Homework and Project Hub

Hello everyone!
After helping one of our players with her homework, it occurred to me that our server has definitely evolved well past its mandate of being a simple time-waster, and has become a place of communication, skill-building and even learning for some open to new ideas.  

I think this is a wonderful development, and should be encouraged as best we can... and with that being said, the next logical step is to include a kind of Homework and Project Hub where players still in school (or college) can come here and use this thread as a resource, leveraging the Wisdom of Crowds to get new ideas, inspiration and a broader understanding of the subject matter that he or she is trying to learn in school or college.

Don't get me wrong, I don't personally like homework, I despise the time it has wasted for me and no doubt continues to waste for many of you... I feel it does the exact opposite of learning, and wears away the student with constant repetition and memorization, while also depriving him/her of sleep or proper eating habits.  But that doesn't mean that, with the right mindset and support, we can't turn that homework (or project) into a REAL learning experience, one that will leave the student far better off than had he/she simply tried to do it on his/her own.

This is not a place for answers or to do the homework for you... this is a place to learn WHY the answers are what they are, hopefully put them into a proper context that is more memorable and relevant to your life, and, if we do our job right, get you curious about learning more about the subject on your own!  

Everyone is welcomed to pitch in if they can contribute something fun, meaningful or interesting to the conversation... just bear in mind that not all of us may be smart enough to contribute something useful.  This is why this isn't the place for answers but rather inspiration, so you can be motivated to breeze past your homework, hit the ground running on a book report, or gather ideas to prevent project procrastination!  

Just be sure to leave ample time for discussion, as we can't guarantee we can help with last-minute homework or studying.  

Good luck and hope to see some amazing crowd-learning here!

Cia, I must say... You have fantastic timing. Im right now on the border between primary school and secondary school. I've heard secondary school is so much harder, so I might need help with all them subjects.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not stupid or anything like that. I just heard that secondary school is super hard.

Overall, thanks for making this thread. Ill be sure to use it sometime in the future!

Hi Hammy!

Thank you, and no worries.  As Carl Sagan once put it...

"There are naive questions, tedious questions, ill-phrased questions, questions put after inadequate self-criticism. But every question is a cry to understand the world. There is no such thing as a dumb question."


And we hope to be a gap of understanding that schools, in their rush to standardize and conform, may leave in your educational experience. 


As for secondary school...


Newer things always seem daunting at first... But we can adapt to new challenges, and sooner or later you'll be covering advanced topics with the same ease as you do with your primary school topics.  It's my experience that the main challenge with secondary school comes from the students themselves, who will be in the processing of transitioning into teenage-hood and so will start to act differently.


But all that also depends on the quality of the school you're getting into.

Hello everyone. Maybe its because I'm sick and tired, but I have a hard time understanding how to do reverse percentages. Can anyone help?
Here's an example... If sold for £66.70 making a 15% profit, what is the original price?
Thanks

Hi Hannah!

Thank you for posting a question!  
While I'm not a math wiz by any stretch of the imagination, account questions like these are very important to know when you're older, and are not terribly difficult to figure out.

When we say a 15% profit, we mean that it's 15% over the original value.  The percent of the original value is of course 100%, since 100% of 1 is just 1.  Likewise, a 15% profit equals to 115% of 1, or 1.15; and a loss of 15% is the same as 85% of 1 or 0.85.  

With that in mind, we use the 115% or 1.15 to try and calculate the original value (the original 100%, so to speak).  In order to do that, dividing the current amount by its current percentage will get the original amount... in other words, that's what we know as REVERSE PERCENTAGE since it's the exact opposite of figuring out a percentage of an amount (which uses multiplication).

So....


£66.70 [current amount] divided by 1.15 [current percentage] = £58 [original amount!!!]

Voila!  And you have it!!

But how can you be sure that's the correct original amount?  Easy!
If we assume that £58 is 100%, then all we have to do is figure out what's 15% of that to get at how much the profit was.  How do we figure out the profit amount?  Just do the regular PERCENTAGE, which, again, is just good ol multiplication!  


