 that were randomly chosen. If there are 5000 widgets total, how many would you expect to be defective? Why?
  8. Current 2021 iMac computers have seven color options, two RAM options, four SSD storage options, and three options for inputs. How many computers would a store like BestBuy need to stock to have one of every type? (For a real challenge, also consider lower end 2-port model with the following options: 4 colors, 2 RAM, 3 SSD hard drives, 2 ethernet, 3 inputs.)

Adapted from Beckmann, CA 15A.1


Review: Fraction operations

For each of the expressions below:

  1. Compute expression at least two different ways
  2. Identify likely misconceptions that students might have
  1. \( \dfrac{4}{3} + \dfrac{1}{2} \)
  2. \( \dfrac{4}{3} \times \dfrac{1}{2} \)