What intrinsic property that causes the ice to latch your tongue to the metal pole?

Should your teacher be blamed for failing to teach you about methodology?

The simplest methodology to work out the assignment is to apply Polya's 4-Step Problem Solving Process (click it).

1. Understand the problem
2. Devise a plan
3. Carry out the plan
4. Look back

Here is the mnemonic to help you to remember: U Don't Create Loser.



For advanced students, you can write the methodology about Modeling with a Differential Equation. The method is similar to determine the "half-life" of any radioactive atoms that follows an exponential decay in nuclear physics. Here is the preview of the Differential Equation methodology:

You may choose to end the assignment meaningfully with a historical event that serves as a reminder to all medical practitioners.

Do doctors have to be good at Calculus?

To produce an extraordinary report (e.g. technical assignment), you have to be very knowledgeable, sort of Jack of all trades.

What would you like to have happen?

You don't know what to do with your life. But, you clearly know that science is not your cup of tea.

What would you like instead?

You want to repeat Lower 6, but switching from Science Stream to Art Stream.

What kind of Art?

You said "Accounts and Economics." You want to learn more about Accounts and Economics.

Given what you know now, what would you like to do with Accounts or Economics?

Jia Her,

Read from Page 6.

Boy, you committed a critical fallacy.

Look at Example 5.10 on page 143, University Physics, 13e (Young & Freedman). This is the CRITICAL concept you require to solve the moving wedge (frictionless) problem, posted by maximR. For problems where a body rests or slides on an inclined plane that exerts frictional forces on the body, refer to Example 5.16 (pg.150) and 5.17 (pg.151).

Hi Just Visiting By, sagethesausage, maximR, feynman,

Do not take to heart all the things that bloodchow2 said as he is probably suffering from a mild form of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Narcissistic personality disorder is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy (APA, 2000).

People with this disorder have an exaggerated sense of self-importance and are often absorbed by fantasies of limitless success. Secondary to this preoccupation with their own superiority, they seek constant attention and may try to win admiration from others by flaunting or boasting about their perceived special abilities. This behavior often masks fragile self-esteem. Constant external praise or admiration allows them to continue to bolster their own grandiose sense of self.

Those with narcissistic personality disorder can come off as haughty and arrogant as they constantly flaunt their imagined superiority. Their attitudes toward others can be patronizing and disdainful. People with narcissistic personality disorder are often so self-absorbed that they have a complete lack of empathy for others. They may be so preoccupied with their own need for praise and admiration that they are unable to understand other people’s desires, needs, or feelings. People around them often come to feel ignored, devalued, or used.

Rest assured that NPD is treatable. He can seek help from International Psychology Centre Sdn Bhd, where he would be given psychotherapy sessions. Call Now 03-2727 7434 and make an appointment with Dr. Edward Chan!

*APA = American Psychological Association

The word “materialistic” carries a morally negative impression in the public eye. So, it is not surprising that most students tend to condemn this sort of behavior in writing. However, in a highly materialistic society particularly in the urban areas, people want all the power, comfort, and wealth they can get out of a hectic life.

In fact, a question like this requires the students to write a well-informed evaluation and arguments. It may be negative (what materialistic is), positive (what materialistic is not), or a bit of both (what materialistic is in between), that qualify for three long paragraphs in the Body section.

To do that, students need to determine how materialism works by considering the significance or meaning of the elements they have identified (i.e., materialistic, make more, money, can buy), and draw inferences about what may be below the surface of the underlined texts. The students should list a number of philosophy-like questions about the topic that they might answer in the essay. For example,

• What is materialism?
• What makes us materialistic?
• How much money is enough?
• Why are humans so materialistic, even though it doesn't buy us happiness?
• Why are monks so un-materialistic?
• How to escape materialism and find happiness?

As you develop your ideas, you have responsibility, to your readers and to yourself, to make rhetorical appeals that your readers will find appropriate and persuasive. The ancient Greeks called these rhetorical appeals logos, ethos, and pathos. Logos refers to evidence that is rational and consistent and it appeals to readers by engaging their logical powers. Establishing a credible ethos—good character, sound knowledge, or good reputation—encourage readers to have confidence in what you say. The Band 6 student was smart to quote Jane Austen and J. K. Rowling. But I'd quote one of the world's wealthiest philanthropists, Warren Buffett and the 14th Dalai Lama spiritual leader, Tenzin Gyatso. Using pathos to support a claim means stirring the reader's emotions in an effort to elicit sympathy and, thus, agreement.

