This week we worked on solving definite integrals using LRAM, MRAM, and RRAM methods. While we did focus on a few other methods, I found that we didn't focus solving integrals using substitution and other methods that are much more useful that RAM methods because they are actually feasible to do accurately within a reasonable period of time. The other methods we did were using a calculator, which I think after a few problems becomes completely a waste of time. If we are to be assumed to have a calculator with us to calculate derivatives without exact answers our whole lives, then there is certainly no need for RAM methods, but if we are expected to do anything without a calculator, as suggested by the RAM methods, it should be a proper way to do integrals. While we actually had a few problems utilizing this "proper way" they were way too simple. Calculating integrals ina real world problem isn;t ever going to be a simple integral. Even calculating something like the are of a circle using integrals is very complex in comparison to what we were doing. Also the CCC still has no way making it known that I've submitted a CCC form already and this is of great annoyance to me.
This week we did related rates practice and simple differential equation practice. After this we took a quiz. Most of the work we did focused on a lot of easy derivative problems that to solve you only needed to setup the equations properly. This in my opinion, was way too easy and at times the only barrier was the wording of the problem. In my opinion it would be better to focus on solving problems with very complicated functions and having to comprehend things about the problem involving double derivatives and triple derivatives. It would also be really cool to work on problems that involve complex numbers and some other cool math thing. I feel we focus way too much on doing simple derivatives and in places rely too much on the calculator instead of finding methods to solve things by hand. I feel this leads to a poorer understanding of what the intermediate finds are when solving the problem at hand. Instead of just knowing how to plug the numbers you get from one equation into another, I feel we should be able to properly understand what those numbers mean to the problem and why they are calculated the way they are.
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February 2016
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