The Principles Of The Competing Values Framework - 1457 Words

The purpose of the Competing Values Framework is to facilitate the process of managers gaining a better understanding of the various managerial roles and how they can be applied more effectively in an environment of competing tensions. Each role is distinct and seemingly contradictory, but must be intertwined in order for a manager to achieve optimal efficiency; ultimately becoming a master manager. Master managers are expected to â€Å"possess the ability to play multiple, even competing roles in a highly integrated and complementary way† (Hart Quinn, 1993). This â€Å"behavioral complexity-the ability to deal with the competing demands through the mastery of seemingly contradictory or paradoxical roles differentiates the high performing managers from their counterparts (Hart Quinn, 1993). Upon completing the CVF survey, I discovered that as a manager my strengths lay most of the roles except that of an innovator. The innovator role requires a manager to think creatively and promote change, an area that I struggle with the most. Innovation has always been my weakness as I have been content and comfortable with following the road that has been paved for me. It is evident that I lack certain traits that are associated with being an innovator, such as openness to new ideas. Unfortunately, such a character flaw can be disastrous as contention and comfortability do not create an effective managerial figure. Change occurs regardless of personal desires, therefore the only solution isShow MoreRelatedEthical Values in Social Work Essay example1381 Words   |  6 PagesSocial work values and ethical dilemmas What are values, ethics, ethical dilemmas and a code of ethics? Values relate to principles and attitudes that provide direction to everyday living. Values also refer to beliefs or standards considered desirable by a culture, group or individual (AASW). Similar to values, but slightly different, ethics means a system of beliefs held about what constitutes moral judgement and right conduct, they are moral principles (rules, guides) (AASW). So an ethicalRead MoreThe Ethics Of Public Health Essay1123 Words   |  5 Pageslegal and regulatory standards.† – American Public Health Association adopted a code of ethics developed by the Public Health Leadership Society. †¢ APHA’s code of Ethics identifies: o Values and beliefs that are key assumptions underlying a public health perspective of health, community, and bases for action o Principles of the ethical practice of public health based on these explicit assumptions †¢ Even under normal circumstances public healthcare professionals continually encounter ethical issues andRead MoreHofstede s Five Dimensions Of Culture Essay1743 Words   |  7 Pagescultures, people value competitiveness, assertiveness, ambition, and the accumulation of wealth and material possessions whereas in ‘feminine’ cultures, people value relationships and quality of life.(G. Hofstede 1980) Weak vs. strong uncertainty avoidance (UA) – Need for structure. Cultures with low uncertainty avoidance tend to accept risk and change and prefer implicit or flexible rules and guidelines.(G. Hofstede 1980) Long vs. short term orientation (LTO) – Society values long-standing, asRead MoreInternational Research Symposium Accounting Information System1494 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstanding and responding to diverse information needs. Agonistic pluralism is a branch of democratic theory that conceptualizes progressive social change through democratic dialogic means recognizing the complexity of prevailing power dynamics and that competing perspectives and interests cannot be resolved through logic or reason (D.J. Dillard Brown, 2005). Agonistic pluralism gives the theoretical socio-political basis for conceptualizing and sustaining diversity within a pluralistic and democratic contextRead MoreThe Success of Innocent Drinks Using Competing Values Framework and Pestel Analysis.1625 Words   |  7 PagesTHE SUCCESS OF INNOCENT DRINKS USING COMPETING VALUES FRAMEWORK AND PESTEL ANALYSIS. Innocent Drinks was started by three friends in 1999 that developed premium smoothies that contained 100% natural fruit with no water or added sugar. The aim was to provide people with quick ready-to-go and healthy food and drink options. The company is now one of the best-loved and fastest growing businesses in Britain. The highly successful Innocent Drinks sells $2 million smoothies per week across Europe, buildingRead MoreReview Of Related Literature And Studies Essay1585 Words   |  7 Pagesand then team are what comprise the so-called Human Operating System. It is a common understanding that makes interaction more productive in healthier ways. Human Operating System has four pronged principles that premise the process to make everyone sees the world differently. The first principle is the Energy. Managing personal energy is a subjective yet powerful term. Positive energy poses an increase of power for both the provider and the people around them. Sometimes, this is all itRead MoreThe Education Of The United States1575 Words   |  7 Pagesopponents see them as threatening to the noble goal of diversity which the United States has long embraced, going so far as to label the drafters of the Common Core Standards as â€Å"indoctrinators† (Williams). Using Amy Gutmann’s Democratic Education as a framework for understanding these criticisms of the Common Core Standards, this paper will argue that a â€Å"democratic state