Leadership Effectiveness Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Leadership Effectiveness Report - Essay Example If we were to look around ourselves, there are millions of examples that make an attempt at essaying the characteristics that make an ordinary person a leader - a hero for a lifetime. Whether it is in our movies, art or literature - there have been constant portrayals of leaders and their qualities. Such qualities are singled out as the most effective when it comes to possessing a commanding personality, understanding and harnessing the dynamics of human behaviour and finally, as well as performing under high pressure and trying situations. These leaders have been inspiration for the masses and their leadership skills have entire theories dedicated to the same. In this context, it is extremely important to understand that no leader is perfect and that his or her result orientations will not always reap the accurate benefits owing to unforeseen circumstances or even certain personal flaws. This has a strong implication in the realistic analysis of the leader and his or her leadership skills. On this basis, we will carry out a study of optimum effectiveness in a particular leader in a typically corporate setting. The person in question is Chief Executive's CEO of the year for the year 2006 - A.G Lafley of Procter and Gamble. This choice has facilitated analysis on the basis of a competing values framework where we will study the situational leadership theory and the five models that form its elements. Also, we will start by emphasizing on the election issues that face the criteria managers when working on such a framework. In doing so, we will set a context for discussion of Lafley's traits and effectiveness of the same as core leadership values where Procter and Gamble's basic policies are concerned. Competing Values Framework As a company that took off on the strength demonstrated by a candle maker named William Procter and a soap maker called James Gamble in 1837, Procter and Gamble was a company that started out by producing soaps and candles, only to deviate and set up factories producing a plethora of products like radio programs, fabric softeners and the very popular Pampers for babies, among many others. Caught in the midst of various battles revolving around issues like animal testing, downsizing, logo controversy and toxic shock syndrome and tampons, this company was at the receiving end of several critical lawsuits. In 2005, it suffered $12 million due to these reasons. Most were of the view that Procter and Gamble was over - a dysfunctional company. Most but one - A G Lafey as the CEO of the company delivered it back to its original splendor and how. (www.pg.com) This shows a nuance of putting the right man in the right job - in other words, a foolproof selection process. A.G Lafey is a man who has defied the barriers that come in the way of an effective election process. In distributed systems, leader election is a dynamic concept that can cause various interrelated processes to participate and crash at the same time. In this context, the usual point to point communication is replaced by buffered broadcasting to replicate effective process communication. To study Lafey's contribution and his effectiveness more critically, I will resort to a leader election protocol design's blueprint that is set in a dynamic context so as to study his effectiveness as a leader in terms of the

Kodak and Fujifilm Essay Example for Free

Kodak and Fujifilm Essay Kodak, which was once known as Eastman Kodak Company, was founded by George Eastman in 1888. This invention enabled inventor Thomas Edison to create the first motion picture camera in 1891. Kodak’s photography and imaging was its main big thing and was widely used from photography equipment to film, paper and color chemicals. Kodak set the standards high for quality when making its motion picture films. (Kodak) In the 1980’s, Kodak’s market share reached 90%. In the 1800’s he also invented an emulsion-coating machine which enabled him to mass-produce photographic dry plates, he was one of the first to prove the great convenience of gelatin dry plates over the cumbersome and messy wet plate photography prevalent in his day. Dry plates could be exposed and developed at the photographers convenience; wet plates had to be coated, exposed at once, and developed while still wet. The name Kodak was born and the KODAK camera was placed on the market, with the slogan, You press the button we do the rest. (Kodak) Kodak went on to become one of the biggest expanding the major impact it brought to pictures. It grew into helping the health industry by devising films that detected radiation exposure for developing the atomic bomb. (Kodak) Kodak went on to play significant roles with joint ventures from Nasa, Sun Chemical, and other big ventures. By 1962 the company’s U. S. consolidated sales exceed $1 billion for the first time. Its work force tops 75,000. Today Kodak’s estimated total market capitalization is about $900 million (Forbes) Kodak was a pioneer of photography and imaging and that was its core business. Kodak came before Fujifilm and was able to evolve and adapt quickly to the market changes. In January 2012, Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and in January 2013 it exited bankruptcy. Kodak’s downfall I think was that it was not able to keep up with the technology changes and multiple new waves of how it evolved. Ethics and social responsibility was on its side because of the good it did for the world through the company’s research and the profit margin showed that. Being able to help NASA and hospitals showed there ethical practices. Customers were satisfied and they trusted the brand. Obviously for them to have gone bankrupt means there was a breakdown in financial strategies and decision making. Fujifilm was established in 1934 with the aim of producing photographic films. Over the decades we have diversified into new markets and built a strong presence around the globe. It was founded by (Fujifilm. com) It emerged with its photographic film manufacturing industry and then began operating, producing photographic film, print paper, dry plates, and other photosensitive materials. It went through several name changes starting as Fuji Photo film and ending up as Fujifilm. Fujifilm may have started as a manufacturer of photographic film, but the companys decision to branch into many areas of business including a transition to a digital camera manufacturer in the past several years has been a successful one. (camersabout. com) Fuji has crossed over into hospitals providing x-rays and medical imaging. Fujifilm has offered photographic film, motion picture film, color reversal film slides, microfilm, color negatives, 8mm motion picture film, and videotape. Beyond film, the company also has offered computer storage tape, computer floppy disks, and offset printing plates. Fujifilm made its first digital still camera in 1988, the DS-1P, and it was the worlds first digital camera with removable media. The company also created the first one-time-use recyclable film camera, the Quick Snap, in 1986. (Cameras about. com) Fuji dominated overseas and has embraced change and diversity to become a more effective force for a better future. Fujifilm has continued to maximize other resources effectively to achieve healthy growth.. In 2007, Fujifilm cameras ranked eighth worldwide in number of digital cameras manufactured, with about 8. 