Learn, Reach and Teach With Vainavi

Wednesday, 3 February 2016

Planets and Solar System

Planets/Sun	Diameter in Kilometers	Distance from the Sun in Kilometers	Number of Moons	1 Rotation (Hour)	Orbit Sun (Earth Days)
Mercury	4,878	57,910,000	0	1,408	88
Venus	12,100	67,000,000	0	5,832	225
Earth	12,742	93,000,000	1	24	365.25
Mars	6,792	227,936,640	2	25	686
Jupiter	142,984	149,600,000	67	10	4,380
Saturn	116,464	1,426,725,400	62	11	10,585
Uranus	50,000	2,870,972,200	27	17	30,660
Neptune	49,200	4,500,000,000	14	16	60,225
Pluto	2,370	3,670,000,000	5	156	90,520
Sun	864,938	0	0	587.28	0

Planets and Solar System

Planets/Sun	Diameter in Kilometers	Distance from the Sun in Kilometers	Number of Moons	1 Rotation (Hour)	Orbit Sun (Earth Days)	Weight on each planet	Age on each planet
Mercury	4,878	57,910,000	0	1,408	88	14.7	52
Venus	12,100	67,000,000	0	5,832	225	35.3	20
Earth	12,742	93,000,000	1	24	365.25	39	12
Mars	6,792	227,936,640	2	25	686	14.7	6
Jupiter	142,984	149,600,000	67	10	4,380	92.1	1
Saturn	116,464	1,426,725,400	62	11	10,585	41.4	0
Uranus	50,000	2,870,972,200	27	17	30,660	34.6	0
Neptune	49,200	4,500,000,000	14	16	60,225	43.8	0
Pluto	2,370	3,670,000,000	5	156	90,520	2.6	0
Sun	864,938	0	0	587.28	0	1055.8

Why is the weight different in each planet?

Weight would be different in each planet because of the difference in gravity. The planet with less gravity would make me lighter, and vice-versa.

Why would my age change on different planets?

My age would change on different planets because their time is different from that of earth's. For us, a year would be a different amount of time for another planet. That is why 12 years for my age on earth would be a different age for another planet. It takes each planet their own amount of earth days to orbit the sun, like for earth it's a year.

Healthy Snack Reflection

Was your snack healthy? Justify why you say yes or no. Think about what we’ve talked about sugar and fats.

I feel my snack would be qualified as healthy, since my pasta has a healthy version of sauce that would usually contain lots of sugar and canned products. My pasta contained polyunsaturated fats like peas, carrots, corn, along with onions, carrots, and tomatoes for the sauce. I also get an abundant source of vitamin A. My snack is high in niacin, which is an essential vitamin (B3) for general health. Niacin improves cholesterol levels, and also lowers cardiovascular risks. Moreover, it is also high in thiamin. Thiamin (vitamin B1) is very important for our body because it helps change carbohydrates to energy. This is why my version of pasta is a healthier choice.

2. When you choose a snack do you think about how healthy/unhealthy it is? Why or why not.

Yes, I usually do. I have never taken the cafeteria snacks because I know the majority of them are high in sugar and carbohydrates, even if treats like churros and cinnamon rolls are there. A lot of such treats are trans fats which our body doesn't know how to digest, which is why it stores fat. That is why I avoid such trans fats.

3. Do you think food is meant to be eaten with other people? What are some effects of eating and socialising at the same time?

Yes, in some cases eating with family and friends can be beneficial. Even if we have a healthy meal we don't like, eating with family and friends makes us eat it without realising the taste. On the other hand, there can be some downfalls. When eating with friends, we might not concentrate on our food and instead start talking and chatting. This would not let us complete our healthy diet. If we go out with someone, we wouldn't have the freedom to choose a healthy meal, therefore would be forced into eating something unhealthy. Moreover, sometimes we just enjoy our meal better when alone, so that we can take time with every bite and enjoy the flavours instead of having to rush because say our friend wants to play tag.

4. Did you enjoy preparing your food? Do you think preparing your own food affects how much you enjoy eating it? Explain.

Yes, I enjoyed it a lot, since we got to practice making a healthy snack instead of choosing a convenient way out that may not be the best. Preparing my own food makes me enjoy eating it better, since I know what I'm eating is tasty and according to how I want my food.

Monday, 1 February 2016

SS: Poverty Unit Reflection

Essential Questions:
1.) Why is it difficult to escape poverty?
2.) How can the poverty cycle be broken?

Unexpected natural disasters and lack of shelter, sanitation, good nutrition, education, and income are just some of the obstacles that keep people in poverty. These people live in absolute, moderate, or relative poverty. Sacrifices are common to save money, whether it's compromising on nutrition, or education. For them, life would go on until any sustainable intervention.

People in absolute poverty live on an average poverty threshold of less than $1.25 a day. They cannot afford basic needs like a proper education, shelter, sanitation and so on. The reason it is difficult for them to escape the poverty cycle is because since they cannot afford basic needs, therefore don't have many ways to earn a living to support the family. People in absolute poverty often have lack of education which leads to lack of employment, resulting in no source of income. Without the money, no one in Absolute poverty can expand their thinking and ideas that they might have had. People living in relative poverty have a monthly income of $2,000 which is significantly less than that of the average household in Singapore with $10,000 as their monthly income. People with $2,000 as the monthly income are placed as the bottom 20% in Singapore. In a developed country, they would probably go to school but no one in their family would have gone to college. They would be able to afford cheaper foods only, such as fast foods, therefore wouldn't be able to get the nutrients their body needs.

