The History of Algebra

The History of Algebra The dissertation will discuss about history of algebra, which is one of most important branch of arithmetic, the founder of algebra, meanings of algebra and its benefit in our daily life, how we can learn and teach in the best way? What is Algebra? Algebra is a branch of mathematics, as we know maths is queen of science, it plays vital role of developing and flourishing technology, we use all scopes in past and newly, the algebra is not exceptional the maths. Algebra is one of the main areas of pure mathematics that uses mathematical statements such as term, equations, or expressions to relate relationships between objects that change over time. Here is a list of names who have contributed to the specific field of algebra. Algebra is seen by much arithmetic with letters and a long historical precedent the textbooks, stretching back of the 14th century. As such it deepens upon experience and facility with arithmetic calculations. It provides student with skill to carry out algebraic manipulations .many of the which parallel arithmetic computation. At the very least ,school algebra is a collection of mathematical practices and procedure to be internalised and integrated into learners functioning ,at the very most in its tradition form its afford glimpse of a powerful tool for modelling and thus resolving problems, (page 559 jifa cai) Word Algebra The word algebra is a shortened misspelled transliteration of an Arabic title al-jebr wal-muqabalah (circa 825) by the Persian mathematician known as al-Khwarizmi [words, p. 21]. The al-jebr part means reunion of broken parts, the second part al-muqabalah translates as to place in front of, to balance, to oppose, to set equal. Together they describe symbol manipulations common in algebra: combining like terms, moving a term to the other side of an equation, etc. In its English usage, in the 14th century, algeber meant bone-setting, close to its original meaning. By the 16th century, the form algebra appeared in its mathematical meaning. Robert Recorde (c. 1510-1558), the inventor of the symbol = of equality, was the first to use the term in this sense. He, however, still spelled it as algeber. The misspellers proved to be more numerous, and the current spelling algebra took roots. Thus the original meaning of algebra refers to what we today call elementary algebra which is mostly occupied with solving simple equations. More generally, the term algebra encompasses nowadays many other fields of mathematics: geometric algebra, abstract algebra, Boolean algebra,s-algebra, to name a few. Algebra is an ancient and one of the most basic branch of mathematics, invented by Muhammad Musa Al-Khwarizmi, and evolve over the centuries. The name algebra is itself of Arabic origin. It comes from the Arabic word al-jebr. [1] http://www.cut-the-knot.org/WhatIs/WhatIsAlgebra.shtml The English invented the world (Kelly 1821-1895) algebra of matrices and the research (Paul 1815-1864) may have emerged since 1854 and from this research Boolean algebra, also appeared in 1881 forms of art to illustrate the Boolean algebra, (availablhttp://www.jeddmath.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5330/15/052011). History of algebra In history, we find some following mathematicians who have great contributions in development of algebra. Cuthbert Tunstall Cuthbert Tunstall (1474 -1559) was born in Hackforth, Yorkshire, England and died in Lambeth, London, England. He was a significant royal advisor, diplomat, and administrator, and he gained two degrees with great proficiency in Greek, Latin, and mathematics. In 1522, he wrote his first printed work that was devoted to mathematics, and this arithmetic book De arte supputandi libri quattuor was based on Paciolis Suma. Robert Recorde Robert Recorde (1510-1558) was born in Tenby, Wales and died in London, England. He was a Welsh mathematician and physician and in 1557, he introduced the equals sign (=). In 1540, Recorde published the first English book of algebra The Grounde of Artes. In 1557, he published another book The Whetstone of Witte in which the equals sign was introduced. John Widman John Widman (1462-1498) was born in Eger, Bohemia, currently called Czech Republic and died in Leipzig, Germany. He was a German mathematician who first introduced + and signs in his arithmetic book Behende und hupsche Rechnung auf Allen kauffmanschafft. Thomas Harriot Thomas Harriot (1560 -1621) was born in Oxford, London and died in London England. He was an astronomer and mathematician, and founder of the English school of algebra. William Oughtred William Oughtred (1575-1660) was born in Eton, Buckinghamshire, England and died in Albury, Surrey, England. He was one of the worlds great and formally trained mathematicians. Oughtred, in his book Clavis Mathematicae included Hindu-Arabic notation, decimal fractions and experimented on many new symbols such as ÃÆ'-,::, >, and John Pell John Pell (1611-1685) was born in Southwick, Sussex, England, and died in Westminster, London, England. Pells work was mostly based on number theory and algebra. Pell published many books on mathematics such as Idea of Mathematics in 1638 and the two page A Refutation of Longomontanuss Pretended Quadrature of the Circle in 1644. Reverend John Wallis John Wallis (1616-1703) was born in Ashford, Kent, England and died in Oxford, England. In 1656, Wallis published his most famous book Arithmetica Infinitorum in which he introduced the formula /2 = (2.2.4.4.6.6.8.8.10)/ (1.3.3.5.5.7.7.9.9). In another of his works, Treatise on Algebra, Wallis gives a wealth of information on algebra. John Herschel John Frederick William Herschel (1792-1871) was born in Slough, England and died in Kent, England. He was a great astronomer who discovered Uranus. In 1822, he published his first work on astronomy, a small work to calculate the eclipses of the moon. In 1824, he published his first major work on double stars in the Transactions of the Royal Society. Charles Babbage Charles Babbage (1791 -1871) was born in London, England and died in London, England. In 1821, Babbage made the Difference engine to compile tables of mathematics. In 1856, he invented Analytical Engine, which is a general symbol manipulator and similar to todays computers. Sir Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727) was born in Lincolnshire, England and died in London, England. He was a great physicist, mathematician, and one of the greatest scientific intellects of all time. In 1672, he published his first work on light and color in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. In 1704, Newtons works on pure mathematics was published and in 1707, his Cambridge lectures from 1673 to 1683 were published. ( http://www.barcodesinc.com/articles/algebra-history.htm) How is Algebra used in daily life? Every day in our life and all over the world we use Algebra many places as well as finances, engineering, schools, and universities we cant do most scopes without maths.( It is actually quite common for an average person to perform simple Algebra without realizing it. For example, if you go to the grocery store and have ten dollars to spend on two dollar candy bars. This gives us the equation 2x = 10 where x is the number of candy bars you can buy. Many people dont realize that this sort of calculation is Algebra; they just do it). (http://wiki.answers.com and http://wiki.answers.com) Other Definitions Algebra is the parts of mathematics where numbers and letters are used like A B or X and Y, or other symbols are used to represent unknown or variable numbers. For examples : in A +5 = 9, A is unknown, but we can solve by subtracting 5 to both sides of the equal sign (=), like this: A+5 = 9 A+ 5 5 = 9 5 A +0 = 4 A = 4 3b+12=15 subtract both sides 12 3b+12-12=15-12 3b=3 divide both sides 3 to get the value of b which is 1 and so on 5x/5x=1 if you substitute x any number not zero the equation will be true (Algebra is branch of mathematics that substitutes letters for numbers. An algebraic equation represents a scale, what is done on one side of the scale with a number is also done to the other side of the scale. The numbers are the constants. Algebra can include real numbers, complex numbers, matrices, vectors etc. Moving from Arithmetic to Algebra will look something like this: Arithmetic: 3 + 4 = 3 + 4 in Algebra it would look like: x + y = y + ) artical http://math.about.com/cs/algebra/g/algebradef.htm Terminology used in algebra to make algebra easy or any other branches of maths, we must understand well all basic sign in all operations and use it right way, these signs are , subtractions ,division, addition ,multiplication. variable is also called an unknown and can be represented by letters from the alphabet letters. Operations in algebra are the same as in arithmetic: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. An expression is a group of numbers and variables, along with operations. An equation is the equality of two expressions. (Polynomials are often written in descending order, in which the terms with the largest powers are written first (like 92 3x + 6). If they are written with the smallest terms appearing first, this is ascending order (like 6 3x + 92). equation An equation is a mathematical statement that contains an equal sign, like ax + b = c. exponent An exponent is a power that a number is raised to. For example, in 23, the exponent is 3. expression An algebraic expression consists of one or more variables, constants, and operations, like 3x-4. Each part of an expression that is added or subtracted is called a term For example, the expression 42-2x+7 has three terms. factor The factor of a number is a number that divides that number exactly. For example, the factors of 6 are 1, 2, 3 and 6. formula A formula shows a mathematical relationship between expressions. fraction A fraction is a part of a whole, like a half, a third, a quarter, etc. For example, half of an apple is a fraction of an apple. The top number in a fraction is called the numerator; the bottom number in a fraction is called the denominator. inequality An inequality is a mathematical expression that contains an inequality symbol. The inequality symbols are : > greater than (2>1) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ less than or equal to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ greater than or equal to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   not equal to (1à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚  2). integer The integers are the numbers , -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, . inverse (addition) The inverse property of addition states that for every number a, a + (-a) = 0 (zero). inverse (multiplication) The inverse property of multiplication states that for every non-zero number a, a times (1/a) = 1. matrix nth operation An operation is a rule for taking one or two numbers as inputs and producing a number as an output. Some arithmetic operations are multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction. polynomial A polynomial is a sum or difference of terms; each term is: a constant (for example, 5) a constant times a variable (for example, 3x) a constant times the variable to a positive integer power (for example, 22) a constant times the product of variables to positive integer powers (for example, 2x3y). monomial is a polynomial with only one term. A binomial is a polynomial that has two terms. A trinomial is a polynomial with three terms. prime number A prime number is a positive number that has exactly two factors, 1 and itself. Alternatively, you can think of a prime number as a number greater than one that is not the product of smaller numbers. For example, 13 is a prime number because it can only be divided evenly by 1 and 13. For another example, 14 is not a prime number because it can be divided evenly by 1, 2, 7, and 14. The number one is not a prime number because it has only one factor, 1 itself. quadratic equation A quadratic equation is an equation that has a second-degree term and no higher terms. A second-degree term is a variable raised to the second power, like x2, or the product of exactly two variables, like x and y. When you graph a quadratic equation in one variable, like y = ax2 + bx + c, you get a parabola, and the solutions to the quadratic equation represent the points where the parabola crosses the x-axis. quadratic formula The quadratic formula is a formula that gives you a solution to the quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0. The quadratic formula is obtained by solving the general quadratic equation. radical A radical is a symbol à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ that is used to indicate the square root or nth root of a number. root An nth root of a number is a number that, when multiplied by itself n times, results in that number. For example, the number 4 is a square root of 16 because 4 x 4 equals 16. The number 2 is a cube root of 8 because 2 x 2 x 2 equals 8. solve When you solve an equation or a problem, you find solutions for it. square root The square roots of a number n are the numbers s such that s2=n. For example, the square roots of 4 are 2 and -2; the square roots of 9 are 3 and -3. symbol A symbol is a mark or sign that stands for something else. For example, the symbol à · means divide. system of equations A system of equations is two or more independent equations that are solved together. For example, the system of equations: x + y = 3 and x y = 1 has a solution of x=2 and y=1. terms In an expression or equation, terms are numbers, variables, or numbers with variables. For example, the expression 3x has one term, the expression 42 + 7 has two terms. variable A variable is an unknown or placeholder in an algebraic expression. For example, in the expression 2x+y, x and y are variables. +, (www.EnchantedLearning.com) Learn algebra Symbolizes the number in the account to a group that contains that number of things, for example, No. 5, always stands for a set containing 5 things. In algebra, the symbols may be replaced by numbers, but it is possible to solve the number one or more replace one icon. To learn algebra, we must first learn how to use symbols replace the numbers. And then how to create a constraint for strings of numbers. Groups and variables. There is a relationship between the symbols in algebra and groups of numbers. It is certain that each of us has some knowledge of groups of objects, such as collections of books, collections of postage stamps, and groups of dishes. And groups of numbers are not different for these groups a lot. One way to describe sets of numbers in algebra is that we are using one of the alphabet, such as the name of her p.. Then half of the numbers of this group Bhzaretha brackets of the form {}. For example, can be expressed set of numbers from 1 to 9 as follows: A = {1, 2.3, 4, 5.6, 7, 8.9}. The group of odd numbers under 20 are: B = {1.3, 5, 7.9, 11, 13.15, 17, 19}. These examples demonstrated the models of the groups used in algebra. Suppose that the age of four persons were respectively: 12, 15.20, 24. Then can be written in this age group numbers. A = {12.15, 20, 24}. How is the age of each of them after three years? One way to answer this question is that we write 12 +3.15 +3.20 +3 and 24 + 3. We note that the number 3 is repeated in each of the formulas  ¸ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ four. In algebra we can express all previous versions form a single task is m + 3 where m is any number of numbers of a group. That is, it can replace any of the numbers 12, 15, 20 or 24 m are indicated. Is called the symbol m variable, called the group a field of this variable, but No. 3 in the formula m+3 is called hard because its value is always one. Known variable in algebra as a symbol can be compensated for the number of one or more belongs to a group. We can replace any names lead to correct reports or reports the wrong variable. For example: Hungary is bordered by the State of the Black Sea à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Report of the wrong, as in fact can not be like this report is correct only if compensated by the variable r one of the States: Bulgaria or Romania, or Turkey. The report shall be  ¸ Turkey is a country bordered by the Black Sea à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ for example, the right one called the compensation that makes the report and called the right roots group consisting of all roots with a solution. The solution set is the previous example. {Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey}. And in reparation for not use the names to compensate for variables, but we use the numbers. Equations known as the camel sports is equal to reflect the two formats. Phrase: Q +7 = 12 For example, an easy equation  ¸ mean the sum of the number 7 with the number equal to 12 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To solve this equation, we can do to compensate for different