10 Most Common AP Calculus AB Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them!)

The AP Calculus AB exam is no walk in the park. The problems are challenging, and you really have to be on your toes to avoid errors. Here are the ten most common AP Calculus AB exam mistakes, and what you can do to avoid them. Everyone makes mistakes. Image by dingler1109. Top 10 AP Calculus AB Exam Mistakes In no particular order, here are the most common mistakes that I have seen students make on the exam. 1. Not Showing Work This is probably the most common as well as the most serious mistake in the list. As you know, the AP Calculus AB exam has a Free Response (FR) section. In order to score points for your answers, you must show your work. Simply writing down a final answer is not good enough. For more information about the Free Response section, check out these helpful tips to conquering AP Calculus Free Response questions 2. Crossing Out Good Work Suppose you spent the last ten minutes furiously working out the solution to a free response problem, only to discover that your final answer doesnt make sense. Maybe you feel like balling up the test paper and throwing it away. Relax, take a deep breath, and DONT ERASE OR CROSS OUT YOUR WORK! Even if the answer is incorrect, your work may earn you partial credit. Every point counts on this exam, so leave all of your work for the graders to see. 3. Average Velocity is Not an Arithmetic Mean When you see the word average on the AP Calculus AB exam, do start adding up things and dividing. Instead, the average velocity is a measure of change in position over change in time. For example, if f(t) = t2 is the position function for an object, then the average velocity on the interval [1, 3] is: 4. Forgetting the Constant of Integration When you take an indefinite integral (antiderivative), you must tack on that + C at the end. This is especially important in initial value problems, where you must eventually solve to find the value of C. 5. Everything Distributes! A very common mistake in beginning calculus students is to misuse the Distributive Law of algebra. For example, we all know that 3(x + y) = 3x + 3y. Thats the correct context for distribution multiplication distributes over addition. But dont go crazy and try to distribute other things that are not multiplication. Some of the expressions in the list do simplify, but not by distributing. For example, (x + y)2 = x2 + 2xy + y2, and ex+y = exey. 6. Omitting dy/dx in Implicit Differentiation Implicit differentiation can be tricky. You have to remember that there are slightly different rules for x and y. You have to treat an expression of y as if there is some unknown function in place of y. That means youll need to do a Chain Rule, and thats where that extra factor of dy/dx comes in. 7. Parentheses Matter In any formula in which you have to subtract a quantity, pay close attention to your grouping. For example, suppose f(x) = x3 + 5, and g(x) = 2x2 8. What is the expression for f g? If you said x3 2x2 3, then unfortunately youve fallen into this common trap. You have to subtract the entire expression for g, not just the first term. That means youll need a set of parentheses around g. lets see the correct way to do it. 8. Natural Log is Not 1/x I always put the following True/False question on my calculus tests. The answer is False. The two expressions are not interchangeable. Instead, the correct relationship is that one is the derivative of the other: 9. Integrals and Logarithms Related to Mistake 8, we may know that the integral of 1/x is ln(x) + C. But this doesnt mean that the integral of 1/f(x) would be ln(f(x)). Usually, other techniques or rules must be used in those cases. For example, , not: ln(x2 + 1) + C. 10. Forgetting to Use the Product Rule Now I know if youre taking an AP Calculus Exam, your teacher has drilled into your head the proper use the the product, quotient, and chain rules. However, its easy to slip up on the test. For example, if you are doing a related rates problem, and you have to find the derivative of r2h with respect to time t, then you must use product rule. Conclusion Hopefully after reviewing these 10 Calculus AB exam mistakes, youll be able to avoid them on the test! Of course this list is not comprehensive. Find out what calculus errors you tend to make and take steps to correct them before the exam.