of education† is indeed compatible with Common Core and that intellectual diversity could still be maintained if all schools, public andRead MoreEssay about Ethical Decision Making1653 Words   |  7 Pagescould be and what they should be, discuss the ethical implications of the decision, and explain how the decision may change the ground rules. Ethics is a standard that tells us how we should behave. It is based on moral duty and includes a code of values that guides our choices and actions. No person with a strong character lives without such a code. Ethics is more than doing what you must do. It is doing what you should do. Because acting ethically sometimes means not doing what we want to do, ethicsRead MoreEthical Decision Making Essay1407 Words   |  6 Pagescould be and what they should be, discuss the ethical implications of the decision, and explain how the decision may change the ground rules. Ethics is a standard that tells us how we should behave. It is based on moral duty and includes a code of values that guides our choices and actions. No person with a strong character lives without such a code. Ethics is more than doing what you must do. It is doing what you should do. Because acting ethically sometimes means not doing what we want to do, ethicsRead MoreAnalysis Of Blue Ocean Strategy By W. Chan Kim And Renee Mauborgne1231 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom the competition. Key Concepts Red Ocean: A market space filled with several players competing with each other for profit and market share is a Red Ocean. Blue Ocean: An unexplored and unknown market space with no competition is a Blue Ocean. Value Innovation: Offering greater value to customers by reducing factors the industry competes on, and raising and offering unoffered factors, those the customer values more. Main Propositions Most of the times, businesses compete with each other on existing

How powerful is The Bell Jar as a feminist text Free Essays

The Bell Jar is an attempt by Sylvia Plath to write about growing up as a woman, in America during the forties and fifties. It was first published in January 1963, before the fights for equal rights were debated in the late sixties and seventies. This was one of only a few novels, at its time, in which the main character and narrator was a woman. We will write a custom essay sample on How powerful is The Bell Jar as a feminist text? or any similar topic only for you Order Now The novel may also show Esther’s search for her identity, she thinks she knows what she wants but she becomes more and more uncertain as the novel unfolds. The struggle for women in those days is something which would we could not possibly understand. A lady could not even get a loan from the bank without her husband or father co-signing it. Unmarried women were denied birth control, and girls should not attend college. If they did it was expected that they were looking for a husband. The other girls in Esther’s dormitory in college told her she was wasting her â€Å"golden college years†. Throughout the book, there are many possible role models for Esther, not all of who have a positive influence on her. Jay Cee is an experienced, successful editor at the magazine where Esther has won an internship. Plath writes of Jay Cee as being somewhat masculine. This may have been because at the time only men were successful so she felt for a woman to be successful she had to be manly. However Esther starts to aim some of her anger towards Jay Cee – â€Å"Jay Cee wanted to teach me something, all the old ladies I ever know wanted to teach me something, but I suddenly didn’t think they had anything to teach me. † Esther dreamt of becoming a poet, but even her mother did not believe in her ambition. Her mother felt the only way she would succeed was if she learnt shorthand, as the highest position she would ever get was to be a secretary. Mrs. Greenwood never listened to what Esther had to say nor did she respond to her in any meaningful way. Mrs Greenwood felt that she was the perfect mother and the only way to show that was by bringing up the perfect set of children. The children’s role was to behave well to reflect their mother’s goodness. So when Esther refused to have shock treatments, Mrs. Greenwood said, â€Å"I knew my baby wasn’t like that, I knew you’d decide to be alright again. † A lot of Esther’s anger is aimed towards her mother and may even be the root of her illness. Mrs. Greenwood is everything that Esther doesn’t want to be, which is the reason she hates to conform. She feels that if she starts doing what â€Å"normal ladies† do she will end up like her mother. Esther even went as far as talking off her own mother’s death. When they both slept in the same room, Esther says, † The piggish noise irritated me, and for a while it seemed to me that the only way to stop it would be to take the column of skin and sinew from which it rose and twist it to silence between my hands. † After writing the book, Sylvia Plath told her brother that she wanted the novel to be published under a pseudonym. In those days, or even today, death wishes were not exactly the things to satisfy parental dreams. Buddy Willard is first seen, in the text, as a typical American male. Mrs. Greenwood says of him â€Å"he’s so athletic and so handsome and so intelligent†¦ kind of person a girl should stay clean for. † Before Esther gets to know him she thinks he’s wonderful, but as they get better acquainted her attitude towards him changes. Buddy Willard is a prime example of a cocksure