3 million units, according to a Techno Systems Research report. Fujifilm cameras, sometimes shortened to Fuji cameras, held a market share of about 6. 3%. (fujifilm. com) they too have been innovators and there management strategies have kept them on top and out of trouble such as bankruptcy. Kodak was not quick as Fuji was to adapt and they adapted quickly to stay well liked in the marketplace. They went from just hot in Japan to being second in the lead below Kodak in film usage, Both companies show what their approach to ethics and social responsibility are by their profits and success. It takes good decision making, quick turn around, and constant change to ensure diversity with any company. Flexibility, the right marketing, and speed are important in decision making. Fuji was smart and aggressive going from overseas to the global market with their low prices that made for a powerful marketing strategy. 1984 Los Angeles Olympics put them on the map when they became the official film of the event. Kodak made bad investments that caused them to eventually go bankrupt. It acquired Sterling drug for 1. 5 billion in January of 1988 and it turned out to be a bad investment and they wind up selling it off. Once it started falling the CEO was not able to revive it. Both companies made photography and imaging as their core business but Fuji even though it started later had the better adaptability. Fuji stayed reinventing itself and evolved with the change to invent better products. Kodak seems to come to a standstill even when the smart phone was introduced. When making decisions to build in flexibility you need to access the option, define the problem, adjust your approach and have innovative thinking. (Houston chronicle, by Amber Keefer, Demand Media) Before proceeding with you of action you have to choose an adequate course of action, and then you define the problem. Gather information, evaluating possible solutions and estimating the outcomes are crucial steps in the decision-making process. The objective is to take a situation from its current circumstances and move it toward a future goal. When making decisions you have to understand what you need to change and come up with ideas on how to improve the situation. After analyzing the problem, the next step is to find a solution before making a decision and implementing changes. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of the options available. Think about the value of the actions you can take. After you decide on a solution, you might want to change your approach.. Evaluate new information as it becomes available to you. Flexibility in decision making allows you to learn from your mistakes and then move toward a successful outcome. When you prepare to implement change, it is important to consider your organization’s future needs and objectives. You have to consider various options as solutions to a problem tend to put more thought into making decisions. Critical thinking is important. Flexibility in problem solving is key and involves interpreting information, drawing conclusions and considering the implications. A decision maker must identify weaknesses of the situation and move to remove it from the equation. Then finally as you approach the final decision change often requires adjusting your approach to meet the unexpected. Keeping an open mind is important when considering the overall situation and looking at all facets of the problem. Building flexibility in decision making requires that you be receptive to change. Even the best-laid plans hit unanticipated obstacles. The key is to know when to adjust your approach. Effective decision makers demonstrate the ability to shift priorities as the need arises and show a willingness to achieve objectives by taking advantage of new opportunities. (Houston chronicle, by Amber Keefer, Demand Media) Kodak was first out the door in the business industry but made some financial mistakes that cost them in the end. They were not fast paced like Fuji with keeping up with the industryand keeping their technology current. Fuji looked for newer marketing strategies to please their customers and kept evolving. That would explain their success today. , Fujifilm has transformed itself into a solidly profitable business, with a market capitalization, even after a rough year, of some $12. 6 billion to Kodak’s $220m (petapixel. com) Kodak filed a lawsuit against Fuji claiming they had infringed on Kodak’s digital photography patents.

Plagiarism, Cheating and the Internet Essay -- Plagiarism Online

Plagiarism, Cheating and the Internet Cyber cheating is defined as â€Å"the use of technology tools in inappropriate ways for academic work.†(Conradson & Hernandez- Ramos, 2004, p1) Although technology has dramatically advanced our society in many positive ways, one negative aspect of technology is its effects on student cheating. Many believe that the internet is the â€Å"number one sociable force which leads students to plagiarize.† (Mayfield, 2001, p1) There is an increasing number of online cheating websites which students use. Along with these sites come programs which help teachers and professors detect student plagiarism. Besides the internet students have found ways to use watches, cell phones, calculators, and PDA’s to help them cheat on tests or other assignments. Of the students who do cheat the majority of them believe that what they are doing is not wrong and they feel that copying answers is not even considered cheating. In many ways the internet is one of the easiest ways for children to cheat through school. With the click of a mouse students can access websites where they can easily purchase term papers and essays on hundreds of topics. â€Å"Search engines such as Google can find over a million resources for students trying to buy term papers, some of which sell for more than ten dollars a page.† (Toosi, 2004, p1) There are three main types of websites students use to cheat; lecture note sites, term paper and essay sites and editorial services sites. The first two types of websites offer some free services and others can charge anywhere from five to five hundred dollars. Websites such as Academictermpapers.com and Cheaters.com offer a variety of papers including book reports, file p... ... Plagiarism in the Internet Era: a wake up call. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited. Mayfield, K. (2001, Sep 4) Cheating’s Never Been Easier. Retrieved October 12, 2004 from http://www.jr.co.il/articles/cheating.txt McMuntry, K. (2001). E Teaching: Combating a 21st Century Challenge. T.H.E. Journal, 29, 36-38, 40-41. Newman, A.M. (n.d.) 21st Century Cheating. Retrieved October 12, 2004 from http://www.scholastic.com/schoolage/grade5/h0omework/cheating.htm Toosi, N. (2003, Jan 18) Internet gives rise to a bold new era in college-student cheating. Retrieved November 9, 2004 from http://www,jsonline.com/news/metro/jan04/201001.asp Sotaridona, L. & Van der Linden, Wim. A Statistical Test for Detecting Answer Copying on Multiple-Choice Tests. Research Report. Twente Univ., Enschede (Netherlands). Faculty of Educational Science and Technology, 1-27.