numbers of Q until we get a report of the equation makes the right one. If we substitute for x the equation becomes number five report is correct, and if we substitute for x any number of other reports, the equation becomes wrong. So to solve this equation set is {5}. This group contains only one root. It is possible that the equation more than one root: X  ² + 18 = 9 o. No. 2 highest first variable x means that the number of representative variable Q is the number of box, that number multiplied by itself once. See: box. In this equation, we can make up for X number 3: 3 ÃÆ'- 3 + 18 = 9 ÃÆ'- 3 9 + 18 = 27 27 = 27 We can also compensate for X number 6: 6 ÃÆ'- 6 + 18 = 9 ÃÆ'- 6 36 + 18 = 54 54 = 54 Any other compensation for making the equation Q report wrong. Then 3 and 6 are the root of the equation. Thus, the solution set is {3.6}. There are also equations having no roots: X = + 3 If we substitute for x any number, this equation becomes a false report, and a solution is called the group of free and symbolized by the symbol {}. and some of the equations, an infinite number (for high standards) from the roots. (X + 1)  ² = x  ² + 2 x +1 In this equation if we substitute for x any number we get the right report, the Group resolved to contain all the numbers http://nabad-alkloop.com/vb/showthread.php?t=38762 What is best way to learn and teach algebra? Step-by-step equations solving is the key of teaching and learning. To find fully worked-out answers and learn how to solve math problems, one step at a time. Studying worked-out solutions is a proven method to help you retain information. Dont just look for the answer in the back of the book; There are five laws basic principles of math governing operations: multiplication addition subtract and expressing the variables and can be compensated for any number Algebra is an essential subject. Its the gateway to mathematics. Its used extensively in the sciences. And its an important skill in many careers. Many people think, it is a nightmare and causes more stress, homework tears and plain confusion than any other subject on the curriculum but that is not true. The importance of understanding equation Connotation and denotation on extension of a concept two opposite yet complementary aspects is clarified the extension is defined vice versa understanding the concept equation includes its connotation and denotations. This session of observed lessons will show the essential nature or the equation is consolidated by designing problem variation putting emphasis on clarifying the connotation and differentiation the boundary of the set of object in the extension. (Page 559 Jifa cai) Whats the best formula for teaching algebra? Immersing students in their course work, or easing them into learning the new skills or does a combination of the two techniques adds up to the best strategy? Researchers at the Centre for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins are aiming to find out through a federally funded study that will span 18 schools in five states this fall. The study, now in its second year of data collection, will evaluate two ways to teach algebra to ninth-graders, determining if one approach is more effective in increasing mathematics skills and performance or whether the two approaches are equally effective. Participating schools in North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Utah and Virginia will be randomly assigned to one of two strategies for the 2009-2010 school year; to be eligible, students must not have previously taken Algebra I. Twenty-eight high schools were studied during the 2008-2009 school year. One strategy, called Stretch Algebra, is a yearlong course in Algebra 1 with students attending classes of 70 to 90 minutes a day for two semesters. This approach gives students a double dose of algebra, with time to work on fundamental mathematics skills as needed. The second strategy is a sequence of two courses, also taught in extended class periods. During the first semester, students take a course called Transition to Advanced Mathematics, followed by the districts Algebra I course in the second semester. The first-semester course was developed by researchers and curriculum writers at Johns Hopkins to fill gaps in fundamental skills, develop mathematics reasoning and build students confidence in their abilities. The question is, Is it better for kids to get into algebra and do algebra, or to give kids the extra time so the teacher can concentrate more on concepts started in middle schools? said Ruth Curran Neild, a research scientist at Johns Hopkins and one of the studys principal investigators. Teachers using both strategies will receive professional development. Mathematics coaches will provide weekly support to those who are teaching the two-course approach; the study will provide teacher guides and hands-on materials for students in Transition to Advanced Mathematics. Johns Hopkins researchers will be collecting data throughout the school year. Findings are expected during the 2010-2011 school year. http://gazette.jhu.edu/2009/08/17/calculating-the-best-way-for-teaching-algebra/ Learn Algebra, the easy way The key to learn and understand Mathematics is to practice more and more and Algebra is no exception. Understanding the concepts is very vital. There are several techniques that can be followed to learn Algebra the easy way. Learning algebra from the textbook can be boring. Though textbooks are necessary it doesnt always address the need for a conceptual approach. There are certain techniques that can be used to learn algebra the fun and easy way. Listed below are some of the techniques that can be used. Do some online research and you will be surprised to find a whole bunch of websites that offer a variety of fun learning methods which makes learning algebra a pleasant experience and not a nightmare. But the key is to take your time in doing a thorough research before you choose the method that is best for you, or you can do a combination of different methods if you are a person who looks for variety to boost your interest. 