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Re: MLCS Webinar on April 24: Registration Open
Posted:
Apr 10, 2012 10:54 PM
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Step finctioons do have quite a few applications in the real world, including a rebate program for photovoltaic energy right here in DC that I was checking out immediately before reading this email.
However it's easy to make mistakes when doing computations with them.
Guy
On Apr 10, 2012, at 10:21 PM, wmackey <wmackey@uark.edu> wrote:
> No need to stop. Just make sure that step functions or functions with integer domains are on the test and many will learn all about them. They aren't hard.
>
> wayne
>
> Quoting Ed Laughbaum <elaughba@math.ohio-state.edu>:
>
>> > I would assume that because of the mathematics level and the
>> > mathematical maturity of developmental students, it is a common
>> > classroom practice to not address the problem domain and range. For
>> > the same reason, we usually assume continuous functions when modeling
>> > real-world situations at the remedial level. Should we stop
>> > connecting remedial algebra to the real world so we can avoid issues
>> > like these?
>> >
>> > Ed
>> > =======================
>> > On 4/10/2012 7:28 AM, Philip Mahler wrote:
>> >> On 4/9/12 8:55 PM, "Blustein, Bonnie" <BlusteB@wlac.edu> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> usage charge functions are usually step functions, actually. They
>> >> round up to the nearest full unit.
>> >>
>> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> >>
>> >> *Agreed.
>> >>
>> >> In fact there are probably taxes added on that are a (possibly step)
>> >> function of only parts of a bill. And fuel charges if it's a car
>> >> rental or plane flight... Proportions, even linear (even non-linear)
>> >> function modeling can only go so far, but it is still useful.
>> >>
>> >> I'm trying to think of anything in a math text that is an accurate
>> >> model of a real-world situation. (not to say some of those
>> >> applications should not be there)
>> >>
>> >> One message I get from this is the importance of numeracy, which
>> >> needs to include at least simple descriptive statistics. And an
>> >> ability to read messy documents that have lots of data on them (like
>> >> an electric bill).
>> >>
>> >> Still, as many others have noted since Isaac Newton, it is truly
>> >> wonderous that the universe behaves in ways that can be modeled with
>> >> mathematics. Not artificial situations like bills, but the very laws
>> >> of physics.
>> >>
>> >> Phil
>> >> *
>> >
>> > --
>> > Edward Laughbaum www.math.osu.edu/~laughbaum.6/
>> > The Ohio State University
>> > 231 West 18th Avenue
>> > Columbus, OH 43210
>>
>
>
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