Assignment 2

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course Mth 173

9/8/2010 @ 9:44pm

If your solution to stated problem does not match the given solution, you should self-critique per instructions at

http://vhcc2.vhcc.edu/dsmith/geninfo/labrynth_created_fall_05/levl1_22/levl2_81/file3_259.htm

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Your solution, attempt at solution. If you are unable to attempt a solution, give a phrase-by-phrase interpretation of the problem along with a statement of what you do or do not understand about it. This response should be given, based on the work you did in completing the assignment, before you look at the given solution.

002.

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Question: `qNote that there are four questions in this assignment.

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Question: `q001. Recall the stock value problem, where March, July and December values were $5000, $5300 and $5500.

Construct a graph of stock value vs. number of month (e.g., 1 for Jan, 2 for Feb, etc.). You will have three points on your graph, one corresponding to the March value, one to the July value, and one to the December value. Stock value will be on the y axis and month number on the x axis. Your first point, for example, will be (3, 5000), corresponding to $5000 in March.

Connect your three points with straight lines--i.e., connect the first point to the second and the second to the third.

What is the slope of your line between the first and second point, and what is the slope of your line between the second in the third point? Recall that slope is rise / run.

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Your solution:

M = (y2 – y1)/(x2 – x1)

M = (5300 – 5000)/ (7 – 3)

M = $300/4

M = $75

M = (y2 – y1)/ (x2 – x1)

M = $5500-$5300/12-7

M = $200/5

Slope = $40

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aThe three points on the graph are (3, 5000), (7, 5300) and (12, 5500).

The rise between the first point and the second is from 5000 to 5300, or 300, and the run is from 3 to 7, or 4, so the slope is 300 / 4 = 75. Note that the 300 represents $300 and the 4 represents 4 months, so the slope represents $300 / (4 months) = $75 / month, which is the average rate of change during the first time interval.

The rise between the second point and the third is from 5300 to 5500, or 200, and the run from 7 to 12 is 5, so the slope is 200 / 5 = 40. This slope represents the $40/month average rate of change during the second time interval.

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Self-critique (if necessary):

ok

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Self-critique rating #$&*

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Question: `q002. Look at your results for the slopes, and look the results for the average rates of change. What do you notice? In what way then does the graph represent the average rate of change?

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Your solution:

The slopes are equal to the numbers found when computing the averages. The graph accurately represents the average rate of change between the given data points.

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aWe see from this example that the slope of a graph of value vs. clock time represents the rate at which value is changing with respect to clock time.

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Self-critique (if necessary):

ok

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Self-critique rating #$&*

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Question: `q003. To what extent do you think your graph, consisting of 3 points with straight line segments between them, accurately depicts the detailed behavior of the stocks over the 9-month period?

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Your solution:

Given the known fluctuations of the stock market the graph does not accurately illustrate the behavior of the stocks over a nine month period.

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aStocks can do just about anything from day to day-they can go up or down more in a single day than their net change in a month or even a year. So based on the values several months apart we can't say anything about what happens from day to day or even from month to month. We can only say that on the average, from one time to another, the stocks changed at a certain rate.

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Self-critique (if necessary):

ok

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Self-critique rating #$&*

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Question: `q004. From the given information, do you think you can accurately infer the detailed behavior of the stock values over the nine-month period?

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Your solution:

From the given information we can accurately infer that the stock has gradually increased in value over the long term. We cannot determine a detailed behavior of daily loss and gain, however we can see a steady gain over the nine month period.

confidence rating #$&* 3

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Given Solution:

`aNot on a day-to-day basis, and not even on a month-to-month basis. All we can see from the given information is what might be an average trend.

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Self-critique (if necessary):

ok

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Self-critique rating #$&*

&#Very good responses. Let me know if you have questions. &#