My favorite statistics benchmark was when we did a benchmark investigating correlation. For the benchmark we had to investigate a problem. I decided to do my project on the graduation rate in Philadelphia and the possible things that could affect the graduation rate.  Some of the possibilities that i chose was the attendance of the students, the amount of low-income students, the amount of students that are non-English speaking, the number of suspensions, the neighborhood that school is located in, and the demographic make up of the school.  I decided to do this project for our quarter two benchmark because Philadelphia itself seems to be experiencing problems within their school system. The average graduation rate for the School District of Philadelphia is 63%. I investigated all 60 public high schools in Philadelphia.

 

 

 

I learned while doing this benchmark is that the sla core values are heavily correlated to my benchmark. I started with inquiry by coming up with questions such as what affects the graduation rate?. My next step I did required research. So with the variables I came up with I researched for each of the 60 high schools in the Philadelphia area. Presentation was that I analyzed all my data in a word document and used graphs to show how these different variables had a negative or positive affect on the schools graduation rate. Collaboration was used in my benchmark for a few of the graduation rates I had worked with a peer to come up with. We worked together because we were both investigating Philadelphia’s high school graduation rates but we had different variables. So collaboratively we helped each other find the graduation rates. I presented my benchmark by doing a word document with graphs and my calculations of each variable. My calculations included the mean, median, mode, min, max, correlation, spread, and standard devation.  These are all things that we have learned over the year when working with univariate and bivariate data.  The last core value is reflection and at the end of the project I wrote a conclusion about what work still has to be done in the School District of Philadelphia and I even gave possible solutions to the problems.

The correlation between the graduation rate and the amount of suspensions is a strong linear negative correlation. The fewer amounts of suspensions you have the higher the graduation rate will be. For the simple fact when students are suspended they miss school, and when you miss school you miss work. I think this is a reliable source to use when you trying to find out how much a school suspensions may affect their overall graduation rate.

 

During Stats I had a hard time really understand what was going on, it took a long time for me to really understand the subject that was being taught. During the 3rd Quarter we had a benchmark on probability. At first I thought it would be hard and I didn't want to do it but after reading over the project description again I knew I could do it. After doing the project my understanding of how probability and statistics go hand and hand grew. 

Inquiry: What is the probability that a person can win three games of  “Skip-Bo” row.

Collaboration: This was a solo project, I needed three or four players, that actually know how to play the game well.

Presentation: I  presented this project on a iweb that will teach people how to play the game. 

Reflection: After doing the project I understood that it is hard to really tell the chances of a person winning three times in a row. 

I would have to say the first benchmark was my favorite benchmark. Our main task was to calculate the consumer price index for various stores. I worked in a group with Dyamond Logan, Camille Granby, and James Smith, which by the way was the best group of people I worked with for a math assignment. We all went to different markets and jot down the regular price and sale price of 25 items and calculate the 5-Number Summary and IQR. Once we completed that, we looked at the distribution of our store, observed the significance between regular and sale price, and compared our mean prices to other stores. 
I have gained valuable statistical data throughout this project because I learned how to calculate the 5-number summary, interquartile range, mean and standard deviation. Along with that I learned how to graph data on box plots and histograms. I honestly enjoyed doing every step of this project because I really understood what I had to complete and I was excited that I could do all the math and equations all by myself.  It was a big accomplishment.

Inquiry: I inquired what grocery store would have the lowest and the highest prices on our items.

Research: I researched information on what consumer price index is and how it’s useful and effective for the costumer.

Collaboration: I collaborated with Dyamond, Camille, James, and a few of the employees at Pathmart.

Presentation: My group and I presented our work and on keynote and the presentation went well.

Reflection: I worked very hard on this benchmark and I feel as though it was the most in compelling subject that we worked on. 

Of the four benchmarks we've completed so far this year, my favorite would have to be the grocery store benchmark from the first quarter. I enjoy doing work that may have an affect on my life rather than solving problem after problem and submitting my answers for your approval. Of the four benchmarks, the grocery store and study guide benchmarks were the only two that had some sort of impact on my life (other than improving my math skills). Even though this benchmark involved some of the most basic statistics topics we've learned, it still did a good job of challenging me. At this point in the year, we were learning about univariate data as well as some basic ways to visualize that data we had collected (histograms, stem & leaf plots, and box & whisker plots). We took what we had learned about how to collect and visualize data, and we were able to apply it by comparing the prices of certain items at grocery stores in order to determine which stores were the cheapest.

Inquiry: Our initial question was, what are the cheapest grocery stores in the city of Philadelphia?
Research: We researched by having each group member go to their individual grocery store and gather prices for 25 different items.
Collaboration: After each group member had gathered their information, we were able to compare results with each other and together we came up with graphs showing which stores were the cheapest.
Presentation: We presented our results in front of our classmates.
Reflection: Not only did we each have to write a reflection for the benchmark, but we also now know what stores to shop at as well as which products to buy if we are focusing on saving money.

​For the 1^st quarter our benchmark for statistics was to calculate the consumer price index for different grocery stores. The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. It measures changes through time in the price level of consumer goods and services purchased by households.

 

 We worked in groups of three to collect prices of different grocery store items. My group investigated Shop Rite, Acme, and Fresh Grocer. We collected prices on items like bottled water, cereal, ice cream, bread, and chips. We used statistics by calculating the mean prices for each item in each store. After we got the mean we calculated the five number summary and IQR’s for the items. We displayed our information on box plots and histograms. We calculated this information for all three grocery stores.

 

This benchmark helped me better understand grocery store prices. It helped me choose which store was more beneficial to shop at when it comes to saving. I learned that all stores are not the same. Sometimes prices differ because of the brands of food or just because of where it is sold. I noticed that the same items that were sold at Acme and Shop rite were considerably lower than the items sold at the Fresh Grocer. We connected this to the neighborhood the Fresh Grocer was in. Stores in wealthy neighborhood tend to have higher prices.

