Cost Identification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cost Identification - Essay Example This is calculated from the direct cost which includes expenses in issues such as revenues, selling and distribution expenses, as well as the cost of development. Others include government revenue on production, as well as shipping costs. These are coined together as the selling and distribution expenses. The costs are engaged directly by the company in the effort of manufacturing the product and distributing it into the market. The company enlists this expense as the central indicator of their path to achievement (Lenovo, 2013). Subsequently, the company experiences yet another set of expenses that is coined under the name of indirect cost. On reference is the expenses that are associated to proceedings that are not unswervingly connected to the production and sales lines. They include an increase in the cost of production due to issue such as inflation, which foresees the increase in the cost of inputs. Others include restrictions on considerations such as environment pollution. Others include the cost incurred on rent, energy, maintenance and internal communication, amongst others. Such costs are accrued in an effort to better quality of the product but are not specific on the product on reference. They may cover all the products in the production line (Lenovo, 2013). Regarding the variable and the fixed cost, various illustrations focusing on these aspects can be fetched from the financial records of the company. Fixed costs include expenses such as rent (property), equipments and units (plant), amongst others. These costs are constantly engaged with minimal variation. The enlisted variable cost include expenses on topics such as wages, upgrade of infrastructure, payment of leases and other utilities necessitated in the process of production. Such costs are set to vary in the course of production (Lenovo, 2013). A further analysis on the financial records posted by the company identifies yet another set of expenses. This includes the value added

Business website design Essay Example for Free

Business website design Essay Here are the sections which are included in this proposal Introduction A brief statement about the company and what is required from the client Client requirements Here is what the client would require from the website in detail User needs A description of the target audience and what they require and expect Objectives The purpose of the website and what it hopes to achieve Explanations for Here is why specific options were chosen as opposed to others reason of treatment Proposed contents What the website compromises of Human resources The professionals which are required to produce the website Breakdown of Breakdown of the tasks within the project project Introduction Zak Autospare is a medium sized business based in Huddersfield. The main line of business is a wide range of car products from car parts to car audio. The business has a large amount of clients varying from mechanics to people with need of car parts. There are five workers at Zak Autospare, one of these being a manager and another the owner. The new website will advertise the business nationally as opposed to being only local at the moment, it will allow clients to purchase via the web, the main emphasis here will be upon car audio and car accessories such as alloy wheels, seats, steering wheels, etc. The website will be an advantage to Zak Autospare because as well as trading over the counter they can make extra sales via the website, most buyers would be people requiring parts they need for their car and then ordering them through the website and within a matter of days the will receive those particular products. Overall the website will bring forward new clients as well as new business ideas and possible expansion of the business to other towns and cities. Client Requirements The clients would require a website, which projects their dedication to providing and efficient service which delivers quality products. The website will reflect the businesses image of being a reliable service and having an excellent after sales service. It will also state the low prices and competitively priced products, which customers can enjoy for a cheap price. The client will require the following from the website: * The site will be created in HTML as opposed to Flash since everyone does not have Flash and maybe be reluctant to download it * The site will be linked to a searchable database (linked to current database using Microsoft ASP) to allow its users (customers) to use the website easily and efficiently * The database will also include a search facility starting with the user being able to input the type of car they have and from there being given a range of options leading to the relevant car part or product * The company logo will be used throughout the website to achieve recognition and a unique brand and name. This will be the same logo which is out on the shop itself * The site will have to incorporate many images, that are quickly downloaded therefore large web space * An effective shopping cart allowing the users (customers) to purchase products confidently and securely over the internet. * Personal email address to allow sufficient contact between the business and its electronic customers while also allowing the ability for customers to query desirable products. * Separate pages for each category, i. e. page for wheels, page for engine parts, page for car audio, etc User needs. The main users of the website will be people who own cars (Class C1, C2, D and possibly A and B, these would probably buy car audio since it does not require as much work as fitting in a car part) and possibly mechanics from car garages, here they will order when they require particular parts and are not available from elsewhere. The user needs have been investigated and researched by asking questions to existing customers and people who have used the internet to purchase parts and accessories for their car, the following are profiles of possible users and what they will require from this website. User 1: Name: Harpreet Singh Age: 21. Occupation: Student Car: Ford Fiesta XR2i Internet shopper: Yes From this user what was found was, this type of user required the website to have images for as many car parts and products possible. They would like for the car audio section to have an image of the product alongside a full specification list, this will allow the user to view the product as well as reading up on the features and options of the particular product. They would also like the option of having an image of a car and then being able to change the wheels to different types of alloys which in return would give them an idea of how the particular alloys would look on a car. One of this type of user category would have liked the option of being able to test the sound quality of CD players, this obviously would not be possible but what was found from this was that most buyers buy CD players and general car audio because of its brand and alongside this they would also rely on the features the system carries to ensure they are happy with the product they are about to purchase. The user would expect the prices of car audio and alloy wheels to be reasonable and possibly given the opportunity of being able to do price comparisons with other similar websites. User 2: Name: Robert Mason. Age: 28 Occupation: Auto Mechanic Car: Renault Laguna Internet shopper: Yes This type of user would expect a large range of parts for a majority of cars. He would also expect many electrical accessories such as speakers, stereos and all forms of wiring and fuses. Both of these users have excellent knowledge of the internet and they use it for information and shopping and would both expect transactions to be made securely and deliveries within reasonable times. Objectives The primary objective of the site is to introduce ZAK Autospare to a wider range of customers and to increase their customer base. The rest of the objectives are listed below: Allow regular customers and new customers to purchase through the internet, which in return will provide more sales   Show full description of products available with clear images, which are quickly downloaded with prices alongside   Since the business already has a logo, a new logo will not have to be created, this logo will be used through out the website to remind the user whose site they are on and reinforce this name, so that when they think of car parts and audio they think of Zak Autospare. An email facility to provide thorough contact between customers and business   Show the latest range of products, which will be updated regularly to ensure customers have a wide and latest range of products to choose from * Ensure customer satisfaction with product guarantees and the option of returning products with in 14 days with a receipt and the product being unused, this is all currently available from Zak Autospare Explanation of reasons for treatment The initial idea was to create the website in Flash but after discussion, the decision was made to crate it using HTML. Even though the website would probably look better produced in Flash, many people do not have Flash and these people may not wish to download Flash in order to view this website, so it would be a better idea to produce the website in HTML instead. The owner and manager are familiar with HTML, which gives them a greater understanding as to how the website operates. Alongside this, the cost of the producing the website in Flash would be higher than a normal HTML site. The website will be linked to Zak Autospares current database which is produced in Microsoft Access 97, the two shall be linked using Microsoft Asps, the scripts will be of searching (searching the website through the database) as well as adding (when an order is placed) and subtracting (when an order is removed or cancelled). The reason for using Asp is because this is used by many websites and is also known by the manager of Zak Autospare. The Asp creation is cheaper when linked to a HTML site opposed to a Flash site, so this will help keep costs low. This option is ideal since most sites are connected to Access databases with the use of Asps, rather than business owners linking sites to databases produced in SQL, etc. At first it was decided that the site would be named www. zakautospare. co. uk but after discussion it was decided that this name was slightly long winded and not very snappy, so it was decided that the site would be named www. zaks. co. uk, which was an excellent name, snappy and punchy whilst being short and easy to remember but unfortunately this name was already in use so as an alternative the name www.zaksshop. co. uk was decided to be suitable, this name is still snappy and seems more friendly and warm. However the logos used on the site would still be named Zak, since this is the sign outside the shop itself. Images will be order from product suppliers and companies, such as Pioneer will give images of all their products. On the site itself there will be images of the shop itself, since it is very attractive with various lights, etc. This will give the user a feel of the business they are dealing with.

Literature :: essays research papers

ilton, John (1608-1674), English poet, whose rich, dense verse was a powerful influence on succeeding English poets, and whose prose was devoted to the defense of civil and religious liberty. Milton is often considered the greatest English poet after Shakespeare. Milton was born in London on December 9, 1608, and educated at Saint Paul's School and Christ's College, University of Cambridge. He intended to become a clergyman in the Church of England, but growing dissatisfaction with the state of the Anglican clergy together with his own developing poetic interests led him to abandon this purpose. From 1632 to 1638 he lived in his father's country home in Horton, Buckinghamshire, preparing himself for his poetic career by entering upon an ambitious program of reading the Latin and Greek classics and ecclesiastical and political history. From 1638 to 1639 he toured France and Italy, where he met the leading literary figures of the day. On his return to England, he settled in London and began writing a series of social, religious, and political tracts. In 1642 he married Mary Powell, who left him after a few weeks because of the incompatibility of their temperaments, but was reconciled to him in 1645; she gave birth to three daughters and a son before her death in 1652. In his writings, Milton supported the parliamentary cause in the civil war between Parliamentarians and Royalists, and in 1649 he was appointed foreign secretary by the government of the Commonwealth. He became totally blind about 1652 and thereafter carried on his literary work helped by an assistant; with the aid also of the poet Andrew Marvell, he fulfilled his government duties until the restoration of

