4 Steps to Figure Out What Any ACT Math Question Is Asking

4 Steps to Figure Out What Any ACT Math Question Is Asking SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips ACT Math questions can be confusing. Many leave readers wondering what's being asked and where to start. That's why it's such a good idea to have a reliable method for dissecting these questions in your back pocket. That way, whenever you sit down to a confusing ACT Math problem, you know where to turn. In this artcile, I outlinefour fool-proof steps to clearing up what a question is asking, as well as offering a few other tips for attacking ACT Math. 4Steps to Understanding ACT MathQuestions The point of these steps is to discover what the question is really getting at. Often, some of the multiple-choice answers you're offered are the right answers to the wrong questions, and you don't want to be duped into selecting one of these red herrings. Instead of panicking over how confusing it all is, stay calm and start with this method. 1. Read the Problem Just read, and see where you stand as far as sizing up the situation. Take a look at this question: Now, it may look intimidating, but it's pretty clear what the actual question is: what is $c$? From there, we can plug in what we know ($f = 450$ and $d = 10$),and we get: $450 = c(10)^3 = 1000c$ Divide to isolate the variable, and $c = 0.45$ Yes! We figured it out! Alright, that was actually fairly straightforward. How about this one? There's more going on in this question. An initial read does, though, reveal a couple ofthings: This question will require further attention. We're talking about functions on a graph. At least we know basically what we're dealing with as we proceed to the next step. 2. Find the Given Information This includes question and command terms. Now, not all questions will be technicalquestions; some will contain command terms, likefind,state, oridentify. Pick outwhatever it is that tells you what's being looked for. In the above problem, I see the wordwhich: "Which... describes a true relationship...?" Basically, this question is just asking which of the following statements is true! Also identify any given information, including stated quantities such as dimensions or simple numbers. This includes units- it's not much good to know there are 15 unless you know 15 ofwhat. Also look at any other labels that give you information about the quantities in question. In the question above, I see $f(x) = (x - 3)^2 + 2$ and $g(x) = 1/2x + 1$. No units, but that's okay; we're working withfunctions on a graph in a purely abstract sense- not quantities in the real world. If there's any extraneous information, you can eliminate it this point. For example, take a look at this problem: Look at the question: "When $a$ is multiplied by 2, what is the effect on $p$?" To answer the question, do we really need to know what the formula represents (a short-term loan)- or what any of the variables mean? Not really! So, we can eliminate everything but the formula itself and the last sentence. From there, we can see that we could rewrite the formula as $p = a({1/2ry+1}/{12y})$. Getting back to the original question, multiplying $a$ by 2 results in multiplying the whole right-hand side of the equation by 2, as follows: $2a({1/2ry+1}/{12y})$. What you do to the right side you must do the left, so $p$ is also multiplied by 2 at this point, making the answer D. It's sort of like finding clues- you're a math detective! 3. Look to the Answer Choices What differs from option to option? Whatever's changing is what the question must be testing. If you're still not sure what the question is, look at the answer choices and ask yourself what question they could answer. Units are hugely helpful in this: "25 miles" will not answer how many more cookies Sam has than Lucy, but it might answer how far Sam's house is from Lucy's. In the question about the two functions on the graph, we're looking for a true statement among answer choices, so of course we have to examine those answer choices to see what we're working with. Answer choice (F) is true, and none of the others are, so that settles that: The graphs touch at two points. The one is sometimes lower, sometimes higher than the other. The graphs are very different; they do not look like direct inverses of each other. Sometimes, the answer won't fall into place just yet. In that case, continue on to the next step. 4. Rephrase the Question to Make Sense For instance, we could say for the graphing question, "Which statement is true about this graph?" You've dissected a lot about this problem; now, put it all back together.At this point, you can pretty much ignore the original, convoluted wording (keep it around for reference just in case)- stick to what you've boiled it down to. Now, go forth and solve! You're on a quest to conquer the mathematical dragon of the ACT! Other Tips for Working with ACT Math Problems Here are a few pointers to working with all ACT Math problems, including those that are hard to parse. Recognize Information Stated Different Ways There are a lot of ways to say the same thing: the ability to recognize the same info in different forms is key. For instance, be very handy with mathematical vocabulary and the symbolic/numeric representations that are often used. When you see $y = f(x)$ on a graph, it means essentially the same as, "The graph of $f(x)$ is shown on the xy-coordinate plane above." Merewording can also contribute to difficulty in understanding a problem, so keep track of unnecessarily florid terminology as you go; note where a problemsays "increases" instead of "grows", etc. Take Things One Step at a Time You don't need to see all the way to the end result when you're beginninga problem; just take the next available step and see where it leads. The great thing about deductive disciplines such as math is that they proceed relatively linearly; one piece of information allows you to advance to the next until you get to the end. If you're in a factored form, expand; if you're in the expanded form, factor. Do whatever's available to you, and see what you glean. Work Backwards If You're Not Sure Where to Go Next This is a multiple-choice test: plug answers in and try them out. Start with any answer you like and treat it as the answer. Stick it into the problem and see if it works out. If it does, great! If it doesn't, go ahead and try it with another answer choice. Your options for a correct answer are limited; take advantage of this fact and apply process of elimination. Ferret Outthe Information You've Been Given There isalwaysenough information to answer the question. Unless there's an answer choice that specifically says, "Not enough information is given," you can find a concrete answer to what's being asked. You may need to use information to find other information that you then use to solve- the path is not always perfectly direct, but there's always a path. If there's one piece of information that you really need to solve and the test doesn't give it to you, there must be a way of figuring it out. The information has to be here somewhere! "If" Is Not an Option Ifdoes not indicatea mere possibility. When the ACT says, "If Bob invests $500 in his bank account...", the ACT means, "Bob invests $500 in his bank account, end of story." For the purposes of a math problemif indicates something that's known to be true. Don't let that throw you off- when you seeif, you can trust that information: no need to doubt it. Notice the "Notes" "Note" means you should pay attention. Some problems will give you a note about a formula or conversion factor that you'll need to use. Don't ignore it- it's a freebie. It's easy to skim over the note at the end, but that would be a mistake. It's definitely true that there's always enough information to answer the question, but you do have to search for it and not skip over what you're given. Start Somewhere Get your pencil moving. The main thing is to start a problem and get over that initial momentum hurdle. Once you're working, it's a lot easier to keep going than it was to get started. Try something. Make a note. Plug in a number. Just get started with something, follow the tips outlined above, and don't let a problem stop you in your tracks. At least toy with a questionbefore you jump to guessing. Conclusion When you're working with a confusing math problem, stay calm and come back to the information you've been given. Read the problem, identify the given information, look to theanswerchoices, and rephrase the question. Also, keep the big picture in mind: there's a whole section's worth of math problems to be solved. That means there are many more opportunities toshine; it's OK to skip a problem and come back to it later- or even guess. Unless you're confidently aiming for a perfect 36, no one question is going to make or break it all. Do your best, but don't beat yourself up if your best isn't perfect; master what you can as you progress. Respect your own journey. What's Next? Getting stuck happens. Accept that it's going to happen to you, and read about how you can work with that experience. Practice with some really tough problems; that way, you'll be prepared for the worst of it on actual test day. You might also want to spend some time thinking about word problems, as these are often some of the trickiest to work though in terms of figuring out what's being asked. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

