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Introduction By Zach Arbogast • Discrete math is a class entirely apart from the usual math class in which no important or relevant information pertaining to the real world is learned. This usual math class is set up on a traditional teaching style where you are forced to cram information and do daily homework about the irrelevant problems. After you have taken a test in these classes, it is entirely normal to forget what you have learned because you have passed it. The traditional style has increasingly aggravated me for years and I finally have found something more useful. • Although there is no universally agreed upon definition of Discrete Math, I have come to define it as time has passed during this class. I define this as a polar opposite to continuous math, such as Geometry or Algebra, and it deals with the tangible types of problems occurring in the world. These can be anything from dividing shares of estate to calculating the next pattern of a series or the next iteration of a fractal. Since Discrete Math deals with tangible and practical aspects, it is much easier to grasp the concepts behind a process such as Fair Division and how it relates in actual situations whereas Algebra problems about parabolic arcs don’t have much effect on many situations.
Written Report • My personal experience with estate divisions plays in when one of my aunt’s had died and the remaining family nearby were splitting up the worldly possessions. My aunt had left a will behind to help smooth this process, but bitter family divisions still played a large part into the division. The aunt’s daughter had always been in a rivalry with my mom, and was furious when the will declared that the aunt’s jewelry would go to my mom rather than her. This promoted her to try and use legal matters to pursue said jewelry and that side of the family became a fringe that was now ignored. • Looking at Estate division and excluding all personal variables will give the effect that the process is fair. Aside from personal attachments to items when they are divided, the process is expedited when a will is used to declare which items belong to which entities. In a legal format, this is the ultimate justice system and has the least amount of liability for the lawyers. • As for the entities involved in the estate division, there is many personal variables that effect the division of the deceased’s possessions. Referring back to my experience, even a will is not exactly a fair option when dividing items. The people who will be left the items won’t see a will as fair when someone else could have received more priceless sentimental heirlooms. This can happen because the deceased hasn’t had the experiences of the successors and won’t know to leave each party with specific items and will then often make unjust divisions, in the eyes of the successors. • The system of Estate Division is a relatively simple system for dividing possessions or property amongst family of a deceased person and only becomes complicated due to social tendencies and personal connections. The social tendencies here are more about what society has engrained people with the urge to have, like people wanting to be left money or expensive property from a will. Aside from all personal afflictions during a division, the system generally works in a balanced manner and is primarily used for such reason.
Letter To a Future Student • Discrete Math is much more different than any other math class that is offered here because it has the ability to be easy and difficult at the same time. It is definitely set apart from the others mainly in how it is taught, which ends up being mostly done by yourself and your group rather than being done through lectures. As with Algebra, long tedious lectures are given followed by daily homework and tests until a repetitious pointless pattern emerges where little is learned and more is crammed. With Discrete Math though, the majority of work is left to the students to do within groups after a small explanation from the teacher is given. The most important thing to do to succeed is to ensure you understand the material and use your time right to be sure you know what's going on in the problems. This class is based almost entirely on participation since there are no tests, and a portfolio is compiled throughout the course. Be sure to add items to the portfolio as soon as you complete the units because it is harder to finish all the parts of it right before it's due. So, participate fully in each activity, keep some notes from the unit explanations, and turn in the assignments you get from the units (since there is almost no homework) and you'll be fine.
Conclusion • Discrete Math is overall based on your willingness to participate in the group activities, which make up most of the whole class anyways. This class is much more free than any other math class, and it should be respected for that because most other classes are kept in a traditional format where pointless work is assigned and is then forgotten after tests. The class is also very short and there aren’t any tests, so effort is appreciated since group projects are mostly the only thing done in here. With all that said, enjoy the class; it’s five credits and only a quarter long, so it is a smooth course.
