Adding and subtracting mixed numbers

teaching View Comments
May 312007

Again, we’re going to apply what we’ve already learned to add and subtract mixed numbers. It’s just like adding and subtracting fractions, but you have to remember to change the mixed numbers into improper fractions, and then find common denominators.

An example of adding mixed numbers (with different denominators)

1 $latex \frac{2}{3} $ + 2 $latex \frac{1}{6} $ = $latex \frac{5}{3} $ + $latex \frac{13}{6} $ = $latex \frac{10}{6} $ + $latex \frac{13}{6} $ = $latex \frac{23}{6} $ = 3 $latex \frac{5}{6} $

An example of subtracting mixed numbers (with common denominators)

3 $latex \frac{3}{4} – 1 $latex \frac{2}{5} $ = $latex \frac{15}{4} $ – $latex \frac{7}{5} $ = $latex \frac{75}{20} $ – $latex \frac{28}{20} $ = $latex \frac{7}{5} $ = 1 $latex \frac{2}{5} $

Posted by Rebecca at 9:39 pm Tagged with:

Does the artist have to be tortured?

books, creativity View Comments
May 312007

I’ve been reading Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity lately. Originally, I was looking to see if I could incorporate it into this self-exploration phase I’m putting myself through, but I can’t escape one thing. She keeps going back to the artist as a tortured soul who had things withheld from them throughout life.

Well…most people agree that I’m a designer, that I’m creative, that I’m an artist. I don’t feel particularly tortured. My life hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been a fairly good mix of good and bad, just like most people. I had an enabling childhood. My parents are both creative, artistic people, and I was just as likely to get any art supplies I wanted as get the science toys I craved.

My creativity was encouraged. I was welcome to pursue whatever art form I wanted. I gravitated toward chances to express myself in some artistic medium.

Sure, there are people out there who have to talk themselves into allowing themself to express their feelings and thoughts artistically, but I don’t think one has to be a tortured soul with a bad past to become creative or artistic.

If you’re truly feeling blocked, then I’d recommend the book. If you aren’t, you’re probably okay passing this one up.

Posted by Rebecca at 12:53 pm

Getting inside the main characters’ head

character development View Comments
May 312007

Thanks to some helpful readers, I think I’m starting to put a finger on the problem with my main characters. By and large, they lack self-reflection. The reader never gets a chance to connect with the main character, and therefore never gets the chance to develop any sort of sympathy for her.

What’s odd about this is that I am a very self-reflective person, almost to the point of crippling myself sometimes. I thought I might have addressed it somewhat with the manga script, but in looking back over it, the self-reflective character isn’t Satchiko, the main character who is telling the story. It’s Kazuki, an important character who isn’t telling the story.

I’m not sure why I’m afraid to allow the readers to crawl inside my main character’s head. It’s something I’ve enjoyed as a reader, and it seems like it should be a natural part of the story’s development.

If nothing else, it’s something to be mindful of as I continue writing and editing.

Posted by Rebecca at 11:37 am

Multiplying and dividing mixed numbers

teaching View Comments
May 302007

As you might imagine, multiplying and dividing mixed numbers is as simple as applying what you learned about changing mixed numbers into improper fractions, and then applying what you learned about multiplying and dividing fractions to get the answer. You can even simplify the answer by changing the resulting improper fraction (if it is improper) back into a mixed number.

Let’s start with a multiplication example.

1 $latex \frac{1}{3} $ $latex \times $ 1 $latex \frac{1}{4} $ = $latex \frac{4}{3} $ $latex \times $ $latex \frac{5}{4} $ = $latex \frac{20}{12} $ = $latex \frac{5}{3} $ = 1 $latex \frac{2}{3} $

Dividing with mixed numbers is just as simple.

2 $latex \frac{2}{3} $ $latex \div $ $latex \frac{1}{5} $ = $latex \frac{8}{3} $ $latex \div $ $latex \frac{1}{5} $ = $latex \frac{8}{3} $ $latex \times $ $latex \frac{5}{1} $ = $latex \frac{40}{3} $ = 13 $latex \frac{1}{3} $

Posted by Rebecca at 9:26 pm Tagged with:

Word choice is confidence

writing View Comments
May 302007

I’ve been working with a friend to help her prepare applications, and she recently sent me a cover letter to review.

It was a good thing, too. Her entire letter was full of taken-back statements and thoughts expressed half-heartedly. That’s fine, except it wouldn’t land her an interview.

Your writing is an extension of you; it’s an attempt to show who you are through words. When you pick weak words, you’ll come across as weak. If you pick stronger words, you come across as confident.

Consider the following:

I am interested in applying for the job you posted.

I am applying for the position posted to this job search site.

Which person would you feel better about talking to, the first person who can’t seem to commit to applying, or the person who comes right out tells they want the job? You’d take a closer look at the second applicant. They know what they want and they aren’t afraid to tell you that.

Regardless of what you write, strong word choice will always make you stand out. Before you send out any business writing, read over it and look for weak words, weasel words (words that don’t actually say anything), and waffling sentences.

Posted by Rebecca at 10:34 am

Changing mixed numbers to improper fractions

teaching View Comments
May 292007

One of the trickier parts of working with fractions is dealing with mixed numbers. A mixed number is exactly what is sounds like- one part whole number, one part fraction. It looks like this:

3 $latex \frac{5}{8} $

To work with a mixed number, it’s actually easier to convert it to an improper fraction, or a fraction where the numerator is larger than the denominator. To change a mixed number into an improper fraction, change the whole number into a fraction that has a common denominator with the fraction, and then add the two together.