male. He thinks men rule the world while women should just do what they’re told. This does not help Esther when she is trying to find her role within society to feel accepted. Buddy Willard is shallow and does absolutely nothing to make Esther feel good about herself. He’s insensitive and clumsy in his dealings with Esther. He refers to her poetry as dust; thereby dismissing the one thing that she believes has great value, through arrogance. The motive for her hatred for all the men in the novel except for one may stem from the fact that Sylvia Plath’s husband left her in 1962 and she wrote â€Å"The Bell Jar† a year after. However her poem â€Å"Daddy†, which she wrote in the very same year was a lot harsher towards her father and was more of a gut response. Another thing that deeply annoyed Esther was the double standard for men and women. If a man slept with a woman without loving her it was perfectly acceptable, yet if a woman slept with a man whom she didn’t love then she could be labelled a whore. There are proper codes of behaviour, particularly sexual ones for women and Mrs. Greenwood makes sure Esther knows of those by sending her a pamphlet about these codes. However Buddy is not expected to adhere to the same set of rules, so when Esther finds out he slept with a waitress, she shouldn’t be hurt because it didn’t mean anything! It is one of Esther’s desires to be sexually liberal, along with being a poet or a successful writer. How to cite How powerful is The Bell Jar as a feminist text?, Papers

Human Anatomy and Physiology System †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Human Anatomy and Physiology System. Answer: Introduction: Plasma Membrane (or Cell Membrane) is the boundary that differentiate cells inner contents and its outer environments. Each cell of a multicellular organism contain certain amount of molecules or components inside them, therefore cellular membrane helps to maintain this amount by maintaining the balance between intracellular fluids and extra cellular fluids (Jenkins Tortora, 2013). The plasma is a unique and permeable structure that makes its appearance important at the boundary of each cell and enhances its activity in cellular functions such as exchange of gaseous materials and exchange of ions. The structure of the plasma membrane is known as the fluid mosaic model and according to this model the plasma membrane is a double layered lipid structure that have dispersed protein molecules through the structure. As the protein molecules are constantly changing and forms a mosaic structure within the membrane, this model is known as the fluid mosaic model (Stables Rankin, 2011). The components of this fluid mosaic structure are of two types, membrane lipids and membrane proteins. The lipid layer forms the basic structure of the membrane and within this structure, phospholipids (majorly), glycolipids, cholesterols and lipid rafts. The phospholipids are composed of a hydrophilic head and two hydrophobic tails, which is made up of fatty acid chains. This lipid layer forms a double layer so that each water loving side that is intracellular environment and extracellular environment can be connected (Stables Rankin, 2011). The benefit of this hydrophilic and hydrophobic combination is that despite of a fluid structure that moves constantly, the flip-flop action is prevented (Marieb Hoehn, 2016). Further the membrane proteins are inserted within the membrane structure and called transmembrane proteins and these proteins also contain hydrophilic and hydrophobic region and these proteins are divided in two sections. These sections are integral protein and peripheral proteins. These proteins forms channels and sections through which transportation of intracellular and extracellular liquids occur. Further, some proteins work as hormonal receptors for signal transduction process (Stables Rankin, 2011). The role of plasma membrane in oxygen transportation is highly effective and due to the semipermeable nature of plasma membrane the cell can transport oxygen and carbon di oxide across the cellular membrane ()Marieb Hoehn, 2016). This transportation occurs due to the concepts of diffusion, according to which, molecules moves from high concentration to low concentration, if divided by a semipermeable membrane. When the human body absorbs oxygen, the concentration of carbon di oxide is higher within the cell and low in the extracellular matrix, therefore the movement of CO2 from intracellular environment to extracellular environment occurs. Consequently, the concentration of oxygen increases outside the cell that helps to diffuse the oxygen into intracellular environment. Similarly, plasma membranes play viral role in exchange of ions across the cellular environment. The plasma membrane consists of a sodium potassium exchange pump that helps to pump sodium and potassium ions inside or outside the cell. In this case, despite of higher concentration of sodium ions outside the cell, the membrane does not allow transportation of these ions to pass through the membrane. Therefore, Sodium potassium pumps helps to diffuse these ions across the membrane (Marieb Hoehn, 2016). References Jenkins, G., Tortora, G. (2013).Anatomy and physiology, 3rd edn, pp. 12-87, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Marieb, E. N., Hoehn, K. (2016).10th Edn, pp, 34-78, Human anatomy physiology. Pearson Education. Stables, D., Rankin, J. (2011).Physiology in childbearing [electronic resource](3rd ed.), pp. 12-145,. Edinburgh: Baillie?re Tindall/Elsevier.