£58 [original amount] times 0.15 [profit percentage] = £8.70 [profit amount!!]

Now from there, you can see that £58 + £8.70 = £66.70!
Or to put it more plainly...


£58 [original amount] + £8.70 [profit amount] = £66.70 [current amount!!]

Now you have everything fully validated!!!  You know now how to get at the original amount, and then you know how to get from the original amount back to your current amount!  

Now hopefully someone more money-versed can explain a practical scenario where this knowledge can be useful. ^^

ohh, Can I contribute to the maths answers as well. I'm supposed to be 2 years ahead of my current age in maths and science (Ironically im terrible at History, which requires maths). I love answering maths questions and explaining weird stuff!

You not only can, you're expected to contribute.  That's why I call it "crowd learning".  

Ayy, I can help with Math and English. Hehe.

I don't like History though. 100% memorization and I have a crummy memory.

How can I help myself memorize all these useless History facts and events that I need to know? >.>

Well maybe you DON'T need to know them... or rather not out of context.  Things will be easier to learn if you learn them in a context that's relevant to you... say, for instance, learning some history about the origins of cheese...

http://hackmystudy.com/how-to-memorize-things-quickly-and-effectively/

This techniques above has really helped me with some of my memorizing issues, but it doesn't work for everything

Adamsuper2002 wrote:http://hackmystudy.com/how-to-memorize-things-quickly-and-effectively/

This techniques above has really helped me with some of my memorizing issues, but it doesn't work for everything

Reduced refined sugars and increase healthy dietary fats, and watch those memorization techniques become super effective.  :3

I don't understand how comma's can "cut" the sentence in half. I mean where would I put a comma and why? I usually have trouble with this when writing.

Oh my, well I definitely OVERUSE commas, but the main rule of thumb that I use is that commas are placed to partition off sections of a sentence that are related but different in context, such as "cause and effect".  So read my last post... First I describe what to do (reduce grains and sugar), then comma, then BOOM! The end result of that will be better memorization.

In fact, it will probably make sense to think of a comma as a symbol for "then", and each time you see a comma you can envision the word "then" in its place.

Take for instance this favorite movie phrase:

"If you build it, they will come."

Wouldn't that more or less read...?


"If you build it then they will come."

See if you can try it out on other examples, including lists.

ohh! That's interesting. I'll be sure to use that then

Thanks a lot, really!

On the subject of probability:

In a game I have to roll a 5 or a 6 on a dice.

Following that rule, means I have a 1/3 chance to get a 5 or a 6.

Using that same rule if I have two dice, then I have a 2/3 chance that one of them will be a 5 or a 6 (1/3 for the first dice, and 1/3 for the second dice)

But, I have 3 dice, then I have a 3/3 chance that one of them will be a 5 or 6, which obviously isn't true.

So, what am I doing wrong, and what are the chances to get at least one dice to show 5 or 6 while rolling 2 dice and 3 dice?

Fractions yay!

You're adding the top number of the fractions, which is not the right thing to do. I thought we would multiply the fractions together. You have three fractions so it would be 1/3 x 1/3 x 1/3... giving us 1/27 (3x3=9, 9x3=27, and 1x1x1 is 1 obviously. :p)

Not to sound like a moron (which I am when it comes to math XD ), but I'm trying to visualize this and I'm not quite seeing a clean number for this.  If I run through all possibilities...