1. ANIMATED ALGEBRA : You can learn the basic principles of algebra through this method. Animation method teaches the students the concepts by helping them integrate both teaching methods. When the lessons are animated you actually learn more ! 2. ALGEBRA QUIZZES : You can use softwares and learn at your own pace best of all you dont need a tutor to use it. What you really need is something that can help you with your own homework, not problems it already has programmed into it that barely look like what your teacher or professor was trying to explain. You can enter in your own algebra problems, and it works with you to solve them faster make them easier to understand. 3. INTERACTIVE ALGEBRA : There are several Interactive Algebra plugins that allows the user to explore Algebra by changing variables and see what happens. This promotes an understanding of how you arrive at answers. There are websites that provide online algebra help and worksheets. They also provide interactive online games and practice problems and provide the algebra help needed. It is difficult to recommend better methods for studying and for learning because the best methods vary from person to person. Instead, I have provided several ideas which can be the foundation to a good study program. If you just remember all the rules and procedures without truly understanding the concepts, you will have difficulty learning algebra. (http://www.ehow.com/how_4452787_learn-algebra-easy-way.html)

Analysis of the Work Environment at W.L. Gore & Associates Essay

One of the pioneering firms in the use of team-based approaches to job design is W. L. Gore & Associates. Gore & Associates has made Fortune magazine’s â€Å"100 Best Companies to Work For† list for eleven consecutive years. Gore & Associates is one of only three firms that have made every list published by Fortune. The purpose of this critical thinking exercise is to garner valuable insight specific to the unique organizational work environment at Gore & Associates. Likewise, this document will address and respond to a series of questions in reference to the corporate culture at W.L Gore. Upon completion of said assessment of Gore & Associates, personal reflection will be given as to whether this is an organization someone would find a compelling targeted career opportunity. W. L. Gore & Associates - Corporate Summary W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. is a privately-held company headquartered in Newark, Delaware. Founded in 1958, W. L. Gore & Associates has built a worldwide reputation for ethics and integrity in its dealings with customers, suppliers, and internal associates, and for taking a strategic view when it comes to assessing business opportunities. Gore & Associates employs approximately 9,000 individuals, referred to as associates, in 30 different countries. Gore maintains manufacturing facilities in the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom and China (www.gore.com/aboutus, 2011). Gore’s fluoropolymer products provide innovative solutions throughout industry, in next-generation electronics, for medical products, and with high-performance fabrics. While they are probably best known for their line of protective outerwear, known as GORE-TEX ®, the entire suite of products under the Gore brand are distinguished in th... ... with a non specific answer. The truth of the matter is that Gore, as a whole, is certainly an organization that represents morality, fairness, good business and competition. How could someone not want to be part of that? Works Cited Gore & Associates. (2011). Gore: About us. Retrieved from: www.gore.com/aboutus/ Gore & Associates. (2011). Gore: Environmental responsibility statement. Retrieved from: http://www.gore.com/en_xx/aboutus/environmental/env-responsibility.html Gore & Associates. (2011). Gore: Our culture. Retrieved from: http://www.gore.com/en_xx/aboutus/culture/index.html Kinicki, A., & Kreitner, R. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Key Concepts, Skills & Best Practices (fourth addition). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin Publishing Xerox. (2011). Creating a great workplace. Retrieved from: www.xeroxcareers.com/working-xerox/diversity/

E-book and real book Essay

If you compare real book and e-book, most of the people like real book than e-book. Some of them think that reading e-book is harming their eyes or use real book for a decoration to show they are wisdom. Although real book has a certain place in people’s heart, e-book can replace real book in a short time in Hong Kong because e-books have some advantages that real book did not in the convenience aspect, economic aspect and function of the book. First is the convenience aspect. Will you bring a book when you hang out? Probably you will not but mostly your smart phone will follow you anywhere which mean you can read the e-book in your smart phone anywhere. It is very convenience when you need to read the e-books. How about when you do not need to read the book? Hong Kong is a scarce place with a huge population, not every people have a place to hold a huge number of real books. But holding e-book will not cause this kind of problem because you can save a thousand of books in your tiny memory card but not an unwieldy