New Zealand and the Privy Council to the Supreme Court essays

New Zealand and the Privy Council to the Supreme Court essays New Zealand's government's decision to replace "Her Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council", commonly known as the Privy Council with a Supreme Court of New Zealand (NZ) in 2003 was a controversial but an expected constitutional change. The bill passed its third reading in Parliament with a majority of 10, with strong opposition against, and was not all motivated by interparty politics. This change ended more than 160 years of appeals to the Privy Council. The decision was controversial because the Government pushed through the Supreme Court Act with a large amount of opposition, especially from the legal and business professions. There were serious concerns this was being forced upon a reluctant public and a referendum was required for such a major constitutional change. Other arguments included: would a Supreme court increase New Zealander's access to justice, is there any evidence a change was necessary, who and how would Judges be selected and how they would remain politically neutral, creating a Supreme court would be a great expense to NZ and there were fears Maori would be disadvantage by the change. However, the change was inevitable as all major Commonwealth countries had already abolished the Privy Council and there were suggestions that the United Kingdom (UK) may replace the Privacy Council with a United Kingdom Supreme Court. The details of this chang e are unknown, and it was uncertain when or how this change would affect NZ. This essay will outline the concerns and effects of abolishing the right to appeal to the Privy Council and replacing it with the Supreme Court; it will also give a brief outline of the significance the Privy Council has in NZ today. First of all, the Privy Council still holds a significance role in our society today as if proceedings have already begun to be heard by the Privy Council judged they remain eligible for a Privy Council even thought NZ has a fully operational Supreme Court, rulings ...

Punk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Punk - Essay Example The musical and lyrical features of the punk rock, reflected in songs such as â€Å"Anarchy in the U.K.† by the Sex Pistols and â€Å"White Riot† by the Clash, distinguish this genre from the popular music of the period. Therefore, the essential features of the punk musical aesthetics contribute to an understanding of the difference between the punk rock and the other popular rock music styles of the time such as the style of the Beatles. Significantly, â€Å"Anarchy in the U.K.,† the first single of the Sex Pistols, as well as â€Å"White Riot,† the first single of the Clash, divulges the crucial musical and lyrical features of the punk which, in turn, illustrate the distinction of the punk music to the popular music of the day. One notices the quality of fast and bare organization of music in them which reflects the style of the garage rock of the 1960s. The relatively shorter songs of â€Å"Anarchy in the U.K.† as well as â€Å"White Riot,† accompanied by stripped-down instrumentation also indicate the musical elements in the punk rock. These features set the punk rock bands apart from the popular music of the time and the decisive result of this music was undeniably f ar-reaching. As Frith and Horne suggest, â€Å"Punk rock was the ultimate art school music movement. It brought to a head fifteen years of questions about creativity in a mass medium, and tried to keep in play bohemian ideals of authenticity and Pop art ideals of artifice†¦ It ushered popular music into postmodernism.† (Frith and Horne, 124) The short but passionate song of the â€Å"White Riot,† along with quality of its lyrics, which deals with the controversial issues of class and race, illustrates the musical aesthetics of the punk rock in common. The effect of these musical bands, unlike that of the other popular bands such as the Beatles, was visible in the cultural milieu of period. Focusing on the musical elements in the punk rock music, it is illumining to