Qutans Case Study Essay

Qantas is an Australian icon. Australia’s national airline has enjoyed a long history as a profitable business, a respected brand name and has a deserved reputation for safe and reliable travel. For a small country of 23 million people, the Australian domestic airline industry is significant. The high level of urbanization of Australia’s population, the long distances between major urban centres, the lack of high speed trains and the importance of Australia’s tourism industry all spurred growth in air travel in Australia. Qantas has always been the dominant player in the industry. In the years prior to 1990, Qantas operated within a duopolistic industry with Ansett Airlines. After 1990, a variety of short lived challengers entered the Australian market, but none until Virgin Blue (now Virgin Australia) survived. A few days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Ansett also went bankrupt, leaving Qantas the dominant Australian airline largely untroubled by a much smaller Virgin Blue and a number of insignificant competitors. The years after 2001 were relatively good for Qantas. Its dominance of local airports and landing ‘slots’ made it difficult for Virgin and new entrants to assail its dominant position. For example, when Tiger Airways sought to fly to and from Melbourne, it was required to use a converted shed at Tullamarine Airport as its base. Qantas’ profits between 2001 and 2008 were good. Unlike most of the world’s airlines, Qantas made substantial profits in the years after the 2001 attacks. This was largely because of its dominance of the lucrative Australian domestic market, and most especially its effectively monopoly on domestic business class travel within Australia. In recent years, however, the company has encountered turbulent times. Like all airlines, the global financial crisis of 2008 severely dented demand for Qantas travel, especially leisure travel. The stubbornly high value of the Australian dollar also made Australia a relatively less place to travel for international tourists and students. The airline industry in Australia has become significantly more competitive. After the collapse of Ansett, Virgin Blue had around 10% of the Australian domestic market, while in 2013 in exceeded 30%. Importantly, Virgin has introduced its own business class services domestically while also reducing their fares in this segment. The international airline industry has seen the fall of a number of well-known airlines and the rise of a number of new carriers. The vision of the Qantas group is to be one of Australia’s great businesses and among the world’s great airline groups. However, in the 2012/13 environment, Qantas faced a number of setbacks to this vision. In 2013 Qantas is struggling on two fronts. The first front was the declining profitability of international operations. This problem culminated with Qantas reporting a $257 million dollar loss for the year ending on 30th June, 2012. This was the first loss for the airline since it was fully privatized in 1995. Internationally, Qantas faced tough challenges. New entrants on the Pacific route to the US and the ‘Kangaroo Route’ to Europe constrained fares. The entrance of highly subisidised middle-Eastern carriers like Emirates, Ethihad and Gulf Air also placed pressure on the profit margins on European routes. The emergence of low cost carriers in Asia (like, for example, Air Asia) also brought new capacity to Australia and lowered the market price of economy flights to cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The airline is, however, profitable in the domestic market, maintaining a 65% market share and keeping its commanding lead over Virgin Australian in the highly profitable domestic business class market. The most profitable activity for Qantas is flying business class passengers. Flying economy between Sydney and Melbourne, for example, can often be less than $100 return. A business class, return flight on this route costs more than $1300 on Qantas. Domestic business class travel thus has very high profit margins, and these premium travelers generally don’t pay for their tickets (this being a perk of senior managerial jobs in many organisations). Qantas has been keen to develop loyalty among this group, investing extensively in lounges and loyalty programs to keep this key customer group content. In an ominous way, John Borghetti (the Virgin Australia CEO, and former Qantas executive) signaled a strong intention to pursue Qantas’ customers in this key segment in 2012 and launched a full-service, business class offering at a 25% discount to Qantas on key routes. Qantas explained the 2011/12 loss in the context of record high fuel costs of $4. 3 billion for the 2011/12 financial year. The airline’s fuel bill was $645 million greater than the previous financial year. In the annual report, the airline also announced a one-off cost of $398 million for a turnaround plan for the airline’s international network. The high Australian dollar and global economic uncertainty also played a role in the airlines woes. Qantas had been a key purchaser of new aircraft from the major manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, being one of the first customers for Airbus’ A380 and Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. As one of the few profitable airlines post September 11, 2001, Qantas was able to build its fleet while negotiating strong discounts on new planes. These purchases had improved Qantas’ fleet efficiency and image in the marketplace, but had also driven an escalation in the company’s fixed costs. The second front where Qantas was struggling was continuing industrial action that culminated in the airline locking out some employees and then grounding the entire Qantas fleet on 29 October 2011. Qantas has traditionally been highly unionized – especially in comparison to its new competitors like Virgin Australia and Tiger Airways. Qantas locked out engineers, pilots and baggage handlers from their place of employment. Aircraft were immediately grounded when the lockout announcement was made, and passengers who on board aircraft were ordered to disembark. Some aircraft turned around while they were taxiing for take-off, however aircraft in the air continued on to their destination and were then grounded. This specific industrial action stemmed from difficulties with negotiations commencing in 2010 on a new enterprise bargaining agreement, however the relationship between Qantas and its unions had been troubled for many years. The aircraft grounding ended on the 31st of October when Fair Work Australia ordered the cessation of all industrial action taken by Qantas and the relevant trade unions. A number of issues prompted the industrial action, including the airline’s plans to establish Jetstar Japan, a low-cost subsidiary based in Tokyo. The airline also announced plans to establish Jetstar Hong Kong in partnership with China Eastern Airlines. When announcing Jetstar Japan, the airline also announced the loss of 1000 positions, and so the strategic moves were linked to job losses in Australia. This announcement influenced employees in deciding to take the industrial action that led to the employee lockout. The airline justified its move to establish new bases in Asia as part of its strategy to become more competitive internationally. The strategic moves followed earlier, successful initiatives in establishing Jetstar Asia based in Singapore and Jetstar Pacific Airlines based in Vietnam. In 2012, Qantas has a minority shareholding in both of these airlines. The damage to the Qantas brand by the airline lockout and subsequent grounding of the fleet is difficult to ully quantify. Understandably, there was widespread anger amongst passengers, despite the airline offering refunds and reimbursement for additional passenger accommodation costs. In their annual report for 2011/ 2012, Qantas states that the grounding and industrial action cost the airline $194 million. The impact on staff morale is difficult to quantify. During the period 2011/12 in the industry environment, Qantas faced challenging competition from foreign government backed airlines and the rise of successful middle eastern airlines such as Emirates. The airline industry can also be characterized as a battle of rival world hubs, with Singapore, Hong Kong and other countries vying for supremacy in the East Asian region. The hub battle, however, is one that Australia cannot win on home soil as it is ‘at the end of the line’ in terms of airline route geography. In recent years the industry has also been characterized by the rise of the low cost carriers such as Air Asia and RyanAir. The Australian domestic market, however, has been relatively positive for the airline, with Australia’s economic strength and the growth of the resources sector in the country providing a solid revenue base. The airline is also positioned in the high growth region of Asia, and the related opportunities for the company in this region are numerous. In countering these environmental challenges, Qantas has successfully developed a multi-brand model of operations. The model operates with the Qantas premium brand is the flagship, QantasLink for regional operations, Qantas freight (for freight) and Jetstar as the low cost carrier. In addition, Qantas has a relatively effective frequent flyer program and a relatively dominant domestic market position with corporate clients and business travelers. The company’s codeshare arrangement with airlines in the Oneworld alliance has helped it to overcome the limitations of Australia’s geographical position. On the 6th of September 2012, Qantas announced a new major deal linking its international operations with Emirates and moving away from their previous arrangements with British Airways. This 10-year deal provides Qantas with better access to Europe and Africa, and moves some flights away from Singapore as a stop-over hub for flights to Europe. Dubai would be the new hub for Europe. However Qantas flights to Asia are expected to increase as the move will allow Qantas to focus on Asian airports as destinations rather than as stop-overs. Basically the deal will reduce travel times for passengers on many flights and provide more one-stop destinations for Qantas. It remains to be seen, however, if these initiatives can help to repair the apparent damage to the Qantas brand following the fleet grounding in 2011. In theory, the potential operational efficiencies from the deal should help Qantas to return its international operations towards profitability; however the move comes at a time when there is a degree of political instability in many of the countries near to Dubai. Whatever the outcome, the flying kangaroo of Qantas is likely to continue to retain its dominant position in the Australian aviation market, regardless of the performance of the international division.