American Ethnic Literature Essay

What does it mean to be inclusive of â€Å"ethnic† literature in American â€Å"English† classrooms? Educators across the country struggle to comply with industry standards as well as their own sense of what â€Å"globalization in literature† may comprise. The ideology of teaching the British canon is breaking down, particularly in the wake of the post-colonial criticism movement two decades ago, as well as the more immediate and pervasive influence of the World Wide Web, which connects people in different countries with different communication practices at the speed of fingers tapping on a keyboard. Diversifying the standard literary canon to include writers and character of different cultural and racial backgrounds means opening the master list of great works to marginalized text and voices. Ideally, the goal of including â€Å"ethnic† literature into the American education traditional should be to create a more complete view of the American culture as a great cultural melting pot and expose the ways in which all Americans share â€Å"Otherness. † Multicultural literature carries with it certain stereotypes as to what gets included and what gets excluded. Part of this is a response to the reader’s own ignorance or misinformation. Mary Frances Pipino wrote that â€Å"Students often are unaware of their own cultural values and the ways their values can be contradictory or ambivalent.. † For example, a person may consider The House on Mango Street to be â€Å"multicultural† in that the author, Sandra Cisneros, speaks Spanish and her main character, Esperanza, relates the effect cultural machismo has on her life as a young Hispanic woman. The novel Ceremony functions in a similar way. Author Leslie Silko gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a young Native American man, describing his violent experience as a soldier and as a man caught between cultures in a turbulent physical environment. The main character, Tayo, functions as both an entry point for readers unfamiliar with Native American culture, and as the ubiquitous â€Å"Outsider† even in the Native American community. Both of these texts conflate the â€Å"traditional† American experience (that is, the paternal Anglo-Saxon Christian experience) with the experience of the â€Å"outsider† (the disenfranchised racial minority). Silko and Cisneros incorporate ethnicity as a factor that both unites and repels. Esperanza struggles against the expectations of her culture as she dedicates herself to her studies and writing. Tayo is at home neither in the â€Å"white† community where he is physically Other, or in the Native American community, where his â€Å"whiteness† is known regardless of its visibility. Readers and students have an opportunity to read about a culture that is perhaps different from their own , or perhaps novels such as these are an opportunity to see racially similar characters as protagonists rather than antagonists or worse, utterly marginalized if ever present background noise. Traditionally, American students have had to satiate themselves on a steady diet of Caucasian male central characters. Studies in literature often revolve around the icons of English writing, such as Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, and Dickens. American authors honored as â€Å"canonical† include Irving, Hawthorne, Twain, Emerson and Whitman. To a large extent, these rightly revered poets and novelists fore-grounded characters with similar visages. Hamlet and Romeo seem essentially â€Å"white† and noble, and their exploits are generally understandable to a Western-minded reading audience. Wordsworth’s reflections and Dickens’ soulful hero, Pip, are both embodiments of natural man as a participant in both Nature and the wilderness of the Industrial revolution. Hawthorne, Irving and Twain all convey elements of the American pioneering spirit, as well as the dangers of forging out into unknown and often hostile environs. Again, these American protagonists routinely mimic the author’s face in the mirror. This picture of the traditional English Literature syllabus in its barest of bones unquestionably gives rise to the sort of charges levied against it by New Historicists, Post-Colonialists, and gender studies scholars. Laurie Grobman (2004) wrote, â€Å"In 1990 The Heath Anthology of American Literature was published under the sponsorship of the Reconstructing American Literature project (RAL) of the Feminist Press. † She credited Paul Lauter’s research as she went on to write, â€Å"Inspired by the Civil Rights movements, the RAL project attempted to redress the limited, exclusionary conception of â€Å"American literature† represented in most university curricula, syllabi, and anthologies, and to affirm the literature classroom as a potential site of social and political change† (2004, p. 81). The study of literature has been a limited one in the sense of variety and diversity, but obvious and deliberate steps were being taken. Perhaps on one hand, it can be said that the study of literature is most naturally conducted in one’s primary language, thus negating the study of Spanish, Russian or French tomes (for example). Thus, British and American-born writers should obviously comprise the canon. Grobman wrote that, however, â€Å"†¦certain texts by writers of color have become ‘canonized’ in the sense that they are frequently taught, studied, and even anthologized both as part of a larger canon of American literature and as part of canons within specific racialized ethnic literary and critical communities,† (2004, p. 83). The issue of translation is still a challenging one, as early editions of what is now considered classic literature were poorly and inefficiently translated from their native language into English. Unique linguistic nuances, which both added to the words on the page and also reflected the ideas and values of the particular culture for whom that language is native, were irreparably lost. Unfortunately, those nuances were not as valued as the ability to read the text in English, and such disrespect was costly. Thankfully, more attention is paid today on both the sensitivity of the translation and skill of the translator. The original standard of thinking, surely flawed and wretchedly narrow of scope, ignores how language mimics society at large. That is, the English language is itself in a constant state of growth, adaptation, modulation and reconditioning. Other languages play a unique role in the English language’s evolution, particularly in the United States, where languages are over-lapped, superimposed and threaded through each other to form new expressions. The Oxford English Dictionary, considered one of if not the authentic authority on the English language, regularly updates its immense record of words and their individual biographies. Holly E. Martin (2005) wrote: For multilingual authors, switching between two or more languages is not an arbitrary act, nor is it simply an attempt to mimic the speech of their communities; code-switching results from a conscious decision to create a desired effect and to promote the validity of authors’ heritage languages. Literary code- switching between Spanish and English, English and Chinese, and English and a Native American language†¦creates a multiple perspective and enhances the authors’ ability to express their subjects. Also, by including their ethnic languages, writers lay claim to the languages of their communities and resist the dominance of English by proposing that these languages can accompany English in the creation of works of US literature. (p. 403) If the language fluctuates due to outside influences, should it not be part of the process to examine those languages also, particularly when the reader can see first hand how the languages interact? Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street is an excellent example of the role ethnic literature can and should play: Esperanza’s voice effortlessly glides between English and Spanish, revealing few if any linguistic speed bumps. Her voice is, perhaps, is a representation of the idealized cultural blend—she is the embodiment of a truly integrated person. The reader is offered a glimpse of a seamless blend of both languages, representing both cultures as mutually complimenting each other rather than as existing as binaries. Indeed, the languages are not binaries, as they both come from the same root. Martin went on to suggest: †¦the inclusion of languages other than English in US literature is a natural artistic development for the novel (and for other genres of literature as well). Ethnic minorities and their languages are part of the social stratification of the United States, and therefore, a mixture of languages within literary works—and varieties within those languages— reflects the dialogue that occurs regularly within the US. (2005, p. 404) This sense of fluidity can offer a sense of regeneration, or absolute creation. Martin wrote, â€Å"The mixing of cultures and languages along the Mexican/US border can have a synergistic effect, creating a third mode of expression that leads to a more multidimensional understanding of human life in general, (2005, p. 