Dice1 --- Dice2 --- Dice3 --- [If it has at least 5 or 6 once]
1 --- 1 --- 1 ---
1 --- 1 --- 2 ---
1 --- 1 --- 3 ---
1 --- 1 --- 4 ---
1 --- 1 --- 5 --- 1
1 --- 1 --- 6 --- 1
1 --- 2 --- 1 ---
1 --- 2 --- 2 ---
1 --- 2 --- 3 ---
1 --- 2 --- 4 ---
1 --- 2 --- 5 --- 1
1 --- 2 --- 6 --- 1
1 --- 3 --- 1 ---
1 --- 3 --- 2 ---
1 --- 3 --- 3 ---
1 --- 3 --- 4 ---
1 --- 3 --- 5 --- 1
1 --- 3 --- 6 --- 1
1 --- 4 --- 1 ---
1 --- 4 --- 2 ---
1 --- 4 --- 3 ---
1 --- 4 --- 4 ---
1 --- 4 --- 5 --- 1
1 --- 4 --- 6 --- 1
1 --- 5 --- 1 --- 1
1 --- 5 --- 2 --- 1
1 --- 5 --- 3 --- 1
1 --- 5 --- 4 --- 1
1 --- 5 --- 5 --- 1
1 --- 5 --- 6 --- 1
1 --- 6 --- 1 --- 1
1 --- 6 --- 2 --- 1
1 --- 6 --- 3 --- 1
1 --- 6 --- 4 --- 1
1 --- 6 --- 5 --- 1
1 --- 6 --- 6 --- 1
2 --- 1 --- 1 ---
2 --- 1 --- 2 ---
2 --- 1 --- 3 ---
2 --- 1 --- 4 ---
2 --- 1 --- 5 --- 1
2 --- 1 --- 6 --- 1
2 --- 2 --- 1 ---
2 --- 2 --- 2 ---
2 --- 2 --- 3 ---
2 --- 2 --- 4 ---
2 --- 2 --- 5 --- 1
2 --- 2 --- 6 --- 1
2 --- 3 --- 1 ---
2 --- 3 --- 2 ---
2 --- 3 --- 3 ---
2 --- 3 --- 4 ---
2 --- 3 --- 5 --- 1
2 --- 3 --- 6 --- 1
2 --- 4 --- 1 ---
2 --- 4 --- 2 ---
2 --- 4 --- 3 ---
2 --- 4 --- 4 ---
2 --- 4 --- 5 --- 1
2 --- 4 --- 6 --- 1
2 --- 5 --- 1 --- 1
2 --- 5 --- 2 --- 1
2 --- 5 --- 3 --- 1
2 --- 5 --- 4 --- 1
2 --- 5 --- 5 --- 1
2 --- 5 --- 6 --- 1
2 --- 6 --- 1 --- 1
2 --- 6 --- 2 --- 1
2 --- 6 --- 3 --- 1
2 --- 6 --- 4 --- 1
2 --- 6 --- 5 --- 1
2 --- 6 --- 6 --- 1
3 --- 1 --- 1 ---
3 --- 1 --- 2 ---
3 --- 1 --- 3 ---
3 --- 1 --- 4 ---
3 --- 1 --- 5 --- 1
3 --- 1 --- 6 --- 1
3 --- 2 --- 1 ---
3 --- 2 --- 2 ---
3 --- 2 --- 3 ---
3 --- 2 --- 4 ---
3 --- 2 --- 5 --- 1
3 --- 2 --- 6 --- 1
3 --- 3 --- 1 ---
3 --- 3 --- 2 ---
3 --- 3 --- 3 ---
3 --- 3 --- 4 ---
3 --- 3 --- 5 --- 1
3 --- 3 --- 6 --- 1
3 --- 4 --- 1 ---
3 --- 4 --- 2 ---
3 --- 4 --- 3 ---
3 --- 4 --- 4 ---
3 --- 4 --- 5 --- 1
3 --- 4 --- 6 --- 1
3 --- 5 --- 1 --- 1
3 --- 5 --- 2 --- 1
3 --- 5 --- 3 --- 1
3 --- 5 --- 4 --- 1
3 --- 5 --- 5 --- 1
3 --- 5 --- 6 --- 1
3 --- 6 --- 1 --- 1
3 --- 6 --- 2 --- 1
3 --- 6 --- 3 --- 1
3 --- 6 --- 4 --- 1
3 --- 6 --- 5 --- 1
3 --- 6 --- 6 --- 1