Compare and contrast two artworks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Compare and contrast two artworks - Essay Example More than rationale and thought of the artwork, romanticism gives focus and concentration on the storytelling and the mood behind every art piece (Romanticism para 3). Having said these facts, an individual usually and commonly thinks of romanticism as a style having overflowing sensibilities and personalities rather than a style possessing only a distinct taste which could make it a stand-out as compared to other art forms. As matter of fact, artists cultivating the romantic style do not share a special and discrete form of approaches in order to come up with a finished product. What is so special with romantic artists is their excellent use of their individualistic differences and understandings to promote a piece of art. In the minimum, romantic artists are linked by individualism as well as of freedom of expression. These characteristics, in many ways, break the convention set by the contemporary art. On one hand, Venetian Renaissance artworks as compared to romanticist art forms do not even concern feelings and intimacy but are more focused with politics and religion in the entirety. Venetian Renaissance is characterized mainly by rich colors and textures which symbolizes excellent and good changing economic stability and trade. In its deepest meaning, the artworks during the Venetian Renaissance era talks and depicts more about secularization and anti-religiosity. Also, base from a number of reasons which involve wealth, abundance, success, prosperity and affluence, the Venetian art focuses more of its understanding towards earthly pleasures, jovial way of living and myths (Kleiner 485). For this paper, I have decided to look with Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres’ Grand Odalisque painted in 1814 using the romantic art style. Also, I would be examining Titian’s Venus of Urbino painted in 1538 during when the Venetian Renaissance art style flourishes at its finest all throughout Europe. I have decided to examine these two classic works since they both depict and project a seemingly similar understanding and comprehension about women and the characteristics associated with the female race but in a totally different viewpoint and perspective. As can be seen in the Grand Odalisque by Ingres, the woman is depicted and portrayed as a passive element of resistance. As part of the intrigue in the artwork, you can see that there is something passionate and striking about the artwork’s personification and over-all impact. Seeing through the woman’s eyes, you can sense no fear about what is all happening in the background. In fact, the woman is so calm and very comfortable being nude and showing off with no clothes. Having said those facts, I believe that the portrayal and depiction of the whole artwork is so magnificent and extraordinary that it can efficiently talk across with the observer. It is very consistent in the narrative that it wants to translate, this is since it has been very effective in telling a story ab out an odalisque, which in common terms pertain to a concubine or a prostitute, having no choice to become anyone else but to be slaves for manly pleasure and sex. As stated above, the main character is an odalisque. And that fact is so important in order to understand more the nature of the art piece before being able to identify how similar and different it is to other artworks. Why so? Mainly because, the nature of the odalisque says it all what should the

Domestic Manners Essay Example for Free

Domestic Manners Essay A very interesting and attention-grabbing book â€Å"Domestic Manners of the Americans† by Fanny Trollope can not leave even one indifferent. It reveals new and unexpected facts and startling specifics of American nature that gives a new glance over American people. Though this is not-to-the-minute book it may be found rather relevant today. It may be read for unlimited times and every time it for sure to gave some new ideas about American character and temperament, it offers better understanding and suggests reasonable explanation to deeds and behavior of American nation. Many subjects and events from American life are touched upon in numerous chapters of this book, mocking main traits of inhabitants of the United States. Sometimes with ridiculous seriousness author describes occurrences and things she fad the chance to experience or see. For example I’d like to touch upon the chapter 20, where the author focused her attention on the state of Washington. Not even the minute fact out of the reach of the satiric eye of writer, nevertheless everything described was described with much dignity. First of all the author tries to disperse reader’s attention depicting the brilliancy of nature and luminosity of American cities. But as for their inhabitants she is not so admirable, the writer see them as real gentlemen (for too few ladies are in the streets) occupied by strolling and looking well. â€Å"Instead of drays you see handsome carriages; and instead of the busy bustling hustle of men, shuffling on to a sale of dry goods or prime broad stuffs, you see very well-dressed personages lounging leisurely up and down Pennsylvania Avenue†. And at first, it is nothing to do with accusation. â€Å"The total absence of all sights, sounds, or smells of commerce, adds greatly to the charm†. But their favorite recreation of all these gentleman (â€Å"†¦ who must be presumed to be the elite of the entire body of citizens, both in respect to talent and education, it cannot fail to make Washington a more agreeable abode than any other city in the Union†), this amusement is gambling, that is really carried to a very considerable extent, however here as elsewhere within the country it is kept exceptionally out of sight. In spite any failings on good American people we can witness the fertility of their mind and the patent office is a curious record of it. But unfortunately about one in a thousand inventions had been really brought into use. â€Å"The purity of the American character, formed and founded on the purity of the American government, was made evident by the display of all the offerings of esteem and regard which had been presented by various sovereigns to the different American ministers who had been sent to their courts†. Well, every nation has to possess anything to be proud of. And along with this proud the writer points that not once heard the statements which represent Americans as â€Å"treacherous and false almost beyond belief in their intercourse with the unhappy Indians†. Though we do not have enough evidence for such declarations but it is â€Å"impossible for any mind of common honesty not to be revolted by the contradictions in their principles and practice†. A little bit confirmation to the last statement we may find in author’s words â€Å"Americans stand against the governments of Europe, because they favor the powerful and oppress the weak. At the same time getting forget about their attitude to the Indians. American people are fighters for universe freedom and democracy, you may hear it discussed in every drawing-room, roared out in taverns and even from the pulpit, â€Å"listen to it, and then look at them at home; you will see them with one hand hoisting the cap of liberty, and with the other flogging their slaves†. Again we may trace the inconsistency of their nature â€Å"you will see them one hour lecturing their mob on the indefeasible rights of man, and the next driving from their homes the children of the soil, whom they have bound themselves to protect by the most solemn treaties†. More useful and couching facts the author received visiting American debates. â€Å"The privilege of attending these debates would be more valuable could the speakers be better heard from the gallery†. It was mortifying to see marvelous hall â€Å"fitted up in so stately and sumptuous a manner† that was filled with men who were sitting in the most inappropriate manner, a large majority of them with their hats on, and nearly all of them were spitting to an excess that decorum and decency forbids one to describe it. Though there were still left few among the crowd that were distinguished by not wearing their hats and â€Å"by sitting on their chairs like other human beings, without throwing their legs above their heads†. Orators’ eloquence extremely amused the writer and was admitted to be the hoarse like and it required literacy. In fact â€Å"if America, in her vastness, her immense natural resources, and her remote grandeur, would be less Imitative, she would be infinitely more picturesque†. The lack of decorum wasn’t very uncommon with American ladies. It wasn’t very abnormal at Washington for a lady to take the arm of a gentleman, who was neither her husband, her father, nor her brother. All this freedoms so unusual for any decent society seem to disdain restraints of civilized world. For example visiting American theatre the author saw â€Å"one man in the pit was seized with a violent fit of vomiting, which appeared not in the least to annoy or surprise his neighbors†. What to say about strict manners in the street. One more curious and somehow annoying universal habit of chewing tobacco of almost all male population of this country gives this remarkable peculiarity to the American countenance. As a result we perceive for how veiled and obscure the nature of a nation can be. We may also claim that numerous appalling and sometimes even shocking traits are still can be vividly marked out while speaking with modern American people. It’s amazing how much in common true Americans have with their described ancestors. The little lesson from all this that one can not judge a foreigner at once, it would be better to throw a glance at the history of his nation.