Hydraulic Fracking And Its Consequences - 1903 Words

Hydraulic Fracking and its Consequences Natural gasses are one of the most desirable and needed resources in the world today. As the population and technology continue to get larger the need for natural gasses continues to steadily increase. With the need for natural gasses increasing the industry continues to expand their techniques and means to acquire natural gas. The use of hydraulic fracking is receiving most of the attention of today’s natural gas industry much of which is negative. This paper not only discusses the process of fracking but the benefits and disadvantages that come along with its use. Its main purpose is not how fracking works but looking into what follows the fracking process and challenging your stance on the issue by using ethical theories to support and negate issues that are brought up by the use of fracking. While challenging your position on fracking I will explain why we should find an alternative to fracking due to our ethical obligations. Michael MacRae from ASME says that the first traces of fracking occurred as far back as the 1860’s but that hydraulic fracking surfaced in the year 1949 being patented by Halliburton throughout the initial years. Since then there have been many modifications and every company uses hydraulic fracturing in different ways. The large amounts of press fracking have been receiving started around the year 2000 when oil companies began exploring the nation’s shale formations. The use of horizontal drilling made muchShow MoreRelatedHydraulic Fracturing Is Risky And Dangerous For The Environment1153 Words   |  5 Pagesof Flint did. Well there is. Everywhere there is Hydraulic Fracturing, there is a risk that your tap water will become polluted. Hydraulic Fracturing is risky and dangerous for the environment and not worth the benefits of natural gas. Hydraulic Fracturing is a process that involves drilling a well and injecting water at high speeds to break up rocks and minerals underground and allows natural gas to flow out to be collected, according to Hydraulic Fracturing Should be Banned written by the FoodRead MoreThe Effects Of Fracking On The Climate And Societies Across America1101 Words   |  5 PagesThe Consequences of Fracking 1. Introduction Fracking, does it have more consequence or benefits? Well first let me explain what fracking is. Fracking is formally known as (Hydraulic Fracturing), an exceedingly confrontational procedure commonly used today to extort oil and natural gas from the earth. Many exponents of fracking congratulate the encouraging economic impacts and job creations. But they fail to recognize the effects fracking have on the climate and societies across America. OneRead MoreFracking : A Controversial Controversy1486 Words   |  6 PagesFracking is a highly controversial practice that utilizes the injection of water, chemicals and abrasives to extract relatively inaccessible pockets of natural resources. Although fracking has the potential to benefit the domestic economy, the practice of hydraulic fracturing, if left unregulated and mismanaged poses significant risks to the environment, the ecosystem and safety. Fracking has become a highly controversial and publicized topic in recent years due to rising concerns into the potentialRead MoreThe Issue Of Hydraulic Fracturing1444 Words   |  6 PagesHydraulic Fracturing One of the hottest new issues that has arisen to the forefront of the battle between environmentalists and the energy industry, where the health of future generations is set against our energy needs and economic growth, is the issue of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it is colloquially called. America’s new-found energy independence has been made possible using technology that was only a pipe dream a mere decade ago, slashing the disparity between net imports versus exportsRead MoreThe Crisis Of The Fukushima Nuclear Plant After An Earthquake1566 Words   |  7 Pagesdevelopment techniques of hydraulic fracturing has showcased as a solution to solve these problems altogether. We now gain access to the 100 years worth of energy in the form of natural gas underneath the surface of our backyard. The belief that these domestic natural gas deposits will provide us time and help build a bridge to cleaner energy for the future. However, people do not understand what hydraulic fracturing is or how it works. â€Å"Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, forces natural gas andRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing: The Future of America’s Energy Essay1285 Words   |  6 PagesHydraulic Fracturing, also known as fracking, is not a novel concept. The hope of being able to access fossil fuels trapped inside layers of shale deep beneath the Earth’s surface was achieved by the process of fracking, developed in 1903 (energyindepth.com). Over the last century, hydraulic fracturing has become an efficient and environmentally friendly way to access the natural gas needed to meet the United States’ high demands. With the condition of the environment rapidly deteriorating, theRead MoreThe Consequences Of Fracking . Introduction:. Fracking,1130 Words   |  5 PagesThe Consequence s of Fracking Introduction: Fracking, does it have more consequence or benefits? Well first let me explain what fracking is. Fracking is formally known as (Hydraulic Fracturing), an exceedingly confrontational procedure used for the extraction of oil and natural gas. Many exponents of fracking congratulate the encouraging economic impacts and job creations. But they fail to recognize the effects fracking have on the climate and societies across America. As stated by, AlexanderRead MoreEssay Hydraulic Fracturing Must be Reformed1457 Words   |  6 Pagesunearthed by a controversial method of extracting natural gas, called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. A Healthy alternative to the fossil fuels we so frivolously use is now more critical than ever. With an overwhelming amount of negative effects on the population and the environment, hydraulic-fracturing releases dangerous chemicals into unwanted areas, endangering many ecosystems, and harming many social institutions. Fracking is the process in which high-pressured fluids are injected up to 1,000Read MoreFracking Technology On Extraction Of Shale Gas And Oil Essay1041 Words   |  5 PagesFracking technology. What are the environmental and health issues related to fracking technology on extraction of shale gas