4 --- 1 --- 1 ---
4 --- 1 --- 2 ---
4 --- 1 --- 3 ---
4 --- 1 --- 4 ---
4 --- 1 --- 5 --- 1
4 --- 1 --- 6 --- 1
4 --- 2 --- 1 ---
4 --- 2 --- 2 ---
4 --- 2 --- 3 ---
4 --- 2 --- 4 ---
4 --- 2 --- 5 --- 1
4 --- 2 --- 6 --- 1
4 --- 3 --- 1 ---
4 --- 3 --- 2 ---
4 --- 3 --- 3 ---
4 --- 3 --- 4 ---
4 --- 3 --- 5 --- 1
4 --- 3 --- 6 --- 1
4 --- 4 --- 1 ---
4 --- 4 --- 2 ---
4 --- 4 --- 3 ---
4 --- 4 --- 4 ---
4 --- 4 --- 5 --- 1
4 --- 4 --- 6 --- 1
4 --- 5 --- 1 --- 1
4 --- 5 --- 2 --- 1
4 --- 5 --- 3 --- 1
4 --- 5 --- 4 --- 1
4 --- 5 --- 5 --- 1
4 --- 5 --- 6 --- 1
4 --- 6 --- 1 --- 1
4 --- 6 --- 2 --- 1
4 --- 6 --- 3 --- 1
4 --- 6 --- 4 --- 1
4 --- 6 --- 5 --- 1
4 --- 6 --- 6 --- 1
5 --- 1 --- 1 --- 1
5 --- 1 --- 2 --- 1
5 --- 1 --- 3 --- 1
5 --- 1 --- 4 --- 1
5 --- 1 --- 5 --- 1
5 --- 1 --- 6 --- 1
5 --- 2 --- 1 --- 1
5 --- 2 --- 2 --- 1
5 --- 2 --- 3 --- 1
5 --- 2 --- 4 --- 1
5 --- 2 --- 5 --- 1
5 --- 2 --- 6 --- 1
5 --- 3 --- 1 --- 1
5 --- 3 --- 2 --- 1
5 --- 3 --- 3 --- 1
5 --- 3 --- 4 --- 1
5 --- 3 --- 5 --- 1
5 --- 3 --- 6 --- 1
5 --- 4 --- 1 --- 1
5 --- 4 --- 2 --- 1
5 --- 4 --- 3 --- 1
5 --- 4 --- 4 --- 1
5 --- 4 --- 5 --- 1
5 --- 4 --- 6 --- 1
5 --- 5 --- 1 --- 1
5 --- 5 --- 2 --- 1
5 --- 5 --- 3 --- 1
5 --- 5 --- 4 --- 1
5 --- 5 --- 5 --- 1
5 --- 5 --- 6 --- 1
5 --- 6 --- 1 --- 1
5 --- 6 --- 2 --- 1
5 --- 6 --- 3 --- 1
5 --- 6 --- 4 --- 1
5 --- 6 --- 5 --- 1
5 --- 6 --- 6 --- 1
6 --- 1 --- 1 --- 1
6 --- 1 --- 2 --- 1
6 --- 1 --- 3 --- 1
6 --- 1 --- 4 --- 1
6 --- 1 --- 5 --- 1
6 --- 1 --- 6 --- 1
6 --- 2 --- 1 --- 1
6 --- 2 --- 2 --- 1
6 --- 2 --- 3 --- 1
6 --- 2 --- 4 --- 1
6 --- 2 --- 5 --- 1
6 --- 2 --- 6 --- 1
6 --- 3 --- 1 --- 1
6 --- 3 --- 2 --- 1
6 --- 3 --- 3 --- 1
6 --- 3 --- 4 --- 1
6 --- 3 --- 5 --- 1
6 --- 3 --- 6 --- 1
6 --- 4 --- 1 --- 1
6 --- 4 --- 2 --- 1
6 --- 4 --- 3 --- 1
6 --- 4 --- 4 --- 1
6 --- 4 --- 5 --- 1
6 --- 4 --- 6 --- 1
6 --- 5 --- 1 --- 1
6 --- 5 --- 2 --- 1
6 --- 5 --- 3 --- 1
6 --- 5 --- 4 --- 1
6 --- 5 --- 5 --- 1
6 --- 5 --- 6 --- 1
6 --- 6 --- 1 --- 1
6 --- 6 --- 2 --- 1
6 --- 6 --- 3 --- 1
6 --- 6 --- 4 --- 1
6 --- 6 --- 5 --- 1
6 --- 6 --- 6 --- 1

