Due date: 1/12 @ 9:50 am
Problem 0 [5%]:
Find one interesting article from the weeks news on the use of software/computers in society. Summarize the article in your own words with a single 200-word paragraph. Add both the article and the summary in with the rest of your problem set.
Purpose:
The goal of this problem set is to remind of the pattern matching skills that your elementary school teacher tried to teach you. It turns out that these skills are a prerequisite for being a efficient web site administrator, computer programmer, analyst, etc. Of course, other skills needed include reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Problem 1:
The population of the United States reached 3,000,000 in the year 2006. We wonder, how many years will it be till the population grows to over 3,250,000. Let us assume that the population growth is 2% per year. Figure out the expected population of the United States in the years shown below:
year = 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 ... 2016 ... 2026 population 3.0 3.06 3.1212 3.183624 ... ... ?? ... ?? (in millions) Guess a formula for calculating what the population will be after n years.
Check the formula for the first four table entries. If it doesn't work, guess more.
Once the formula works for the first four entries, use it and a calculator or DrScheme's Interactions Window to fill in the two boxes with ?? in the above table.
Problem 2:
A waiter gets paid $7 per hour and works six hours every day. Additionally, he gets on the average $5.50 tips for every table he serves.
How much does the waiter earn per night if he serves 8 tables? 10 tables? 15 tables?
Make a table to show the results.
Create a table for calculating how much the waiter earns per night if he serves T tables.
Use the formula in the Interactions Window in DrScheme to find out the earnings if the waiter serves 20 tables, 25 tables, or 30 tables.
Problem 3:
A restaurant serves a fixed priced meal where the guests can choose one of two soups (minnestrone or clam chowder), one of three main courses (chicken, fish, or vegetarian) and one of two desserts (chocolate mousse or fruit cup).
Figure out and enumerate all possible combinations. Explain how you arrived at the result.