and oil? Unconventional gas and oil extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing, hydrofracking or fracking is a technique used to extract shale gas and oil, on which high pressure fluid is injected, mainly water, containing sand, chemicals or other granular materials which are pumped with a fluid medium under pressure into rock, so that fractures formed in this processRead MoreFracking : Fracking And Its Effects On The Environment1286 Words   |  6 Pages Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracking, is a widespread practice in the United States. Fracking is a method used to extract oil and natural gas. Scientists and citizens report detrimental side effects of hydraulic drilling. New York and Vermont have banned fracking statewide. Maryland has set a two year moratorium on fracking, so that more research can be done to show the impacts of fracking on the environment. Nationwide, many other cities and counties have banned fracking as well

Rodeo by Jane Martin Analysis Free Essay Example, 1000 words

However, the moment when large companies such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola, and Marlboro decided to buy this kind of entertainment and turn it into a commercial sport has changed the situation dramatically. As a consequence, the symbolism of clothing also receives new forms in the story. If the first part of the story informs the reader about the traditional set of clothes for the traditional rodeo participants, the second part gives one the opportunity to see significant changes in the clothing of the rodeo players that symbolizes a sharp departure from traditions and acceptance of commercial politics. Becoming a commercial show, rodeo determines the appearance of "some guy in a bankers suit, " who "runs the rodeo now" (n. p.). The focus on the development of the popularity of the show among the wide public leads to the fact that the participants’ clothes become the element of a commercial promotion of the rodeo. In an effort to attract the viewers attention, the host of the sho w starts wearing "a pinky ring and a digital watch. " In turn, following this logic, the players should "ride around dressed up like Mickey Mouse, Pluto, crap like that. " In other words, the main task is to contribute to the maximum promotion of rodeo as a commercial sport. We will write a custom essay sample on Rodeo by Jane Martin Analysis or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now If before rodeo was presented as a kind of national entertainment and it â€Å"wasnt worth no money to nobody†, now rodeo is primarily a way to earn money and get popularity (n. p.). The woman’s adherence to traditional rodeo determines her surprise and bewilderment for those innovations that characterize the stage of commercialization of the rodeo. For this reason, she does not understand the validity of the appearance of the clowns who she sees only as astronauts. Their clothes full of different "pinstripes" and other accessories also seems strange for Big Eight, because traditionally the rodeo had nothing of this. The negative perception of the clothing is determined by the fact that for the Big Eight, it does no have any useful function but rather the contrary, since the women saw that the clown’s costume made the horse fear and as a result, the rider got squashed. One might argue that the fact that the rodeo has turned into a commercial sport should be evaluated positively because financial capacity allowed rodeo and its players to get wide popularity and huge acceptance among the audience. In particular, television has become one of the ways that have made the rodeo one of the most famous and popular shows among a wide audience.

Its Only Natural Essay - 1478 Words

It is only natural that human beings have always been fascinated in what makes them who they are and what characteristics of themselves set them apart from other people. Behaviorists on the other hand believe there is nothing more in where they grew up because their theory is human nature can be completely understood by the laws intrinsic in the innate environment. Psychologists influence one another and trigger theories for additional experimentation. Some psychologists do not care about other’s theories while some battle other’s theories. Not many scientists believe the behaviorist theory is as encompassing as it once was thought to be. One cannot completely dismiss the outcome the environment has on behavior neither the function it†¦show more content†¦Some debate that ones environment is responsible for mental capabilities; therefore, alcoholism could be from ones environment or biologically passed. For instance, John Does parent is an alcoholic and noticed the heavy drinking consumed at parties. This could steer John Doe to an altered mental, emotional, and physical condition (biological factors). As teenagers develop they are subjected to mixed messages and peer pressure. Teenagers will experiment to see what they like and do not like. For the teenagers that opt out, they are likely to be harassed, tormented, and even bullied, thus causing them to withdraw from social interaction and form introversion. In this section, three main points will be discussed on how evolutionary, biological-genetic, and environmental factors have an effect on the development of an aggressive personality. First, peer relationships especially during middle school can influence in the development of aggression. The failure or success rate of developing peer friendships during adolescence is a direct indication of the learning that is identified with early parent and child interaction. Consequently, the individual stages from birth through adolescence are like building blocks. It is essential that each block is just as strong as the last one because it has to support the next block (stage). This means if a child has a positive sense of worth then the childs mood is expected to be friendly, thus interactionsShow MoreRelatedBreyers Ice Cream Product Swot1672 Words   |  7 Pagesmade with all natural ingredients. Whether you are enjoying Breyers all natural vanilla ice cream with birthday cake, having your f avorite pie al a mode or just having your favorite flavor in a cup or cone it is undeniable that nothing is better than indulging into a sweet craving with Breyers. Breyers has been creating smiles and fulfilling family traditions for over 140 years. They continue to pride themselves on having a traditional ice cream recipe made with quality all