Learning Organization free essay sample

Ch. 1: Why is shared information so important in a learning organization as compared to an efficient performance organization? Discuss how an organization’s approach to information-sharing might be related to other elements of organization design, such as structure, tasks, strategy, and culture. Shared information is so important in a learning organization as compared to an efficient performance organization because in a learning organization it promotes communication and collaboration so that everyone is fully engaged in identifying and solving problems, enabling the organization to continuously experiment, improve and increase its capability (Daft, 2010, p. 31). A learning organization follows a horizontal structure which disbands the vertical structure by flattening the distance between managers a the top of the organization and putting emphasis on self-directed teams which include members from several functional areas creating less boundaries (Daft, 2010, p. 31). In a learning organization, employees play a role in the team or department and roles may be continually redefined or adjusted. We will write a custom essay sample on Learning Organization or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There are few rules and knowledge and control of tasks are located within the group. Information within a learning organization serves a distinct and separate purpose. Information is widespread and ensures that all employees are aware of the information. They maintain open lines of communication with everyone, including customers. The culture within a learning organization encourages openness, equality, continuous improvement, and change. Awareness is the key essential to the success. Ch. 1: What are some differences one might expect among stakeholder expectations for a nonprofit organization versus a for-profit business? Do you think nonprofit managers have to pay more attention to stakeholders than do business managers? Discuss. Some differences that one might expect among stakeholder expectations for a nonprofit organization versus a for-profit business is profit versus service. Nonprofit managers pay attention to the satisfaction of its stakeholders, volunteers and donors because they directly impact the success of the company. Nonprofit stakeholders are usually invested into the company for a personal reason and thrive on helping the business to succeed. Business managers are much more at the â€Å"will† of their shareholders who make money from the profit that the company is brining in. Ch. 2: How might a company’s goals for employee development be related to its goals for innovation and change? To goals for productivity? Can you discuss ways these types of goals might conflict in an organization? A company’s goals for employee development might be related to its goals for innovation and change and goals for productivity because strong employee development goals are one of the characteristics common to organizations that regularly show up on the Fortune magazine’s list of top companies to work for (Daft, 2010, p. 63). These goals are operative which provides the employee direction and motivation, decision guidelines and standard of performance (Daft, 2010, p. 64). Knowing where the company has been and is going is essential to business success. If not properly outlined and instilled within employees, conflict within the organization will emerge. Ch. 2: Suppose you have been asked to evaluate the effectiveness of the police department in a medium-sized community. Where would you begin, and how would you proceed? What effectiveness approach would you prefer? Understanding organizational goals and strategies, as well as the concept of fitting design to various contingencies, is a first step toward understanding organizational effectiveness (Daft, 2010, p. 74). Following this essential and crucial first step, would be the internal process approach which measures the internal organizational health and efficiency. To serve the public properly and efficiently, a department cannot be â€Å"rotting† from the inside. Assessing the internal process will show what the organization does with the resource it has. Ch. 3: What types of organizational activities do you think are most likely to be outsourced? What types are least likely? The types of organizational activities that I believe are most likely to be outsourced are activities such as IT, Human Resources, call centers and law. Types that are least likely would be those that give the organization its competitive edge over other competitors. References Daft, R. L. (2010). Organzation Theory and Design 10th Ed. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Color Change Chemical Volcano Demonstration