Ancient Greek and Roman Republic Political Developments Essay

Throughout history there have been countless individuals who have etched their experiences and depictions of events during their lifetime. The legendary Greek poet, Homer, is a perfect example of an individual who encompassed his culture into his writing. In the Iliad Homer unknowingly stated, â€Å"A generation of men is like a generation of leaves; the wind scatters some leaves upon the ground, while others the burgeoning wood brings forth- and the season of spring comes on. So of men one generation springs forth and another ceases†. This powerful statement shows the influence a generation of men could make. Similar to the leaves scattered upon the ground, the Ancient Greek and Roman Republic imprinted their political ideals for generations to come. Like spring, new precedents have been established with the intention of preserving and advancing those statutes that the ancient world has instilled in history. Both Ancient Greece and the Roman Republic have made countless political developments, especially in division of power, legislation and execution of power. To begin, both the Ancient Greek and Roman Republic have made several political developments in the division of power. Both the Roman Republic and Ancient Greece had a domestic strife over who should possess the power of its’ respected commonwealth. Despite experiencing comparable internal turmoil, both civilizations divergently developed solutions to end the power struggle. Initially, Ancient Greece had several forms of government. During the Mycenaean period (2000-1200BC) the majority of Greece consisted of monarchies. A monarchy is a form of government in which a king or queen has absolute power. Therefore all political power was held by one individual. Unfortunately, the city Mycenae was burned down, and there was a vast influx new invaders into Greece, the Mycenaean period reached its demise. Around the 8th century, poleis began to flourish in Greece. The polis according to Spielvogel, was a â€Å"community of citizens where all political, economic, social, cultural, and religious activities were focused†. Eventually more colonies began to establish their own independent poleis. As a result, each polis formed their own ideal of politics and government. Following the conclusion of monarchies, many oligarchies were established. Oligarchies were mainly aristocratic governments that held complete authority. The best example of an oligarchy is Sparta. As Spielvogel describes, Sparta was governed by two kings from two different families. In addition to the two kings there was a council of twenty-eight elders who were called, â€Å"gerousia†. Plus, there was an assembly of men, â€Å"apaella† and 5 â€Å"ephors† who were like judges. All 4 components were essential to divide the ruling power of Sparta. Unfortunately, oligarchies were neither as popular nor successful in other parts of Greece. Many citizens were disenchanted with oligarchies and tyrants began to try and take power. According to Spielvogel, tyranny in Ancient Greece was referred, to â€Å"rulers who seized power by force and who were not subject to law. † However, tyranny did not last because it began to resemble a monarchy. Again, the community did not want one individual to hold all of the power. As Theognis of Megora proposed: Their utter disregard of right or wrong, or truth or nonour-out of such a throng. Never imagine you can choose a just or steady friend, or faithful in his trust. But Change your habits! Let them go their way! One example would be the Cleisthenes who overthrew the tyrant Hippas. Cleisthenes reformed Athens pave the way for democracy. Just like the end of Hippias tyranny, many other regions experienced the new opportunity for more citizen participation in community affairs. Thus, tyranny opened the doors for democracy. By establishing the end of the reign of tyranny the opportunity to seize political power was manifested. As a result, a new model of government was erected, democracy. Democracy is a form of government run by the people or elected representatives. The first democratic government was created in Athens, in 510BC. Spielvogel explains that after the tyrannical reign of Hippias, the reform of Cleisthenes established the basis for Athenian Democracy. Spielvogel further describes the division of power in the nation. Cleisthenes made the demes, villages, and townships of Attic the basic units of political life. From there, ten tribes chose fifty members to form The Council of Five Hundred. The Council of Five Hundred controlled foreign and financial affairs and prepared the business for the assembly. Finally, the assembly consisted of male citizens who had the authority to pass laws after an open debate. By giving the citizens the power to make decisions, democracy was formed. Like Ancient Greece, The Roman Republic began as a monarchy. Many believed that many nobles overthrew the reign of Servius Tulius to maintain their position of power. After the demise of the monarchy, the Roman Republic developed an aristocratic republic which was run by an assembly of adult males who were controlled by the wealthiest citizens. Spielvogel proclaims that the wealthiest citizens elected the officials. The Senate then advised these officials. Therefore all political power was retained by wealthy men. As Sallust stated, â€Å"As soon as wealth came to be a mark of distinction and an easy way to renown, military commands and political power, virtue began to decline. This exemplifies that all the political power was held by those who were wealthy rather than those who encompassed the right qualities and values to represent the public. As a result, Rome was divided into two groups; patricians and plebeians. Both groups were citizens and able to vote. However only patricians could hold governmental offices. To distribute the power wi thin the plebeians, the Tribunes of the Plebs and the Council of the Plebs were created. Furthermore after the establishment of the Hortenson Law, both divisions could hold governmental offices. Spielvogel pronounced not only were positions created to control the sovereignty but roles were developed to maintain the right relationship between the state and the gods, â€Å"pantiffs†. All important acts of the state had to be approved by the gods. According to Spielvogel, around the 2nd century the senate was the dominate governing body of the Roman Republic. The senate was controlled by individuals in a high social class. As a result there was political turmoil over the rights and political power amongst the populares, opitimates, and equestrians. Spielvogel explains that around 133 BC the reform of Tiberius Gracchus began. He sought to help the small farmer. Unfortunately he was murdered, and his brother Gaius Gracchus took over. Gaius disrupted the dynamic of the senate by replacing some senators with equites. This strategic move allowed the equites to have more political power. According to Spielvogel a member of the nobiles, Sulla, decided to â€Å"eliminate most of the powers of the popular assemblies and the tribunes of the plebs and restore the senators to the jury of the courts†. In the last 50 years of the republic many leaders came along changing the division of power for the nation. For instance, after Sulla, Crassus and Pompey restored the power of the tribunes and allowed equites back on the jury courts. This allowed the populares to have more political power. By the populares maintaining political power, they tried to distribute more political pull that benefitted the urban plebs. This demonstrates the need for more political power for the common citizen by using representatives. Afterwards there were several political leaders such as Caesar who used the senate and state as marionettes to manipulate the political system to favor their supporting party. But ultimately it was Octavius who ended the Roman republic by becoming Emperor. Next, Ancient Greece made political developments in legislation. As Spielvogel explains, Sparta underwent a legal reform when Lycurgus created a code of laws. From the very beginning of a Spartan’s life it was a legal requirement for the state to inspect the child. The unfit children were left for dead while others were forced into military preparation and then duty when they became of age. This was one of the first noted developments in legislation which promoted a stance for the support of the military. Laws were even established regarding clothing to promote resilience in warlike conditions. According to Xenephon Instead of making them effeminate with a variety of clothes his rule was to habituate them to a single garment the whole year through, thinking that so they would be better prepared to withstand the variations of heat and cold Another big development was the Reform of Solon. Solon changed political legislation when he eliminated birth as being a qualifier to hold office. He then created a class system based upon wealth. As Solon claimed, â€Å"I gave o the mass of the people such rank as befitted their need. † He did not allow the poorest class to hold any political office. As Spielvogel states, Solon made it possible for male citizens to bring court charges against any magistrate suspected of a crime. These were big political legislation developments because it promoted citizen involvement in public affairs. Another reform that strengthened citizen participation wa s Cleisthenes’ reform. This was a major step in political legislation because it allowed for the assembly to have the final say in passing laws. This new law set the groundwork for democracy. The Roman Republic also made many strives in legislation. According to Spielvogel in 450 B. C. the Twelve Tables of Law which included the procedures for going to court; provisions on family, women, and divorce, regulations concerning private property, rules governing relationships and injuries to others; and the provision prohibiting intermarriage between patricians an plebeians This was very important because it created uproar from the plebeians and caused a clash between the social orders. In response to this, the Hortensian law was established. This crucial law forced both social orders to follow all plebiscitas and allowed plebeians to hold office. This was an important development because it allowed for change in office and binded the community together. The Plebeians and patricians were now allowed to interact together in politics to strengthen society. According to Spielvogel, in response for the need of special laws the ius gentium was created. These laws applied to both foreigners and natives. Furthermore ius natural was established which formed the Roman law according to basic principles. Another major legislation that changed politics was Tiberius’s land reform bill. This bill redistributed the land and gave it to the landless. This shift allowed for more power for the equites. The legislative developments in the ancient world created a legal system and created order in a land full of diverse citizens. By establishing lawfulness and creating positions societies have been able to build upon this outline. For instance as Polybius stated The people then are the only court to decide matters of life and death; and even in cases where the penalty is money, if the sum to be assessed is sufficiently serious, and especially when the accused have held the higher magistracies In addition, Ancient Greece made political developments in execution of power. Execution of power is referred to the individual or group of individuals who influence the state. The military executed the power in Sparta. The military controlled every aspect of life in Sparta. A male citizen was forced to be in the military and was bred to die for their country. This was an important development because it was the first example of forced military participation. After years of kings and tyrants having sole command of the public, a swarm of reforms rumbled through the cities which tried to reclaim the power from the exclusive leader. Finally, around 500BC, Athens decided to transition the main executer of power to its people. The male citizens had the final word in passing laws. This was important and became a blue print for future nations. The Roman republic also made developments. In the beginning of the Republic it was the aristocrats who had control of the republic. For instance, the patricians held all political offices; as a result they decided to execute their power to favor the wealthy. Unhappy with the decisions made by the patricians, the Plebeians tried to execute their power and established the Twelve Tables of Law. Following this more laws were created, and Plebeians finally made it on the senate in order to gain authority and make judgments that would aid their social class. After the second century BC, two types of leaders came to power and tried to execute their ideals. The optimates fought to maintain nobile control domination of the senate, while the populares tried to distinguish the reign of the aristocrats. Eventually, equites finally received power and distributed the land to the landless. All of these struggles to execute power demonstrated how the public and the wealth influence political stances and government. Ultimately, Ancient Greece and the Roman Republic have made an impact in political developments including the division of power, legislation, and execution of power. The efforts of these former societies did not happen overnight or in vein. Like the famous proverb, â€Å"Rome wasn’t built in a day†, and neither were early political developments. Political developments in both of these ancient worlds had a snowball effect, where new advancements spread like wild fires to neighboring nations. As Homer said, â€Å"Captive Greece took captive her rude conqueror†. This exemplifies that even when a new society is formed it builds upon the structure of its precursor and makes advancements. These ancient developments are the framework for politics today. Without these developments, today’s world would be a very different place.