bookcase. Also after you finish read that e-book you can delete it and have the space again which will not cause the environment problem which you throw a real book On the economic aspect, publish a real book is more expensive than a e-book normally, because publish a real book need to add up the printing fees, the cost of raw materials etcetera which will cause a high prime cost and the cost will transfer to the customers. But the e-book did not need to add those printing fees, so the cost of the book can be reduce. Lastly is the function of the book. For the real book, the main function is to read which is just same as the e-book but actually some people like real book is only because the other functions of the real book to be a decoration which they will buy the books which they will never read and place it on the book shelf forever. I think this is a dishonor to the book and the writer. For the e-book, it does not have that dishonor function and it can have many difference functions. One main function is to change the word size or the zoom in function, this function is convenience to the elderly or people with eyes disease which those people can easily to read the book. Another one main function is the interaction function. This function can attract children to read book. Also animation and sound can be found in the e-book which is more attractive than the real book which only can include words and pictures. It is not difficult to forecast the future of e-books.

A Students Guide to Economics Written by Paul Heyne Essay

?Monograph Review A Students Guide to Economics Written by Paul Heyne When you first thought about Economics, what did you think of? To me it was pretty much the study of money, as simple as that. I thought it would be interesting to ask a few people what their thoughts were and I heard many different definitions from as simple as â€Å"Money† from a family member to â€Å"To me it is the state of well being – money, housing, unemployment, industry etc. † told to me by a coworker. The true definition of Economics is the study of how individuals transform natural resources into final products and services that people use. This definition is quite a bit different than what I thought it would be, so I was very interested to read the monograph A Students Guide to Economics, Paul Heyne and hopefully learn how this definition came to be. As I was reading the book I found that the changes came and were documented by many different economists and were explained in many of the publications that those economists had written. In the monograph A Students Guide to Economics, Paul Heyne describes the history of economics and how this definition evolved to what it is today. The book starts out with the â€Å"discovery† of the Economics. In 1776, Adam Smith was the first person to question economic growth with a book titled Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Adam Smith summed up economics as â€Å"the volume of the nation’s annual production will depend primarily on the skill, dexterity, and judgment with which people apply their labor to the natural resources available to them. I take this as, in a good economic society, people will use the natural resources personal talents wisely. Smith also states that everyone is a merchant, by this I think he means that with every transaction, you are making a trade. For example, if a shoe maker sells a pair of shoes, the money that is paid for them is not really the trade, the leather that he buy with the money so he can make more shoes is the trade for the shoes he sold. The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money written by John Maynard Keynes was published in 1936. This book stopped many economists from focusing on the trade cycle and started them focusing on government spending to make up the deficiency in private spending that had caused and prolonged the slump during World War II. From what I understand about this publication, Keynes was one of the first people to hold the government accountable for certain economic problems. For example after World War II certain people wanted the government to be responsible for bringing the unemployment rate up to 100% when the employment rate was extremely low at that time. Macroeconomics was brought up for the first time in 1948 in the publication Economic: an Introductory Analysis written by Paul Samuelson. A Students Guide to Economics states that Microeconomics or â€Å"the modern theory of income determination† as Samuelson called it, uses variables including total expenditures on personal consumption, total business investment, and total government purchases of goods and services. Microeconomics is not considered one of the two parts of economics, the other being Microeconomics. People have two possible responses when they start feeling that the organization has changed in a negative way (decrease in quality or benefit to the member), they can exit (leave the organization), or they can voice (try to improve the issue by communicating with the organization). This theory was written about in Exit, Voice, and Loyalty written by Albert O. Hirchman. An example of an exit response would be going into a grocery stare and finding out that they do not carry the type of salsa that you like anymore, when you find this out, you decide to switch grocery stores and go to the one that has your salsa. An example of a voice response would be going to a salon to get your hair colored, you go home and realize the color is not what you asked for, instead of leaving the salon and finding another one, you call and voice your frustration, you end up going back and they fix your hair for free. Written in 1957, The