Color Change Chemical Volcano Demonstration There are several chemical volcanoes that are suitable for use as a chemistry lab demonstration. This particular volcano is nice because the chemicals are readily available and may be safely disposed after the eruption. The volcano involves a color change of the lava from purple to orange and back to purple. The chemical volcano can be used to illustrate an acid-base reaction and the use of an acid-base indicator. Color Change Volcano Materials goggles, gloves, and a lab coat or apron600 ml beakertub large enough to accomodate the beaker200 ml water50 ml concentrated HCl (hydrochloric acid)100 g sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)bromocresol purple indicator (0.5 g bromocresol purple in 50 ml ethanol) Make the Chemical Volcano Erupt In the beaker, dissolve ~10 grams of sodium bicarbonate in 200 ml of water.Set the beaker in the middle of of the tub, preferably inside a fume hood, since strong acid is used for this demonstration.Add around 20 drops of indicator solution. Bromocresol purple indicator will be orange in the ethanol, but will turn purple when added to the basic sodium bicarbonate solution.Add 50 ml concentrated hydrochloric acid to the purple solution. This will cause the eruption in which the simulated lava turns orange and overflows the beaker.Sprinkle some sodium bicarbonate on the now-acidic solution. The color of the lava will return to purple as the solution becomes more basic.Enough sodium bicarbonate will neutralize the hydrochloric acid, but it is best to handle only the tub and not the beaker. When you are finished with the demonstration, wash the solution down the drain with plenty of water. How the Volcano Works changes color the sodium bicarbonate HCO3- H ↔ H2CO3 ↔ H2O CO2

Heart of Algebra Key Strategies for SAT Math

Heart of Algebra Key Strategies for SAT Math SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips On the newly redesigned 2016 SAT, the math section content is divided into four categories by the College Board: Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Passport to Advanced Math, and Additional Topics in Math. Heart of Algebra accounts for the largest part of the SAT math section (33% of the test), so you need to be well prepared for it. In this post, I’ll be discussing this category's content and question types, working through practice problems, and giving tips on how to ace these questions. Heart of Algebra: Overview Content Covered Just as the name would suggest, Heart of Algebra covers algebra content, but what algebra content specifically? These questions cover: Linear Equations System of Equations Absolute Value Graphing Linear Equations Linear Inequalities and Systems of Inequalities I’ll delve into each one of these content areas below. I’ll explain exactly what you need to know in each area, and I’ll walk you through some practice problems. NOTE: All of the practice problems in this article come from a real College Board SAT practice test (Practice Test #1). I’d recommend you don’t read this article until after you’ve taken Practice Test #1 (so I don’t spoil it for you!). If you haven’t taken Practice Test #1, bookmark this article and come back after you’ve completed it. If you’ve already taken Practice Test #1, then read on! Heart of Algebra Question Breakdown As I mentioned at the start of the article, Heart of Algebra makes up 33% of the math section, which works out to 19 questions. There will be eight in section 3 (the non-calculator math test) and in section 4 (the calculator math test). Heart of Algebra questions vary in presentation. Because there are so many, the College Board needed to mix up how they ask you these questions. You’ll see multiple-choice and grid-in Heart of Algebra questions. You may simply be presented with an equation(s) and need to solve or you might be given a real world scenario as a word problem and need to create an equation(s) to find the answer. The SAT math section presents questions in order of difficulty (defined by how long it takes an average student to solve a problem and the percentage of students who answer the question correctly). You will see Heart of Algebra questions throughout the section: the straightforward, â€Å"easy† ones will appear at the beginning of the multiple choice and grid-ins while the more challenging ones that require you to create an equation or equations to solve will appear towards the end. I’ll give examples of each type of question (easy and hard) as we learn about each content area in the next section. We're on the path to conquering algebra! Content Area Breakdowns Linear Equations Linear equation questions can be presented in a couple of ways. The easier linear equation questions will ask you to solve a linear equation that is given to you. The harder linear equation questions will ask you to write a linear equation to represent the given situation. No Calculator Practice Problems This question is one of the simplest, easiest and most direct Heart of Algebra questions that you’ll see. The question just asks you to solve a linear equation without situating it in a real world situation that would require you to make sense of the context as well as the equation. Answer Explanation: Since $k=3$, one can substitute 3 for k in the equation, which gives ${x-1}/{3}=3$. Multiplying both sides of ${x-1}/{3}=3$ by 3 gives $x-1=9$, and if you add 1 to each side, then the result is $x=10$. D is the correct answer. Tip: If you struggled with this question, you could also solve it by plugging in the answer choices for x and seeing which one worked. Plugging in will work but will take you more time than simply solving the equation. If you solve the equation to find x, you can double check your answer by then plugging it in. If you plug in your answer choice for x, and both sides of the equation are equal, you know you have the right answer! The following question is slightly more challenging since it asks you to create a linear equation to represent the real world scenario it