Essay Sample on Student Life What Is It Like

Essay Sample on Student Life What Is It Like Imagine a person whose life is filled with so many activities and duties that he or she must schedule time just to hang out and be social. You, parents and teachers of working and full time college students, can imagine how chaotic life would be if different events filled your entire schedule. That scenario is exactly what students must go through every day of a school year and still try to keep their heads high. Students lives are not all about having fun, but rather hectic. Through the events of school, work, and organizing free time, a student is easily burned out. Two main activities of school is going to class and doing homework. These two activities play a major role in determining a work schedule because of the amount of time that must be put forth to be successful in school. You may think that class would not put too much labor on them, but actually class is the most crucial way to burn out a student. Let us say a student has four one-hour classes (the least amount of hours a full time student may take) three times a week. A student must learn twelve hours of new information a week. Try watching six or seven movies and then having to remember all the information in those movies. Now imagine what a student has to learn because remembering so many movies is the same concept as remembering so many lectures. The fact tha many students have more than fifteen hours of school a week is even more troubling than having twelve hours of school a week. By having that many hours class times are well over an hour. Many classes are two hours long which i s twice as much information in a week. A student can most definitely create blisters and unbearable cramps from notes taken the whole time period of the class. Another factor that long classes will cause is trying to pay attention. If a teacher runs a class with constant lecturing and no interaction, the probability of staying focused the whole time is very small. Constant lecturing is very taxing because a student cannot ask a question during a break and therefore losing information. Because of the difficulty in trying to just learn from lectures, a student must do his or her homework, which is at least a couple of hours for each section per class. â€Å"Why so much?† a reader may ask. The answer is because most teachers feel that their class is the most important. Many of the teachers also have no sympathy for the student and does whatever they need to feed the student information even if making students learn information requires the student to have hours over hours of hom ework. Added onto homework is the material the student lost during lecture. A student must make missed material his or her duty to find the lost information in the course text used and understand it. So, the student tries to finish homework after classes are all finished. If homework cannot be done, the homework is saved for after work. Stress from work begins with the start of the shift. Because of the amount of time put into school, a student has a minimum amount of free time (including sleep). The reason why stress starts there is because he or she is already worn out from school. Bosses always find the perfect way to nag an employee by telling the employee to do certain actions. This nagging aids in furthering the stress a nagged student already has from school and homework. After long hours of work, a student will find he or she has some time to finish up on homework. Long hours help students earn money. If homework is finished, the student calls up a friend to find out that friend already has plans. The student will then notice that all of his or her friends are already out and about. Furthermore, his or her girlfriend or boyfriend and friends are all mad at him or her because work will not allow for a descent time to be let off at so he or she can hang out earlier. Frustration sets in and the student tries to organize some time to spend with his or her significant other and friends over the week, but schedules seem to clash and social time is lost. When social time is lost, a student’s stress level further elevates. The reason for this elevation is because social times give a student a good time. If a student does not have a good time, his or her stress does not have a chance to be released from his or her body. Not having the time to spend his or her accumulated money can be more of an aggravation. The student looks at the clock and notices the time is far past bedtime after realizing he or she cannot organize free time. In the morning the student wakes up and he or she is very much tired form lack of sleep and so the day begins again. The student goes to school, goes to work, and tries to organize free time. The cycle of a students life continues day-to-day. The day-to-day process builds up until a result of burning out comes to play. A recommendation is to not react in an unkind manner so fast if your child or student has forgotten a task. If you sit back and analyze the situation, life would be a little easier. The reason why life would be less troubling is because students become agitated if they wont even have a chance to be listened to. If they feel they have had a chance to be understood, their relationship with you will be more pleasant and less complicated. Students have a lot to do. So, remember a student when you think of a person whose life is filled with hindering duties and activities . Students know that when you tell them what to do, the knowledge is to their benefit. On a different note, if they are told in a demeaning tone, their reaction might have taken it the wrong way because of the stresses they have to put up with all the time. Let going to school, going to work, a nd organizing free time remind you that is what a students life is like and how it leads to them being burned out.

Ducts and Dukes Lead the Way

Ducts and Dukes Lead the Way Ducts and Dukes Lead the Way Ducts and Dukes Lead the Way By Mark Nichol The Latin verb ducere, meaning â€Å"lead,† is the basis of many English words pertaining to action, development, and movement. This post lists and defines these words. To abduct (literally, â€Å"lead away†) is to kidnap or seize someone; one who does so is an abductor, and the action is called abduction. Abduce is a synonym for the medical sense of the word; abduce and abduct both describe drawing a body part away from another. (Abductor is used as a noun in this sense as well.) To adduce (literally, â€Å"lead to†), by contrast, is to draw a body part toward the axis of a limb or the center of the body. It also means â€Å"provide an example, proof, or reason to support a proposition.† (Abduction and adductor are the noun forms, and abducent and adducent are the adjectives.) A duct is a channel or a conduit; aqueduct literally means â€Å"water channel.† (Duct tape, sometimes, as a result of a mishearing, called â€Å"duck tape,† is so named because it was developed for repairing ducts.) Something that is ductile is capable of being beaten thin, bent, or pulled (as in the case of certain metals), of being formed anew (as in the case of other malleable materials), or of being easily influenced or lead (as in the case of people). To conduct is to lead to a particular result, though conduce is sometimes used for this meaning. Something that leads is a conductor, as in the case of a substance that carries heat or another form of energy or a person who is the head of an orchestra or an official on a train. The act is conducting in the sense of carrying energy is called conduction. To deduce is to figure out by reasoning or to trace; a deduction is the result. Deduct is synonymous with deduce, but it also means â€Å"subtract.† Induce and introduce both mean â€Å"lead into,† but the former pertains to influence, persuasion, or persuasion, or to forming or producing. (In the sense of producing an electrical current, the verb form is induct.) Introduction, by contrast, refers to the act of presenting, especially for the first time, or to inserting or instituting something. To produce is to develop; something produced is a product, although produce is employed to refer to fruits and vegetables; production is distinguished from product in that it refers to the creation of goods or of artistic works. To reduce is to diminish the amount of something, and to seduce is to literally lead away or astray, either in a physical, sexual sense or in the figurative sense of â€Å"persuade.† Less common words derived from ducere include circumduction (â€Å"circular movement of an extremity or limb†), subduction (â€Å"movement of the edge of one tectonic plate below another†), traduction (â€Å"defamation,† although it also has senses pertaining to logic and rhetoric), and transduction (â€Å"transfer of energy or information†). Words that may not be immediately apparent as belonging in the ducere family include educate (literally, â€Å"lead out†); someone who educates, or teaches or trains, is an educator, and the act of teaching or training is education. (The adjectival form is educational.) Another is douche, which came to English from French by way of an Italian word for â€Å"spray† and as both a noun and a verb refers to vaginal cleansing. Duke, meanwhile, stems from the Latin word for â€Å"leader† and referred originally to a prince and later to a high-ranking nobleman. The adjectival form is ducal, the domain of a duke is a dukedom, and the wife of a duke is a duchess. (The verb and noun dock may also derive from ducere, although it may have a Germanic origin.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Because Of" and "Due To" 50 Idioms About Arms, Hands, and Fingers40 Words Beginning with "Para-"

