ExoticAnimalsProject

Name(s):_HeidiGehrke____________________________
Writedownnecessarystepsandanswerslegiblyandclearlyto
earnfullcredit.

Youmaydothisprojectindividuallyorinagroupofnomorethan3people.Ifyoudothisproject
inagroup,pleasesubmitoneprojectpergroup.
After you finalize your answers, submit this project in pdf format by attaching to an email
sending to Shane.Tang@slcc.edu. No credit or extension will be given if you send a corrupted
file.PleasesubmitthisprojectbyFebruary12.

(ThefollowingquestionwasmodifiedfromCarlStitzandJeffZeagersPrecalculus.)

Daniels Exotic Animal Rescue houses snakes, tarantulas and scorpions. When asked how
many animals of each kind he boards, Daniel answered:Weboard114totalanimals,andIam
responsible for each of their 496 legs and75tails.Thefollowingstepswillguideyoutofindout
how many of each animal the Rescue board. (Recall: tarantulas have 8 legs and no tails,
scorpionshave8legsandonetail,andsnakeshavenolegsandonetail.)

1.Useavariabletorepresentthenumberofeachofthe3animals.Writedownwhateach
represents.
S=Snakes
T=Tarantulas
C=Scorpions

2.Usetheabove3variabletowritedownthesystemof3linearequationsbasedonthe
question.
S+T+C=114

(EQUATION1)

8T+8C=496

(EQUATION2)

S+C=75

(EQUATION3)

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3.SolvethesystemtofindouthowmanyofeachanimaldoestheRescueboard.Besure
towritedownyourstepsclearly.
S+T+C=114

(EQUATION1)

8T+8C=496

(EQUATION2)

S+C=75

(EQUATION3)

Multiplyequation3by(1)
1(S+C=75)=SC=75 (EQUATION4)
Addequation1toequation4
S+T+C=114

+SC=75____
T=39
PlugTintoequation2
8(39)+8C=496
312+8C=496
8C=184

Minus312frombothsides

Dividebothsidesby8

C=23
PlugCintoequation3
S+(23)=75

Minus23frombothsides

S=52
Checkanswers
(S)+(T)+(C)=114
52+39+23=114

4.WritedowninacompletesentencehowmanyofeachanimaltheRescueboard.
Danielsexoticanimalrescuehas52snakes,39tarantulas,and23scorpions.

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ExoticAnimalsProject:Reflection
Name:__HeidiGehrke_______________________________
Youmustcompletethisreflectionindividually.

After you finalize your reflection, submit it in pdf format by attaching to an email sending to
Shane.Tang@slcc.edu. No credit or extension will be given if you send a corruptedfile.Please
submitthisreflectionassignmentbyFebruary12.
1.TheExoticAnimalsProjectgivesastorywherepeopleusemathinaplayfulway.Though
weusemathematicsinmanyaspectsinreallife,mostpeoplehaveneverusedaquadratic
formuladirectlyoutsideacademicenvironment.Doyouconsiderlearningtechniquein
IntermediateAlgebraclassusefuloruseless?Why?Writebetween150and300wordsto
respondtothesequestions.

IfeelstronglythatthemaththatistaughtinIntermediatealgebraclass(suchasthequadratic
formulaandothers)isusefulforallpeoplebecauseweareallinfluencedbyitonewayor
another.However,Idontthinkthatitisnecessaryforallpeopletoknowhowtodoit.For
exampleinmypersonallifeandprofessionallifeasanurseIwillprobablynevercomeacross
allofthemaththatstaughtinclassbutIknowthatithasabigimpactonwhatstepsItakeasa
nursetocareforapatient.Thismathinfluencestheexpectationsofmyjobbecausegenerally
thehospitalwillhirestatisticiansandtheywillgatherinformationfromthepastandputitinto
equationstodeterminewhathasorwhathasntworked.Wethenasnursestrytomimicthe
equationtoformulatethebestoutcomeforthepatient.Idoplayanimportantroleintheprocess
bygatheringthedataandchartingitsoitcanbeanalyzedbutpersonallydontanalyzeitmyself.

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2. Dr. Edward Frenkel in the preface of his book Love & Math wrote, Mathematics equal rigor
plus intellectual integrity times relianceonfacts.Weshouldallhaveaccesstothemathematical
knowledge and tools needed to protect us from arbitrary decision made by the powerful few in
anincreasinglymathdrivenworld.Wherethereisnomathematics,thereisnofreedom.
DoyouagreeordisagreewithDr.FrenkelthatWherethereisnomathematics,thereisno
freedom?Why?Writebetween150and300wordstorespondtothesequestions.
IagreewithDr.FrenkelIhavealwaysbelievedinthestatementknowledgeispower,andwith
thatpowercomesfreedom.IntheresponseofmylaststatementItalkedalotabouthowmuch
mathematicsinfluencesmycareer.Ibringthisupbecausethemainpurposeincollectingdata
andformulatingequationsistogainknowledgetobenefitthoseinvolvedandinmylast
responsetheonesparticularlybenefitingisthepatientsreceivingcarefromthehospital.I
believethereisapowerandfreedomsgainedaswecollectthenumbersandunderstandwhats
bestforthepatientandtheircare.Thisisalsotruewithotheraspectsofourlives.Withevery
decisionitisbaseduponcollectingdataornumberstogetadesiredoutcomeandthatswhat
webaseourdecisionsandthemoreweknowhowtointerpretandunderstanddatathebetter
decisionswecanmakeandthereforegetthebestoutcome.

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