presents. Answer Explanation: There are two ways to approach this problem. Approach 1: The total number of messages sent by Armand is equal to his rate of texting (m texts/hour) multiplied by the 5 hours he spent texting: m texts/hour Ãâ€" 5 hours = $5m$ texts. Similarly, the total number of messages sent by Tyrone is equal to his rate of texting (p texts/hour) multiplied by the 4 hours he spent texting: p texts/hour Ãâ€" 4 hours = $4p$ texts. The total number of messages sent by Armand and Tyrone is equal to the sum of the total number of messages sent by Armand and the total number of messages sent by Tyrone: $5m+4p$. C is the correct answer. Approach 2: Pick numbers and plug them in. For example, I'm going to pick numbers and say Armand sends 3 texts per hour and Tyrone sends 10 texts per hour. Based on the given information, if Armand texts for 5 hours, Armand sent (3 texts per hour)(5 hours) texts or 15 texts; if Tyrone texts for 4 hours, Tyrone sent (10 texts per hour)(4 hours) texts or 40 texts. Therefore, the total number of texts sent by Armand and Tyrone is $15+40=55$ texts. Now, I plug in the numbers I chose to the answer choices and see if the number of texts matches 55 texts, so for answer C, $5(3) +4(10)=15+40=55$ texts. Therefore, C is the correct answer. NOTE: for this question, this strategy was slower, but for more complicated questions, this can be a faster and easier approach. Tip: Take these problems one step at a time. Figure out Armand’s total number of text messages, then figure out Tyrone’s total number of text messages, and then, combine them into one expression. Don’t rush to jump to the final answer. You might make a mistake along the way. Systems of Equations System of equations questions will be presented in similar ways as linear equation questions; however, they’re more difficult because you now have to do more steps and/or create a second equation. The easier system of equation questions will ask you to solve for one variable when you’re given two equations with two variables. The harder system of equation questions will require you to write a system of equations to represent the given situation and then solve for one variable using the equations you created. No Calculator Practice Problems This question is arguably the simplest, easiest and most straightforward systems of equation questions that you’ll see. It sets up the equations for you, and simply asks you to solve for x. Answer Explanation: Subtracting the left and right sides of $x+y=−9$ from the corresponding sides of $x+2y =−25$ gives $(x+2y)−(x+y)=−25−(−9)$, which is equivalent to $y=−16$. Substituting $−16$ for $y$ in $x+y=−9$ gives $x+(−16)=−9$, which is equivalent to $x=−9−(−16) =7$. The correct answer is 7. Tip: Plugging in may be a good option if you’re given this question in the multiple-choice (which isn’t the case here). However, you could have also plugged in your answer to double check your work! Here is another fairly straightforward system of equation question, but it is slightly more difficult since you need to provide the answer for both x and y (which creates more potential for error). Answer Explanation: Adding x and 19 to both sides of $2y−x=−19$ gives $x=2y+19$. Then, substituting $2y+19$ for x in $3x+4y=−23$ gives $3(2y + 19)+4y=−23$. This last equation is equivalent to $10y+57=−23$. Solving $10y+57=−23$ gives $y=−8$. Finally, substituting −8 for y in $2y−x=−19$ gives $2(−8)−x=−19$, or $x=3$. Therefore, the solution $(x, y)$ to the given system of equations is $(3, −8)$. Tip: Plugging in would have also been a quick way to solve this one! When asked to solve for both variables in a system of equation question, always try plugging in! The following is a bit more difficult. Even though you’re given the equations, you still need to determine what the question is asking you (which variable you need to solve for) which is slightly more challenging since it asks you the question using a real world scenario. Also, you need to solve it using mental math (since it’s in the no calculator section). Answer Explanation: To determine the price per pound of beef when it was equal to the price per pound of chicken, determine the value of x (the number of weeks after July 1) when the two prices were equal. The prices were equal when $b=c$; that is, when $2.35+0.25x=1.75+0.40x$. This last equation is equivalent to $0.60=0.15x$, and so $x={0.6}/{0.15}=4$. Then to determine $b$, the price per pound of beef, substitute 4 for $x$ in $b=2.35+0.25x$, which gives $b=2.35+0.25(4)=3.35$ dollars per pound. Therefore, D is the correct answer. Tip: Take your time working through each step. It’s easy to make a small mistake and get the wrong answer. Calculator Practice Problem The following is one of the hardest Heart of Algebra questions. Based on the real world scenario that you’re given in the question, you need to create two equations and then solve them. Answer Explanation: To determine the number of salads sold, write and solve a system of two equations. Let $x$ equal the number of salads sold and let $y$ equal the number of drinks sold. Since the number of salads plus the number of drinks sold equals 209, the equation $x+y=209$ must hold. Since each salad cost 6.50, each soda cost 2.00, and the total revenue was 836.50, the equation $6.50x+2.00y=836.50$ must also hold. The equation $x+y=209$ is equivalent to $2x+2y=418$, and subtracting each