natural ingredients suchRead MoreNature and our responsibility towards it1190 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Natural resources are things we depend in our everyday lives. Food, water, and clean air are three natural resources that we depend on constantly. We have a responsibility towards these resources and that’s to not deplete them. We have to stand up and take responsibility and save the resource before they are all gone. If we deplete these resources the human species will die out. First we have to take responsibility and not deplete our natural resources because they feed us. Animals eat naturalRead MoreThe Natural And Human Science1381 Words   |  6 Pagesscience research and societies at large. Kuhn’s â€Å"The Natural and Human Science† shows a different view of how reality works. There is more than just a two-sided argument in everything. Everything is rational however; persuasion is key, which is the factor for Revolution. Within a paradigm, he mentions that in normal science everything is just expanding. The old view is gone and you now can build upon knowledge. When it comes to social research, it’s important to note that the paradigm he refers to isRead MorePersonal Responsibility toward the Natural World1247 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Personal Responsibility toward the Natural World: The natural world is our only habitat that is a biotic system which experiences much stress to an extent that it threatens to fail in irreversible and significant ways. Currently, most of the huge environmental challenges that confront people such loss of biodiversity, climate change, pollution, and resource depletion have similar emerging patterns. Therefore, numerous changes are required to restore and stabilize the natural world into its functional integrityRead MoreMy Life Of My Hair Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesThere I was, firm in my decision to let my hair grow into its natural state. Fresh out of the shower, I stared into my bathroom mirror watching my hair drip. My roots were three to four inches of puffy cotton, while my ends were three to four inches of bone straight hair hanging limply. I ran my fingers through my roots, which felt soft and oily, and then I glided my fingers down to my ends, which felt smooth, yet void of life. For years, I had a regular weekly hair ritual: dry with a towel, applyRead MoreFracking And Its Effects On The Economy1589 Words   |  7 Pagesefficient and clean energy would not be possible if it weren’t for the utilization of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, and horizontal drilling. To consider fracking as only a danger to the environment would be an overstatement while saying fracking only provides natural gas and nothing else is an understatement. It’s important to consider all of the potential benefits that fracking gives to the economy and how its minor environmental destruction could lead to an economic reconstruction. AlthoughRead MoreGun Ownership Between Law Citizens And Criminals1485 Words   |  6 Pagesaverage citizen, this not only poses problems statewide regarding gun ownership between law-abiding citizens and criminals, but also nationwide as it’s a step toward mitigating the second amendment and all that it stands for. The second amendment is such a treasure within the U.S.. This country is lucky to have such an amendment written by our founding fathers, whom sought out to protect our natural rights above anything else. Some believe the second amendment to be a natural right, a gun advocate—SnyderRead More Pollution Essay: Don’t Blame Me for Global Warming1033 Words   |  5 Pagesstemming from global warming. This makes no sense; with the facts and information that we have received over the years they still support this preposterous idea. Humans do nothing to contribute to global warming; the irregular climate events are just natural occurrences. These occurrences are no stranger to our history either. (â€Å"Global Warm Up†)(â€Å"An Inconvenient Truth†) The most recent case of significant warming was between the years 1850 and 1940. Most scientists say this rise in warmth was not causedRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing Essay696 Words   |  3 Pagesextract –petroleum, natural gas ( such as shale gas , tight gas , and coal seam) ,water And natural substances This process was first used in 1947 to stimulate flow of natural gas from the Hugoton field in Kansas , however it was only 51 years later in 1998 that the modern fracturing technology also known as HORIZONTAL SLICKWATER FRACTURING made possible the extraction of shale gas . Over the past years hydraulic Fracturing has delivered more than 600 trillion cubic feet of natural gas to just AmericanRead MoreEvolution And Evolution Of Evolution1328 Words   |  6 Pagesboth sound pretty good to me. Evolution makes sense to me. I like the history of evolution. It’s so cool to see how different species have evolved throughout time. #1) Chapter 10.1-10.5, p. 280-301 (Early Scientist’s observations, Darwin’s Observations, Theory of Natural Selection, Evidence of Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Today) There are many scientists and people that study evolution and it’s wonders. The most well known was Charles Darwin who traveled to the Galapagos Islands and

History And Traditions Of Egyptian Fashion - 3371 Words

Ancient Egypt is one of the civilizations that have been studied for decades, and is one of the most well known in regards of early advancements. During 3000 - 300 BC Ancient Egypt was at its peek in fashion and developed many clothing and accessories that aided them for survival that is still seen in todays culture. When referring to Egypt, it is said that the word Egypt evokes the name of three women as if by magic: Hatshepsut, Nefertiti and Cleopatra. Although these women are from different generations and times, the three of them all represent the history and traditions of Egyptian fashion. Mila Contini, author of Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day notes that women in ancient Egypt was always honored and treated with respect, and because of that Hatshepsut, Nefertiti and Cleopatra were seen as the definition of Egyptian culture. Hatshepsut was the daughter of Pharaoh Thutmosis I and during her lifetime was said to have shared the throne with her father during his life time. After her fathers death, Hatshepsut had married her half-brother Thutmosis II, and after his death, she had