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Discussion » Questions » Education » Math homework help.

Math homework help.

You are 50 km from an electric power plant. Electrons travel 10,000 meters/second through a conductor.
How long does it take an electron to travel from the power plant to where you are?

Posted - May 28, 2017

Responses


  • 16202
    It doesn't. Electricity doesn't work that way, it's more like billiards - one electron jumps sideways, dislodges another which dislodges another and so on.
      May 28, 2017 8:50 AM MDT
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  • 2217
    Looks too easy; gotta be a catch somewhere. 
      May 28, 2017 9:10 AM MDT
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  • 44177
    Yeah...trick question. The answer is never.
      May 29, 2017 8:06 AM MDT
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  • 316
    If its a typical power plant today, it will be alternating current (AC) and the electrons just keep moving back and forth, never getting anywhere. It is the energy that is transferred from the plant to your home.
      May 28, 2017 10:40 AM MDT
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  • 44177
    Correct
      May 29, 2017 8:10 AM MDT
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  • 7280
    Not all math teachers are also electrical engineers, so their questions can occasionally confusing.


    Think of the problem this way---If an electron left the power plant and had to travel 50 km to where you are and you are at a speed of 10,000 m / sec, how long would it take that electron to get there?
      May 28, 2017 11:26 AM MDT
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  • 2217
    Put like that, it's hardly math, more mid primary school arithmetic; it's not even in imperial units to make it interesting. 
      May 28, 2017 12:13 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    Yes, so easy, I assumed it was "misspoken," and I reduced it to one of its possible meanings.  Or perhaps the correct answer is, "What are you talking about."
      May 28, 2017 5:58 PM MDT
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  • 44177
    Hey,,,I'm not an English teacher.
      May 29, 2017 8:05 AM MDT
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  • 316
    Maybe he is trying to show that 10,000 meters is actually 10 km.  If you convert the meters to km, or the 50 km to 50,000 meters, it becomes basic arithmetic with an answer of 5 seconds
      May 28, 2017 4:40 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    We may never know unless  Element 99 reports back on what his teacher meant.
      May 28, 2017 5:59 PM MDT
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  • 44177
    The answer is never. I am the teacher and made it up.
      May 29, 2017 8:12 AM MDT
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  • 7280
    Oops---

    But, hey---students are used to correctly answering questions by doing certain operations which they are assume are being tested by the teacher.

    You can see even my approach was to assume you wanted an answer that involved manipulation of data rather than a critical examination of whether the question was an appropriate one---thus my attempt to make sense out of set of circumstances that didn't.

    So we gave you the benefit of the doubt when we should have been in the mode of challenging you.

    And, yes, mark my words---we student types will get you for that.  Lol (and I'm 71.) This post was edited by tom jackson at May 29, 2017 1:15 PM MDT
      May 29, 2017 1:14 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    What you are saying is that students expect there must be a proper way of solving the problem, and so will not challenge their teacher.  That says a lot about our education system as a whole, where many teachers do not invite critical thinking and challenges.  I like E99's approach.  
      May 29, 2017 1:36 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    Point taken.

    But I do think that it is reasonable for students who are taking a test in applied science to expect that "never" as opposed to "zero" or some other number is unlikely to be an acceptable answer---and / or that it should have to spending time vetting the reasonable of finding an implicit true /false question artfully hidden in the middle of a such a test.

    If you invite me on a skiing trip to the Alps in the winter, you can't reasonably expect me to automatically bring my fishing gear
      May 29, 2017 1:54 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    What his students could "reasonably" expect cannot be deduced from this post alone.  It would depend largely on his teaching method throughout the year.  
      May 29, 2017 1:59 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    I disagree---teach exceptions to a rule is counterproductive to teaching the rule itself.  This is not intended to be a philosophy class

    I would only put this question in the "extra credit" category on any test I would give.
      May 29, 2017 2:05 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    As is your right.  

    I disagree that exceptions to rules shouldn't be taught.  Just as there are different teaching methods, there are different ways that individuals learn.  Hands on, visual, etc.  For some students, it may be knowing the exceptions that enables them to grasp the rule.  

    That is you, and perhaps that is precisely what E99 did do.  Regardless, it is his classroom.
      May 29, 2017 2:16 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    The exceptions to the rules should be taught, but not in a class where all questions are appropriately expected to have answers consistent with the subject matter---unless it was indicated that this test assumed all knowledge that you have previously been taught.

    It is not at all clear to me that you have any experience in teaching.
      May 29, 2017 2:20 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    Again, it depends on his method of teaching and what he expected from his students.  

    I tutored for several years, both during and after college.  
      May 29, 2017 2:27 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    Tutoring is individuated.  Teaching a class has different requirements and expectations.

    Tutoring would be preferred in a number of instances---especially to teach what you suggest..
      May 29, 2017 2:32 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    Yes, tutoring is one-on-one or in small groups.  Students learning are the expectations of both.      

    Teaching both the rule and its exceptions is not unique to tutoring and can easily be incorporated into the classroom.  
      May 29, 2017 2:46 PM MDT
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  • 2217
    Any language teacher doing his job properly will have plenty of exceptions to teach.

    Sorry, I forgot it was a math question.

      May 29, 2017 3:28 PM MDT
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  • 44177
    Thank you.
      May 29, 2017 4:19 PM MDT
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