Math Portfolio Topic Ideas

[Hellobox]

So, our teacher has finally given us the long dreaded math portfolio(for me at least). She has also given us two examples of the previous math portfolios (one good, one bad), BUT they are both statistics. Also I've been looking around for a while and no where does it state how to formulate a topic! Except for creating a topic in something I like. Could anyone provide me with tips or examples of how to create a topic? I've been stuck on it for a while...

Edited February 8, 2014 by Hellobox

[Emmi]

The best place to start is to think of what areas of math you like and are good at, and then to think of real-world applications where you could use that math. For example, if you liked calculus you could use it to design a building under certain constraints (there was an old HL portfolio on this) or if you liked probability you could set up possible outcomes for a given scenario and find the chances of their outcomes and see how that affects a casino. Additionally, you could find an existing theorem or rule in mathematics that you find interesting and set up an investigation around that and seeing where it's applicable in real life.

[Hellobox]

The best place to start is to think of what areas of math you like and are good at, and then to think of real-world applications where you could use that math. For example, if you liked calculus you could use it to design a building under certain constraints (there was an old HL portfolio on this) or if you liked probability you could set up possible outcomes for a given scenario and find the chances of their outcomes and see how that affects a casino. Additionally, you could find an existing theorem or rule in mathematics that you find interesting and set up an investigation around that and seeing where it's applicable in real life.

Based on what you've said, I looked into the math topics I was good at. And I wondered, and still wonder about this thing about roads. You know when there is an intersection, and they have that green arrow that signals the cars from your side of the road and the opposite side to turn? They don't usually collide if the driver doesn't slip up in some way. So when I was studying asymptotes, I thought that maybe when they were building roads, they used the asymptotes as lines that wouldn't be touched so cars wouldn't collide like this: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/05158/index_clip_image004_0000.gif

Problem is, I don't know how much math I can incorporate into this. Plus to get good marks in the portfolio, we need to demonstrate math beyond the curriculum right?

[Emmi]

The best place to start is to think of what areas of math you like and are good at, and then to think of real-world applications where you could use that math. For example, if you liked calculus you could use it to design a building under certain constraints (there was an old HL portfolio on this) or if you liked probability you could set up possible outcomes for a given scenario and find the chances of their outcomes and see how that affects a casino. Additionally, you could find an existing theorem or rule in mathematics that you find interesting and set up an investigation around that and seeing where it's applicable in real life.

Based on what you've said, I looked into the math topics I was good at. And I wondered, and still wonder about this thing about roads. You know when there is an intersection, and they have that green arrow that signals the cars from your side of the road and the opposite side to turn? They don't usually collide if the driver doesn't slip up in some way. So when I was studying asymptotes, I thought that maybe when they were building roads, they used the asymptotes as lines that wouldn't be touched so cars wouldn't collide like this: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/05158/index_clip_image004_0000.gif

Problem is, I don't know how much math I can incorporate into this. Plus to get good marks in the portfolio, we need to demonstrate math beyond the curriculum right?

I can't really comment too much about your choice of topic, unfortunately.

But as for the math aspect, you don't really have to demonstrate things that are "way beyond" the curriculum (if you're in SL math they don't expect you to be able to use a Taylor series in your portfolio), but I believe you do have to demonstrate math at about the same level or slightly above what you learn in class.

[Hellobox]

The best place to start is to think of what areas of math you like and are good at, and then to think of real-world applications where you could use that math. For example, if you liked calculus you could use it to design a building under certain constraints (there was an old HL portfolio on this) or if you liked probability you could set up possible outcomes for a given scenario and find the chances of their outcomes and see how that affects a casino. Additionally, you could find an existing theorem or rule in mathematics that you find interesting and set up an investigation around that and seeing where it's applicable in real life.

Based on what you've said, I looked into the math topics I was good at. And I wondered, and still wonder about this thing about roads. You know when there is an intersection, and they have that green arrow that signals the cars from your side of the road and the opposite side to turn? They don't usually collide if the driver doesn't slip up in some way. So when I was studying asymptotes, I thought that maybe when they were building roads, they used the asymptotes as lines that wouldn't be touched so cars wouldn't collide like this: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/05158/index_clip_image004_0000.gif

Problem is, I don't know how much math I can incorporate into this. Plus to get good marks in the portfolio, we need to demonstrate math beyond the curriculum right?

I can't really comment too much about your choice of topic, unfortunately.

But as for the math aspect, you don't really have to demonstrate things that are "way beyond" the curriculum (if you're in SL math they don't expect you to be able to use a Taylor series in your portfolio), but I believe you do have to demonstrate math at about the same level or slightly above what you learn in class.

Alright, but can you at least tell me if this is a potential good topic? Because I honestly don't know. If not, I'll keep thinking

[Emmi]

Alright, but can you at least tell me if this is a potential good topic? Because I honestly don't know. If not, I'll keep thinking

As it currently sits, probably not because you can't really employ a lot of math to do much. If you are still interested in functions in the real world, you could try using functions to model a situation and exploring how they are used, and if there is an advantage to one function over the other. You could pick a particular type of function to explore (power functions, for example) or a general class (linear functions, non-linear functions, or whatever).

[Hellobox]

Alright, but can you at least tell me if this is a potential good topic? Because I honestly don't know. If not, I'll keep thinking

As it currently sits, probably not because you can't really employ a lot of math to do much. If you are still interested in functions in the real world, you could try using functions to model a situation and exploring how they are used, and if there is an advantage to one function over the other. You could pick a particular type of function to explore (power functions, for example) or a general class (linear functions, non-linear functions, or whatever).

When you say functions to model a situation, you mean like a real life problem right? But a particular real life problem. Like if I wanted to shoot a spider with a slingshot that was 2 metres away, what would the chances be? Or something like that?

[Emmi]

Alright, but can you at least tell me if this is a potential good topic? Because I honestly don't know. If not, I'll keep thinking

As it currently sits, probably not because you can't really employ a lot of math to do much. If you are still interested in functions in the real world, you could try using functions to model a situation and exploring how they are used, and if there is an advantage to one function over the other. You could pick a particular type of function to explore (power functions, for example) or a general class (linear functions, non-linear functions, or whatever).

When you say functions to model a situation, you mean like a real life problem right? But a particular real life problem. Like if I wanted to shoot a spider with a slingshot that was 2 metres away, what would the chances be? Or something like that?

Yes, a real-life problem. You can make up the real-world problem, or you could find a set of data (or even take a set of data yourself) and come up with a model for it. You probably don't want to go with the spider thing But things like population statistics and growth/decay models for anything from business to science to whatever are good places to begin looking. Some people design things using physics to bring in calculus and geometry, and so forth.