resigned over the land. Hatshepsut was also noted as having changed her sex, Contini mentions that Hatshepsut â€Å"wore on her chin the false beard of the Pharaohs, and on monuments and bas-reliefs had herself represented without breasts, like a warrior†. Hatshepsut was a leader in mens clothes, something that was very different at the time. Image 1 is an example of the popularShow MoreRelatedTerm Paper1235 Words   |  5 PagesThe History of Wigs In ancient Egypt, both males and females wore wigs made either from human hair, sheeps wool or vegetable fibers, depending upon their social status. There were a number of benefits for Egyptians from shaving their heads. First it was more comfortable in the hot Egyptian climate not to have hair. Secondly, a baldhead helped avoid the danger of an infestation of lice, which was a problem at that time. However, it appears that Egyptians preferred having hair which resultedRead MoreThe Mathematics Of A Large Nutshell959 Words   |  4 Pagesanalysis of the mathematical culture of different societies in history. The section â€Å"The History of Mathematics in a Large Nutshell† provides an interesting discussion of Greek mathematics. The mathematics of the culture both influenced and was influenced by the culture of the society. The Greeks were most likely the most important historical society in the Western world. They spread their vast knowledge and affected the mathematical trad itions of the world. According to Greek historians, their mathematicalRead MoreThe Great Flood ( China )979 Words   |  4 Pagescorpus of antiquated Egyptian funerary writings, no such manuals from Mesopotamia point of interest the great beyond and the spirit s destiny passing. Rather, antiquated Mesopotamian perspectives of life following death must be sorted out from a mixture of sources crosswise over distinctive classifications. In extra to having a place with diverse sorts, the hotspots for Mesopotamian convictions in the great beyond originate from the particular periods in Mesopotamian history like every single socialRead MoreThe Colonization Of Egypt During The Middle East1460 Words   |  6 Pagesthe theme of colonization. The British colonization of Egypt is very similar to the French colonization of Morocco during the 19th century. Despite the negative connotations imperialism has in history, after reading the novels, in the long run colonization has given more opportunities to the lives o f Egyptians and Moroccans, especially women, in the terms of individual freedom. Throughout her work Fatima Mernissi makes it clear that gender roles played an important role in her household particularlyRead MoreZionisms Greatest Conceit Essay1594 Words   |  7 PagesZIONISM’S GREATEST CONCEIT For a people whose traditions and rituals originate from the age of Egyptian pharaohs, modernity can be a relative term. The Jewish people have one of the oldest traditions of any culture on earth and have been a part of nearly every major civilization, from the ancient Egyptians, to the Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans and British empires. Over the centuries, they have traditions both of successful self-governance but also of persecution, hostility and exileRead MoreArab Music Essay810 Words   |  4 PagesArabian theory. The Arab music tradition developed in the courts of dynasties in the Islamic Empire from the seventh to the thirteenth century. It flourished during the Umayyad dynasty in the seventh and eighth centuries in Syria. Although the major writings of Arab music appeared after the spread of the Islamic religion in the beginning of the seventh century, the music tradition had already begun. Before the spread of Islam, Arab music incorporated music traditions of the Sassanid dynasty (224-651)Read MoreDesign And Design Of Design History1343 Words   |  6 Pages landscape, fashion and graphic etc. Judging from the large number of exhibition, museum and modern building appears in recent year that people seems to put more emphasis on their visual artistic effect and design. Margolin (1992, P105) said, â€Å"The importance of design history has also been increasingly recognized by design professionals†. This means design history is necessary for contemporary designers to study early and use the knowledge to their works. Understanding design history may help designersRead MoreEssay on Goth: A Satirical Subculture1126 Words   |  5 Pagesdevout Christians. Atheism, Agnosticism, the New Age, Gnosticism, Shamanism, Wicca, other Neopagan traditions, and other minority faith groups are represented more frequently than in the general population (Robinson). While it is true that many Goths wear the Christian Cross or the Egyptian Ankh, ma ny times these religious symbols represent a satirical ideal, or are sometimes just for the sake of fashion. The gothic subculture is not a religious movement in any sense of the word, although its constituencyRead MoreCultural Appropriation646 Words   |  3 Pagesbelieve cultural appropriation to be just another part of the process of interaction in our modernized world. Since the early development of civilizations, cultures have borrowed and adopted ideas from each other. As an example, it is well known that Egyptian culture influenced the Greeks, which in turn influenced the Romans who spread their empire towards Europe, Asia and Africa influencing countless others who in turn influenced them. Since its beginning, this form of culture exchange has been a drivingRead MoreTattoos Essay812 Words   |  4 PagesIn this research paper the main topics will be about the history of tattoos, how tattoos are made, and the impact of tattoos in society. Research shows that people have been experimenting with tattoos for many years, as early as c. 2000 B.C. The ancient Egyptians were the ones to help popularize the idea of tattooing. Tattoos have many meanings behind them depending on the culture. Such as for the Ancient Asian cultures tattoos were to help sustain strong physical health. Another example would be

Critique on Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems Free Essays