Mimic Essay -- Matrix Snow Society Essays

Mimic Throughout history, writers have attempted to mirror reality in their literature. Sometimes, an author may attempt this feat using the tool of realism, trying desperately to replicate the world that surrounds them everyday. They make only subtle changes, perhaps inventing characters, maybe even a location or two. In other stories, the creator will attempt to parallel life using exaggeration and some rather complex warping of reality and time. This method of well placed hyperbole, and inventive worlds could be considered the foundations of movies such as The Matrix and novels such as Snow Crash In many ways, the motion picture and the book resemble our society. In other ways, they demonstrate what we may become, or extremes of what we are. Either way, they are both thought provoking, albeit sometimes frightening glimpses into the darkness of humanity. The future is a desolate place. The United States as we know it has collapsed, shriveling up into little more than a vague notion of th e great nation that once was. From the ashes of this distraught realm has risen a system of countries within a country. Individual neighborhoods have broken down to become their own independent nations. In this wasteland of a society, laws no longer exist. Such absence of authority has allowed the mafia to grow, or rather morph into what would appear to be a legitimate pizza franchise. This is the future as predicted by Neal Stephenson in Snow Crash. On the other hand The Matrix, written and directed by the Wachowski brothers, shows an alternate outcome of human existence. With the rise of artificial intelligence, man and machine wage war against each other. The society of men think that without the sun, the machines will not survive. T... ... find our world today more chaotic than we, in the modern world, find the future civilizations portrayed in these modern works of literature. The authors may have intentionally made life more complex in the future, to make it seem as overwhelming to us as our world may seem to someone living a hundred years ago. Throughout time societies have changed greatly, and if all goes well, it will continue to do so. But one thing that has not changed very much is the desire of writers to write what they see. Often writers will take what is around them, and distort it into some sort of setting that is more pleasing to the storyline. But one their characters and situations still mirror the current life. This is true most great literature. Works Cited Stephenson, Neal. Snow Crash. New York: Bantam Dell, 1992. Wachowski, Larry & Andy. The Matrix. DVD. Warner B Mimic Essay -- Matrix Snow Society Essays Mimic Throughout history, writers have attempted to mirror reality in their literature. Sometimes, an author may attempt this feat using the tool of realism, trying desperately to replicate the world that surrounds them everyday. They make only subtle changes, perhaps inventing characters, maybe even a location or two. In other stories, the creator will attempt to parallel life using exaggeration and some rather complex warping of reality and time. This method of well placed hyperbole, and inventive worlds could be considered the foundations of movies such as The Matrix and novels such as Snow Crash In many ways, the motion picture and the book resemble our society. In other ways, they demonstrate what we may become, or extremes of what we are. Either way, they are both thought provoking, albeit sometimes frightening glimpses into the darkness of humanity. The future is a desolate place. The United States as we know it has collapsed, shriveling up into little more than a vague notion of th e great nation that once was. From the ashes of this distraught realm has risen a system of countries within a country. Individual neighborhoods have broken down to become their own independent nations. In this wasteland of a society, laws no longer exist. Such absence of authority has allowed the mafia to grow, or rather morph into what would appear to be a legitimate pizza franchise. This is the future as predicted by Neal Stephenson in Snow Crash. On the other hand The Matrix, written and directed by the Wachowski brothers, shows an alternate outcome of human existence. With the rise of artificial intelligence, man and machine wage war against each other. The society of men think that without the sun, the machines will not survive. T... ... find our world today more chaotic than we, in the modern world, find the future civilizations portrayed in these modern works of literature. The authors may have intentionally made life more complex in the future, to make it seem as overwhelming to us as our world may seem to someone living a hundred years ago. Throughout time societies have changed greatly, and if all goes well, it will continue to do so. But one thing that has not changed very much is the desire of writers to write what they see. Often writers will take what is around them, and distort it into some sort of setting that is more pleasing to the storyline. But one their characters and situations still mirror the current life. This is true most great literature. Works Cited Stephenson, Neal. Snow Crash. New York: Bantam Dell, 1992. Wachowski, Larry & Andy. The Matrix. DVD. Warner B