Economics of Under-Developed Countries by Peter Bauer and Basil Yamey looked into the theory of â€Å"growth economics†. At that time people had the notion that if there is an under-developed country, another country can go in and help it with a quick fix. Economists believed that with a small amount of funds and a good economic model an under-developed country would have major economic growth. With this growth they assumed that the country would not cause their country any issues. Bauer and Yamey were not buying into this theory. They wrote in their book that to help an under-developed country many other things would determine the countries outcome like the citizen’s attitude and knowledge. Risk, Uncertainty, and Profit written by Frank Knight in 1921 explains how a market-coordinated economy handles the problem of coordinating activity in the presence of uncertainty. One of the things that stands out most about Frank Knight was that he distinguished between two types of change, risk and uncertainty, defining risk as randomness with knowable probabilities and uncertainty as randomness with unknowable probabilities. Frank Knight stated that risk arises from repeated changes for which probabilities can be calculated and insured against but uncertainty arises from unpredictable changes in an economy changes that cannot be insured against. Uncertainty, he said â€Å"is one of the fundamental facts of life. † (Review by Gail Owens Hoelscher). Fire would be an example of a risk, you know what will happen if a fire occurs. A customer’s preference would be an example of an uncertainty. Deirdre McCloskey wrote that there was no such thing as a scientific method for economics in The Rhetoric of Economics written in 1985, scientists merely argue what they believe is true. McCloskey states that economics needs to get back to the science of facts or responsible rhetoric and get away from the things that economists are trying to persuade people is true. A businessman may know what his costs will be to produce a product and may be very aware of what the demand will be for that product but he may not be able to predict the competition he has from companies producing a similar product. Economics is the study of how individuals transform natural resources into final products and services that people use. A Students Guide to Economics has helped me understand why the definition â€Å"Money† doesn’t quite cut it. There are so many aspects that I never even thought of when it comes to economics like planning for risk and uncertainty and understanding exit and voice responses. Economics has evolved tremendously from the time it was first brought to peoples attention in Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations to the current writings of Deirdre McCloskey. Looking into the future, I predict we haven’t seen the last changes.

Definition and Examples of Word Triplets in English

Definition and Examples of Word Triplets in English In  English grammar  and  morphology, triplets  or word triplets are three distinct words derived from the same source but at different times and by different paths, such as place, plaza, and piazza (all from the Latin platea, a broad street). In most cases, such words have the same ultimate origin in Latin. Captain, Chief,andChef The triplets wont necessarily be obvious just by looking at the words but will take a little investigation for their relationship to come clear. English words encode interesting and useful historical information. For example, compare the words captainchiefchef All three derive historically from cap, a Latin word element meaning head, which is also found in the words capital, decapitate, capitulate, and others. It is easy to see the connection in meaning between them if you think of them as the head of a vessel or military unit, the leader or head of a group, and the head of a kitchen respectively. Furthermore, English borrowed all three words from French, which in turn borrowed or inherited them from Latin. Why then is the word element spelled and pronounced differently in the three words?The first word, captain, has a simple story: the word was borrowed from Latin with minimal change. French adapted it from Latin in the 13th century, and English borrowed it from French in the 14th. The sounds /k/ and /p/ have not changed in English since that time, and so the Latin element cap-  /kap/ remains substantially intact in that word.French did not borrow the next two words from Latin...French developed from Latin, with the grammar and vocabula ry being passed down from speaker to speaker with small, cumulative changes. Words passed down in this way are said to be inherited, not borrowed. English borrowed the word chief from French in the 13th century, even earlier than it borrowed captain. But because chief was an inherited word in French, it had undergone many centuries of sound changes by that time...It was this form that English borrowed from French.After English borrowed the word chief, further changes took place in French...Subsequently English also borrowed the word in this form [chef]. Thanks to the linguistic evolution of French and the English propensity to borrow words from that language, a single Latin word element, cap-, which was always pronounced /kap/ in Roman times, now appears in English in three very different guises. (Keith M. Denning, Brett Kessler, and William R. Leben, English Vocabulary Elements, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2007) Hostel, Hospital, and Hotel Another example [of triplets] is hostel (from Old French), hospital (from Latin), and hotel (from modern French), all derived from the Latin hospitale. (Katherine Barber, Six