Summary: The article, â€Å"Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems† by Gaspero, Rendl, Urli (2013) focuses upon a new business activity taking place in busy cities, known as the bike-sharing system. While cities are crowded and it is often difficult for pedestrians to walk long distances, the bike-sharing system enables people to rent bikes from bike stations positioned in various places across the city, ride to their destination, and then return the bike to another bike station in close proximity. However, there is often a management problem in the bike-sharing system which leads to customer dissatisfaction as customers located in hilly or suburban areas take bikes from stations in close proximity of these areas but then take the bikes to the busy city centres and park at a station there. We will write a custom essay sample on Critique on Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thus, this leaves the bike stations in these areas empty as hardly any customers return their bikes to these stations. Accordingly, customers in these areas face inconvenience and the demand for bikes in these areas is not met appropriately. Moreover, customers in the busy city centre areas face problems of parking their bikes as the bike stations in city centres are full and customers often have to go in search of an available spot to park their bikes. Thus, this problem develops a need for the development of a solution to optimize the meeting of demand and to ensure that customers are provided with maximum convenience. Accordingly, this situation results in a need for balancing the bike-sharing system so that all of the bike stations are equally equipped with bikes for customers and no station is left overloaded or empty. The solution found for this was through an overnight bus route by management of the bike-sharing service which picks up bicycles from certain stations and places them elsewhere in order to balance out the bike-sharing system and ensuring that the system is able to provide customers with convenience and meet demand appropriately. The article uses two constraint-based approaches focusing upon popular routes and demand for bicycles in order to determine the most optimal tours and operating instructions in order to relocate bikes appropriately and efficiently. The article first makes use of constraint programming and two novel constraint models in order to find the most promising routes for the balanced bike sharing system. Then the article emphasizes upon the Large Neighbourhood Search approach and compares it with the previous Branch and Bound approach in order to determine which method is most suitable for designing an optimum tour plan for relocating bicycles. The article concludes that the combination of constraint propogation and neighbourhood search is an effective method to increase the performance of the tour. Moreover, the solution found emphasizes upon limiting the size of the neighbourhood which will enable reaching low-cost solutions very quickly. While the authors of the study have currently used a quantitative approach for this article, they have mentioned a desire to conduct future quantitative research by exploring different variants of the Large Neighbourhood Search including employing different stopping conditions and acceptance criterions. The authors have also labelled one element of the problem as the dynamic variant of the BBSS problem which the authors wish to study in the future. This variant includes the aspect of when bikes are moved from independently from one station to another during rebalancing which results in variable target values and variable station loads over time. Critique: The article, â€Å"Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems† is focused upon a unique topic for which there is not an immense amount of previous literature available. The authors have explored an aspect of business activity that exists in the contemporary business environment but is relatively new to customers and users and has not previously been discussed to a large extent in business research. Thus, the article provides a beneficial explanation of an existing problem and offers a thorough explanation of the problem. However, the article focuses upon a very narrow topic and is only specifically centred around the problem of bike-sharing systems. Thus, the findings of the study cannot be generalized in other areas and may not be highly useful in the contemporary business environment as they are only catering to a niche activity (Delamont Atkinson, 2010). The language used in the article is simple and self-explanatory which enhances the understanding of readers and enables them to comprehend what the authors are aiming to deliver and the problem that they are aiming to solve. However, while the authors make the explanation of the problem vividly clear, the solution they offer is of a highly complicated quantitative nature. Thus, as soon as the article launches into its computations, the reader is likely to get confused and may also lose interest in the article (Alston Bowles, 2012). Moreover, the article does not clearly illustrate its results and does not offer a thorough and simple explanation of what the authors have found and what their findings mean. Thus, it may be difficult for the reader to comprehend the authors’ findings and what benefit the article has given to readers related to the topic in question. Accordingly, there are various other approaches that the authors could have used in order to enhance the level of comprehension of the article and increase its usefulness for ordinary readers. The first alternative suggested approach for the authors of this article was to adopt a qualitative methodology consisting of interviews with the customers of the bike-sharing systems and gain in-depth knowledge of the prevailing problem and suggested solutions. However, there may be some limitations to using this methodology which include confirming the validity of the results and analyzing or measuring data. The quantitative approach allows the authors to appropriately measure and analyze data and confirm that the results obtained are authentic and valid. Using qualitative data may mean that the results obtained may contain elements of interviewer or respondent bias (Flick, 2009). Another alternative approach that the authors could have used consists of conducting a thorough literature review on the topic which could have helped increase reader understanding and retain reader attention. However, the main problem involved in adopting this approach lies in the fact that this topic may not have an expanse of literature available for analysis and it may have been difficult for the authors to gather this level of information. The authors could have still enhanced understanding of this study by including more previous literature or including related topics to the analysis (Daymon Holloway, 