Clashes of Race Essay

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to explore racism and discrimination within America. It was also a goal to show the relationships between racial clashes throughout history, and what the purpose behind the clashes was. By showing these clashes society gets a better understand of what triggers these action within society. Running Header: CLASHES OF RACE: UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE In the rather complex world in which society dwells on, society lacks appreciation for the simplicity of the universe. one act or idea can spawn certain events that affect the course of history. To understand history, it is essential for society to look at the causes behind the significance of an event. racial discrimination has spawned social clashes between ethnicities for generations, and it continues to do so. to understand the significance of these events, it is important to analyze the source of these racial clashes throughout history. analyzing the sources of these events provides, if any, patterns of human nature in response to mistreatment due to racial profiling. it is also essential to analyze the basic principles of discrimination within the twenty-first century and what society faces in present day. Before analyzing racial discrimination in the twenty-first century, the importance of understanding the different types of racism is needed. There are two types of discrimination that society faces present day, direct discrimination and indirect discrimination. direct discrimination by definition, is when an individual or group is singled out directly by society or an individual based on there race. indirect discrimination is when an individual is singled out surreptitiously by an individual or group. this is more prevalent within present day culture, compared to direct discrimination. The reason being that racism in the twenty-first century is less acceptable among society. the result of racism is that it is less acceptable within modern day society is racism taking on a more enigmatic face. Running Header: CLASHES OF RACE: UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE social clashes that resulted from direct discrimination have been apart of america for decades. prime examples of direct discrimination are famously the wars and massacres enacted on early native americans. The reasons for these attacks on native americans were due to new settlers in america wanting to acquire resources from the natives themselves. The colonist’s believed that the natives way of life was inferior to their own, due to the savageness of their own human nature. This is a prime example of micro-aggression in early american culture. Such events such as the â€Å"trail of tears† and many other attacks on the native american’s way of life was justified due to the idea of manifest destiny, which is a belief that the territory was a divine gift to the american colonist. This resulted in constant conflict between american society and native americans in the twenty-first century. it is important to understand how micro-aggression works and operates in the twenty-first century. With modern society changing into a more diversified culture in the United States, it is important to understand how indirect discrimination works in modern society. Society by nature tends to group themselves within certain micro-cultures, it is important to understand this important dynamic due to its purpose within society. this dynamic by nature forces ethnicities to side with a certain set of social norms and values. (West,2004) examples of how this affects modern day society would best be described by conflict with interracial marriages and racial generalization. Ethnic grouping has been apart of america since the beginning of american society. the colonist settled in america based on their religions and values, in which the colonist Running Header: CLASHES OF RACE: UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE had previously in britain. more modern examples of ethnic grouping would be groups, such as the black panther party, naacp are examples of more modern cases of ethnic grouping. (Jablonski,2012) the common feature of today’s society, also well known as mass media, has a huge impact on racial conflictions with the populace of today’s society. One psychological principle says that if an image or idea is shown repetitively that the image or idea will leave an imprint on the mind, later on making the mind recognize the image or ideology as† normalcy†. (Yosso,2002) the mainstream media controls the public agenda, as well as the emotions reflected within society. the mass media needs to recognize the effect in which it has on society, the purpose of the media should be to promote the truth of a matter accurately. This would help balance out racial out lashes between ethnic neighborhood, as well as riots and other ethnic protest. (Vann,2006) in recent times of society, racism in north america has went through a major transformation, especially after the post-civil rights era where the democrats believed in equality for all types of ethnicities that specifically did not get along throughout the history of racism in society(Wamsted,D,2012). This shows the progression of diversity within America. however, even with change in equality the south still shows a higher percentage of direct discrimination as well as indirect discrimination in modern day society than the north. Some examples of the result of discrimination can best be depicted is social out lashes of an ethnic communities. this can be shown through protest, as well as more Running Header: CLASHES OF RACE: UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE serious demonstrations such as riots. the causes of these demonstrations can be a number of reasons, but one pattern that is shown throughout history is that most social out lashes resulted due to mistreatment among their race. an example of this would be the los angeles riots of 1992. The riots resulted from six officers found not guilty that were accused of beating a black male, rodney king. the riots lasted for six days, and resulted in thousands of injuries and fifty-three deaths. (Watts,2011) however, not every protest result in death and injury. through the civil rights era many protesters believed in the nonviolent approach of martin luther king jr. most protesters believed in sit-ins, boycotts, and other forms of nonviolent forms of protest. however, the effects of racism and discrimination has not stopped america from diversifying, but rather fueled individualism among minorities within america. A study shows that more minorities are striving for higher education within america. derek bok reported in 2000 in his book The Shape of the River that eighty-six percent of black students who enrolled in twenty-eight selective universities across the nation were apart of the middle-class or upper-middle class. This shows not only an increase in african american on college campus, but also the percentage of success among blacks with a stable financial backing. This trend is important to understand due to the progression of diversity within america. It is prevalent that not only income have increased among african americans, but also the number of blacks going to college compared to college statistics of the 1990s and 1980s. (Harring-Smith,2012) to understand the importance of an action, is in essence the greatest ideology or knowledge to grasp. for every action within society has an effect on history. The Running Header: CLASHES OF RACE: UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE importance of diversity within society continues to show progression. however, racism will always have its place within society. Society has to continue to evolve as well as continue to educate the youth in society to limit the grasp that racism has on america, whether the discrimination is indirect or direct. â€Å"we’ve got to face the fact that some people say you fight fire best with fire, but we say you put fire out best with water. we say you don’t fight racism with racism. we’re gonna fight racism with solidarity. †-Fred Hampton Running Header: CLASHES OF RACE: UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE References: Haring-Smith, T. (2012). Broadening Our Definition of Diversity. Liberal Education, 98(2), 6. Jablonski, N. (2012). The struggle to overcome racism. New Scientist, 215(2880), 26. Vann, A. (2006, June 29). Sometimes the allegation of â€Å"reverse racism† is camouflage for maintaining the â€Å"status quo†. New York Amsterdam News. p. 13. Wamsted, D. J. (2012). Opening Doors for Diversity. Electric Perspectives, 37(3), 26. Watts. (2011). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 1. West, E. (2004). Expanding the Racial Frontier. Historian, 66(3), 552. doi:10. 1111/j. 1540-6563. 2004. 00088. x Yosso, T. J. (2002). Critical Race Media Literacy: Challenging Deficit Discourse about Chicanas/os. Journal Of Popular Film & Television, 30(1), 52.