Although people in poverty, especially absolute poverty, struggle to earn enough to pursue some dreams and plans they had in life to earn a living out of, KIVA is such a site that can give micro-loans to many such people around the world. KIVA lets us choose which person we want to loan $25 to. The difference between KIVA and an NGO is that KIVA loans a small amount of money, and once the person's life becomes more stable and starts to grow, then they have to pay the amount loaned back. KIVA doesn't take interest, so how come the total deposits are less than the amount lent? We can recycle the amount lent to many people. For example if we give someone $25, when they pay the $25 back, I can use those same $25 to give a loan to someone else. That way, I actually only deposited $25, but lent $50 (2 people). KIVA makes sure the people have a clear vision and solid plan, because there are potential drawbacks of providing a poor person with a micro-loan, like they might not know how to wisely spend the money and instead use it for bad habits or shady work. They might also just take the money and not make an effort to change their live with the money, which would mean the amount lent would get wasted. KIVA says only 1% haven't paid back their loans. KIVA ensures the people in poverty a chance to give whatever their business is, a kick start to support themselves and their families. This sustainable intervention is what will let many people escape the poverty cycle.

My learning about the poverty cycle has helped answer the essential questions why it is difficult to escape the poverty cycle, and how it can be broken. Understanding the conditions of people in absolute, moderate, and relative poverty make us realise that it isn't easy to escape the poverty cycle. Without an income, we cannot build our own life. But although it is very difficult to escape the cycle, sites like KIVA have given many poor people a chance to expand their business and keep the intervention sustainable. If we can give the poor people one chance to expand their business, many can escape the continuous poverty cycle.

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

Math Blog Post (Handphone Plans)

y= total cost
x= # of text messages

a) Determine the cost of each plan if you send 500 text messages in one month. Show your working out.

PLAN A
y=29.95+0.1x

y= 29.95+0.1(500)

y= 29.95+50

y=79.95

Plan A's cost would be $79.95 if we send 500 text messages per month.

PLAN B
y= 90.20

Since Plan B gives unlimited text messages, the cost would be $90.20 per month even for 500 text messages.

PLAN C
y=49.95+ 0.5x
y= 49.95+0.05(500)
y= 49.95+ 25
y= 74.95

Plan C's total cost would be $74.95 if we send 500 text messages per month.

b) Your boss asks you to visually display three plans and compare them so you can point out the advantages of each plan to your customers

Plan A would be beneficial and practical for those who know they rarely text message. That way the basic fee plus only a few text messages could turn out a cheaper deal in a certain situation. (Plan A is the red line)

For Plan B, an advantage is that it allows unlimited text messages, so for those who text a lot, Plan B would be a good deal. (Plan B is the blue line)

For Plan C, an advantage is that the basic fee of $49.95 is just an additional $20 (less than half the amount), and the charge of cents per text message is half the amount. On the graph, plan C is the green line, and we can see that we can text more messages than Plan A for the same price.

c) A customer wants to know how to decide which plan would save her the most money. Determine which plan has the lowest cost given the number of text messages a customer is likely to send.

PLAN A
y=29.95+0.10x

y= 29.95+0.10(2000)

y= 29.95+200

y= 229.95

Since the average number of text messages sent by adults in their early twenties are 2,000, the cost for sending 2,000 text messages is $229.95.

PLAN B
y= 90.20

The cost for 2,000 text messages still remains $90.20 because Plan B allows unlimited text messages.

PLAN C
y=49.95+ 0.05x
y= 49.95+0.05(2000)
y= 49.95+ 100
y= 149.95

The cost for sending 2,000 text messages is $149.95 with Plan C.

Plan B has the lowest cost, charging only a basic fee of $90.20 and no additional charge per text message.

Monday, 25 January 2016

Seasons on Earth

When I went to Australia this winter break we went camping. Why was the temperature never as hot as it is in Singapore?

Because the sun's rays weren't shining as directly on Australia than Singapore, since Singapore is located very near the equator and the sun shines directly on the equator, therefore Singapore has a hotter climate with more direct sunlight. Australia doesn't have as direct sunlight as it isn't as close to the equator as Singapore is.

My friends went to Europe snow skiing during the winter break how could this be?

Since the earth is slightly tilted, and Europe is in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun light doesn't shine as much as on the Southern Hemisphere.

3.) During the summer break I spend my time in Holland. The sun does not set until 12;00 at night and rises around 5:00 and yet during the winter time my dutch friends complain how they hardly see sunshine, Explain.

During summertime, Holland gets direct sunlight, but as the earth rotates, by wintertime, the sunlight isn't able to reach Holland.

If you were to explain to a Singaporean who has never left the country what spring and fall were what would you say? Why does this happen and why not in Singapore?

Spring and fall happen when the sunlight from the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere slowly goes away or slowly comes back. If the Southern Hemisphere has more light, then it experiences fall as the sunlight shines brighter in the Northern Hemisphere. This doesn't happen in Singapore because Singapore lies on the equator therefore gets the same amount of sunlight every time.

Thursday, 21 January 2016

Seasons

Synopsis: The closer the place is to the equator, the hotter the climate. Daylight varies as to how direct the the sunlight shines on the place. The temperature is cooler when farther away from the sunlight and equator since the equator receives direct sunlight. That is also why places like Singapore have a hot climate since its location is very near the equator, and it never faces a cold climate.