Algebra Functions on ACT Math Lesson and Practice Questions

Algebra Functions on ACT Math Lesson and Practice Questions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Functions. Just hearing the word is enough to send some students running for the hills. But never fear! Though function problems are considered some of the more challenging questions on the ACT, this is only due to the fact that most of you will be far more used to dealing with other math topics (like fractions, exponents, or circles) than you are functions. On the ACT, question difficulty is categorized by how familiar you are likely to be with any given question, and the only way to combat this challenge is to practice and get used to dealing with questions that are a little less familiar to you. You will generally see 3-4 function questions on any given ACT, so for those of you who are not yet comfortable with functions (or just want a tune up), this guide is for you. This will be your complete guide to ACT functions. We'll walk you through exactly what functions mean, how to use, manipulate, and identify them, and exactly what kind of function problems you'll see on the ACT. What Are Functions and How Do They Work? Functions act as a way to describe the relationship between inputs and outputs. They can be in the form of equations, graphs, or tables, but they will always describe this input-output relationship. It may help to think of functions like an assembly line or like a recipe- input eggs, veggies, and cheese, and the output is an omelette. Most often you'll see functions written as $f(x) = \an \equation$. The equation of the function can be as complex as a multivariable expression or as simple as an integer. Examples of functions: $f(x) = 14$ $f(x) = 2x + 10$ $f(x) = x^2 - 6x + 9$ Functions can always be graphed and different kinds of functions will produce different kinds of graphs. On a standard coordinate graph with axes of $x$ and $y$, the input of the graph will be the $x$ value and the output will be the $y$ value. Each input ($\bi x$ value) can produce only one output, but one output can have multiple inputs. In other words, multiple inputs may produce the same output. One way to remember this is that you can have "many to one" (many inputs to one output), but NOT "one to many" (one input to many outputs). This means that a function graph can have potentially many $\bi x$-intercepts, but only one $\bi y$-intercept. (Why? Because when the input is $x = 0$, there can only be one output, or $y$ value.) A function with multiple $x$-intercepts You can always test whether a graph is a function graph using this understanding of inputs to outputs by using the "vertical line test." A function will never hit more than one point on any vertical line. The vertical line test applies to every type of function, no matter how "strange" looking. Even "strange-looking" functions will adhere to the vertical line test. But any graph that fails the vertical line test (by intersecting with the vertical line more than once) is automatically NOT a function. This graph fails the vertical line test, which means it is NOT a function. If necessary, you can always spot a genuine function from a non-function by using the vertical line test. Function Terms and Definitions Now that we've seen what functions do, let's talk about the pieces of a function. Functions will be presented to you either by their equations, their tables, or by their graph (called the "graph of the function"). Let's look at a sample function equation and break it down into its components. An example of a function: $f(x) = x^2 + 12$ $f$ is the name of the function (Note: we can call our function other names than $f$. This particular function is called $f$, but you may see functions written as $h(x)$, $g(x)$, $r(x)$, or anything else.) $(x)$ is the input (Note: in this case our input is called $x$, but, just like with the name of our function, we can call our input anything. $f(q)$ or $f(\bananas)$ are both functions with the inputs of $q$ and $\bananas$, respectively.) $x^2 + 5$ is the equation that gives us the output once we plug in the input value of $x$ An ordered pair is the coupling of a particular input with its output for any given function. So for the function $f(x) = x - 6$, with an input of 2, we can have an ordered pair of: $f(x) = x - 6$ $f(2) = 2 - 6$ $f(2) = -4$ So our ordered pair is $(2, -4)$. (Again, our input value will represent our $x$ value and the result of the equation once that input value has been processed will be our $y$ value.) Ordered pairs also act as coordinates, so we can use them to graph our function graph. Now that we have all of our function pieces and definitions, let's look at how they work together. Different Types of Functions We saw before that functions can have all sorts of different equations for their output, which will change the shape of their corresponding graphs. Let's look at each type of equation and its graph. Linear Functions A linear function makes a graph of a straight line. The equation of a linear function can either be a simple number (e.g. ,$f(x) = 4$) or will have a variable that is NOT raised to a power higher than 1 (e.g., $f(x) = 3x + 3$). Why can the variable NOT be raised to a power higher than 1? Because $x^2$ can give you a single output ($y$-value) for two different inputs of $x$. For example, $-4^2$ and $4^2$ both equal 16, which means the graph cannot be a straight line. (We will look into this further in the next section on quadratic functions.) The standard equation of a line is: $y = mx + b$ $\bi m$ is the slope of the line. $\bi b$ is the $\bi y$-intercept. (For more on lines and slopes, check out our guide to ACT lines and slopes!) Examples of linear functions: $f(x) = x - 24$ $f(x) = 4$ $f(x) = 2x + 35$ Quadratic Functions A quadratic function makes a graph of a parabola, which is a "horseshoe" type graph that curves to open either up or down. It also means that our output variable will always be squared. The reason our variable must be squared (not cubed, not taken to the power of 1, etc.) is for the same reason that a linear function cannot be squared- because two input values can be squared to produce the same output (e.g. $5^2$ and $-5^2$ both equal 25). This gives us our curve. (Note: a parabola cannot open side to side because it would have to cross the $y$-axis more than once. This, we've already established, would mean it would fail the vertical line test and therefore NOT be a function.) This is NOT a quadratic equation, as it fails the vertical line test. A quadratic function is often written as: $f(x) = a^2 + bx + c$ The $\bi a$ value tells us how the parabola is shaped and the direction in which it opens. A positive $\bi a$ gives us a parabola that opens upwards. A negative $\bi a$ gives us a parabola that opens downwards. A large $\bi a$ value gives us a skinny parabola. A small $\bi a$ value gives us a wide parabola. The $\bi b$ value tells us where the vertex of the parabola is, left or right of the origin. A positive $\bi b$ puts the vertex of the parabola left of the origin. A negative $\bi b$ puts the vertex of the parabola right of the origin. The $\bi c$ value gives us the $y$-intercept of the parabola. (Note: when $b = 0$, the y-intercept will also be the location of the vertex of the parabola.) Don't stress if this feels like a lot of information for the moment- a little practice and organization will soon have you solving your function questions, no problem. Typical Function Problems ACT function problems will always test you on whether you properly understand the relationship between inputs and outputs. These questions will generally fall into four question types: #1: Functions with given equations #2: Nested functions #3: Functions with graphs #4: Functions with tables There may be some overlap between the three categories, but these are the main themes you'll be tested on when it comes to functions. Let's look at some real ACT math examples of each type. Function Equations A function equation problem will give you a function in equation form and then ask you to use one or more inputs to find the output (or elements of the output). In order to find a particular output, we must plug in our given input for $x$ into our equation. This will give us our final output, once we then solve the equation. So if we want to find $f(5)$ for the equation $f(x) = x + 7$, we would plug in 5 for $x$. $f(x) = x + 7$ $f(5) = 5 + 7$ $f(5) = 12$ So, when our input ($x$) is 5, our output ($y$) is 12. Now let's look at a real ACT example of this type: For the function $h(x)=4x^2-5x$, what is the value of $h(-3)$? A. -93B. -9C. 21D. 51E. 159 Though this function is named $h$ (instead of the usual $f$), the principles are exactly the same- we must plug in our input value of -3 in order to find our output. So let us plug in -3 for our $x$. $h(x) = 4x^2 - 5x$ $h(-3) = 4(-3)^2 - 5(-3)$ $h(-3) = 4(9) + 15$ $h(-3) = 36 + 15$ $h(-3) = 51$ Our final answer is D, 51. Nested Functions The second type of function problem you might encounter on the ACT is called a "nested" function. Basically, this is an equation within an equation. In order to solve these types of questions, think of them in terms of your order of operations. You must always work from the inside out, so first find the output for your innermost function. Once you've found the output of your innermost function, you can use that result as the input of the outer function. Let's look at this in action to make more sense of this process. Given $f(x)=4x+1$ and $g(x)=x^2-2$, which of the following is an expression for $f(g(x))$? F. $-x^2+4x+1$G. $x^2+4x-1$H. $4x^2-7$J. $4x^2-1$K. $16x^2+8x-1$ Because $g(x)$ is nested the deepest, we must use its output as the value of our input for $f(g(x))$. Essentially, instead of a number for $x$ in $f(x)$, we are given another equation, $g(x)$. And yet, the principle behind solving the function is exactly the same as we did above in our function equations section- replace whatever input we have with the variable in the output equation. So, to start with, we have two function equations. $g(x) = x^2 - 2$ $f(x) = 4x + 1$ Now let us replace $x$ in our $f(x)$ equation with the full equation of $g(x)$. $f(x) = 4x + 1$ $f(g(x)) = 4(x^2 - 2) + 1$ $f(g(x)) = 4x^2 - 8 + 1$ $f(g(x)) = 4x^2 - 7$ Our final answer is H, $f(g(x)) = 4x^2 - 7$ Function Graphs A function graph question will provide you with an already graphed function and ask you any number of questions about it. These questions will generally ask you to identify specific elements of the graph or have you find the equation of the function from the graph. So long as you understand that $x$ is your input and your equation is your output $y$, then these types of questions will not be as tricky as they appear. This question relies on us knowing how the formula for a quadratic equation works. If you remember from earlier, a quadratic equation requires a square power and will form a parabola. We are told that the $x$-coordinate value will be squared, so we know for a fact that this graph will indeed form a parabola and be a quadratic equation. This means we can eliminate answer choices F and G, as they are straight lines, not parabolas. Now, we are told that the $y$-coordinate value is 1 less than the $x$-coordinate square. We know that our standard quadratic formula equation is: $a^2 + bx + c$ $c$ gives us our $y$-intercept and, in this equation, we are told that it will be -1. This means we can eliminate answer choice H, as the $y$-intercept is not at -1. Finally, we are told that the points on our graph are the ONLY place where the $y$-coordinate is less than the $x$-coordinate. This means that our graph must open upwards, which means we can eliminate answer choice K. Our final answer is, therefore, J. Function Tables The last way you may see a function is in its table. Here, you will be given a table of values both for the input and the output and then asked to either find the equation of the function or the graph of the function. (Note: instead of using $x$ as our input, this problem has us use $t$. If you become very used to using $f(x)$, this may seem disorienting, so you can always rewrite the problem using $x$ in place of $t$. In this case, we will continue to use $t$, just so that we can keep the problem organized on the page.) First, let us find the $y$-intercept. The $y$-intercept is the point at which $x = 0$, so we can see that we are already given this with the first set of numbers in the table. When $t = 0$, $d$ (otherwise thought of as $f(t)$) equals 14.) Our $y$-intercept is therefore 14, which means that the equation of our line will look like: $y = mx + 14$ We can automatically eliminate answer choices B, D, and E, since their $y$-intercepts are not at 14. Now, let us use the strategy of plugging in answers to make our lives