This week, we learned about Optimization. With optimization, we basically had to read a word problem and then use the given information to maximize (or sometimes minimize) whatever the question was asking for. The problems had to do with things like “Find how big of a gate we can make while using the smallest amount of materials” or “what are the dimensions of the biggest rectangle that can fit into this circle.” To solve these problems, we were taught a simple strategy: Develop a model, take the derivative to find the critical points, and then solve the model. This really is not difficult, and I understood the strategy easily. When it came to the actual execution of the strategy, I failed miserably. The problem was always developing the model. I completely understood how to solve things and get the answers once I had the equations, but if I didn’t know how to set it up, it was impossible for me to solve it. I remember doing sections in past math classes that were similar to this -using word problems to make equations and then solving- and I was really bad at it then too. I think I struggle because generally I can’t visualize what the problem is asking for, and I have to have someone explain it to me. I don’t think this is something that I will ever be great at, but I can definitely work to be better at it than I am now. We finished up the week with related rates, and those don’t seem very hard, but they also require me to visualize what is happening, so hopefully I will be okay. We did some whiteboarding on Friday to work on those, along with other practice problems and I think I understood that pretty well.
|
|