George Phillips

Ocean-Front Property

Submitted to Jennifer Greenwood for Fundamentals of Geometry and Measurement (MATH-111)

Summary:

I used the math skills that we learned in class to find the area and perimeter of properties. I found the value and space of each lot followed by a letter recommending a lot to my family. I had to use many of the math skills taught to us such as the Pythagorean theorem and finding the scale factor of triangles.

General Education Connections

• Communicate ideas in written, oral and other modes as appropriate to a situation and audience
• Apply quantitative and scientific reasoning skills relevant to a field of study
• Employ various thinking strategies to develop well-reasoned judgments

With only getting a few measurements, I had to break the shape down into smaller triangles and find the scale, then use that scale factor to find the area and oceanfront property of each lot. I had to break down each and every step I took to reach my conclusion and then had to write a letter to recommend a lot depending on my findings.

Challenges

I had to try and identify hidden parts of the lots given, such as when you add all three plots together you get a large triangle at the top, then, using different postulates, understand that the triangles are also similar. I was really happy when I learned how to scale the triangles to find the base of each lot. I stared at the page for a while, but once I saw it, it became my breakthrough. The diagram I drew wasn’t the neatest, but I felt it was some of the most organized I have been with my notes in a long time. Although my handwriting isn’t the neatest, I kept my work organized for me and figured it out as I went.

Application

I believe the part that will help me later was translating what I did into a letter. Since I am going into graphic design, it is very important to communicate things clearly, regardless of what struggles I went through to get there. Organizing my final thoughts and reasoning is key in my field of study.