 

How it connected to the core values:

 

·      Inquiry: Are question was to find the consumer price index of different grocery stores.

·      Research: We each went out to different stores to collect prices of different items.

·      Collaboration: We worked in a group of three.

·      Presentation: We presented our findings to the class in a keynote

·      Reflection: We included reflection questions in our presentation to show what we learned from the project. 

 

During my senior year in statistics the most memorable benchmark was the last one, which was the study guide. This benchmark is my most favorites due to the fact that it’ll help me in the following year with the endeavors that I’ll be taking on. They study guide applies past math courses to my future thus ultimately helping me and creating a guide throughout the class Math 101.  Since the class entails statistics the math in the guide was based off of stats and the combination of some algebra.  The statistics part consist of the following Probability & Simulations, Chi –Squared, Real number, Logic, Equations, Correlation & Causation, Bi-variate Data and Observational Studies.  I learned various tolls that I once did not comprehend such as the correlation and causation. Once introduced to this term I was still unsure what this actually meant until practice questions and mini quiz I found that Correlation is like domino affect one thing has to affect another to have a correlation or relationship. In having to do the benchmark and applying what I know all comes back to the core values SLA set up inquiry, research, collaboration, presentation and reflection.  I researched my future college and what course I’d be taking and what concepts I’d need to grasp in order to make my study guide. Collaborated with my peers to exchange some ideas to help my Q4B with the math tools needed for representation. Presentation I did I n a regular word doc instead of any other applications because I wanted the raw math to be displayed instead of a picture with some fragments a clear explanation was needed. Reflection was overall me just looking at my work with some feedback in my meeting with Thompson and actually looking over what I’ve done thoughtfully in my high school career.

            Throughout the year, I have taken part in completing several statistics benchmarks that helped further my knowledge on statistics, all while having fun doing so. One benchmark in particular that I enjoyed the most was the most recent benchmark I completed. The assignment was to create an informative study guide, which dealt with topics that were going to be presented in future math classes at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, the college I will be attending next year. This benchmark was truly helpful, and I can honestly say that I will take this study guide with me to college, to help remind me of how complete math problems that were mentioned in my created study guide.

 

            I actually took my time with this benchmark, because I figured from the start of this assignment, that I might need this study guide in the future. I first researched the math classes that I will be taking part in next year at West Chester University. After figuring out the math class I would be taking, I wrote down the main topics that were going to be discussed throughout the course. I compiled a list of useful information needed in order to complete problems that were related to the topics that were going to be discussed in my future math classes. I provided several example problems per topic along with the solutions to the sample problems, as well as definitions to key vocabulary words and notes relating to the topics. I organized all my information into an informative, and easy-to-read packet for myself for the future.

 

            One thing that was interesting and surprising to me while completing this project was that I realized that all of Science Leadership Academy’s core values were used during the completion of this assignment. I inquired information from outside sources in order to figure out what topics were going to be discussed in my future math class. I then researched how to properly approach and complete problems that were related to the math topics that were going to be discussed in my future math class. I collaborated with a math professor from West Chester University, and he confirmed the topics that were going to be taught to me next year. After my information was finalized, I compiled my information into a study guide, which is how I presented my information. Now here I am, writing a blog post reflecting on my experience completing this benchmark.

 

            All in all, this was my favorite benchmark of the year. I learned a lot, and it’s one of those assignments that will stick with you in the future. I benefited greatly from this benchmark, and I highly recommend students do the same benchmark, to help them with their future math class in college. Like I said, I will absolutely take this packet with me to college, and I strongly believe I will reference this packet when completing future assignments in my college math classes.

My favorite benchmark was the most recent benchmark because it was more beneficial to me than anyone else. This benchmark wasn’t all about learning new topics, because it was a study guide to help us out later on in life. Despite that it had to be the most beneficial benchmark out of all the benchmarks  we had over the course of the year. I applied statistics by using what I already knew and just making it into a study guide/tutorial. I felt like this was a great benchmark to do because it wasn’t exactly complicated but I feel like it was a nice way to finish out the year, especially when all the seniors are really just thinking about graduating and senioritis may still be lingering in our bodies.  The easiest part of the benchmark had to be when I just had to research my topics, because it was so easy I made sure to make my explanation super detailed so I could possibly get extra points for going over the top. It was also very easy to pick out the topics that I wanted to do because I could pick something that I could easily understand. The hardest part was definitely trying to explain everything in detail, I just feel like I had to explain everything very very well, by this I mean I basically did 2 pages for every topic and while that might not seem like a lot, It is when you have to work on like 10 different topics.

 

Inquiry: What have I learned over the year that could help me with this final benchmark? How does my understanding of the topics help me out? At this point we have a good central basis of what statistics is and from that we can branch out to different schools with our basic understanding and just expand our knowledge. My understanding of the topics helped big time, I literally mean that because if I sat there trying to learn some topics It would have taken a much longer time.

 

Research: Why would we look up the classes we are taking next year? How does that help us with the benchmark?  I think we looked up the classes for next year just to get a basic understanding on what we will have to be ready for next year, it helped us with the benchmark because maybe some of our tutorials had to do with the topics.

 

Collaboration: Not much to say here, I didn’t really collaborate with anyone while trying to complete my project but I guess I could’ve asked how were they presenting their information and what different computer programs they were using to do this.

 

Presentation: I didn’t really get fancy at all with this benchmark, I used basic notebook paper to create my tutorial and I used a word document to produce the written portion of my benchmark.

 

Reflection: After all this I would say that I worked very very hard on this project, but I must say, if I had done better earlier in the year then I would be in a different position than I am now.