simpler. This way, we don't have to actually find the equation on our own- we can simply test which answer choices match the inputs and outputs we are given in our table. Our answer choices are between A and C, so let us first test A with the second ordered pair. Our potential equation is: $d = t +14$ (or, in other words: $f(t) = t + 14$) And our ordered pair is: $(1, 20)$ So let us put them together. $f(t) = t + 14$ $f(1) = 1 + 14$ $f(1) = 15$ This is incorrect, as it would mean that our output is 15 when our input is 1, and yet the ordered pair says that our output will be 20 when our input is 1. Answer choice A is incorrect. By process of elimination, let us try answer choice C. Our potential equation is: $d = 6t + 14$ (or, in other words: $f(t) = 6t + 14$) And our ordered pair is again: $(1, 20)$ So let us put them together. $f(t) = 6t + 14$ $f(1) = 6(1) + 14$ $f(1) = 6 + 14$ $f(1) = 20$ This matches the input and output we are given in our ordered pair. Answer choice C is correct. (Note: it is generally a good idea to test more than one ordered pair, as two equations may occasionally get the same ordered pair. In this case, we stopped here as there were no other answer choices that could possibly match). Our final answer is C, $d = 6t + 14$. Now that we've seen our definitions, let's talk function strategy. How to Solve a Function Problem Now that you've seen all the different kinds of function problems in action, let's look at some tips and strategies for solving function problems. For clarity, we've split these strategies into multiple sections- tips for all function problems and tips for function problems by type. So let's look at each strategy. For All Function Problems #1: Keep careful track of all your pieces and write everything down Though it may seem obvious, in the heat of the moment it can be far too easy to confuse your negatives and positives or misplace which piece of your function (or graph or table) is your input and which is your output. Parenthesis are crucial. The creators of the ACT know how easy it is to get pieces of your function equations confused and mixed around (especially when your input is also an equation), so keep a sharp eye on all your moving pieces and don't try to do function problems in your head. #2: Use PIA and PIN as necessary As we saw in our function table problem above, it can save a good deal of effort and energy to use the strategy of plugging in answers. You can also use the technique of plugging in your own numbers to test out points on function graphs, work with any variable function equation, or work with nested functions with variables. For instance, let's look at our earlier nested function problem using PIN. (Remember- most any time a problem involves variables, you can use PIN). Given $f(x)=4x+1$ and $g(x)=x^2$, which of the following for $f(g(x))$? F. $-x^2 +4x+1$G. $x^2+4x-1$H. $4x^2-7$J. $4x^2-1$K. $16x^2+8x-1$ If we remember how nested functions work (that we always work inside out), then we can plug in our own number for $x$ in the function $g(x)$. That way, we won't have to work with variables and can use real numbers instead. So let us say that the $x$ is the $g(x)$ function is 3. (Why 3? Why not!) $g(x) = x^2 - 2$ $g(3) = (3)^2 - 2$ $g(3) = 9 - 2$ $g(3) = 7$ Now, let us plug this number as the value for our $g(x)$ function into our nested function $f(g(x))$. $f(x) = 4x + 1$ $f(g(3)) = 4(7) + 1$ $f(g(3)) = 28 + 1$ $f(g(3)) = 29$ Finally, let us test our answer choices to see which one matches our found answer of 29. Let us, as usual, start in the middle with answer choice H. $4x^2 - 7$ Now, we replace our $x$ value with the $x$ value we chose originally- 3. $4(x)^2 - 7$ $4(3)^2 - 7$ $4(9) - 7$ $36 - 7$ $29$ Success! We have found the answer choice that matches our found answer of 29. (Note: if you use this method on the test, make sure to test out your other answer choices to make sure you do not have any duplicate correct answers. We can skim over our answer options and see that none of them equal 29 after we replace our $x$ with 3.) Our final answer is H, $4x^2 - 7$ #3: Practice, practice, practice Finally, the only way to get truly comfortable with any math topic is to practice as many different kinds of questions on that topic as you can. If functions are a weak area for you, then be sure to seek out more practice questions. For Function Graphs and Tables #1: Start by finding the $\bi y$-intercept Generally, the easiest place to begin when working with functions is by finding the $y$-intercept. From there, you can often eliminate several different answer choices that do not match our graph or our equation (as we did in some of the examples above). The $y$-intercept is almost always the easiest piece to find, so it's always a good place to begin. #2: Test your equation against multiple ordered pairs It is always a good idea to find two or more points (ordered pairs) of your functions and test them against a potential function equation. Sometimes one ordered pair works for your graph and a second does not. You must match the equation to the graph (or the equation to the table) that works for every coordinate point/ordered pair, not just one or two. For Function Equations and Nested Equations #1: Always work inside out Nested functions can look beastly and difficult, but take them piece by piece. Work out the equation in the center and then build outwards slowly, so as not to get any of your variables or equations mixed up. #2: Remember to FOIL It is quite common for ACT to make you square an equation. This is because many students get these types of questions wrong and distribute their exponents instead of squaring the entire expression. If you don't properly FOIL, then you will get these questions wrong. Whenever possible, try not to let yourself lose points due to these kinds of careless errors. Ready to test your function knowledge? Test Your Knowledge Now let's put our function knowledge to the test, using real ACT math problems. 1. A function $f(x)$ is defined as $f(x)=-8x^2$. What is $f(-3)$? F. -72G. 72H. 192J. -576K. 576 2. 3. Consider the functions $f(x)=√x$ and $g(x)=7x+b$. In the standard $(x,y)$ coordinate plane, $y=f(g(x))$ passes through $(4,6)$. What is the value of $b$? A. $8$B. $-8$C. $-25$D. $-26$E. $4-7√6$ 4. 5. A function P is defined as follows: for $x0$, $(P(x)=x^5+x^4-36x-36$for $x0$, $P(x)=-x^5+x^4+36x-36$ What is the value of $P(-1)$? A. -70B. -36C. 0D. 36E. 70 Answers: F, C, A, F, A Answer Explanations: 1. Here, we have a simple function equation. So let us replace our given input (-3) for our $x$ value in order to find our output. Note that the reason this problem is tricky is due to the many negative signs and the placement of the square. But so long as we are careful and make sure to keep track of all our pieces, we can solve the problem just fine (without falling for bait answers!). $f(x) = -8x^2$ $f(-3) = -8(-3)^2$ $f(-3) = -8(9)$ $f(-3) = -72$ Our final answer is F, -72. 2. This question is a function table, so let us remember our function table tips and tricks. Before we begin, this problem may get slightly confusing, as the labels in the chart are different from that which we normally use. To visualize our data, we are given $x$ as a certain distance that the cart is at any given second, $t$. This means that our input is $t$ (seconds) and our output is $x$ (distance). Now that we can see this, let us work through the problem. First, let us find the $y$-intercept. Luckily for us, we are given a coordinate pair with $t = 0$, $x = 10$. Because $t$ is serving as our input value (our $x$-coordinate) and $x$ is serving as our output (our y-coordinate), we can see that our $y$-intercept is the point at which $t = 0$. This means that our $y$-intercept is 10. Knowing that this is a linear function and the graph of a line is $y = mx + b$, we can eliminate answer choices B, D, and E. None of those give the y-intercept as 10, so none of them can be the correct answer. Now let us use our PIA strategy to find the equation of the line using our existing coordinate points. So let us test the point $(2, 18)$ and see which of our remaining equations (answer choice A or answer choice C) gives us these coordinates. Let us first test answer choice A. $x = t + 10$ $x = 2 + 10$ $x = 12$ Answer choice A is incorrect. When $t = 2$, $x$ should equal 18. So let us test answer choice C instead to see if it lines up with our input and output of $(2, 18)$. $x = 4t + 10$ $x = 4(2) + 10$ $x = 8 +10$ $x = 18$ Success! We have found our proper equation. Our final answer is C, $x = 4t + 10$ 3. This is a nested function problem that requires us to understand that coordinate points can act as inputs and outputs. So if we solve the nested equation as we normally would (remembering to act inside out), we would see: $g(x) = 7x + b$ $f(x) = √x$ $f(g(x)) = √{7x + b}$ Remembering that $f(x)$ is essentially another way of saying $y$ (in terms of coordinates), we can say: $y = √{7x + b}$ Now, let us get rid of the root by squaring both sides (for more on roots and squares, check out our guide to advanced integers). This gives us: $y^2 = 7x + b$ We know that the function passes through the coordinate point $(4, 6)$, which means we can replace the x and y-values with our $x$ and $y$ in the function equation. So: $y^2 = 7x + b$ $(6)^2 = 7(4) + b$ $36 = 28 + b$ $8 = b$ Our final answer is A, $b = 8$. 4. In this type of graph question, we are being asked to identify how the two graphs interact. Even without knowing their equations, we can understand- just through the diagram- a good deal of information about our two functions. In this case, we can see that the two functions intersect at exactly two points. This means that they are equal at exactly two values of $x$. So answer choice F is correct. But before we select answer choice F, let us also take the time to eliminate our other answer options. We know that answer choice G is incorrect, because we have already established that the two graphs intersect at two points and so have two values of $x$ at which they are equal, not 1. Answer choices H and J are both wrong, because there are x-coordinate points at which the graph $f(x)$ is higher (larger) than that of $g(x)$ and $x$-coordinate points where $f(x)$ is smaller. Neither function is larger (or smaller) at all points of $x$ than the other function. And finally, answer choice K is also incorrect, as these are two different functions- quadratic and linear- not inverse functions. An inverse function would produce the same type of graph, just inverted. We know our original answer choice is correct and we have successfully eliminated the others. Our final answer is F. 5. This is a function that has two different equations depending on our input value. So we must first determine which equation we are using in order to find the output to our particular input. We are given that our input ($x$) is -1. We also know that we must use the second function equation for any $x$ that is less than 0. This means we must use the second function equation, $p(x) = -x^5 + x^4 + 36x - 36$ So now we just plug in our input value of -1 (being very careful about all of our negative signs). $p(x) = -x^5 + x^4 + 36x - 36$ $p(-1) = -(-1)^5 + (-1)^4 + 36(-1) - 36$ $p(-1) = -(-1) + (1) - 36 - 36$ $p(-1) = 1 + 1 - 36 - 36$ $p(-1) = 2 - 72$ $p(-1) = -70$ Our final answer is A, -70. Congrats! You've mastered ACT functions! The Take Aways Even though there are many different ways you can be presented with a function problem, the core principles are always the same. No matter the equation or the graph, functions are always looking at inputs and outputs and the relationship between the two. So long as you remember your function definitions (and the corresponding graph shapes) and keep a clear head, and you'll see that functions are not as difficult as they may have once appeared. What's Next? You've taken on (and conquered) one of the most difficult math topics on the ACT (go you!), but there are many more topics to cover. Next, take a gander at all the math topics on the test and then bulk up on any topic with which you feel rusty. Need to brush up how to complete the square? On your rules of roots and exponents? How about your triangle rules and problems? All of our ACT math guides come complete with strategies and practice problems for any topic you need. Feeling overwhelmed? Make sure you take a practice test and then see how your score stacks up so that you can set realistic milestones and goals. Running out of time on the ACT math section? Check out how to best beat the clock and maximize your score. Aiming for a perfect score? Our guide to getting a perfect 36 on the ACT math section (written by a perfect-scorer!) will help get you where you need to be. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, 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:

Policy for Accessible Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Essay

Policy for Accessible Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) - Essay Example As defined by law, access by persons with disabilities to such technologies must be a prime consideration in procurement, development, maintenance, and use of such electronic and information technology assets by organizations. Access here is in the context of determining whether persons with disabilities are able to gain access to the information technology and electronic assets in the same degree of effectiveness and ease as those without disabilities (United States Access Board; Department of Defense) 2. EIT Resources Thar Are Covered by This EIT Policy All future procurements of electronic and information technology assets by the ABC Company shall be covered by this Accessible EIT Policy. This shall include all electronic and information technology assets that are procured on behalf of employees, contractors, and suppliers. Likewise, this Accessible EIT Policy shall apply to supplier-provided electronic and information technology assets that are to be used for all future project e ngagements, where the users of such assets include internal employees and consultants of the ABC Company(US Department of Commerce). For electronic and information technology assets prior to the adoption of this Policy, considerations of undue burden shall apply, and where no such undue burdens exist, the policy shall be to retroactively apply the provisions of this policy to such assets, reconfiguring, modifying, and enhancing such older assets as necessary to comply with the legal accessibility mandates for EIT (United States Access Board; US Department of Commerce). 3. Scope of Policy This policy shall cover policy background; legal foundation/basis for the policy formulation and promulgation; the policy details themselves; exceptions to the policies and the definition of policies to determine the nature and extent of undue burdens when they are found; Key officers in the ABC Company touched by the Accessible Policy, their roles and responsibilities; and the reference documents u sed for this Accessible EIT Policy (Office of Environmental Information) 4. EIT Policy Background There is a need for the ABC Company, as a surrogate of a federal agency and providing vital services on behalf of several federal agencies, to come up with an accessible EIT policy that complies fully with the law, and that resonates with the internal accessibility of EIT policies of the federal agencies that the ABC Company serves. As such, there is a need to formulate and promulgate an accessible EIT policy, which this draft document aims to accomplish (Office of Environmental Information) 5. Legal Basis and Authority for the EIT Policy Section 508 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act of the United States stipulates standards for accessible electronic and information technology or EIT. As a provider of crucial services to several federal agencies in the United States, the ABC Company is bound by law to provide a comprehensive policy of accessibility for electronic and information technology (United States Access Board): Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, Federal employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would

Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Islam - Essay Example This we have learned from our Prophet, Mohammed. The method of ablution is specified by the Prophets mannerisms. Much of the Sunnah has been collected in Traditions of the Prophet known as Hadith. Not all Hadith are considered canon however, and the study of Hadith is a system of knowledge in unto itself. These understandings are the cornerstone of Islamic Life even in America. Islamic architecture is used in today's homes and mosques and work places. Perhaps most notable are the domed roofs of nearly all government centers. From county court houses to state capitols to the congress, the dome is a symbol of Islamic tradition as barrowed from enlightened Europeans. It is known that fraternal organizations concentrated on the formation of a liberated America. These organizations often draw from ancient symbols of the near east, one of which is the domed architecture. As a revival of such methods promulgate, we see more and more domes and minarets in America - sign Muslim communities are returning to traditional Islamic architecture. How much of what we know of modern society may be traced back to the advent of Islamic society Bin Fadlan an 11 century Persian scholar recounted something of the state to which Europe had fallen following the collapse of the Roman Empire. Barbarian tribes had overrun Europe and society had fallen into the violent disarray of feudal fiefs. Common people suffered and ignorance reigned.

Business Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Research - Essay Example Since historical times, researchers have performed harmful experiments on fellow human beings, all for their selfish gains, disregarding the established rules, regulations and ethical principles (Eckart, 2006). What is more, these tests have been done illegally, minus the knowledge, consent, or even the informed consent of participants. For instance, study subjects have been injected with deadly or debilitating pathogens, exposed to deadly biological and chemical weapons, toxic and radioactive chemicals, surgical experiments, and mind-changing drugs (Eckart, 2006). Unfortunately, children are the most targeted and affected group in these experiments. This case study on unethical business research features a former gastroenterologist at Londons Royal Free Hospital named Andrew Wakefield. In 1998, Wakefield published in the Medical Journal Lancet, a study in which he linked the triple Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine with autism and bowel disorders in children. In addition to t his publication, Wakefield made public statements that made the public to panic and avoid the vaccine. Later, the study by Wakefield would be discredited and the MMR vaccine declared safe for use. In fact, the UK authorities later discovered that the manner in which the gastroenterologist had conducted his research was unethical (Harrell, 2010). According to the General Medical Council’s ruling, Wakefield had conducted himself not only dishonestly but also irresponsibly with an uncaring disregard for the child-participants. Nonetheless, Wakefield would term the ruling unjust and state that he had no regrets over his findings. The General Medical Council criticized Wakefield for various misconducts including his use of invasive tests such as colonoscopies and spinal taps on the children with utter disregard to the side effects of these methods on the children and his method of obtaining blood samples by bribing the children with $8 during his son’s birthday (Harrell, 2010).

Why enroll in the Doctor of Business Administration Program (DBA) Essay

Why enroll in the Doctor of Business Administration Program (DBA) - Essay Example This determination has made strong in life and helped me in taking decisions which I have not regretted. Choosing the path of success in my professional life has become an aim for me because of this very strong determination and I think if I utilize it in the correct manner I’ll be able to achieve what I aim to. But as said by Christopher Moore "Nobodys perfect. Well, there was this one guy, but we killed him....". It clearly depicts that I personally have my own weaknesses in achieving my goals. All over these years I have realized that learning something is not easy for me. It takes time for me to learn things which others learn in a while. But this weakness can easily be overcome if I give all of my attention to my goals. This attention helps me to not only learn and understand things but also to excel in these things. International business is one of the main driving forces behind the molding face of today’s world. For me, a graduate business degree is the first step towards an entrepreneurial position in a fascinating organization with global working circle. Interacting with multiple cultures for mutual benefits, while accepting the challenges associated with this process has always been a source of fascination for me. Graduate business degree will increase my career options manifolds with the passage of time and will also prepare me with knowledge and skills required to attain a job which fits my goals, thus providing maximum satisfaction. After completing graduation, I will have the chance of focusing on a particular field of work, because I’ll be ‘specialized’ to do this work. Keeping in view my aims and the level of competence that I intend to achieve, I believe that Abu Dhabi University is one of the institutions which can provide me with ample opportunities for the fulfillment of my aims. The world has turned into a global village and it is for this reason that I

The 2nd Amendment and the Right to Bear Arms Essay

The 2nd Amendment and the Right to Bear Arms - Essay Example Guns were even provided to those who could not afford weapons. (Gerber 2011) The debate over the second amendment today is that those in favor of gun control laws fear that a weapon for defense can become a weapon of offence either accidentally or intentionally. For that matter, the first part of the provision of this amendment, â€Å"well-regulated militia† is advocated by pro gun control laws. This provision is interpreted as that gun possession is only applied to official defensive forces such as the National Guard. On the other hand, gun lovers support the interpretation grown out the second part of the amendment which states that, â€Å"the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.† This means that citizens can have guns and the government has no power over confiscating this right away from them. (Gerber 2011). Whether the prospects of the second amendment’s enforcement in the Bill of Rights would bring a positive or negative change i n the American society? The second amendment was made to the Constitution of the United States in 1791 stating that, â€Å"A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.† ( http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights) . This amendment has two perspectives. Its first section inculcates that the states can enforce their militias with arms for collective security while the second part diverts towards individual security. Thus, it is raising a contradiction in the fundamentality of the amendment. This amendment is unique of all the amendments in the sense that it is the only among the others that is not enforced yet. There is no unanimity in the decision of the justices because there is no clarity about its purpose. A civil right in American Constitution is defined as â€Å"a right or rights belonging to a person by reason of citizenship including especially the fundamenta l freedoms and privileges guaranteed by the 13th and 14th amendments and subsequent acts of Congress including the right to legal, social and economic equality. This makes gun ownership as much of a civil right as freedom of speech, religion and freedom of the press.† Gun possession is vital for certain reasons like for sports competitions. For instance, target shooting, a game played popularly in the United States is incomplete without guns. Hunting is another sport, hobby and tempting pastime of Americans. (http://www.saf.org/default.asp?p=gunrights_faq) The right to bear arms is a necessity in today’s criminal world. The United States is a country with the most high crime rate in the world. The amendment’s second half empowers the individual with freedom of carrying arms for self-defense. A simple yet very basic argument of gun possession is self-defense. Criminals are easily deterred this way. Instead of waiting for the regular police to respond to the victim ’s calls, the victim should have the capacity to tackle the matter on his own. This will help decrease the level of crimes. In the United States 46% of Americans claim possession of arms for the purpose of protection against criminals. (Heston 2008) Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress and member of the first Continental Congress which passed the Bill of Rights said that, â€Å""To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use