Alcoholism & Culturally

Alcoholism can be defined in accordance to three distinct dimensions. Culturally, alcoholism is defined as a form of deviant drinking behavior that falls outside what culture perceives as the acceptable limits of alcohol consumption. This means that in some societies alcoholic behavior may be viewed as normative as opposed to cultural; perceptions in another society. Behaviorally, alcoholism assumes definitions that distinct between alcohol use, misuse and abuse. In this context alcohol misuse denotes the expression of adverse consequences of alcohol use.Alcohol abuse is definitive of a pattern of chronic and excessive alcohol consumption the effects of which express themselves as adverse physical, social and or behavioral consequences. Physiologically, alcoholism is defined with respect to alcohol addiction, habituation or dependence. Despite this diversity of definitions only the medical definition of alcoholism offers a succinct distinction as it relies on both the behavioral and physiologically based definitions(Steinglass, 31).Alcoholism can thus be defined as an addictive dependency on alcohol induced craving accompanied by loss of control, complete physical dependence on alcohol and withdrawal symptoms Medically therefore alcoholism is understood to be a product of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. Alcoholism is caused by grossly intricate, complex, interconnected and interrelated psychological, physiological, social and genetic factors (Kansal & Kamal 1). Usually a variety of factors lead to the development of alcoholism.Social factors include the influence of friends, peers, family, the availability of alcohol, and the perceptions of the society. Psychological factors include inadequate coping mechanisms, elevated stress levels, and reinforcement of the use of alcohol from other drinkers. There is also a growing controversy over evidences that alcoholism may be caused by biologic and genetic predispositions (Powell 24). Recent genetic studies have confirmed that when D2 dopamine receptor gene is passed on from the parents to the siblings in a specific form, chances of developing alcoholism are enhanced.Alcohol addiction or rather physical dependence on alcohol follows a gradual drinking pattern. With every pint of alcohol consumed the balance of chemicals in the brain like gamma aminobutyric acid which is responsible for the inhibition of impulsiveness, and another neurochemical glutamate which is responsible for nervous system excitation, are altered. Alcohol raises dopamine levels in the brain hence creating the pleasurable feeling that is usually associated with alcohol consumption. With time, excessive alcohol consumption depletes or increases the levels of such neurochemicals.The resultant effect is that a level of craving is created where an individual will have to additively consume alcohol to restore good feelings or degenerate into withdrawal symptoms. Based on studies comparing the size of amygdala, researchers have been able to significantly correlate the size of amygdala and the addiction process. Because the size of amygdala is inherited and that it is home to neurotransmitters, it may contain the link between alcoholism and psychological predisposing factors such as stress and anxiety.It is also postulated that inheritance of a dysfunction in serotonin transmission my be to blame for the degree of alcohol tolerance. Since serotonin is involved in well being behaviors such as eating, relaxing, sleeping as well as aggressive and impulsive behaviors any dysfunction in its transmission is bound to predispose an individual to alcoholism. Factors that contribute to the addiction process can be sub categorized as; genetic factors, emotional state factors, physiological factors, and socio-cultural factors. Genetic factors may cause an individual to develop a degree of vulnerability.This vulnerability is caused by an imbalance in neurochemicals. Emotional state factors can either be stress, emotion al pain or anxiety. These factors predispose a one to engage in alcohol consumption as a means of blanketing out undesirable emotions. Some hormones that are responsible for the development of stress, anxiety and depression have also been incriminated in the progression to alcoholism. Socio-cultural factors play a very important role in the development of alcoholism. Some cultures perceive alcohol as a rite of adulthood or manliness.In such culture the media has been instrumental in glamorizing the consumption of alcohol through catchy phrasals and visuals. Such adverts which are obviously aimed at increasing the profitability of the sponsor mislead a huge chunk of the general populace in thinking that excessive alcohol consumption is the modernized version of entertainment. Alcoholism is a medical condition and as such it is expressed as symptomatic progressive disease. This disease is predominantly diagnosed through adverse effects and behaviors. The adverse effects are based on f unctioning.Two basic diagnostic criteria are used. Usually alcohol abuse or alcoholism is related with a broad range of psychiatric, medical, social, legal, economic, occupational and family problems. So many of these symptoms are related to the descriptive of stage of dependency. Early signs of the disease include; frequent pursuit of intoxication which progresses into a well established heavy drinking pattern. During these circumstances an individual may blackout, experienced a drastic change in demeanor while consuming alcohol and exhibit impulsive behaviors such as anger and unaccustomed violence.Other symptoms include; drunken driving, absence from work, shirking of responsibilities and basically having trouble with the law. In the absence of alcohol dependence acute intoxication can be fatal or cause mental damage. Another symptom is family problems. In most cases individuals suffering from alcoholism may be characterized by divorce, child abuse and neglect, spouse abuse, crim inal behaviors and welfare dependence. The problem is even more worsened if the alcoholics themselves strive to conceal and develop a culture of denial even though they can discern the cause of family problems.Fro this reason thousands of people suffering from alcoholism pass unrecognized by health professionals. Medically symptoms may be expressed in the form of alcoholism related diseases such as gastritis, pancreatitis, cirrhosis, neuropathy, cerebral atrophy, Wernicke's encephalopathy, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, Korsakoff's dementia, seizures, central pontine myelinolysis, confusion, hallucinations, peptic ulcers, malnutrition and gastrointestinal bleeding (www. mayoclinic. com). A second basic diagnostic criterion relies on the family history of alcoholism.When children from families without any history of . alcoholism are compared with those from families with a history of alcoholism, it is easy to demonstrate the fact that children of alcoholics are at an elevated risk of alco hol abuse, misuse and alcoholism. Moreover, history of alcoholism may also predispose the younger children to other forms of drug abuse, anxiety disorders, conduct problems and a host of psychiatric disorders. All these are predisposing risk factors. Just like any disease, alcoholism can also be mitigated by a set of medical and non medical interventions.Depending on various circumstances, the treatment program may encompass, an evaluation followed by a brief intervention. After this brief intervention the patient will be undertaken though an outpatient program and counseling or in other cases a residential inpatient stays (www. mayoclinic. com). Evaluation is mainly involves the determination of the level of dependence. Residential treatment programs carry out strategies like abstinence, alcoholism support groups (such as alcoholics anonymous), individual therapy and or group therapy, activity therapy, family involvement, educational lectures and in depth counseling programs.Medica l interventions mainly include the treatment and management of the alcohol related diseases and disorders. Works Cited Alcoholism. http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/alcoholism Kansal, Kamal & Kamal, Kansal. (2004). Homoeopathic Family Kit. B. Jain Publishers, p. 1-5 Powell. (2005). Alcohol. Black Rabbit Books, p. 24-25 Steinglass, Peter. (1988). The Alcoholic Family: Drinking Problems in a Family Context Taylor & Francis, p. 30-40

