MAT 114 Project


This project is designed to give you an opportunity to use the material you have learned in the course to complete certain tasks.  You may choose from the following topics.  Each topic is explained in detail below:
 

Project #1 Planning a trip to a foreign country for 7 days. You are your own travel agent.  No package deals!
    The necessary components of this project include:
a. Deciding in a destination and determine how far the country is from Binghamton
b. Pricing tickets on three different airlines.  Using this information, you will decide what airline to take.
c. Determining where to stay and the total price for lodging
d. Determining what attractions you will visit and how much this will cost. Please describe the attractions.
e. Determining other costs for your trip and include them.
f. Completing a pie chart (with Excel) to show the project cost breakdown.
g. Determining the total cost of the trip in US dollars and then determining (using an exchange rate) how much it will cost in the country's currency.
h. Presenting your information to the class in a Power Point presentation.

Project #2 Looking at the planets in our solar system.
The necessary components of this project include:
a. Deciding on a planet to research.
b. Determining how far the planet is from Earth in miles.  Write the number in both scientific notation and decimal notation.
c. Finding the diameter, the orbit, and the mass of the planet.
d.  How fast does a space ship travel?  If you traveled at that speed, how long would it take you to get to the planet?
e. Finding the composition of the planet and its atmosphere.
f. Finding the masses of three other planets and completing a bar chart (using Excel) to compare their masses
g.  Finding other facts about the moons of the planet as well as some facts about the planet you found interesting.
h.  Researching three NASA space projects or researching the topic of space tourism.  Describe the topic in detail.
i. Presenting your information to the class in a Power Point presentation.

Project #3 The Geometry of Ancient Cultures
Investigate the use of geometry in two of the five suggestions listed below.  The web pages for the textbook will help you find links to good Internet sources for this project.

a.  Study the use of geometry in ancient Chinese art and architecture
b.  Investigate the use of geometry and the purpose of Stonehenge.
c.  Compare and contrast the geometry of the Egyptian pyramids and those of Central America
d.  Study the geometry and possible astronomical orientations of Anasazi buildings and communities
e.  Research the use of geometry in the ancient African empire of Aksum (in modern day Ethiopia)

*** Present your information to the class in a Power Point presentation.

Project #4 Connecting Mathematics and Music
Investigate two of the three suggestions listed below.  The web pages for the textbook will help you find links to good Internet sources for this project.

a.  Study the connection between math and music in some depth.
b.  Web sites are under attack for violating copyright laws by making music available digitally. Find one such web site; describe how it works both from the user's standpoint and from a commercial standpoint.  Do you think the site's use of music is legal?  Is it ethical? Defend your opinions.
c.  Many musical composers have used mathematics in their compositions.  Research the life of one such composer.  Discuss the role of mathematics in the composer's life and music.

*** Present your information to the class in a Power Point presentation.

Project #5 Connecting Art and Mathematics
Investigate two of the four suggestions listed below.  The web pages for the textbook will help you find links to good Internet sources for this project.

a. Study the connections between art and mathematics in some depth.
b.  Visit and art museum in the Web and study its online connection.  Describe a few pieces in which ideas of symmetry are important. Be sure to include links to the museum in your presentation
c.  M.C. Escher used mathematics in his art.  Research his life and choose one of this works and discuss his use of perspective.
Be sure to include links to the art in your presentation.
d.  Study the Penrose tilings.  Learn more about the nature and uses of these tilings.  Be sure to include links to the tilings in your presentation

*** Present your information to the class in a Power Point presentation.

MAT 114 Project Due Dates
In the case of all projects, you must complete the Word document template as part of your project grade
 
 
 
Due Date 
 Description

PART I 
Sept 19
Decide which project you are interested in completing. 


Write what project you are doing and in the case of: 

Project #1: What country will travel to 
Project #2: What planet you will research. 
Project #3: The two areas of focus for your geometry research. 
Project #4: The area of math and music you would like to discuss 
Project #5: The area of art and math you would like to discuss. 
Fill in Part I of the Word document template and save this as a Word Document on your M drive. 

Submit completed Part I of the Project Template to your instructor.

PART II 
Oct. 3
Locate at least two Internet sources 


Locate at least one non Internet source (these include journals, books, newspapers, educational videos etc.) 

Fill in Part II of the Word document template and save it to your M drive. 

Submit completed Part II of the Project Template to your instructor.

PART III 
November 5
 
Put the required information for your project in a coherent essay. 
Fill in Part III of the word document template and save it to your M drive. 

Submit your completed project write-up.  This is your final draft and should include all three parts of the project. 

This assignment must be at least 500-600 words and must be typed in Word on pages 3 and 4 of the word document template and saved on your M drive. Submit all completed pages of the word document template to your instructor

PART IV 
November 12,14,19,21,26
Power Point presentation 
Power Point Template Project 1
Power point Template Project 2
 Power point Template Project 3,4,5
This is a 5-minute presentation that must include all of the requested components on the slides 
1. Power Point Hints 
Importing a Graph into PowerPoint