From Jsarmi

(Difference between revisions)

Revision as of 20:28, 29 November 2007

Group Trajectory

 Session 1: 
 Session 2: Feedback attended to
 Session 3: 
 Session 4:

Group composition: Stable

 Session 1:  js   dc   ot   ss(L)
 Session 2:  js        ot          qw          
 Session 3:  
 Session 4:
 
 (L) Late
 (*) js knows ss:  e.g. Jason 5/11/06 7:07:52 PM EDT: ssjnish says that his client is still loading
     ot knows dc:  e.g. 137 5/11/06 7:21:25 PM EDT: I think David forgot today... Our teacher didn't remind us.

Session I

They join within seconds:

 Jason joins the room 5/9/06 6:24:03 PM EDT
 davidcyl joins the room 5/9/06 6:24:04 PM EDT
 137 joins the room 5/9/06 6:24:15 PM EDT

We did this in class

Notice how it is 137 who ends up posting the formula

 Jason 5/9/06 6:25:44 PM EDT: ooh we just did this in math class about a week ago! :-)
 p M M M
 azemel 5/9/06 6:25:54 PM EDT: if you have any questions, just ask
 Jason 5/9/06 6:25:55 PM EDT: well, not the exact thing, but sequences and series
 p M M
 Jason 5/9/06 6:26:03 PM EDT: anyhow
 p M M M M M M M
 Jason 5/9/06 6:26:21 PM EDT: so do we see how the number of sticks grows in a sequence?
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:26:25 PM EDT: ok i've drawn n=4,5,6
 Jason 5/9/06 6:26:29 PM EDT: 4(+6) = 10
 Jason 5/9/06 6:26:36 PM EDT: 10(+8) = 18
 p M M
 Jason 5/9/06 6:26:48 PM EDT: i'm guessing 18(+10) = 28 for the next one, according to this pattern
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:27:32 PM EDT: the nth pattern has n more squares than the (n-1)th pattern
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:27:55 PM EDT: basically it's 1+2+..+(n-1)+n for the number of squares in the nth pattern
 137 5/9/06 6:28:16 PM EDT: so n(n+1)/2
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:28:24 PM EDT: and we can use the gaussian sum to determine the sum: n(1+n)/2
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:28:36 PM EDT: 137 got it

Recursive or Explicit?

Notice that Jason ASKS and david offers his opinion. See Session II

 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:29:31 PM EDT: well to find the number of sticks:
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:29:39 PM EDT: let's look on the board
 p M M M
 Jason 5/9/06 6:29:54 PM EDT: should we use a recursive or explicit definition for it
 p M M
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:30:20 PM EDT: i don't think we need recursion

Horizontal and Vertical

As in Team B

(david circles horizontal lines in a pattern diagram on the whiteboard)
davidcyl 5/9/06 6:32:21 PM EDT: 137: i'm separating the sticks into vertical and horizontal sticks
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:30:33 PM EDT: it's simpler to express it as 1+2+...+n

Not Shared

Disoriented, then MY formula

 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:32:30 PM EDT: wait what are you working on?
 Jason 5/9/06 6:32:32 PM EDT: wait lemme check
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:32:35 PM EDT: (to 137)
 137 5/9/06 6:32:46 PM EDT: Great. Confused.
 Jason 5/9/06 6:33:03 PM EDT: 137 are you talking about # sticks or squares
 137 5/9/06 6:33:09 PM EDT: Sticks.
 Jason 5/9/06 6:33:18 PM EDT: ok
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:33:21 PM EDT: i would think it's 2(n(1+n)/2) + n + n
 Jason 5/9/06 6:33:23 PM EDT: well i think my formula works
 Jason 5/9/06 6:33:33 PM EDT: provided that you have a value for N

but later (after an interruption)

 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:35:03 PM EDT: this simplifies to n(1+n) + 2n, or n(3+n)
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:35:09 PM EDT: so jason, you're right
 Jason 5/9/06 6:35:16 PM EDT: :-)
 Jason 5/9/06 6:35:36 PM EDT: so now onto a formula for the total number of squares

Ssjnish joins

ssjnish joins the room 5/9/06 6:34:25 PM EDT

Didn't we do that?

