Modeling Utah Population Data

Whitney Morris Math 1010

1 & 2. See graph on other page. 3. Estimate the coordinates of two points that fall on your vest-fitting line. Use these points to find a linear function f(x) for the line. Points: (13,19); (19,22) 19=1/2(13)+b 19 = 6.5+b -6.5 -6.5 b=12.5 m= 22-19 19-13 m= 3/6 m= 1/2

f(x)=1/2x+12.5

4. What is the slope of your line? Interpret its meaning. Does it make sense in the context of this situation? Slope= Yes, the population should go up 100,000 every 2 years. 5. Find the value of f(45). Write a sentence interpreting its meaning in context. f(45)= 1/2(45)+ 12.5 f(45)= 22.5+ 12.5 f(45)= 35

In 45 years the population will be 3,500,000 people.

6. Use your function to approximate in what year the residential population of Utah reached 2,000,000 20= 1/2x+12.5 -12.5 -12.5 7.5=1/2x 1/2 1/2 x=15 years 1980+15=1995

In 1995 the approximate residential population of Utah reached 2,000,000.

Modeling Utah Population Data

Whitney Morris Math 1010

7. Compare you linear function with that of another student or group. Are they different? If so explain why. The others groups line graph was different because they chose different points than I decided on. Their graph had two points above and two points below. Compared to our line which is two above the line and has four points on the line. Which is why we didnt get the same results.

8. In actuality, using a linear growth model for population is not common. Most models are exponential models, due to the fact that most populations experience relative growth, i.e. 2% growth per year. Linear models for nonlinear relationships like population work only within a small time frame valid close to the time of the data modeled. Discuss some of the false conclusion you might reach if you use your linear model for times far from 1981-2008. Some of the false conclusions you could come to using a linear graph are; estimating the population to be higher or lower than it actually was. This could cause you to produce to few or to much of an item needed for everyday use. Producing to much or not enough could cause the state not be economically efficient. Also if you were concerned about education, this could cause you to think there was either to many or too few children in school. Causing schools to be overcrowded where children wouldn't be able to get a good education. Or the state would not be spending the money resourcefully for the children's education. If the years were closer together then you would have more data to go off of which would lead to accuracy in predicting the population in the future and you would be able to estimate population and determine a population increase or decrease. With closer dates you would be able to predict the production of food, clothing, basic everyday needs for the future. Just from the data collect from the graph. You would know if you needed to produce more of something or less of an item.

Modeling Utah Population Data

Whitney Morris Math 1010

9. Reflective Writing. Did this project change the way you think about how math can be applied to the real world? Writes on paragraph stating what ideas changes and why. If this projects did not change the way you think, write how this project gave further evidence to support your existing opinion about applying math. Be specific.

Using the population graph as an example of math in the real world did not change the way I viewed the use of math. I already knew math was used in jobs and not just in school. I never really thought of math in the world as graphs though. Using a graph to predict the population of a state had never crossed my mind. Using a graph is usually easier for many people to understand then long math equations. So using a graph would be a better and easier way to show what you wanted to. This project showed me that using math in the real world did not have to be hard, that it could actually be easy.