3 $latex \frac{5}{8} $ = $latex \frac{24}{8} $ + $latex \frac{5}{8} $ = $latex \frac{29}{8} $

We now have an improper fraction that we can add, subtract, multiply, or divide with other fractions.

If you get an improper fraction as an answer, you’ll need to simplify it to a mixed number. The easiest way to do this is a little division.

$latex \frac{12}{7} $ = 12 $latex \div $ 7 = 1 $latex \frac{5}{7} $

These two skills will open a whole new level of fractions to you. During the rest of the week, we’ll revisit working with fractions, only this time we’ll look at working with mixed numbers and improper fractions.

Posted by Rebecca at 9:12 pm Tagged with:

The nature of the gun in the first act

writing View Comments
May 282007

There is an axiom in writing (usually referring to plays and screenplays) that if you show the audience a gun in the first act, you must fire it in the third act.

I’d never really given it much thought until I was watching something last week. I guess I’ve become more of a critical viewer/reader, because I noticed something that eventually became the “gun” of sorts later on. I hadn’t really thought about it, but it makes sense that the “gun” doesn’t have to be a gun in the actual sense. It just has to be an object that part of the tension hinges on.

Perhaps the axiom needs to be changed to say, “If you show the audience a critical item, you must bring that object to its resolution by the end of the third act.”

I’m pretty sure I haven’t done this properly throughout any of my work (even if I’m finally hearing that I’m getting better at unfolding my stories.), but I can definitely think of examples where an object has followed this formula. A vial of holy water. A doll. An oddly-shaped, unidentifiable object.

So…along with tracking characters, I guess I now need to start tracking critical items, too.

Posted by Rebecca at 11:33 am

Build authentic relationships

finding my path View Comments
May 282007

One of the things that has often amazed me as I’ve navigated the social networking waters is how many people seem to collect other people. They indiscriminately send out friend requests (and for some reason, these people respond). I’ve talked elsewhere about this, but that behavior doesn’t make you look popular (and one would think those of us who are adults would be past this phase in our lives), it just makes you and those who have supported your behavior look desperate.

The point of social networking online is much like the point of real-life networking. You’re supposed to connect with people genuinely through similar interests or career development or something. Ideally, you should be building a relationship with them. You introduce them to someone who can help them or get them information they need, and they help you back similarly. You discuss important issues related to what connects you together. You actually make a point of getting to know the other person.

Without creating an authentic relationship with people you’re socially networked to, it doesn’t matter how many “friends” you have.

Posted by Rebecca at 9:20 am Tagged with:

Channeling energy

finding my path View Comments
May 272007

There are days when I feel I’ve missed my calling and should be a coach instead of (or maybe in addition to) begin a teacher.

I seem to run into a number of people who are wrestling with a behavioral issue, and either don’t see a problem with this or genuinely want to break the habit. (I see more of the first than the second.

When you keep doing something you know you shouldn’t, regardless of how you feel about it, there are generally negative consequences that result from it, and because you’ve done nothing to create a more positive situation, you’ve lost your right to complain about what happens to you.

What I’ve been trying to encourage each and every one of these people to do is to take the energy they would have put into the destructive behavior and channel it somewhere creative. They don’t have to make art, but they do have to create something. So far, no one has told me how it’s going, but I’ve just started promoting this technique, and I hope to find someone having a breakthrough before too long.

Are things going poorly for you? Identify behaviors that might be self-destructive, and every time you see yourself trying to do that, stop and channel that energy into creating something. You’ll find it’s a far better use of your time and energy, and something positive might even come out of it!

Posted by Rebecca at 7:41 am

I always have cards lying around

creativity, writing View Comments
May 262007

Up until I moved to Seattle, I seriously always had a standard deck of cards on me. You never know when one will come in handy.

My favorite deck actually lives on my window sill next to my bed and desk, never far from reach, and even closer to the deck I actually want to talk about- one of my tarot decks.

I know what you’re thinking, but tarot decks are actually fairly useful little beasts. I have two. My first was given to me when I worked in a game shop. A friend bought it for me as a birthday present because it was Lord of the Rings and the artwork was very Celtic in nature. I thought it a bit odd at first since I’ve never actually expressed an interest in owning a tarot deck. I didn’t really see the point in owning one.

Shortly after that deck came into my possession, a favorite blogger gave me a great idea for using a tarot deck, which in turn led to another favorite use. He uses it in his coaching to help people focus on things. It’s a great idea. The art on these decks tends to be very vivid and full of symbolism. Find one that speaks to you and reflect on what it makes you think about, or how it makes you feel.

Very quickly, I realized that deck was also great for breaking through writer’s block. If I needed to write, but just couldn’t, I’d pull out a random card and tell a story about some aspect of the card’s art. I actually have some interesting short stories that came from drawing a tarot card.

I have a second deck now, and I use it for the same things. I write stories with it. I just think on the art. I think I’ve actually thrown tarot a couple of times for friends who seriously didn’t get it. (I also made one of them use it for reflection…I don’t think she got that, either.)

Oddly enough, the tarot was actually designed as a deck of cards…just like my standard decks right next to it. I could eliminate roughly twenty cards from it and start up a great game of Egyptian War or Crazy Eights with it. Actually…that would be rather fun with the LotR deck…

The tarot deck…more than a new age divining device. Who knew!

Posted by Rebecca at 11:32 am
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