First Semester, Blog 3

10/22/2012

8 Comments

 
Time for  metacognition (thinking about your thinking.)  Analyzing the process(es) you go through when solving a math problem can be difficult, but it will also benefit you as you do  more complicated tasks. 

Here is today's task:
Solve the equation f(x)=4.
As you solve this, think about the processing you went through.  Now is the fun part:  write down your thought processes!
Who will be first?
8 Comments
Megan
10/23/2012 11:25:35 am

The first thought that crosses my mind is: where is the rest of the equation? F(x)=4 seems only like a portion of what I need to solve this problem. My mind then races to whether I need to graph the equation or plug it into the graph. I for a short while consider whether or not I can Google the answer.
Now comes the serious thinking. I know f(x) is basically y. With that decided, I now have a mental block because y=4 got me no closer to an actual answer. The answer to this equation wouldn’t be a flat, horizontal line with a y intercept of 4. There isn’t any equation to plug the f(x) in and there isn’t any instruction to do with the f(x) with a g(x), which I constantly see in f(x) equations.
Honestly, my initial thought process is very aggravating process. This lesson has worked to confuse me and cripple my self-esteem. I am unsure how to solve this problem because I don’t feel like all of it is here.

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michael
10/29/2012 01:30:25 am

my first thought is step one cry and my second thought is how do you do this.

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Katie
10/29/2012 09:47:22 am

When I first saw this problem I did not know how to do it. So I had to think about it, which didn't help me a ton. Then I thought about the first video we watched for this blog, and I'm pretty sure that the f(x)=4 means that the range equals 4, because I can remember the mathematician of YouTube plugging in these simple equations across the horizontal lines of the axis. I do not feel very sure about this, because I do not have an amazing memory when it comes to math, and I hope that nobody reads this later and laughs at my stupidity.

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Caitlin
10/30/2012 06:55:11 am

After being asked to solve the equation f(x) =4, I have no idea where to begin. The first thing that comes to mind is: Is this a trick question? The next idea I have is that this equation is already solved and that f(x) =4 is the solution, however, this can’t be right because my task is to solve the equation. The next thing I do is picture a graph with a horizontal line at 4 in my head because if I were to graph the equation, that’s what it would look like. Overall, I have been confused by this task, and I’m asking myself why I don’t know the answer to this seemingly simple question.

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Jayce
10/30/2012 11:39:23 pm

I am not sure how to solve this problem because from what i remember f(x) is basically supposed to be y. So my initial though is that the answer is y=4. I really have no idea whether or not if that is right, because frankly it just seems to easy.If y=4 is not the answer then I would have no idea how to even start finding the solution. I also have the thought that not all of the information has been given. So, to summarize, I really have no idea what to do. The end.

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Tyler
11/1/2012 01:06:00 am

It's weird to think about this problem because it hardly seems like a problem. My initial understanding is that f(x) is the same as y which can be applied to a graphing situation. So if you plug in the 4 for y, you get a strait line across 4 on the y axis. I'm not sure if there is more to the equation, but that's what I came up with.

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Bailey
11/2/2012 01:16:43 am

Looking through the other comments on this page first, I see that everyone else is as confused as I am. First I look at the equation, and I see that it is a function, f(x)=4. I think about the fact that I know that functions are on the y-axis and f(x) basically means y. So since we've been graphing a lot, I see a graph appear in my mind with a straight line across the y axis at positive 4. My brain then starts thinking about continuity and limits because it has been burned with thoughts of these things, but I know that this isn't what we're finding. Ultimately, I do not know how to solve the equation because I feel the rest is missing, and all I see is a straight line at 4.

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Rachael
11/12/2012 06:23:22 am

I initially thought of the line y=4, but the question didn't ask for a graphed line or anything like that. It looks to me like the equation is already solved. F(x)=4. Okay. Awesome. It doesn't get any more simplified.

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