Arrays in Mathematics

Arrays in Mathematics In  math, an array refers to a set of numbers or objects that will follow a specific pattern. An array is an orderly arrangement (often in rows, columns or a matrix) that is most commonly used as a visual tool for demonstrating  multiplication and division. There are many everyday examples of arrays that help with understanding the utility of these tools for quick data analysis and simple multiplication or division of large groups of objects. Consider a box of chocolates or a crate of oranges that have an arrangement of 12 across and 8 down rather than count each one, a person could multiply 12 x 8 to determine the boxes each contain 96 chocolates or oranges. Examples such as these aid in young students understanding of how multiplication and division work on a practical level, which is why arrays are most helpful when teaching young learners to multiply and divide shares of real objects like fruits or candies. These visual tools allow students to grasp how observing patterns of fast adding can help them count larger quantities of these items or divide larger quantities of items equally amongst their peers. Describing Arrays in Multiplication When using arrays to explain multiplication, teachers often refer to the arrays by the factors being multiplied. For example, an array of 36 apples arranged in six columns of six rows of apples would be described as a 6 by 6  array. These arrays help students, primarily in third through fifth grades, understand the computation process by breaking the factors into tangible pieces and describing the concept that multiplication relies on such patterns to aid in quickly adding large sums multiple times. In the six by six array, for instance, students are able to understand that if each column represents a group of six apples and there are six rows of these groups, they will have 36 apples in total, which can quickly be determined not by individually counting the apples or by adding 6 6 6 6 6 6 but by simply multiplying the number of items in each group by the number of groups represented in the array. Describing Arrays in Division In division, arrays can also be used as a handy tool to visually describe how large groups of objects can be divided equally into smaller groups. Using the above example of 36 apples, teachers can ask students to divide the large sum into equal-sized groups to form an array as a guide to the  division of apples. If asked to divide the apples equally between 12 students, for example, the class would produce a 12 by 3 array, demonstrating that each student would receive three apples if the 36 were divided equally among the 12 individuals. Conversely, if students were asked to divide the apples between three people, they would produce a 3 by 12 array, which demonstrates the Commutative Property of Multiplication that the order of factors in multiplication does not affect the product of multiplying these factors. Understanding this core concept of the interplay between multiplication and division will help students form a fundamental understanding of mathematics as a whole, allowing for quicker and more complex computations as they continue into algebra and later applied mathematics in geometry and statistics.

6 Steps to Surviving a Job as a Night Shift Nurse

6 Steps to Surviving a Job as a Night Shift Nurse Being a night shift nurse can be extremely rewarding and heroic. It can also be incredibly grueling. Before you sign up to this gig, here are a few survival tips. And for those of you with no interest in such work, read on to see some of the challenges that face these tireless heroes who do such vital, life-saving work. 1. Understand your inner clock.Your circadian clock is your internal inclination to follow a normal 24-hour cycle. It also helps to regulate many of your body processes: hormones, temperature, heart rate, etc. The more you understand about these rhythms (and how your job will mess with them), the better off you’ll be. Realize that you will naturally crave sleep between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m., and do what it takes to train your body to, well, do the opposite of what it naturally wants to do.It may not be at the ideal time every day, and you’ll likely have to schedule your sleep instead of just falling into a normal routine like everybody else yo u know, but it’s even more important for you. Get blackout curtains for your room. Use eye masks or ear plugs or white noise machines to optimize your sleep environment. Make a sleep schedule and stick to it. Make sure you get long periods of uninterrupted sleep and that your family respects these periods.2. Keeping yourself healthy is key.The healthier you are, the better prepared your body will be to survive night shifts. Keep an eye out for conditions you’re at a higher risk for than your daytime components, like insomnia, daytime drowsiness, high blood pressure, diabetes, menstrual irregularities, common colds, and weight gain. Make sure to exercise and be active- it will help you stay alert. And make sure to eat right: reach for snacks high in protein and complex sugars, rather than candy and chips. Drink plenty of water. Having a healthy home life can help reinforce all the good habits you’ll need to cultivate to stay afloat at work.3. Bond with your cowor kers.Your coworkers are like a family- even more so when you’re all working in the trenches of the night shift. It’s a much different, and often more intimate environment. Take advantage of this to really work as a team, communicating effectively, and being able to rely on each other when the going gets tough.4. Don’t overdo the caffeine.Caffeine can be your friend- it can boost your alertness just when you need it. Remember to give yourself 25 minutes or so for it to kick in. But be judicious- too much caffeine can make you jittery or affect your out-of-work sleep quality. Find a balance that works for you and doesn’t compromise your sleep.5. Schedule your home life.It’s important that you keep your home life going strong, so it’s a place of comfort and stability. This might mean having to schedule things that normal families take for granted. But it’s worth it. Make sure you’re staying in constant touch- through texts, emails , phone calls, etc. Leave post-it notes or start a bulletin board to stay connected. And make sure to have a few date nights on the books if you have a special someone.6. Know the costs.Being a night nurse is really tough. The hospital may be a bit quieter, but patients are rarely able to sleep and often are needier or more anxious at night. Your patients might even get a bit angry or disgruntled as the night progresses. You’ll also get a lot of the leftover grunt work no one in the day shift wanted to do. And if you get hungry? Forget about it. The cafeteria will long have closed.That said, if you remember to stock up on snacks and food to fuel your shift, and you can learn to adjust your inner clock (and withhold your rage at the FedEx guy or the ice cream truck), you’ll also have the benefit of an extremely important and gratifying job- and one that offers a bit more flexibility than other, more regularly scheduled gigs.