Then for me to come up with either a 5 or 6 at least once on all three dies, I can come across this criteria 152 times out of 216 possibilities.

Am I truly dumb and am doing something wrong here?  Not really necessary to know this since I'm not in school, but I always like to visualize math so I can learn it (since I only learn things visually). XD

Looking at it visually, the only thing you could really do is simplify it down a bit - you can turn this 6-sided die into a 3 sided by saying 1 and 2 = 1, 3 and 4 = 2, and 5 and 6 = 3. That makes it easier to look at, and simplifies it to 19 out of 27.

There IS a way to do this with probability and statistics math equations, but since it has been over a decade since I used those, I can't remember the equations or the proper way to calculate the answer.

Oh yeah! If we divide my numbers by 8, we actually do get 19 out of 27.  

If anyone needs help with science or math related stuff, hit me up. I can help with most science subjects, any math subject, and even calculus

Thank you Dalton for your help!  My above question is still unresolved if you can help explain it, please. ^^

You're answer for the dice question is correct Cia. There's actually two ways to solve it, and you covered one of the methods Cia. Alright, so there is a 2/6 chance of getting 5 or 6 on one role right? So it's basically like rolling a 3 sided dice and just wanting to get a 3 on the first role.


we are rolling three different times in this so...


possible outcomes:

1-1-1
1-1-2
1-1-3
1-2-1
1-2-2
1-2-3
1-3-1
1-3-2
1-3-3
2-1-1
2-1-2
2-1-3
2-2-1
2-2-2
2-2-3
2-3-1
2-3-2
2-3-3
3-1-1
3-1-2
3-1-3
3-2-1
3-2-2
3-2-3
3-3-1
3-3-2
3-3-3

everything with a 3 in it is a desired outcome, right? So when we count up the number of desired outcomes we should get 19, and when we count up the number of possible outcomes, we get 27.

so the probability of getting our desired outcome, is the fraction 19/27.

there is an easier way to do this.

we have a 100% chance of getting an outcome. 100% is simply just 1.   if we flip a coin getting heads has a 0.5 chance and getting tails is also a 0.5 chance. subtracting the 0.5 chance from 1 gives us 0.5, the odds of getting the other outcome.   Let's apply this to the dice roles.

We know that the dice rolls are independent, meaning that they don't influence each other, so we don't need to worry about that being an issue.

we know that 1-(probability of an event A happening) is the same thing as the probability of event B happening.

Let event A be the odds of not getting a 3 at all on our dice rolls.

For the odds of that, we would cube 2/3

this is (2/3)*(2/3)*(2/3) which gives us 8/27.
so to find the probability of event B we have to subtract 8/27 from 1. 1=27/27        so our equation is:

(27/27) - (8/27)      this gives us 19/27




The long method might be used if you are unsure, or just don't know how to take the shortcut, but if you were calculating the probability of getting 18, 19, or 20, on a 20 sided die for thirty events, you would definitely want to take the shortcut.

Thank you so much, Dalton!  Granted I prefer your first approach a lot better,  but surely the second is more valuable to someone like Hammy.  ^^

This might not count as homework .. But I'm finding it really difficult in Spanish Class atm (I'm the bottom of the class here) and I was wondering if anyone could give me some good methods to studying/memorizing some of the words for Spanish. Thanks!

Hi Hannah!  Well we can most certainly help with that.

You'll need four things...

- some healthy fat to help with memorization
- plenty of sleep
- some YouTube videos
- and practice, practice, practice. ^^

We'll touch base on steam for now, then come back here when you're ready.