PDL Project

By Larry GreenLake Tahoe Community College

Catalogue of Mathematics Applications Found in Non-Mathematics Courses

Idea Began Five Years Ago Full mind and body workout

OER Course Lectures

Courses

Where They Reside

Useless Word Problems I have 23 coins in my pocket consisting of

dimes and quarters that have total value of $3.65. How many dimes and how many quarters do I have?

Student Motivation Why do I have to take this worthless math

course?

Pilot Prior Quarters The Hook

Universally Positive, Wanted more.

Computer Power: Beginning of the 20th Century

Moore’s Law

▪ The number of transistors doubles every two years.

Latest Data

Forecast

Forecast

Computers reached the processor power of the fly brain in the year 2000.

Forecast

Computers reached the processor power of the a mouse in 2012.

Forecast

Computers will reach the processor power of the human brain in the year 2025

Forecast

Computers will reach the combined processor power of all humans on earth in the year 2045.

Be Afraid

The Story of Mr. and Mrs. J

Mrs. J’s Dream

Reality

Survival Curve

Survival Equation

11

8y x

Productivity Equation

11

8y x

11

8Survivors x x

Productivity Equation1

18

y x

2

11

8

1

8

Survivors x x

x x

Productivity Equation1

18

y x

2

11

8

1

8

Survivors x x

x x

1

42 1/ 8xV

My New Neighbors

The End

Challenges

Solution

The Site http://www.ltcconline.net/greenl/applicatio

nscatalog/courselist.html

How I Use the Site An application a Day Give introduction Pause and have students fill in the details Won’t be on the test Refer to it as we learn

Student Reaction Only positive comments Time trap: move on Best part of the class

Findings No factoring other then difference of

squares Should we care?

Regression analysis Now in Common Core

More Findings Maclaurin Series Expansion of

Euler’s Equation

1 ( )a

f x

cos sinixe x i x

Questions?