 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:35:03 PM EDT: this simplifies to n(1+n) + 2n, or n(3+n)
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:35:09 PM EDT: so jason, you're right
 Jason 5/9/06 6:35:16 PM EDT: :-)
 Jason 5/9/06 6:35:36 PM EDT: so now onto a formula for the total number of squares
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:35:42 PM EDT: ok let's complete the table
 Jason 5/9/06 6:35:46 PM EDT: if you take the change in the change of the number of squares, it's constant
 137 5/9/06 6:36:10 PM EDT: Didn't we do that?
 (points to Jason's message on 6:35:36 PM)
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:36:19 PM EDT: yes
 Jason 5/9/06 6:36:27 PM EDT: oh, sorry i guess i must've not caught that
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:36:33 PM EDT: look up
 (points to davidcyl 5/9/06 6:28:24 PM EDT: and we can use the gaussian sum to determine the sum: n(1+n)/2)
 Jason 5/9/06 6:36:33 PM EDT: could someone post it in a text box on the whiteboard
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:36:38 PM EDT: sure
 azemel 5/9/06 6:36:40 PM EDT: be sure that SSJNISH is up to speed folks
 (Textbox created)

A summary for Ssjnish

Notice the diffeence between We've figured out and I divided

 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:38:30 PM EDT: basically, we've figured out that the number of squares in the nth pattern is 1 + 2 + ... + n
 p M
 137 5/9/06 6:38:33 PM EDT: It was blinding.
 p M M M M
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:39:26 PM EDT: then, to find the number of sticks, I divided the figure into "vertical sticks" (|) and "horizontal   sticks" (--)
 Jason 5/9/06 6:39:41 PM EDT: the formulas are on the Whiteboard
 azemel 5/9/06 6:39:56 PM EDT: don't forget to post your ideas to the wiki when you think it's time!
 davidcyl 5/9/06 6:40:15 PM EDT: the number of vertical sticks is (1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n)+ n, and the number of horizontal sticks is the same
 p M

Ssjnish asks for an explanation

This is interesting because it prompts a form of "bridging" in a sense

 ssjnish 5/9/06 6:45:11 PM EDT: just to clarify sumthing, i am not overwhelmingly good at math as u guys seem to be, 
                                so it may take me more time than u guys to understand sumthing..
 azemel 5/9/06 6:45:44 PM EDT: can you tell us what's puzzling you?
 Jason 5/9/06 6:46:07 PM EDT: are we allowed to post images on the wiki? I could just download TeX real quick and get the 
                              summation notation in a small graphic
 ssjnish 5/9/06 6:46:12 PM EDT: the derivation of the number of squares
 Jason 5/9/06 6:46:21 PM EDT: oh
 Jason 5/9/06 6:46:31 PM EDT: so you see in the list a column for "N"
 Jason 5/9/06 6:46:50 PM EDT: when n=1, we have 1 square; for n=2, 3; and for n=3, 6
 Jason 5/9/06 6:47:00 PM EDT: we came up with a formula to find the total number of squares for any number N
 Jason 5/9/06 6:47:16 PM EDT: the purpose of the formula is so that you don't have to draw out the squares and count them
 ssjnish 5/9/06 6:47:39 PM EDT: um yes
 ssjnish 5/9/06 6:47:41 PM EDT: i know
 ssjnish 5/9/06 6:47:51 PM EDT: but how did u get that formula
 Jason 5/9/06 6:48:00 PM EDT: oh
 azemel 5/9/06 6:48:11 PM EDT: i believe so
 Jason 5/9/06 6:48:12 PM EDT: uh, basically you try to find a pattern in the total number of squares first

Moderator's Closing

 azemel 5/9/06 7:08:04 PM EDT: well, if you're done with the sticks problem as it stands, 
                              then this might be a time to stop. there will be another problem on Thursday
 p M M
 azemel 5/9/06 7:08:24 PM EDT: remember, 7 pm, Thursday, same room

Feedback

Dear 137, davidcyl, Jason, and ssjnish, It seemed to us that you had a very productive first session exploring the given pattern of sticks and squares. We were especially interested in the variety of strategies you used, such as constructing the next steps of the pattern on the whiteboard, separating the pattern in horizontal and vertical lines (other teams did that as well!) and deriving a formula for that sum.

As far as working as a math team, you built on each other’s ideas and tried to work with them in interesting ways. We find it very important that ssjnish felt comfortable asking the team to explain in detail the reasoning for the work completed (e.g. ssjnish 5/9/06 6:47:51 PM EDT: but how did u get that formula?), and that as a team you provided that explanation. It looked useful to us when your group tested together the formula you found. One question that was left unexplored was whether a recursive function shows better how the number of sticks and square grow. Someone offered that as a possibility but you opted for using a summation notation. We notice when ideas or questions are stated in a group but not discussed. What do you think about that situation and how groups deal with it?

For the next step we will encourage you to think more about the different approaches and the problems that you can discover on your own which you find interesting to pursue.