407). This blending has other, darker consequences, however. In the text, Esperanza’s voice may blend, but her life experience certainly does not. She, like Tayo, feels little sense of acceptance and integration in either of her two â€Å"worlds. † Like Tayo, that disconnectedness manifests in violence and pain. The ethnic literature invites readers to experience the pain of enforced or assumed binary identities. The term â€Å"ethic† takes on the countenance of â€Å"other;† the person termed â€Å"ethnic† the non-white, often female, often non-Christian character. This character’s differences are highlighted as that which makes her â€Å"Other. † Esperanza is not ethnic because she is a writer; she is â€Å"ethnic† because she is born into a Mexican-American family. She is part of the greater immigrant tradition that forms the basis for contemporary American culture. This immigrant status gets revised for Ceremony, in which Tayo is the true Native, being cast in the role of Other by the immigrant Anglo-Saxons. Silko complicates the matter by having Tayo go to war as an American soldier, thus leveling him with the â€Å"violent conqueror† image of Americana as well as marking him as yet another Other/Outsider. Unfortunately, including stories of ethnic otherness can create a challenging set of questions and resistances in a class that has largely been kept free of challenges to the literary status quo. Pipino wrote: If the purpose of the course [that Pipino taught] was to invite moral introspection through imaginative participation in the life of the â€Å"Other,† then students frequently found themselves in the shoes of an â€Å"Other† whose hard work and desire were not guarantees of success which, as we discuss at the beginning of the course, is an essential part of the rhetoric of the American Dream. Thus, students’ resistant responses may reflect not just â€Å"compassion fatigue,† but a real fear that the hard work in which they are engaged as college students may not yield success; the failures of the protagonists of fictional narratives perhaps pose a threat to the optimism with which they regard their own futures, that is, their own narratives. (2005, p. 179). That is, the narrative of the Other may be a little too â€Å"dark† for readers who are (or who imagine themselves to be) part of the majority establishment. This response is certainly not the goal or object of introducing ethnic literature into the study of the American literary experience. Readers who forget that value systems differ across racial and cultural lines, and attempt to impose their own understandings as a steadfast â€Å"norm,† find themselves unable to reconcile the way characters of differing ethnic origin engage in their environments. The level of anger deployed against the white establishment in certain works of fiction and poetry can become overwhelming if not carefully and conscientiously dissected. Reading the Other can and should give the audience an opportunity to either experience being an outsider for the first time, or more likely, remind that person of the experience and engender feeling of sympathy for the character and the situation. The emotional response of being â€Å"tired of feeling bad for people† is a misguided and misplaced one, as it does nothing to enrich one’s life or the lives of others. Ethic literature should function as a safe, secure environment where common humanistic themes such as feeling a part of a greater whole while simultaneously honoring one’s past can be explored using a variety of lenses. Regardless of race, creed, sex or age, all people have had the opportunity to experience some variety of â€Å"otherness† in their lives. Those who choose to ignore or forget the experience are most often the people who perpetuate great cruelty in the world. Literature can and should function as a means to explore other value sets and other cultural identities not to simply shrug and admire the view, but to begin to identify ways in which our differences are actually the themes we share in common. Fiction and poetry offer readers the tools to transcend the often bitter real-life experiences people have that reinforce imaginary (and authentic) boundaries between cultures and people. Division and classification are part of the human psyche’s attempt to deconstruct and â€Å"understand† the world around us. As a fertile landscape owing all to the readers’ mind, literature can meet needs and expectations in a way that reality cannot, and it is the reader’ opportunity to find the connectedness in the midst of the difference. References Cisneros, S. (1984) The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage. Grobman, L. (2005). The Value and Valuable Work of Multi-ethnic Literature. MELUS, 29(3/4), 81-90. Martin, H. (2005). Code-switching in US ethnic literature: multiple perspectives presented through multiple languages. Changing English: Studies in Culture & Education, 12(3), 403-415. Pipino, M. (2005). Resistance and the Pedagogy of Ethnic Literature. MELUS, 30(2), 175- 190. Silko,L. (1977). Ceremony. New York: Penguin.

Cultural Relativism: A Way of Life Essay

â€Å"If you are my baby, it don’t matter if you’re black or white.† These words reverberate in my mind as I heard the news about Michael Jackson’s death. His song, Black or White is one of my favorites because it talks about a father’s acceptance of his child despite the baby’s color. Later, when I encountered the term cultural relativism in school, I understood better what the song wants to promote, and how this can be accomplished. Cultural relativism is commonly known as the practice of accepting and living harmoniously with people of different cultures. If we observe our society today, we will notice different kinds of people—Africans, Caucasians, Asians, Latinos, and a lot of mixtures coexist. Cultural relativism is what allows them to live in peace with each other, to accept and respect other cultures like they do their own. Considering the present scenario, we may say that cultural relativism is not just a practice or aspect of life, it is already a way of life, a must for every person to live and prosper. Ideally, a society that adheres to cultural relativism allows the existence and exchange of different cultures. Although this has not been fully realized in many places, we can guarantee that it is already a common aspect of the learning environment. In school, students get the chance to interact with others, and discover aspects of different cultures. Everyday interaction with Asians, African-Americans, and Latin Americans allows us to see that after all, it is not difficult to coexist with different people. Often, all we need is to provide opportunities for interaction and sharing. Specifically, in my dealings with different cultures, I learned to appreciate the hard work of the Chinese, the ingenuity of the Japanese, the friendliness of Filipinos, the family values of the Latinos, and the cool attitude of the African-Americans. Cultural relativism has helped me appreciate different cultures, and allowed me to grow more maturely. To practice cultural relativism, I personally follow three steps. First, I try to analyze why people are behaving the way they do. I rely on my background knowledge to analyze the situation. Next, I observe and see the positive effects of their practice, and third, I try to find more information about the practice by inquiring from the person or researching online. For example, seeing the Chinese sip the soup out of the bowl without using spoon initially made me felt indifferent. However, in applying cultural relativism, I tried to analyze why they do this instead of using a spoon. Then, I realized that the Chinese use chopsticks instead of spoon, making it impossible to have the soup without sipping it directly from the bowl. Also, one time I encountered a Japanese documentary showing a man perfecting a sword. He seemed mindless of the fire he used to shape the sword, and from there I wondered why the Japanese give such importance to swords when guns are more reliable for protection. Due to this, I searched the Internet for answers, and found out that perfecting swords is part of the Japanese Samurai culture, the military men in the history of Japan. I learned that the Samurais treat swords as their companion in battle, and swords serve as representations of them. Therefore, a Samurai’s sword should be well-kept at all times because it is a family inheritance and symbol of honor. Knowledge of others’ culture definitely helps us understand and appreciate them. However, there are also practices which I believe I cannot accept even though I already have a good grasp of cultural relativism. One of these is the suicide killing done by 9/11 hijackers. Unlike the Japanese version of suicide which hopes to express a person’s regret for a mistake committed, suicide killing among the Muslims intends to kill non-Muslims on the bases of religious and political conflicts. What makes it truly wrong is killing innocent people for some selfish intent. Considering this, cultural relativism becomes a difficult aspect of reality, similar to pushing a child to swallow a whole fresh egg straight to the stomach.

