Numbers: Zero to Infinity
Mathematics Course | |
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Course Code | NUMR |
Year Opened | 2001 |
Sites Offered | GIL, NYC |
Previously Offered | ALE, HKY, MSA, NUE, NRS, SAN, STP, WIN, WLA |
Course Description
From the CTY Course Catalog:
What does a subatomic particle measured in femtometers have in common with a galaxy measured in light years? Both are a part of humans’ effort to quantify our world. In this course, you’ll explore numbers, from the miniscule to the unimaginably large, and learn how they help explain natural phenomena such as time, distance, and temperature. Moving beyond traditional arithmetic, you and your classmates will consider questions like: how much dog food would you need if your dog were the size of a dinosaur? You’ll examine different measurement systems and learn the origins of familiar and unfamiliar methods of measurement, invent your own units of measurement, and use dimensional analysis to investigate conversions between different scales or systems. Then learn to apply concepts of ratio and proportion by constructing and analyzing scale models of our solar system, the human body, and other objects in our natural world.