Essay on Harris Migration Model

Essay on Harris Migration Model Essay on Harris Migration Model The Lewis two-sector development model consists of the agricultural sector and the urban sector, with the traditional agricultural sector characterized by excess labor; this surplus labor is dispersed from the agricultural sector to the urban sector (Todaro Smith, 2011). As people move to the urban sector, Gross Domestic Product increases. The over supply of labor in the agricultural means that as people leave and go to the urban sector, output in the agricultural sector will remain the same, and it will not decrease, because there was already an oversupply of labor. Like all models, Lewis makes some assumptions; the first is that all profits in the urban sector are reinvested, and that the level of wages in the urban/industrial sector is fixed. The Lewis development model can be shown graphically as well, the following diagram will show the difference in the Urban/industrial sector and the agricultural sector. In the below diagram in figure 1.1, we can see that in the industrial sector, as the total product increases, so too does the quantity of labor. If we recall one of Lewis’ assumptions was that profits and investments are reinvested back into the sector, causing total product to increase. If we derive this curve we are left with figure 1.2, which shows the real wage in the industrial sector. Figure 1.2 shows that if investments and profits are reinvested back into the labor market, that demand for labor will rise, shown by points B, C and D. Now if we have a look at figure 2.1, we see the total product for the rural sector of the economy. Labor will increase until the average total production (TPA) and Average labor quantity (LA) meet at point A. At point A workers in the rural sector will be earning WA, as shown at point E in figure 2.2, after point A surplus labor will occur and the workers average product will decrease and move down the curve. WA represents the average wage that a worker in the agricultural sector will earn, when comparing this to Wbar in figure 1.2, Lewis assumes that employers in the industrial sector can hire as many workers from the rural sector that they want, and wont need to worry about increasing wages, because the industrial wage is fixed at a higher rate than the rural (Todaro Smith, 2011). So as labor is drawn out of the rural sector and put into the industrial sector, per capital income will rise. Todaro Smith argue that the Lewis model isn’t effective in explaining recent trends where mass movements from rural areas to industrial areas occur despite increasing unemployment in city areas (p. 337). To explain this occurrence we use the Harris-Todaro migration model. In this model there is also an agricultural and urban sector, but the urban sector is split between the urban formal sector and the urban informal sector. The urban formal sector is comprised of workers hired officially on contracts, whereas the urban informal sector is comprised of those individuals who don’t have regular jobs. More conventional names for the urban informal sector can be workers for the black market or off the book workers. To make the decision on whether workers will migrate or not, we can use the following equation: Wa (Lf / Lf + Li) x Wf + (Li / Lf + Li) x Wi Where: Lf = formal sector Li = informal sector Wf = urban formal sector wage Wi = urban informal sector wage Wa = agricultural sector wage Equilibrium in the Harris-Todaro model when the wage in the agricultural sector is equal to the expected wage in the urban sector; this can also be