Triangles on ACT Math Geometry Guide and Practice Problems

Triangles on ACT Math Geometry Guide and Practice Problems SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you thought the ACT was a big fan of circles, then brace yourself for its absolutely shameless love of triangles. In one breath, you may be expected to find the various dimensions of an obtuse triangle, and the next, an isosceles right triangle. ACT triangle problems will be as numerous as they are varied, so make sure you familiarize yourself with all the different types before test day. This will be your complete guide to ACT trianglesthe types of triangles that will show up on the ACT, the formulas you’ll need to know to solve them, and the strategies you’ll need to apply when approaching a triangle question. We’ll also break down real ACT math problems and give you the walk-throughs on how to most efficiently and effectively tackle any and all triangle problems you come up against. What Are Triangles? Before we go through how to solve a triangle problem, let’s discuss the basics. A triangle is a flat figure made up of three straight lines that connect together at three angles. The sum of these angles is 180 °. Each of the three sides of a triangle is called a â€Å"leg† of the triangle, and the largest (longest) leg is called the â€Å"hypotenuse.† The angle opposite the hypotenuse will always be the largest of the three angles. The sum of any two legs of a triangle must always be greater than the measure of the third side. Why? Because when the sum of two lines is smaller than the measure a third line, they cannot all connect to form a triangle. Triangles that have legs which sum only slightly more than the hypotenuse are quite long and skinny, but they still make the â€Å"bump† of a triangle because they combine to be longer than the third side. But if the legs are too short, they will never meet, no matter how shallow the angle. And if the lines are the exact length of the hypotenuse, then they will flatten to a perfectly straight line, overlapping the hypotenuse precisely. Let's look at an example ACT problem of this kind: A triangle has side lengths of 6 inches and 9 inches. If the third side is an integer, what is the least possible perimeter, in inches, of the triangle? 4 15 18 19 29 We know, based on our rules for the side lengths of triangles, that the sum of two sides must be greater than the third. Because we are trying to find the smallest perimeter, we must find our missing side by taking the difference of our two leg lengths: $9 - 6 = 3$ Considering the sum of two legs must be greater than the third side, our missing side must be greater than 3. (Why? Because $6 + 3 = 9$ and we need the sum to be larger than 9.) If our missing side is an integer value (which we are told is true), and we are trying to find the minimum perimeter value, then our missing side must be the smallest integer greater than 3. Which means that our missing side is 4. To find our perimeter, then, we must add all our sides together: $4 + 6 + 9 = 19$ Our final answer is D, 19. (Note: always pay attention to the exact question you’re being asked and don’t get tricked by bait answers! If you were going too quickly through the test, you might have been tempted to select answer choice A, 4, which was the value of the missing side length. But, since we were asked to find the perimeter, this would have been the wrong answer.) Ready to enter the realm of special triangles (and become insanely awesome)? Special Triangles There are several different kinds of special triangles, all of which commonly appear on the ACT. In this section, we will define and describe all the different kinds of triangles you’ll see on the test. In the next section, we will go through all the formulas you’ll need to know for your ACT triangle problems, as well as how to use them. Equilateral Triangles An equilateral triangle is a triangle that has three equal legs and three equal angles. Though the leg measurements can be anything (so long as they are all equal), the angle measurements must all equal 60 °. Why? Because a triangle’s angles must always total 180 °, and $180/3 = 60$. a Isosceles Triangles An isosceles triangle is a triangle in which two sides and two angles are equal. The sides opposite equal angles will always be equal and the angles opposite equal sides will always be equal. This knowledge will often lead you to the correct answers for many ACT questions in which it seems you are given very little information. (We will go through how to solve this problem later in the guide, but for now, note how it seems as if you are not given enough information. But, if you remember that angles opposite equal lines are also equal, then you’ll see that you now have exactly enough to solve the problem) Right Triangles A right triangle is a triangle in which one of the angles measures 90 ° (90 ° is a right angle). This means that the sum of the other two angles must be 90 ° as well, since a triangle’s angles always add up to 90 °. The leg opposite the 90 ° angle will always be the triangle’s hypotenuse. This is due to the fact that the 90 ° angle will always be the largest angle in a right triangle. (Why? Because two 90 ° angles would make a straight line, not a triangle.) Special Right Triangles There are many different kinds of right triangle and some are considered â€Å"special.† These are triangles that have set angles or side lengths and formulas to correspond with them. Understanding these types of triangles (and their formulas) will save you a significant amount of time as you go through your test. We will go through the formulas that correspond with these types of triangles in the next section, but for now, let’s go through their definitions. Isosceles Right Triangle An isosceles right triangle is just what it sounds likea right triangle in which two sides and two angles are equal. Though the side measurements may change, an isosceles triangle will always have one 90 ° angle and two 45 ° angles. (Why? Because a right triangle has to have one 90 ° angle by definition and the other two angles must add up to 90 °. So $90/2 = 45$.) 30-60-90 Triangles A 30-60-90 triangle is a special right triangle defined by its angles. It is a right triangle due to its 90 ° angle, and the other two angles must be 30 ° and 60 °. 