Sunday, July 01, 2018

Calculator Policies: SAT and ACT

SAT and ACT policies regulate the types and models of calculators allowed for use in solving math problems on standardized tests administered by each organization.

For a while, the SAT had a more or less unrestricted calculator policy whereas the ACT had a tightly controlled one, allowing only those user-installed programs comprising 25 or fewer lines of code. Aside from being unduly onerous, the old ACT policy was obviously unenforceable, and has recently been changed to essentially match the unrestricted SAT rule.

In a nutshell, here's what you need to know:

All features, apps, and user-installed programs are permitted for use, without restriction, on any model of the Ti-84 graphing calculator family (including the powerful Ti-84 Plus CE model) on the SAT, the SAT Math Subject Test (Levels 1, 2), and the ACT.

Below are links to current policies:

SAT Calculator Policy (updated: 2023)

ACT Calculator Policy (updated: 2023)

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Copyright © 2006-present: Christopher R. Borland. All rights reserved.
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Friday, June 01, 2018

Fractal Coloring Book

Adult coloring books have become popular in recent years. A number have been published already, and more are finding there was to amazon all the time. Below are my favorites:

Coloring Mandalas for Meditation was a hit with my daughter and her friends at Wesleyan who needed to periodically take a break from the stress of studying.

Adult Coloring Book: Fractals by Ben Trube not only offers beautiful fractal designs to color, but also provides a visceral experience with fractals and the math behind them.

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Tuesday, May 01, 2018

The Game of LIFE

John Conway's 1970 coding masterpiece mimics life's basic processes in an utterly simple yet strikingly lifelike way. 

Conway's Game of Life quickly became a sensation, inspiring a cult following among mathematicians and programmers. 

Seed shapes are born, live, reproduce, and die. In the process, fascinating animated patterns and "social" interactions occur on the computer screen. Beginning with a seed created by the user, a mesmerizing drama unfolds. Sometimes these living worlds expire in a moments, seconds, or minutes; others continue for eternity.

Research into Conway's game is ongoing and extensive. Could life itself be this simple? Why not?

Create virtual life! Experiment with The Game of Life here. FAQ here. Stanford discussion here. LifeWiki:About here.

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Sunday, April 01, 2018

Official GRE Prep Materials

Official materials produced by test makers form the backbone of successful standardized test prep efforts.

The GRE is produced by Educational Testing Service (ETS), ETS offers several useful tools for those preparing to take the GRE. These materials are linked below.
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Thursday, March 01, 2018

Teach Your Child to Read

There’s no excuse for illiteracy, and this book proves it:

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (by Siegfried Engelmann, et al).

Virtually any educated adult can teach virtually any interested child to read at a comfortable second grade level in four to six short months (one 20-minute lesson a day, six days a week) using this classic phonics-based home learning tool. If desired, one can take up to a year to complete the 100 lessons (supplementing learning sessions with additional reading materials, extra writing exercises, etc.).

Instructions for the parent-teacher are crystal clear at every stage, and super easy to implement. Students should be able to recognize upper and lower case ABCs before starting, and it helps to know the main sounds each letter makes (but this isn't necessary).

Using this system our daughter learned to read at age four, the proverbial child with her nose stuck in a book. She went on to be a happy, successful student, and a voracious life-long reader. Very precocious children who want to learn to read could start even earlier. Most kids would probably do well to begin at four to five years of age.

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