side of $2x+2y=418$ from the respective side of $6.50x+2.00y=836.50$ gives $4.5x=418.50$. Therefore, the number of salads sold x was $x={418.50}/{4.50}=93$. Therefore, B is the correct answer. Tip: Take these problems one step at a time. Write out the equation for the total number of salads and drinks sold, then figure out the equation for revenue, and then, solve. Don’t rush it or you might make a mistake. Absolute Value There will typically only be one Absolute Value question in the SAT math section. The question is usually pretty easy and straightforward, but it requires you to know the rules of absolute value to answer it correctly.Anything that is an absolute value will be bracketed with absolute value signs which look like this: || For example, $|-4|$ or $|x-1|$ An absolute value is a representation of distance along a number line, forward or backward. This means that whatever is in the absolute value sign will become positive since it represents distance along a number line and it is impossible to have a negative distance. For example, on the above number line, -2 is 2 away from 0. Anything inside of the absolute value becomes positive. This also means that an absolute value equation will always have two solutions. For example, $|x-1|=2$ will have two solutions $x-1=2$ and $x-1=-2$. Then, you solve each separate equation to find the two solutions, $x=3,-1$. When working on absolute value problems, remember that you need to create two separate solutions the positive and the negative as we did above. Calculator Practice Problem Answer Explanation: If the value of $|n−1|+1$ is equal to 0, then $|n−1|+1=0$. Subtracting 1 from both sides of this equation gives $|n−1|=−1$. The expression $|n−1|$ on the left side of the equation is the absolute value of $n−1$, and, as I just mentioned, the absolute value can never be a negative number since it represents distance. Thus, $|n−1|=−1$ has no solution. Therefore, there are no values for n for which the value of $|n−1|+1$ is equal to 0. D is the correct answer. Tip: Remember the rules of absolute value (it’s always positive!). If you remember the rules, you should get the question right! Graphing Linear Equations These questions test your ability to read a graph and interpret it into $y=mx+b$ form. A quick refresher, $y=mx+b$ is the slope-intercept equation of a line, where m represents the slope and b represents the y-intercept. In these questions, you’ll typically be presented with the graph of a line, and you’ll need to determine what the slope and y-intercept are to write the equation of the line. Calculator Practice Problem Answer Explanation: The relationship between h and C is represented by any equation of the given line. The C-intercept of the line is 5. Since the points $(0, 5)$ and $(1, 8)$ lie on the line, the slope of the line is ${8-5}/{1-0}={3}/{1}=3$. Therefore, the relationship between h and C can be represented by $C=3h+5$, the slope-intercept equation of the line. C is the correct answer. Tip: Have the slope-intercept form ($y=mx+b$) and the slope equation $m={y_2-y_1}/{x_2-x_1}$ memorized. Know what each variable in the equations means. If you know all of this, you should be able to ace any graphing linear equation problem that you’re given. Linear Inequalities and Systems of Linear Inequalities These are arguably the most challenging Heart of Algebra questions because many students struggle when variables are combined with inequalities. If you need a quick but in-depth refresher on inequalities, check out our inequalities guide. These questions typically appear towards the end of the multiple-choice and grid-ins in each section. These questions will be presented as straightforward already set up inequalities (you won’t be asked to create inequalities nor will you be presented with a real world scenario using inequalities). Although they’re presented in a straightforward way, these questions are challenging, and it’s easy to make a mistake, so take your time! Calculator Practice Problems Answer Explanation: Subtracting $3x$ and adding 3 to both sides of $3x−5≠¥4x−3$ gives $−2≠¥x$. Therefore, x is a solution to $3x−5≠¥4x−3$ if and only if x is less than or equal to −2 and x is NOT a solution to $3x−5≠¥4x−3$ if and only if x is greater than −2. Of the choices given, only −1 is greater than −2 and, therefore, cannot be a value of x. A is the correct answer. You could also try to answer this by plugging in the answer choices and seeing which one didn't work. If you plug in A into the inequality, you'd get $3(-1)-5≠¥4(-1)−3$. Simplifying the inequality, you'd get -8≠¥-7, which is not true, so A is the correct answer. Tip Remember the rules of inequalities! Take your time working your way through each step so that you don’t make any mistakes. Also, remember to try plugging in the answer choices to find the correct answer! Let's take a look at another example. Answer Explanation: Since (0, 0) is a solution to the system of inequalities, substituting 0 for x and 0 for y in the given system must result in two true inequalities. After this substitution, y −x + a becomes 0 a, and y x + b becomes 0 b. Hence, a is positive, and b is negative. Therefore, a b. Choice A is correct. Tip: Treat this system of inequalities with four variables the same as you’d treat a system of inequalities with two variables. Remember that if (0,0) is a solution that means that when x=0, y=0. