Common Core Algebra II: Music and Gender

In Fall 2015, NYS released a set of sample questions for the new Common Core Algebra II Regents. They included this question regarding independence. I've done similar questions like this with my AP Statistics students. Here, I outline how I would improve and present this question to Algebra II students. In fact, I've created two enhanced versions of this problem.

Lost in Translation, the Statistics Edition

If you speak multiple languages, then you're very much aware of words that easily get lost in translation. If you speak "Statistics," this happens just the same. Students tell me that one of the hardest things about learning Statistics is the vocabulary, learning and using the terminology correctly. Being a Statistics teacher has made me increasingly aware of certain statistical vocabulary that students, and people in general, use that often don't mean exactly what they think they mean.

Here are five statistical words and concepts that I think can sometimes get lost in translation:

Ebola Math

Like many others, I've been intently following the recent news stories about Ebola: the outbreak in West Africa, the cases in the U.S., as well as the ongoing reports about the research in the scientific community regarding treatment and a future vaccine. This media attention provides teachers a unique opportunity to discuss relevant course content with a current-event context. Students, no doubt, will be interested in learning about it from an academic perspective. The topic lends itself nicely to many approachable topics in high school math, statistics, biology, health, and social studies classes. It also can be a great way to introduce students to some basics of epidemiology, virology, medical ethics, and biostatistics.

Here are some great resources available for teachers and students who wish to use Ebola and infectious diseases as a context for learning.