Gina Qualter Mod D October 15, 2010

Relationships
In todays world there are many questions that face society and a variety of ways solve each one. These questions usually involve finding the relationships between one or more objects or variables and how one affects the other. Answers to such questions come in many shapes and forms, but each question has a method that leads to an answer much more quickly than others. In the world of science it is important to find these relationships in order to find how certain objects affect each other and why. A series of models are used in order to find the trends and relationships between different variables, and it is important to know the pros and cons behind each in order to find an answer with greater speed and precision. Models range from strictly numbers, to only words, or even just a picture. Some of the most frequently used methods include a mathematical model, words, and graphs. By knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each of these three methods in particular, one can begin to see how certain ways of solving a problem are more effective than others. The easiest and most familiar way of showing a relationship is by drawing a graph. By determining the points for one or more objects on a graph, one can determine the relationship between the independent and dependent variable and, if there is more than one object, how the objects are related to each other. A graph allows a person to visually comprehend and analyze the similarities and differences between two objects or variables, and to see if a particular variable has an effect on another variable. By just looking at a graph, one can determine if the independent and dependent variable are

directly proportional, inversely proportional, and so on. Another benefit to graphing is, by using Logger Pro or other computer graphing systems, you can easily plot larger and more specific numbers on a graph and determine the relationship with greater accuracy. A drawback to graphing is that the measurements represented on a graph are downscaled from their actual size. For example, an inch on a graph is significantly smaller than the actual length of an inch in order to fit more points on the graph and help to give a basic idea of how the objects are related to one another. This leads to less precise data points and only a general idea of the relationship displayed . Also, unlike a mathematical equation, a graph cannot give you an infinite number of points. A mathematical equation can give us an infinite amount of numbers, while a graph is limited to just certain data points that one finds through data. Finally, a major con in graphing is when multiple people are interpreting a hand-drawn graph, one person may interpret it different than another. This is because the graph is most often a quick sketch in order to give the general idea and the exact data points may not be clear if they are not labeled. One person may interpret a sketched point as (0.4,0) while another may see it as (0.6,0) when in actuality the point is at (0.5,0). Another way one can determine a relationship is by using words. Words make up everything in society. In the case of determining relationships, words give a verbal description of what is occurring between two variables or objects. By using words, the correlation one may have failed to draw from the mathematical model or graph, they can understand through the written interpretation. Words tell what is specifically happening in the graph and how the two objects are related to each other. By seeing the statement, y is directly proportional to x, the mathematical model and basic sketch of the graph can be

determined very simply. A setback with using words is that one cannot solve a given problem with words alone, numbers are a must. Words are strictly used as a way of describing a relationship, not actually solving a question concerning what is happening. They are only beneficial in acting as a written interpretation not as an actual scientific way of solving the problem at hand. Also, it is not always possible to determine a numerical mathematical model or data points on a graph from the written relationship. Finally, the most frequently used way of determining a relationship is through a mathematical model. Such a model can be used to plug in numbers to determine points on a graph. These points can be used to determine the correlation between the two variables by forming a specific type of line. Also, just from a mathematical model one can determine whether the variables are directly, inversely, or indirectly proportional. If someone sees the equation, y=mx+b, they automatically know that the two variables are directly proportional. Another plus to using this method is that one can determine an infinite number of points by plugging in any number and always coming up with an answer. While there are numerous pros to using such a method, it still has its setbacks. One such setback is that determining the mathematical model without first knowing how the variables are related can be quite difficult. The other downside is that a mathematical model cannot give one a visual description of what is happening unless one plugs in a series of data points in order to find data pints to plot on a graph. Above all, a mathematical model is only useful in finding a numeric relationship if all the numeric information is given. If one can only determine the equation as, Time= (cm/s)(Height)+ s, they cannot find specific data points although the basic sketch of the graph can be determined.

Depending on the problem, there can be a variety of methods to find the correlation between multiple variables or there can be only one. By finding the pros and cons behind each type of method in finding a relationship, one can begin to find more accurate answers to the problems surrounding them. Learning how to find the appropriate technique can help lead to success in problem-solving, and help answer many unsolved questions with speed, accuracy, and precision.