3-4-5, and 5-12-13 Right Triangles 3-4-5 and 5-12-13 triangles are special right triangles defined by their side lengths. The numbers 3-4-5 and 5-12-13 describe the lengths of the triangle’s legs, meaning that, when you have a right triangle with two leg lengths of 4 and 5, then you automatically know that the third leg equals 3. Any consistent multiples of these numbers will also work the same way. So a right triangle could have leg lengths of: 3(1)-4(1)-5(1) = 3-4-5 3(2)-4(2)-5(2) = 6-8-10 3(3)-4(3)-5(3) = 9-12-15 And so on. These are considered special right triangles because all their sides are integers. a a Now it's triangle formula time! Triangle Formulas Now that you know what all your triangles will look like, let’s go through how to find missing variables and information about them. You will not be given any formulas on the ACT, so you must know all of these formulas by heart. (For more on the formulas you’ll need for the ACT math section, check out our guide to the 31 formulas you must know before test day.) But beyond memorizing your formulas, you also must take care to understand themhow they work and when. All the rote memorization in the world won’t help you if you don’t know when or how to apply them when solving your problems. All Triangles Area $a = {1/2}bh$ $b$ is the base of the triangle, which is the length of any one of the triangle’s legs. $h$ is the height of a triangle, found by drawing a straight line (at a 90 ° angle) from the base of the triangle to the opposite angle from the base. This means that, in a right triangle, the height is the length of the leg that meets at a 90 ° angle to the base. In a non-right triangle, you must create a new line for your height. Perimeter $p = l_1 + l_2 + l_3$ Just like with any other kind of plane geometry figure, the perimeter of a triangle is the sum of its outer sides (the triangle’s three legs). Right Triangles Some triangle formulas apply specifically to right triangles, so let's take a look. Pythagorean Theorem $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$ The Pythagorean theorem allows you to find the side lengths of a right triangle by using the lengths of its other sides. $a$ and $b$ signify the shorter legs of the triangle, while $c$ is always the leg opposite the 90 ° angle (the hypotenuse). According to the Pythagorean theorem,$a^2 + b^2 = c^2$. We know that the side with $y$ meters must be our hypotenuse, as it is opposite the 90 degree angle. This means that: $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$ $4^2 + x^2 = y^2$ Now, we need to find $y$ in terms of $x$, which means we need to isolate our $y$. $16 + x^2 = y^2$ $y =√{16 + x^2}$ Our final answer is E, $√{x^2 + 16}$ 3-4-5 and 5-12-13 triangles (and their multiples) are special because you do not need to work through the pythagorean theorem in order to find the side measures of the third length. Remember, if two sides of a right triangle are 12 and 15, then you automatically know the third side is 9 (because $3(3)-4(3)-5(3) = 9-12-15$). Though we can find the length of BC using the Pythagorean theorem, we can also simply know that it is 5. (Why? Because it is the hypotenuse of a right triangle with leg lengths of 3 and 4). Now, we can set up a proportion to find the measure of side AE. The length of AE to its hypotenuse will be in proportion to the length of BD to its hypotenuse. ${AE}/20 = 3/5$ $5AE = 60$ $12$ Our final answer is B, 12. Isosceles Right Triangle $x, x, x√2$ Though you can find the missing side lengths of an isosceles triangle using the Pythagorean theorem, you can also take a shortcut and say that the equal side lengths are $x$ and the hypotenuse is $x√2$. Why does this work? Let’s look at an isosceles right triangle problem. It is given to us that one side length equals 10, so we know the second leg must also equal 10 (because the two legs are equal in an isosceles triangle). We can also find the hypotenuse using the Pythagorean theorem because it is a right triangle. So: $10^2 + 10^2 = c^2$ $100 + 100 = c^2$ $200 = c^2$ $c = √200$ $c = √100 * √2$ (Why were we able to split up our root this way? Check out our guide to ACT advanced integers and its section on roots if this process is unfamiliar to you.) $c = 10√2$ So, we are left with side lengths of 10, 10, and 10√2. Or, in other words, our side lengths are $x, x$, and $x√2$. So our final answer is E, $10√2$ 30-60-90 Triangle $x, x√3, 2x$ Just like with an isosceles right triangle, a 30-60-90 triangle has side lengths that are dictated by a set of rules. Again, you can find these lengths with the Pythagorean theorem, but you can also always find them using the rule: $x, x√3, 2x$, where $x$ is the side opposite 30 °, $x√3$ is the side opposite 60 °, and $2x$ is the side opposite 90 °. a a Make a note now of any formulas that are unfamiliar to you. You will need to know them by test day, so a little practice and organization now will go a long way to keeping them straight in your head. Typical Triangle Questions Most triangle question on the ACT will involve a diagram, though a rare few will be purely word problems. Let’s look at some of the standard types of question in each category. Word Problems Most triangle word problems are fairly simplistic once you draw them out. In fact, often times, the very reason why they give you the problem as a word problem instead of providing you with a diagram is because the test-makers thought the problem would be too easy to solve with a picture. Whenever possible, draw your own diagram when you are given a triangle problem without one. It won’t take you long and it’ll be much simpler for you to visualize the question. This should be a simple figure, but it never hurts to quickly sketch it out in order to keep all our parts in order. We are told that this is a right triangle and we need to find one missing side length, so we will need to use the Pythagorean theorem. $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$ Using our given side lengths for $a$ and $b$, we have: $6^2 + 7^2 = c^2$ $36 + 49 = c^s$ $85 = c^2$ $c = √85$ Our final answer is G, $√85$ Diagram Problems There are several different kinds of triangle problems that involve diagrams. Let’s break them into categories and discuss the strategies for each. Diagram Type 1 - Finding Missing Values Most triangle problems will fall into this categoryyou will be asked to find a missing angle, an area, a perimeter, or a side length (among other things) based on given information. Some of these questions will be more complicated than others, but the ACT will always provide you will enough information to solve a problem, so it’s up to you to put the clues together. Let’s walk through some real ACT math examples of this type: Example 1, First, let us fill in our given information so that we don't lose track of which angles measure what. We know that the interior angles in a triangle sum up to 180 degrees, so we can find ACB by subtracting our givens from 180. $180 - 30 - 110$ $40$ We also know that any straight line will measure 180 degrees. BCD are collinear, which means that they lie on a straight line. We can therefore find angle ACD by subtracting our ACB measure from 180. $180 - 40$ $140$ Our final answer is G, 140 °. Example 2, Similar triangles are in proportion with one another, so we can find the side lengths for triangle BAC by setting up proportions with triangle LKM. ${BA}/{AC} = {LK}/{KM}$ ${BA}/3 = 12.5/7.5$ $7.5BA = 37.5$ $BA = 5$ And our second proportion will follow the same model. ${AC}/{BC} = {KM}/{LM}$ $3/{BC} = 7.5/15$ $7.5BC = 45$ $BC = 6$ Now, we have all the side measures for triangle BAC, which means we can find its perimeter. $5 + 3 + 6$ $14$ Our final answer is B, 14. Diagram Type 2 -Ratios and (In)Equalities These kinds of questions will generally ask you to either find