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! 4 Key Strategies for Heart of Algebra I've interspersed the strategies for attacking these questions throughout this article in the "tip" sections, but I'll summarize them here now. Strategy #1: Memorize the Rules and Formula You need to know the rules of inequalities, the rules of absolute value, and the formula for the intercept-slope version of a line ($y=mx+b$) to answer those types of algebra questions correctly. Without the rules and formula, these questions are pretty much impossible. If you need more assistance with any of the concepts, check out our in-depth guides to linear equations, systems of equations, absolute value, intercept-slope form, and linear inequalities and systems of inequalities. Strategy #2: Plugging in Answers On the multiple-choice questions, you should always check to see if you can plug in the answer choices to the given equation(s) or inequality to find the correct answer. Sometimes this approach will be much simpler than trying to solve the equation. Even if you find that plugging in answers is slowing you down, you should, at least, consider using it to check your work. Plug in the answer choice that you find and see if it results in a balanced equation or correct inequalities. If it does, you know you have the correct answer! Plug it in! Plug it in! Strategy #3: Plugging in Numbers If plugging in answers isn't a possibility, plugging in numbers is often a possibility such as in question 2 above. When you pick numbers to plug in, in general, I do not recommend using -1, 0, or 1 (as they can result in wrong answers), and make sure to read the question to see what numbers you should pick. For example, in question 2, the numbers represented the number of text messages sent, so you shouldn't use a negative number to represent the number of text messages since it's impossible to send a negative number of text messages. For inequalities this is especially important, often the question will say "the following is true for all $x0$." If that's the case, you can't plug in 0 or -5; you can only plug in numbers greater than 0 since that's the parameter set by the question. Strategy #4: Work One Step At a Time For Heart of Algebra questions, you need to take your time working through each step. These questions can involve 5, 10, 15 steps, and you need to take your time to make sure you don't make a small mistake in step 3 that will result in an incorrect answer. You know your stuff, so don't let small mistakes cost you points! What’s Next? Now that you know what to expect on Heart of Algebra questions make sure you’re prepared for all of the other math topics you'll see on the SAT. All of our math guides will take you through strategies and practice problems for all the topics covered in the math section, from integers to ratios, circles to polygons (and more!). Feeling anxious about test day? Make sure you know exactly what to do and bring to ease your mind and settle your nerves before it's time to take your SAT. Running out of time on the SAT math section? Look no further than our guide to help you beat the clock and maximize your SAT math score. Angling to get a perfect score? Check out our guide to getting a perfect 800, written by a perfect-scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math strategy guide, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

An advanced treatment of lasers and their applications Coursework

An advanced treatment of lasers and their applications - Coursework Example This is the distance along the propagation direction of a beam from the waist to the place where the area of the cross section is doubled. An associated variable is the confocal parameter, b, which is twice the Rayleigh range. This is a measure of how fast the beam diverges far from the beam waist. A laser light with a narrow beam divergence is mostly used to make laser pointer devices. Normally the beam divergence of laser light is measured using beam profiler. Brewsters angle is an angle of incidence at which light with a specific polarization is perfectly transmitted via a transparent dielectric surface, with no reflection. When unpolarized beam is incident at this angle, the light that is reflected from the surface is thus seamlessly polarized. Spontaneous emission refers to the process by which a light source like an atom, molecule in an excited state undergoes a transition to a state with a lower energy for instance the ground state and emits a photon. Depending on the nature of the indeterminacy, there are two mechanism of broadening. If the indeterminacy in the frequency or wavelength is due to a phenomenon that is the same for each quantum emitter, there is homogeneous broadening, while if each quantum emitter has a different type of fluctuation, the broadening is inhomogeneous. The most often cases in solid state systems where the fluctuation differs for each system (inhomogeneous broadening) is when as a result of the presence of dopants, the local electric field is different for each emitter, and so the stark effect changes the energy levels in an inhomogeneous way. The homogeneous broadened emission line will have a Lorentzian profile whereas the in homogeneously broadened emission will have a Gaussian profile. One phenomena may be present at the same time, however if one has a broader fluctuation, it will be the one responsible for