Words You Never Knew Had Something to Do With Pigs. Penguin, 2007) Similar but From Different Sources The resulting English triplets might not even look similar, depending on the route they took to get to English. The simultaneous borrowing of French and Latin words led to a highly distinctive feature of modern English vocabulary: sets of three items (triplets), all expressing the same fundamental notion but differing slightly in meaning or style, e.g., kingly, royal, regal; rise, mount, ascend; ask, question, interrogate; fast, firm, secure; holy, sacred, consecrated. The Old English word (the first in each triplet) is the most colloquial, the French (the second) is more literary, and the Latin word (the last) more learned. (Howard Jackson and Etienne Zà © Amvela, Words, Meaning and Vocabulary: An Introduction to Modern English Lexicology. Continuum, 2000)Still more remarkable is the fact that there are in our language words that have made three appearances- one through Latin, one through Norman-French, and one through ordinary French. These seem to live quietly side by side in the language, and no one asks by what claim they are here. They are useful; that is enough. These triplets are- reg al, royal, and real; legal, loyal, and leal; fidelity, faithfulness, and fealty. The adjective real we no longer possess in the sense of royal, but Chaucer uses it...Leal is most used in Scotland, where it has a settled abode in the well-known phrase the land o the leal. (J.M.D. Meiklejohn, The English Language, Its Grammar, History, and Literature.  12th ed. W.J. Gage, 1895)

To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality Essay - 9

To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality lead to an increase in sales and profit - Essay Example Implementation of the new EHR systems requires the incorporation of older records into the patient’s electronic health record. One of the strategies involved in the incorporation of old records is scanning of older documents and including them in the system in the image format. However, studies by Ventres et al., (124–31) affirm that most physicians do not prefer inclusion of scanned images in the electronic systems. They prefer full electronic data-based systems because most scanned images are normally unclear; therefore difficult to read. The problem can be resolved through the development of EHR systems with image archival characteristics for converting the scanned documents into full electronic health records. The written records can also be converted into electronic formats through scanning the documents and then performing the Optical Data Recognition (OPR). Accurate recognition may not achieve the required clarity levels while illegible handwriting is poorly reco gnized by the optical character readers. This leads to the formation of the records that are difficult to read. The most successful strategy is making of the state’s database records available for transfer through downloading into individual health records. Privacy. Currently, health records are vulnerable for transmission and exchange over the internet. Rule for access, storage, auditing, authentications and transmission of medical records are contained in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (Zaroukian 53-55). Although the restrictions are geared towards promoting the privacy of these records, concerns over the adequacy of the implementation of these standards exist. According to Zaroukian (56), implementation of the privacy regulations can only be achieved through enhancing cooperation between the public, health providers and service providers. The privacy concerns are the prominent challenge stalling the

Research Guide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Guide - Essay Example It also aims to publish original and definitive research papers, in which the emphasis is placed on new engineering construction and design developments. The Institution of Civil Engineers’ website https://www.ice.org.uk/ provides student career advice, conference lists, and useful source references for civil engineering aspects. Another relevant website is http://www.icivilengineer.com/, which provides numerous links to hand-picked websites containing information on civil and structural engineering and technology. A third website is http://www.cif.org/, which is managed by the Construction Innovation Forum that seeks to recognize construction industry innovations that improve cost effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of structures and constructions. Finally, the American Society of Civil Engineers runs the http://www.asce.org/ website that has a membership of almost 150,000 in more than 140 countries. This website provides access to journals, magazines, papers, and books related to civil and structural engineering. Lignos, D. G., Hikino, T., Matsuoka, Y., & Nakashima, M. (2012). Collapse assessment of steel moment frames based on E-Defense full-scale shake table collapse tests. Journal of Structural Engineering, 139(1), 120-132 Lignos et al (2012) set out to investigate the critical parameters that influence steel frame structure numerical modeling for reliable simulations of structure collapse. The authors base their collapse evaluations on experimental data from a four-story steel moment frame full-scale shaking table collapse test, as well as a parallel blind numerical analysis contest. They find that prediction of sideways collapse mechanism for regular plan view buildings using 3D and 2D analyses has no clear advantage. They specifically note that a combination of local buckling delays in first story columns and increased bending strength is effective in enhancing