The VMT team. (Feel free to delete this note once everyone has read it)

Session II

Catching up Qw

Noticed how Qw gest involved and asks a question:

 Jason 5/11/06 7:18:07 PM EDT: ok, so with this aside-- i guess we should discuss our feedback from the last session
 jsarmi 5/11/06 7:18:34 PM EDT: make sure you bring qwertyuiop up to speed
 Jason 5/11/06 7:18:41 PM EDT: ok
 Jason 5/11/06 7:19:35 PM EDT: for the problems last session, we came up with formulas to find the values for the columns
 qwertyuiop 5/11/06 7:20:02 PM EDT: in the view topic thing?
 Jason 5/11/06 7:20:03 PM EDT: You can see them to the left of this text; our formula for the total number 
                               of sticks or squares for any number N is given
 Jason 5/11/06 7:20:09 PM EDT: yes
 qwertyuiop 5/11/06 7:20:12 PM EDT: ok
 Jason 5/11/06 7:20:17 PM EDT: that was the problem we were given
 Jason 5/11/06 7:20:39 PM EDT: remains of our discussion is on the whiteboard and online wiki
 137 5/11/06 7:21:25 PM EDT: I think David forgot today... Our teacher didn't remind us.
 p M
 jsarmi 5/11/06 7:22:35 PM EDT: I see... hopefully he will join you next Tuesday
 qwertyuiop 5/11/06 7:23:35 PM EDT: n=3 is 3+2+1 squares, n=4 is 4+3+2+1 squares... how did you get n(1+n)/2
 Jason 5/11/06 7:23:42 PM EDT: oh
 Jason 5/11/06 7:23:53 PM EDT: that's the formula for finding a series of consecutive numbers
 Jason 5/11/06 7:24:08 PM EDT: 1+2+3+4+...n = ((n)(n+1))/2

Recursive Function (Again?) and the Feedback

Noticed how 137 uses "again" but qwerty, who is new, just asks plainly noticed later how "how did you get it" is also a request for prior activity to be reported... how is that different?

 Jason 5/11/06 7:26:32 PM EDT: so apparently there's something with a recursive sequence that we should discuss
 137 5/11/06 7:26:55 PM EDT: What was a recursice sequence again?
 qwertyuiop 5/11/06 7:27:03 PM EDT: recursive sequence?
 
 ...
 
 Jason 5/11/06 7:35:13 PM EDT: did u check that
 Jason 5/11/06 7:35:39 PM EDT: looks correct
 Jason 5/11/06 7:35:45 PM EDT: how did you get it?

=I liked the first one

and back to why recursive function is better? (Jason)

 Jason 5/11/06 7:41:48 PM EDT: well this requires you to first calculate number of squares; 
                               i think the formulas for each of these should be seperate
 Jason 5/11/06 7:41:58 PM EDT: i liked the original formula
 Jason 5/11/06 7:42:05 PM EDT: in my quick checking it worked
 137 5/11/06 7:42:06 PM EDT: So did I...
 137 5/11/06 7:42:18 PM EDT: The first one seeemed simpler.
 Jason 5/11/06 7:42:39 PM EDT: but this one has a nice explanation :-)
 Jason 5/11/06 7:42:43 PM EDT: i mean
 qwertyuiop 5/11/06 7:42:54 PM EDT: we already have the square formula; just include it: n(1+n)+n2
 Jason 5/11/06 7:43:16 PM EDT: yup
 qwertyuiop 5/11/06 7:43:41 PM EDT: that looks like the same thing as n*(N+3) at a glance...
 Jason 5/11/06 7:43:51 PM EDT: so speaking of formulas, we got both explicit and recursive definitions for sticks/squares; 
                               explicit is easier while recursive shows how each step grows from the previous

Notice, by "we got" does he mean "in both sessions" "all who have worked here". At that point the recursive functions have not been placed on the whiteboard but qwertyop quickly adds one of them to it:

 ----------------------------------
|  Formula for total # of squares: |
|                                  |
|    n(1+n)/2                      |
|    a(n)=n+a(n-1)                 |
|                                  |
 ----------------------------------

What do we do now?

 137 5/11/06 7:48:12 PM EDT: Er... Am I lagging or is nobody typing?
 qwertyuiop 5/11/06 7:48:21 PM EDT: nobody is typing
 Jason 5/11/06 7:48:21 PM EDT: typing now :)
 qwertyuiop 5/11/06 7:48:37 PM EDT: are there other problems to do?
 137 5/11/06 7:48:51 PM EDT: I do not think so...
 Jason 5/11/06 7:48:58 PM EDT: well
 Jason 5/11/06 7:49:03 PM EDT: we are supposed to come up with some
 qwertyuiop 5/11/06 7:49:10 PM EDT: ok...
 Cynthia 5/11/06 7:49:13 PM EDT: did you view the topic for tonight, session 2
 Jason 5/11/06 7:49:17 PM EDT: WHAT IF? Mathematicians do not just solve other people's problems - they also explore little worlds
  of patterns that they define and find interesting. Think about other mathematical problems related to the problem with the sticks. 
  For instance, consider other arrangements of squares in addition to the triangle arrangement (diamond, cross, etc.). What if 
  instead of squares you use other polygons like triangles, hexagons, etc.? Which polygons work well for building patterns like 
  this? How about 3-D figures, like cubes with edges, sides and cubes? What are the different methods (induction, series, recursion, 
  graphing, tables, etc.) you can use to analye these different patterns?

Dataset2/D2TCSS