2010).The authors could have also opted to simplify the quantitative analysis and use simple statistical measurements in order to enhance reader understanding and comprehension. Methods such as regression, descriptive statistics, and other statistical measures could have been used instead of complicated heuristics calculations. This would have enabled readers to understand the fi ndings in a better manner and improve comprehension (Liamputtong Ezzy, 2006). However, the article was well-written and thoroughly explained which enhanced reader attention and enabled comprehension. Moreover, the calculations enhanced validity and authenticity of the results and enabled the appropriate calculation of the information needed. The methodology of the paper could have been simplified and the structure could have been improved with further sub-headings and a broader literature review (Denzin Lincoln, 2011). Thus, while the article had certain shortcomings it also had quite a few strengths in the sense of the level of expression, the level of understanding, and the quantitative analysis conducted. However, the authors of the study can improve the clarity and comprehension of the study by incorporating the recommendations mentioned and the authors should also expand upon the section on further research and include further ideas for future research. Suggestions for Further Work: The authors of this study can further conduct research upon other methods of transport or can replicate this study by implementing a qualitative methodology in the future. The authors can also conduct research on other new business activities and possibly choose topics which cater to a vaster market rather than only catering to a niche business activity. References Liamputtong, P., Ezzy, D. (2006).Qualitative research methods. New York: Oxford University Press. Daymon, C., Holloway, I. (2010).Qualitative research methods in public relations and marketing communications. Routledge. Denzin, N. K., Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2011).The SAGE handbook of qualitative research. Sage. Miller, T., Mauthner, M., Birch, M., Jessop, J. (Eds.). (2012).Ethics in qualitative research. Sage. Flick, U. (2009).An introduction to qualitative research. Sage. Alston, M., Bowles, W. (2012).Research for social workers: An introduction to methods. Allen Unwin. Delamont, S., Atkinson, P. (Eds.). (2010).SAGE Qualitative Research Methods. SAGE Publications Limited. Method of Gathering Data: The literature gathered for this critique was gathered from journals, books, and online sources. Particular keywords were used in order to find relevant sources for this critique and emphasis was given upon finding sources regarding qualitative and quantitative analysis. The literature used for this critique was thoroughly read, examined, and relevant points were extracted in order to form an analysis for the article in question. How to cite Critique on Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems, Essay examples

Critique on Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems Free Essays

Summary: The article, â€Å"Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems† by Gaspero, Rendl, Urli (2013) focuses upon a new business activity taking place in busy cities, known as the bike-sharing system. While cities are crowded and it is often difficult for pedestrians to walk long distances, the bike-sharing system enables people to rent bikes from bike stations positioned in various places across the city, ride to their destination, and then return the bike to another bike station in close proximity. However, there is often a management problem in the bike-sharing system which leads to customer dissatisfaction as customers located in hilly or suburban areas take bikes from stations in close proximity of these areas but then take the bikes to the busy city centres and park at a station there. We will write a custom essay sample on Critique on Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thus, this leaves the bike stations in these areas empty as hardly any customers return their bikes to these stations. Accordingly, customers in these areas face inconvenience and the demand for bikes in these areas is not met appropriately. Moreover, customers in the busy city centre areas face problems of parking their bikes as the bike stations in city centres are full and customers often have to go in search of an available spot to park their bikes. Thus, this problem develops a need for the development of a solution to optimize the meeting of demand and to ensure that customers are provided with maximum convenience. Accordingly, this situation results in a need for balancing the bike-sharing system so that all of the bike stations are equally equipped with bikes for customers and no station is left overloaded or empty. The solution found for this was through an overnight bus route by management of the bike-sharing service which picks up bicycles from certain stations and places them elsewhere in order to balance out the bike-sharing system and ensuring that the system is able to provide customers with convenience and meet demand appropriately. The article uses two constraint-based approaches focusing upon popular routes and demand for bicycles in order to determine the most optimal tours and operating instructions in order to relocate bikes appropriately and efficiently. The article first makes use of constraint programming and two novel constraint models in order to find the most promising routes for the balanced bike sharing system. Then the article emphasizes upon the Large Neighbourhood Search approach and compares it with the previous Branch and Bound approach in order to determine which method is most suitable for designing an optimum tour plan for relocating bicycles. The article concludes that the combination of constraint propogation and neighbourhood search is an effective method to increase the performance of the tour. Moreover, the solution found emphasizes upon limiting the size of the neighbourhood which will enable reaching low-cost solutions very quickly. While the authors of the study have currently used a quantitative approach for this article, they have mentioned a desire to conduct future quantitative research by exploring different variants of the Large Neighbourhood Search including employing different stopping conditions and acceptance criterions. The authors have also labelled one element of the problem as the dynamic variant of the BBSS problem