Financial Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Financial Report - Essay Example The bench mark companies in this industry include DP world limited, Global point investment and finally Hangar & plc. Review of U.K and global economy U.Ks economy is in a strong position. It has been stable and its growth rate has been consistent for the last two decades. The economy boosts of the highest employment rate among the G7 nations. The main challenge facing United Kingdom currently is finding ways to build it further in order to become more competitive in the globe. Currently UK has almost 30million people employed. Global economy has been changing at a very high rate. This is contributed to from different emerging economies that include china and India. This is illustrated in China’s growth that was at over 11% in 2005. With this trend it is likely to be the third biggest economy by 2016. Review of the target company sector The major players in this industry are small and medium sized enterprises. In this sector a person will notice that less than 1% of these comp anies do employ 300 people and above and on the other side sole traders make up 37%. In respect to education, 16% will account for people who have graduated. There are various forms of transport in this industry namely, land transport, water, warehousing, postal, courier and air transport (TAMARI, 1978). The key issues in this industry include attitude that people have especially the young graduates who are not interested to join this sector Company information The target company was incorporated in the year 2011 and does conduct its business through its subsidiary Fujian Xingtai Company limited. The company was founded by Mr. Shufang and Mrs Meijin. The main business undertaken by this corporation is providing logistic services. The corporation has a market share of about 60 manufacturers based. Swot analysis Strength Risk management system Company market position Business model Weakness Poor performance Management team Opportunities Assessment of the company’s sources of in puts and finance Threats Strong franchise value Expansion potential Strength of the company The company also has a strong market segment in Europe that it serves best. The company top 20 client’s account for 45% of the total revenue. In management of its risks, the company uses what we call a proactive approach. This approach ensures that both the employee and the customer are safely protected (FINE, 2009). The business model of this company forms the strength of the company. This is because it is loyal to its customer, the services are offered at affordable prices which create economic value hence sound business model. Opportunities for the company Sources of inputs and finance for the company are available and obtainable at a reasonable cost. A larger percentage of the company source of finance is through the owners’ contribution. The company also get loans from the leading financial institutions in the United Kingdom. Besides these, the company also raise part of th eir capital through issue of shares which are sold to the public at a given price (FINE, 2009). Threats Potentiality to expand its business activities is limited because of its competitors in Europe. The company get stiff competition from multinationals companies in the transport industry and this has led to reduced revenues in the company (WIEHLE. 2007). Weakness The Company has a poor management team which has resulted to poor

The 2nd Amendment and the Right to Bear Arms Essay

The 2nd Amendment and the Right to Bear Arms - Essay Example Guns were even provided to those who could not afford weapons. (Gerber 2011) The debate over the second amendment today is that those in favor of gun control laws fear that a weapon for defense can become a weapon of offence either accidentally or intentionally. For that matter, the first part of the provision of this amendment, â€Å"well-regulated militia† is advocated by pro gun control laws. This provision is interpreted as that gun possession is only applied to official defensive forces such as the National Guard. On the other hand, gun lovers support the interpretation grown out the second part of the amendment which states that, â€Å"the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.† This means that citizens can have guns and the government has no power over confiscating this right away from them. (Gerber 2011). Whether the prospects of the second amendment’s enforcement in the Bill of Rights would bring a positive or negative change i n the American society? The second amendment was made to the Constitution of the United States in 1791 stating that, â€Å"A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.† ( http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights) . This amendment has two perspectives. Its first section inculcates that the states can enforce their militias with arms for collective security while the second part diverts towards individual security. Thus, it is raising a contradiction in the fundamentality of the amendment. This amendment is unique of all the amendments in the sense that it is the only among the others that is not enforced yet. There is no unanimity in the decision of the justices because there is no clarity about its purpose. A civil right in American Constitution is defined as â€Å"a right or rights belonging to a person by reason of citizenship including especially the fundamenta l freedoms and privileges guaranteed by the 13th and 14th amendments and subsequent acts of Congress including the right to legal, social and economic equality. This makes gun ownership as much of a civil right as freedom of speech, religion and freedom of the press.† Gun possession is vital for certain reasons like for sports competitions. For instance, target shooting, a game played popularly in the United States is incomplete without guns. Hunting is another sport, hobby and tempting pastime of Americans. (http://www.saf.org/default.asp?p=gunrights_faq) The right to bear arms is a necessity in today’s criminal world. The United States is a country with the most high crime rate in the world. The amendment’s second half empowers the individual with freedom of carrying arms for self-defense. A simple yet very basic argument of gun possession is self-defense. Criminals are easily deterred this way. Instead of waiting for the regular police to respond to the victim ’s calls, the victim should have the capacity to tackle the matter on his own. This will help decrease the level of crimes. In the United States 46% of Americans claim possession of arms for the purpose of protection against criminals. (Heston 2008) Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress and member of the first Continental Congress which passed the Bill of Rights said that, â€Å""To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use

Patrilineal Descent and Postmarital Residence among the Yanomamo Essay

Patrilineal Descent and Postmarital Residence among the Yanomamo Village Growth and Division - Essay Example The Yanomamo people of Central Brazil are one of the oldest examples of the classic pre-Columbian forest footmen. The Yanomami comprise a society of hunter-agriculturists of the tropical rainforest of Northern Amazonia, whose contact with non-indigenous society over the most part of their territory has been relatively recent. Their territory covers an area of approximately 192,000 km2, located on both sides of the border between Brazil and Venezuela, in the Orinoco-Amazon interfluvial region. They communicate in various dialects but have No written language. The total population of the Yanomami in Brazil and Venezuela is today estimated to be around 26,000 people. The Yanomamo exist in small bands or tribes and reside in round communal huts. The Yanomami local groups are generally made up of a multifamily house in the shape of a cone or truncated cone called yano or xapono, which are actually made up of individual living quarters or by villages composed of rectangular-type houses .Each collective house or village considers itself an autonomous economic and political entity (kami theri yamaki, 'we co-residents') . The village is the basic sociopolitical unit and is occupied by several extended families, composed of nuclear family households. The founding nucleus of such a village consists of two intermarried pairs of brothers, their sisters or wives and their descendants. The two resulting lineages exchange their women, thus creating a number of affinal alliances. As additional lineage groups join the village community and intermarry with members of the original lineage, political pressures and internal factionalism frequently lead to the spli tting apart of the village and the establishment of a completely new community. These small tribes hold their men in high ranks. Chiefs are always men who are held responsible for the general knowledge and safety of the group's women. The males are permitted to beat their wives if they feel the need to and can marry more than one woman at a time. This loose form of polygamy is a way of increasing the population of the tribe.Each village has its own headman (pata), and one pata is usually more influential than the others. Migliazza (1972: 415) claims that the position of chief or headman is not really inherited, but is dependent on the chief having many living agnatic relatives and the ability to assert himself among them. There is some indication, however, that the office was once inherited patrilineally from father to son or from elder brother to younger brother. During times of war, a man with experience in combat was often chosen to act as war chief, an office which was not hereditary and which became inactive when hostilities ceased. Marriage among the Yanoa ma serves to bind non-agnatically related groups of males to one another in a system of exchanges involving goods, services, and the promise of a reciprocal exchange of women at a later date. All Yanoama groups, as well as their Carib neighbors, have bifurcate Merging kinship terminology for the first ascending generation, accompanied by Iroquoian cousin terminology. Patrilineal descent and agnatic relationships are considered more important than matrilineal relatives. Clans and moieties have apparently never existed among the Yanoama, but lineages have been mentioned by Chagnon (1971). In his analysis of the kinship system, Chagnon affords a central place to the local descent group-basically a lineage segment, consisting

Team Week Three Reflection Essay Example for Free

Team Week Three Reflection Essay This week Learning Team was tasked with understanding three objectives. Those objectives were as follows: 2.1 State the purpose of the business research. 2.1 Develop appropriate research questions and hypotheses. 2.3 Identify dependent and independent variables in business research. Our learning team discovered that business research is designed to increase your understanding a given management dilemma by looking for ways others have addressed or solved problems similar to yours. Business research can be applied in any number of ways in a business setting, such as determining what kind of business strategy your competitors are using, and finding ways that other businesses have countered that strategy in the past. Business research can also be used to determine how to market a product coming to market by creating research panels to determine how potential customers will react to the product. We also learned that unless proper research questions are developed along with a meaningful hypotheses, any research conducted will be flawed or incomplete. For instance, without asking potential customers in focus groups what they don’t like about your new product or service you may launch the new product and see dismal sales as customers reject your product because of the faults you failed to find or correct. A corresponding hypothesis will help direct the research once the correct questions are asked, as well as leading to further questions to help complete your research. Questions and hypothesis are therefor intertwined, and can be considered together when creating a research plan. Finally, we discovered that independent variables are unchangeable, such as a research population’s social status. An independent variable is manipulated by the researcher, and the manipulation causes an effect on the dependent variable. There is usually more than one independent variable, and each of them are usually â€Å"correlated† to some extent.