This post has been edited by Critical_Fallacy: Sep 1 2014, 11:28 AM

Pitching is Leeching.

What are the examination coverage and exclusions?

Are you expecting all degree holders must have teaching experiences? Should your future employer expect the same things from you when you graduate?

The reason is because inexperienced students lack soft skills and patience in persuasive communication. No one likes to hear they’re “wrong”. If your teacher showed you the wrong concept, and her students took the wrong way to approach her, then it became a difficult conversation. Try asking your Mom to take a selfie and send to your phone via bluetooth. If you fail to receive and your Mom claims that she touched the correct buttons, would you call her “stubborn”?

Can you distinguish them before and after the experiment?

Are you expecting all master holders must have teaching experiences?

These are the consequence of spoon-feeding education. In the working world, you won't “live long” if you blame your boss gave you the wrong instructions that result in disaster. Learn to protect yourself!

To be specific, F5 teaching experience and F6 teaching experience are two different experiences. Of course, bragging is an annoying thing to me as well. However, are you generalizing that all master holders must have the teaching experiences from Primary 1 to Form 6?

The point I'm trying to make is that different approaches lead to different outcomes. Should the students take a thought-provoking subtle approach, the teacher's feedback would be constructive. “Everyone makes silly mistakes in life, but that doesn’t mean we have to kill their careers.” -- My Boss

The lesson learned in this case is that if we know the risks of spoon-feeding, we'll cautiously do the checking and rechecking to get things right before getting things done.

Thanks for sharing your story. There is no right or wrong in this matter. Like I said, different approaches lead to different outcomes. If the conversation is built on “I am right, you are wrong”, it will cause endless grief.

This post has been edited by Critical_Fallacy: Sep 3 2014, 08:20 PM

I praise you for having the courage to follow your heart and intuition

Thanks for sharing another heartbreaking story.

One thing your classmates probably don't know is that some job interviews today involve written test. The tests are conducted to make sure that the candidates have certain types of knowledge and skills, because some employers have determined that that’s an important factor to know whether the candidates are the right fit for the job. If the candidates don’t do well on that test, that’s not just a sign for the employers not to hire them, it’s also a sign for themselves that this isn’t the right job for them.

Our education systems at Primary & Secondary schools are designed in such a way, that students do not have to show any initiative. As long as they just follow the instructions of their teachers, they will be somewhat “Okay”. The students just have to consume the “food” when instructed “Open wide,” without having a second thought whether the food is healthy or harmful. Most of the work is about memorizing, and that is what they will do just before their exams, to have forgotten most of that material within one or two weeks.

Perhaps, it's time to encourage maximR to give a TED talk at TED×Teen 2015.

This is easy to talk about in theory, but it’s more fun to about in practice.

(1) Would you share with me and your juniors about your study techniques?

(2) Many students wasted their time slogging through confusion. How did you break through the frustration barrier?

(3) Is it possible to acquire a new knowledge or pick up a math skill less painfully?

(4) How did you invest your time wisely in study and everything else?

Would you clarify this statement, please?

Like I said, it is easy to talk about in theory, but it’s more fun to talk about in practice.

In reality, many students wasted their time slogging through confusions and doubts, trying to understand a concept or learn a new skill.

Anyone who has become really good at math did it by reading books and practicing. You probably think that sounds too simple to be true, but there it is. In fact, learning, as always, has to be done by the yourself. No one can acquire math skills without doing problems, and the more the better. However, realistically you have a finite amount of time. You will be overwhelmed if problems are too many, and frustrated if problems are too difficult.

If you haven't read the book “The Art and Craft of Problem Solving” by Paul Zeitz, you should remedy that deficiency as soon as possible. Dr. Paul Zeitz is Professor of Mathematics at the University of San Francisco. One of his greatest interests is mathematical problem solving. He won the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) and was a member of the first American team to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in 1974. He was honored in March 2002 with the Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics by the Northern California Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), and in January 2003, he received the MAA's national teaching award, the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award. maximR can probably write a book testimonial. Or else, you can get his videos from The Great Courses.



Fundamentally, you should look at George Polya's 4-step problem-solving approach. Also work as many Mensa puzzles as you can. Alternatively, you can play Unblock Me puzzles on your Android phone. The value of solving puzzles is that they teach you alternative ways of thinking about problem solving by motivating you to learn to 'think outside the box', so to speak.