which the authors wish to study in the future. This variant includes the aspect of when bikes are moved from independently from one station to another during rebalancing which results in variable target values and variable station loads over time. Critique: The article, â€Å"Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems† is focused upon a unique topic for which there is not an immense amount of previous literature available. The authors have explored an aspect of business activity that exists in the contemporary business environment but is relatively new to customers and users and has not previously been discussed to a large extent in business research. Thus, the article provides a beneficial explanation of an existing problem and offers a thorough explanation of the problem. However, the article focuses upon a very narrow topic and is only specifically centred around the problem of bike-sharing systems. Thus, the findings of the study cannot be generalized in other areas and may not be highly useful in the contemporary business environment as they are only catering to a niche activity (Delamont Atkinson, 2010). The language used in the article is simple and self-explanatory which enhances the understanding of readers and enables them to comprehend what the authors are aiming to deliver and the problem that they are aiming to solve. However, while the authors make the explanation of the problem vividly clear, the solution they offer is of a highly complicated quantitative nature. Thus, as soon as the article launches into its computations, the reader is likely to get confused and may also lose interest in the article (Alston Bowles, 2012). Moreover, the article does not clearly illustrate its results and does not offer a thorough and simple explanation of what the authors have found and what their findings mean. Thus, it may be difficult for the reader to comprehend the authors’ findings and what benefit the article has given to readers related to the topic in question. Accordingly, there are various other approaches that the authors could have used in order to enhance the level of comprehension of the article and increase its usefulness for ordinary readers. The first alternative suggested approach for the authors of this article was to adopt a qualitative methodology consisting of interviews with the customers of the bike-sharing systems and gain in-depth knowledge of the prevailing problem and suggested solutions. However, there may be some limitations to using this methodology which include confirming the validity of the results and analyzing or measuring data. The quantitative approach allows the authors to appropriately measure and analyze data and confirm that the results obtained are authentic and valid. Using qualitative data may mean that the results obtained may contain elements of interviewer or respondent bias (Flick, 2009). Another alternative approach that the authors could have used consists of conducting a thorough literature review on the topic which could have helped increase reader understanding and retain reader attention. However, the main problem involved in adopting this approach lies in the fact that this topic may not have an expanse of literature available for analysis and it may have been difficult for the authors to gather this level of information. The authors could have still enhanced understanding of this study by including more previous literature or including related topics to the analysis (Daymon Holloway, 2010).The authors could have also opted to simplify the quantitative analysis and use simple statistical measurements in order to enhance reader understanding and comprehension. Methods such as regression, descriptive statistics, and other statistical measures could have been used instead of complicated heuristics calculations. This would have enabled readers to understand the fi ndings in a better manner and improve comprehension (Liamputtong Ezzy, 2006). However, the article was well-written and thoroughly explained which enhanced reader attention and enabled comprehension. Moreover, the calculations enhanced validity and authenticity of the results and enabled the appropriate calculation of the information needed. The methodology of the paper could have been simplified and the structure could have been improved with further sub-headings and a broader literature review (Denzin Lincoln, 2011). Thus, while the article had certain shortcomings it also had quite a few strengths in the sense of the level of expression, the level of understanding, and the quantitative analysis conducted. However, the authors of the study can improve the clarity and comprehension of the study by incorporating the recommendations mentioned and the authors should also expand upon the section on further research and include further ideas for future research. Suggestions for Further Work: The authors of this study can further conduct research upon other methods of transport or can replicate this study by implementing a qualitative methodology in the future. The authors can also conduct research on other new business activities and possibly choose topics which cater to a vaster market rather than only catering to a niche business activity. References Liamputtong, P., Ezzy, D. (2006).Qualitative research methods. New York: Oxford University Press. Daymon, C., Holloway, I. (2010).Qualitative research methods in public relations and marketing communications. Routledge. Denzin, N. K., Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2011).The SAGE handbook of qualitative research. Sage. Miller, T., Mauthner, M., Birch, M., Jessop, J. (Eds.). (2012).Ethics in qualitative research. Sage. Flick, U. (2009).An introduction to qualitative research. Sage. Alston, M., Bowles, W. (2012).Research for social workers: An introduction to methods. Allen Unwin. Delamont, S., Atkinson, P. (Eds.). (2010).SAGE Qualitative Research Methods. SAGE Publications Limited. Method of Gathering Data: The literature gathered for this critique was gathered from journals, books, and online sources. Particular keywords were used in order to find relevant sources for this critique and emphasis was given upon finding sources regarding qualitative and quantitative analysis. The literature used for this critique was thoroughly read, examined, and relevant points were extracted in order to form an analysis for the article in question. How to cite Critique on Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems, Essay examples