Age of Consent in Canada

Age of Consent in Canada Beginning May 1, 2008, the age of sexual consent in Canada is 16 years old. The age of consent in Canada is the age at which the criminal law recognizes the legal capacity of a young person to consent to sexual activity. Under the Criminal Code of Canada, anyone under the age of 16 cannot legally consent to any form of sexual activity, from kissing to intercourse. It means that adults are criminally liable if they have sex with someone under that age. The offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The law has a close-in-age exemption of less than five years, which permits teens to engage in consensual sex with a partner who is less than five years older, as long as the older partner is not in a position of trust or authority and the relationship is not exploitive. The age of protection for exploitive sexual activity, such as sexual activity involving prostitution, pornography, or a relationship of trust, is 18. The age of consent for anal sex is also 18.

Go Down, Moses and Star Wars on Imperialism and Colonialism Research Paper

Go Down, Moses and Star Wars on Imperialism and Colonialism - Research Paper Example There are striking similarities between colonialism and imperialism though the differences must be examined as well. Colonialism is typically defined as the expansion of power by conquering new lands and gaining control over them. In short, colonialism is a system of direct political, economic, and cultural control by a powerful country over a weaker one. For example, Faulkner’s writings reflect the tensions of the south being dominated by the north. â€Å"In 1875 Mississippi Democrats "resolved to use as much force as was necessary" to regain control of their state government through elections, and their campaign of intimidation, which included the overt killing of blacks, succeeded.† Both groups of stories review multiple generations of imperial rule but also show that regardless of the strength one group has over another, that rule is limited as ultimately human nature is to rebel against absolute domination. Colonialism may go through a series of phases from success to failure. In these stories, the ultimate goal is colonization as one group looks to expand and control another. Though Faulkner’s stories focus more on localized groups and the Star Wars saga presents a quest for a more universal domination, both use methods of imperialism to achieve this end. Though the collection in Go Down, Moses focuses only within one country, it demonstrates the relationship between whites and blacks and then north and south across several generations. This element of time present in both Faulkner and the Star Wars saga not only shows that imperialism cannot last forever, the repetitions throughout each new episode or story leaves the impression that regardless of time or characters, some themes are always the same in history.

The Software Development Lifecycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Software Development Lifecycle - Essay Example The company established various departments including marketing & sales, manufacturing, customer services, research and development, administration, and human resource and so on to handle different operations and products. The structure of the company is complicated due to its global operations and products diversification. Apple Inc has a lower level managers and middle level mangers based in different parts of the world and dealing with different issues. This complexity has posed major challenges in disseminating information across various supervisors at different levels. System Analysis The use of information system in organizations like Apple enables them to screen and obtain data from the surroundings, capture data from business operations, separate, control, select and disseminate information to the supervisors more frequently as required for decision making (Whitman & Mattord 2011, p.53). Availability of information to the managers of Apple Inc is vital for effective operation s of the company. Therefore, information system enables Apple Company to increase its competence by coordinating the activities of all the workers in various departments and in different locations to ensure they pursue common objectives of the organization (Mark 2006). Training information system enables Apple Company to achieve its objectives through standardized information. Approaches used by Apple Inc to acquire information from the employees The system analyst will have to enquire from the employees on challenges they face with the present system in the organization (Whitman & Mattord 2011, p.574). The employees will provide details of their encounters and give suggestions on what they want like to be changed in the current system (Taylor 2004, p.38). In order to achieve this, the analyst may utilize either one or a combination of approaches that will enable them to get that information from the employees and other system users (Barry & Lang 2009, pp.289). These approaches incl ude interviews, questionnaires or employees diaries. The analyst will enquire from the system users on what they think is best in the current system and require no change and what they think is not doing well as expected and need some change (Whitman & Mattord 2011, p.83). The analyst should also examine the knowledge employees have regarding the system operation and the availability of expertise either internally or externally to offer the required knowledge about the new system after it has been developed and adopted in the company (Beynon 2009, p.14). During the interview, the system users will be required to explain how they acquired training and the name of the trainer including whether they were internal or sourced from outside the organization (Shelly & Vermaat 2009, p.141). During the interviewing process, the analyst may use phone calls, video, social media or face to face interviewing in order to reach different users located in various places (Song 2011, p. 83). The use o f interview method to acquire information about the current system in Apple organization is quite expensive due to diversity of the employees and size of the organization (Whitman & Mattord 2011, p.92). Furthermore, some employees may not be open to give all their experiences or may not be able to recall all the essential details. However, this can be