the ratios between parts of different triangles or will ask you whether or not certain sides or angles of triangles are equal or unequal. We are told that AD is equal to BC, which means that their corresponding angles will also be equal. This means that angles CAB and DBA are equal (which consequently means that angles EAB and EBA are equal). We can therefore eliminate answer choice K. Now, if angles CAB and DBA are equal, then angles CBA and DAB must ALSO be equal. Why? Well we know that each triangle has a 90 degree angle and one angle to equal to some unknown measurement (which we could call $x$). This means that the third, remaining, angle (let's call it $y$) must ALSO be the same for each triangle. Each triangle would then be made up of: $180 = 90 + x + y$ This means that we can eliminate answer choice J. By that same reckoning, if angle DAB = angle CBA, then the legs opposite those angles must also be equal. This means that AC = BD, which means that answer choice F can be eliminated. Because AD and CB are equal and both are part of a triangle with a hypotenuse of AB, legs CA and DB will cross in a manner that makes each half of the leg equal to the corresponding half of the leg of the other triangle. In other words, AE = EB and DE = EC. This means we can eliminate answer choice H. The only answer choice we are left with is G.AD CANNOT equal AE. Why? AD is the leg of triangle ADE, while AE is the hypotenuse of that same triangle. From our definitions, we know that the hypotenuse must always be the longest side of the triangle and so it cannot be equal to one of the legs. Our final answer is G. Diagram Type 3 -Multi-Shape or Shapes Within Shapes As you can see from earlier examples, some of the triangle problems on the ACT will involve multiple triangles (or other geometric shapes) combined together. This technique for presenting you problems is designed to challenge your understanding of lines and angles as well as triangles. For these types of problems, you must use the information you are given and solve for more information down the line until you find exactly what you’re looking for. It’s essentially a domino effect of problem solving. Because this problem uses variables, the simplest way to solve it is byplugging in our own numbers. So let us do so. We are told that each unshaded triangle is a congruent right triangle. Because variables can be difficult to work with, let us replace $x$ with 4. (Why 4? Why not!) This means that each triangle has one leg that measures 4 and one leg that measures $2(4) = 8$. Now, we can find the length of one side of the square ABCD by adding our values together. $4 + 8$ $12$ Each side of the square ABCD is equal to 12. Now we can find the total area by squaring this side measure, so: $12^2$ $144$ The total area for ABCD is 144. Now, because each unshaded triangle is a right triangle, we can find the side measures for the shaded square using the Pythagorean theorem. $4^2 + 8^2 = c^2$ $16 + 64 = c^2$ $80 = c^2$ $c = √80$ Since this is the measure of one side of the shaded square, we can now find the area for the shaded square by squaring this number. So: $√80)^2$ $80$ Now, we must simply divide our shaded square by our unshaded square, ABCD, in order to determine what fraction it is of the larger square. $80/144$ $80à · 16 = 5$ and $144à · 16 = 9$ $5/9$ Our final answer is D, $5/9$ Life lessons and triangle strategieswin-win! Strategies for Solving a Triangle Question Because there are so many different kinds of triangle problems, it is difficult to break down one exact path for problem solving them. That said, your greatest assets and strategies when solving triangle problems will be to: 1) Write down your formulas Because you are not given any formulas, you must keep them in your head and in your heart. The good news is that more you practice, the better you’ll be at rattling off triangle areas or side lengths of 30-60-90 triangles or anything else you’ll need. But if you feel like you’ll forget your formulas as you go through your test, take a few seconds and write them down before you start solving your questions. Once you do, they will be there indelibly for you to work from for the rest of the math section, and you won’t have to worry about forgetting them. 2) Use your formulas (and take your short-cuts) Once you’re sure that you’ve remembered your formulas, using them is the absolute most crucial step for any triangle problem. And, considering that most of your formulas essentially act as short-cuts (why bother solving with the Pythagorean theorem when you know that the legs of a 30-60-90 triangle are $x, x√3, 2x$?), you will save yourself a great deal of time and energy when you can keep your formulas on hand and in order. 3) When working with multi-shapes, break it into small steps Remember that dealing with a multi-shape triangle problem is like working with dominos. Each successive piece of information makes way for finding the next piece of information. Don’t get intimidated that you don’t have enough information or that there are too many shapes or lines to deal with. You will always have enough data to go onjust focus on finding one shape and one piece of information at a time, and the dominos will fall into place. 4) Draw it out Draw your own diagrams if you are given none. Draw on top of your diagrams when you are given pictures. Write in your givens and all the measurements you find along the way to your missing variable (or variables), mark congruent lines and angles. The more you can clarify your diagrams, the less likely you’ll be to make careless errors in misplacing or confusing your numbers and equalities. Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Test Your Knowledge Now let's test your triangle knowledge against some more real ACT math problems. 1) 2) 3) 4) Answers: B, F, E, H Answer Explanations: 1)Because we are told that this is an isosceles trapezoid, we know that each non-parallel side must be equal. This means that the angles that capture these sides (angles BDC and ACD) must also be equal. We also know that the interior degrees of a triangle will always sum 180 degrees, so we can find the measure of DXC by subtracting our two known angles from 180. $180 - 25 - 25$ $130$ Now, DB is a straight line, which means that the angles that make the line must total 180 degrees.This means we can find angle BXC by subtracting our known angle from 180. $180 - 130$ $50$ Finally, we again know that a triangle's interior angles will sum to 180, so we can find DBC by subtracting our known angles from 180. $180 - 50 - 35$ $95$ Our final answer is B, 95 °. 