Saturday, October 15, 2011

Service Saturday: FAFSA Help!

 Image Detail FAFSA? What is that? It is the acronym for the financial aid form that every college student has to fill out while they are applying for colleges or continuing their college education. This financial aid form is filled out immediately after your taxes are filed. The form is available electronically from the U.S. government website. It is not compatible with any other web browser except for Internet Explorer.
  I have been training my family for the past two years on how to fill these forms out. Why? Because even though it is available electronically, there are many parts to fill out. We help you decode the FAFSA, website, and materials required to fill the form out properly, accurately, and in a timely manner. The financial aid process is the most difficult administrative duty you will have to do for your child or yourself. This is why we are offering FAFSA paperwork help as a service. Minimum charge will be $45 per hour but watch for special prices during tax time! Call us to make an appointment and bring your filed tax forms with you!

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At least with us, you will get a smile! Get this poor woman in financial aid some chocolate!
~From Amanda @LearningConnections

Monday, October 10, 2011

Why you need to like fractions, decimals, proportions, and ratios.

Image DetailWhen one investigates the reasons why art and nature appeals to so many people, there are a variety of reasons. Ask yourself, what draws your eye into the picture? Is it just the colors? Lack of color? Is it the placement of the subject? Have you ever thought about the ratio and placement of what the artist is trying to convey?
  The Fibonacci Sequence is a sequence of numbers, such that when they are added, they create a sequence. For example:
0
0+1 = 1
1+1 = 2
1+2 = 3
2+3 = 5
3+5 = 8

This gives us the beginning sequence of 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and so on. Well, Fibonacci sequence is related to the Golden Ratio which is related to a number called Phi. Many of us are already familiar with Pi and the decimal value associated with it, 3.1415, and know that this number is unending. Phi is very similar with a never-ending number, 1.618. 
  So far, we have only seen whole numbers and decimals. I think the pictures in nature will help us see these ratios better.

Pascal's Triangle relates to the Fibonacci Sequence!

Even very cool fractals follow the pattern!

And weather patterns? Non-linear dynamics! 

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This ratio can help us understand how to play piano better.
So why is it important to find these natural patterns? What do they have to do with anything? Plenty! The US only produces 6% of the engineers this country hires every year. We need more engineers! The better we understand these ratios as they apply every facet of our lives, the easier it will be to become more creative in problem solving. The most important trait necessary in any industry today! If you are interested, visit the website I linked in this blog post for more information about how the Golden Ratio works. The material is more geared toward high school and community college levels. Enjoy!

~From Amanda @LearningConnections