Algebra: Apparently, I'm stupid.

I went over my Algebra worksheet today, and realized since it's been years since I've even looked at a math problem (top that off with never giving a shit about math) I have completely forgotten everything outside of basic arithmetic. Yes, I am an idiot.

So, I finally sat down and figured out the little shits that have been bothering me.

My most common mistakes:

1) Here's a note that I made either on accident, or I simply don't understand. I remembered the professor telling us that the negatives cancel out in the fraction (-25/-10). Is that because anytime there is a negative sign in front of an integer, it really equates to -1, for instance, -25 could also be written as (-1)25? I'm not sure. I would have simplified (-25/-10) to (-5/-2). I guess what I said makes sense. I'm hoping I am right.

2) Order of operations. Thought I knew them, with that whole "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" thing, but apparently, I am in fact still an idiot. For instance, I had no idea that the parentheses had to be completely removed before you could go on to do other things to the problem. In 12-4(5-7)^2, I kept getting 32 over and over again. That was because I did it like this:

12-4(5-7)^2
12-4(-2)^2
12-4(4)
8(4) = 32

I have been missing so many math problems for SO MANY YEARS because I have always messed that up.

Correct solution (second half):

12-4(4)
12-16 = -4

I feel so dumb sometimes!

3) So, apparently, if you have a negative sign on the outside of parentheses, it, like, changes the signs in within that parentheses, or something. Once again, I am kicking myself for not giving a shit in high school. I missed a super simple problem several times because I was completely oblivious to how this rule worked.

Example:

4(2x+3) - (5x-2) = 4(3x-7)

Distribute

8x + 12 - 5x + 2 = 12x - 28 (Yeah, I had no idea. I am a dumbass)

Combine the terms, and voila. Final answer is (14/3).

4) Clearing fractions. Holy hell, I have always hated fractions. To me, they might as well be Latin. Then, I finally took the time to just understand them, and realized I now love them. Super easy!

Example:

(4/5)x + 2 = (3/5)x - 7

So, I learned a totally new and awesome trick to get rid of those fractions, last class. Find the lowest common denominator, and apply it to the whole problem. Voila!

[5(4/5)x + 2 = (3/5)x - 7]

Distribute the multiplier 5 throughout the whole problem. It cancels out the denominators, so you're left with 4x on one side and 3x on the other.

4x + 10 = 3x - 35

And now the problem is easy!

5) Graphing inequalities. Blech.

This one still kind of gives me a headache, but I think I got it under control.

X is > or = to 1: [1, infinity) ___1__>

The only way I can even begin to try to explain this is look at what the lowest possible number could be. That number goes on the left. Since X could be either 1 or any number bigger than 1, it goes on until infinity, with no definition. Since 1 is defined, I used a bracket, and since infinity is undefined, I used a parentheses.

And at this point I am mathed out. Might have to move onto some other boring shit.

Psych: The Group Project

Dr. Hoffman is very hard to follow. I imagine it's because being a professor isn't his primary source of income, but he probably enjoys it. In a way, this is both good and bad. The good would be that he loves his job so much, he wants to share with us. That's great for me, since I plan on going into psychology. It's nice to have a reality check.

The bad? He's horrible at giving instructions. Last class was utter confusion over which task we were supposed to be completing, when it was due (first, he told us to have it done within 15 minutes in class, later retracted and said it was due by midnight, then retracted again and said it was due next week before midnight... errr). Thankfully, he put us in groups of 4 for the seminar, so we have 4 brains to figure out exactly what it is this guy wants from us.

The group project is pretty cool:

1. Group Project: Groups will be pre-selected in the first week of class by the instructor. Each group will choose a group leader which may converse with the instructor regarding the assignment. Groups will meet (both in class and out of class) on a regular basis to choose a personality theorist to research and discuss on a more in-depth basis. This will require each group to select and read at least one significant book written by the personality theorist. The group will be expected to then choose a contemporary personality (within the past 100 years) and read and discuss a biography of that person. Finally, the group will prepare a 10 page paper (maximum), describing the development of the identified personality, based on the writing of the personality theorist.

1. Grading Rubric for Group Project

· Participation 25 points

o Participant attended out of class meetings (4 Minimum)

o Participant contributed to group project

· Articulation of Biography 25 points

o Group cited biography of contemporary individual

o Presented key aspects of biography regarding personality

o Key aspects of biography were integrated into theory of this individuals personality.

· Articulation of Personality Theory 25 points

o Presented concise summary of personality theory

o Articulates key aspects of research beyond classroom text

o Demonstrates synthesis of theory that consistently explains the personality development of the contemporary individual (presented in the biography)..

· Paper is formatted in APA style 25 points

o Paper is to be presented in without spelling or grammatical errors.

o Paper is to be prepared in APA format with proper headings, in-text citations, and a works cited section.

My task for this weekend is to select the biography, as well as the theorist our group will be studying. I was thinking either Marya Hornbacher (of Wasted and Madness acclaim), or Sylvia Plath. After I pick the person, I'll go through the different theories in the textbook and select the best theorist to use to aid our study of this person.

The bonus assignment is to list all the works by the theorist and send it to the professor. Time to get started.

For the project, I think the best biography to pick will be Marya Hornbacher. She will be an easy target because her entire book is about how she had anorexia and bulimia, but she's also a talented writer. Her book Wasted is on her journey of the eating disorder.

Asceticism, or the renunciation of needs, is one most people haven't heard of, but it has become relevant again today with the emergence of the disorder called anorexia. Preadolescents, when they feel threatened by their emerging sexual desires, may unconsciously try to protect themselves by denying, not only their sexual desires, but all desires. They get involved in some kind of ascetic (monk-like) lifestyle wherein they renounce their interest in what other people enjoy.

In boys nowadays, there is a great deal of interest in the self-discipline of the martial arts. Fortunately, the martial arts not only don't hurt you (much), they may actually help you. Unfortunately, girls in our society often develop a great deal of interest in attaining an excessively and artificially thin standard of beauty. In Freudian theory, their denial of their need for food is actually a cover for their denial of their sexual development. Our society conspires with them: After all, what most societies consider a normal figure for a mature woman is in ours considered 20 pounds overweight!

Anna Freud also discusses a milder version of this called restriction of ego. Here, a person loses interest in some aspect of life and focuses it elsewhere, in order to avoid facing reality. A young girl who has been rejected by the object of her affections may turn away from feminine things and become a "sex-less intellectual," or a boy who is afraid that he may be humiliated on the football team may unaccountably become deeply interested in poetry.

All right! Got it!

Everything was updated to our Google group that one of the members created. Homework for one class, down!

Intro

Hello. I am a slacker.

More recently, I got into and out of the swing of college life, which I am now paying for. And by paying, I do mean more than the 15k it cost more for this year.

With that said, this is my journey with the 4 courses I am taking this semester at the University of Pittsburgh (Greensburg Campus). I will be including study guides as well as anecdotes from college life that help me (and maybe you) get through these courses.

The Basics: Me

Name: Cas
Year: Junior
Major: Psychology
Minor: No way, I'm a slacker.
Debt: 20k, plus more to come.

Courses:

Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Professor Bondar)
College Algebra (Beth Uhrinek)
Composition III: Technical Writing (Mr. Emanuel)
Psychology of Personality (Dr. Hoffman)

Now, let's see if I actually do this.