2)We know from our triangle definitions that the larger the side opposite an angle, the larger the angle will be. (If you ever feel unsure about the relationships between angles and sides of a triangle, you can also consult your rules and definitions of trigonometry.) So if we drew in some random side measurements for XZ and YZ (so long as they follow the rule that XZ YZ), we can see clearly that angle Y will be greater than angle X. Our final answer is F, angle X angle Y. 3)We are told that the triangle is a hypotenuse right triangle, which means that we can use our shortcuts to find the other two side lengths. We know that an isosceles right triangle has side lengths of $x, x$, and $x√2$. Since we already know that the hypotenuse is $8√2$, we can say that the other two sides both measure 8. Now, we can add together the legs to find the perimeter. $8 + 8 + 8√2$ $16 +8√2$ Our final answer is E, $16 + 8√2$ 4)Before we do anything else, let us fill in our given information. Now, we can know the triangles and the exterior angle are all collinear, which means that the angles that create the line will sum to 180 °. This means we can find angle CBD by subtracting our exterior angle from 180. $180 - 140$ $40$ Now that we have two interior angle measures in triangle DCB, we can find the measure of the third (because the interior angles in a triangle will always add up to 180). $180 - 40 - 47$ $93$ [Note: you may notice that the sum of the two angles not touching the exterior angle sum up to equal the exterior angle$47 + 93 = 140$. This is not a coincidence. It will always be the case that the two non-connected angles will sum to equal the exterior angle of any type of triangle.) Now we again have two angles that create a straight line, which means that we can find the measure of angle CDA by subtracting our known angle from 180 °. $180 - 93$ $87$ And finally, CAD forms a triangle, which means that its interior angles will sum to equal 180. We can find angle ACD by subtracting our two known values from 180 °. $180 - 76 - 87$ $17$ Our final answer is H, 17 °. Aw, yea. You've earned that nap. The Take-Aways Whether it be a trigonometry problem or a geometry problem, you’ll see triangles several times on any given ACT. Though most triangle problems are fairly straight forward, you’ll need to know the basic building blocks of triangles and geometry in order to understand how to solve them. Know your definitions, memorize your formulas, and do your best to keep a clear head as you go through your test. And, as always, practice, practice, practice! The more experience you get in solving the variety of triangle questions the ACT can think to put in front of you, the better off you’ll be. What’s Next? Whoo! You took on triangles and won (give yourself a round of applause)! In the mood for more geometry? Hop on over to our guides on ACT circles, polygons, and solid geometry and round off all your geometry studies in one go. Not sure what topic to tackle next? Make sure you've got a clear idea of all the math topics you'll be tested on and check out all of our ACT math guides for reference and practice. Each guide has definitions, formulas, and real ACT practice questions and will break down the solving process step-by-step. Been procrastinating? Check out our guide on how to take back your study time and beat back those procrastination demons. Looking to get a perfect score? Our guide to getting a 36 on the ACT math (written by a perfect-scorer!) will help get you where you need to go. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Free Essays on Hopeless Ambition

During the late 1800’s immigrants flocked to America in record numbers. They came to America with high hopes of freedom and opportunity. Freedoms they could not have enjoyed in the countries they formerly called home. They came to America looking for the chance to rise above the common man and make a name for themselves. America’s capitalist system is based on that very idea. However, this system was set up for the common man, by the common man and issues such as racism were not initially taken into account. Race can keep you from being treated with respect, keep you from getting a job or even keep you from renting a house. Because of this George, Mike and Elena are forced to live in a country that although brags of freedom, the circumstances of their freedom are not ideal. There is no better example of racism in Braddock than at the steel mill. There is not one Slovak ever mentioned in Out of This Furnace that had a management position at the mill. Almost every one of them worked at the mill from the day they were old enough until the day they died without any hope of ever receiving higher pay than people just starting out. â€Å"I’ve seen them hire Irish, Johnny Bulls, Scotties, just off the boat and knowing no more about a steel mill than Mikie there, and in a year they’re giving me orders. Not once or twice but many times†¦ But I’m a Hunky and they don’t give good jobs to Hunkies.† (Bell 184). It’s understandable that mike would be frustrated after 20 years of service and no raise, especially when people who only worked there for a few years were making more money than him. This is not the only time Mike spoke of the hopelessness of working at the mill. He lived his whole life deserving more tha n he was given, but never received anything because of the country he was from. George felt the same sense of hopelessness towards his job as Mike and everyone else in Braddock, but he was one of the few peopl... Free Essays on Hopeless Ambition Free Essays on Hopeless Ambition During the late 1800’s immigrants flocked to America in record numbers. They came to America with high hopes of freedom and opportunity. Freedoms they could not have enjoyed in the countries they formerly called home. They came to America looking for the chance to rise above the common man and make a name for themselves. America’s capitalist system is based on that very idea. However, this system was set up for the common man, by the common man and issues such as racism were not initially taken into account. Race can keep you from being treated with respect, keep you from getting a job or even keep you from renting a house. Because of this George, Mike and Elena are forced to live in a country that although brags of freedom, the circumstances of their freedom are not ideal. There is no better example of racism in Braddock than at the steel mill. There is not one Slovak ever mentioned in Out of This Furnace that had a management position at the mill. Almost every one of them worked at the mill from the day they were old enough until the day they died without any hope of ever receiving higher pay than people just starting out. â€Å"I’ve seen them hire Irish, Johnny Bulls, Scotties, just off the boat and knowing no more about a steel mill than Mikie there, and in a year they’re giving me orders. Not once or twice but many times†¦ But I’m a Hunky and they don’t give good jobs to Hunkies.† (Bell 184). It’s understandable that mike would be frustrated after 20 years of service and no raise, especially when people who only worked there for a few years were making more money than him. This is not the only time Mike spoke of the hopelessness of working at the mill. He lived his whole life deserving more tha n he was given, but never received anything because of the country he was from. George felt the same sense of hopelessness towards his job as Mike and everyone else in Braddock, but he was one of the few peopl...