Marine Biology-related Gr. 10 math questions please?

Question

My son is in grade 10 and wants to study Marine Biology, but he's a bit under-motivated in math. I'd like to help him out and would be most grateful if anyone could suggest (a) source(s) or even any particular questions. Right now they are working polynomials, factoring, algebra, and rational expressions.

Sorry - to clarify, I'd like to be able to throw in marine biology type math questions when I'm helping him with his homework. I haven't studied math or science (except for statistics) in twenty years. I remember enough to be able to help a grade ten, but don't know where to look for sample questions.

Answer 1

tough question to answer given , "he's a bit under-motivated in math." but my suggestion would be to thoroughly understand quadratics. that is things that look like:

f(x) = ax^2 + bx + c

1) be able to find the roots, f(x) =0, by a couple of different methods. factoring, quadratic formula , synthetic division

2) be able to graph it. Develop the ability (by just looking at
ax^2 + bx + c) KNOW what value of x makes f(x) a maximum or minimum).

3) Understand what it is to "complete the square" and be able to do and see how it relates to #1 above (quadratic formula)

Basically, become very very comfortable with things that look like f(x) = ax^2 + bx + c. The reason is that many phenomena in nature can be approximated using equations of the form, f(x) = ax^2 + bx + c, if he stays with the sciences quadratics are going to show up a lot.

Answer 2

I am also in the tenth grade, and I am the most advanced math student at my high school. I completed Trig last semester. For your son, I would reccomend that he just pass the Algebra II that he is doing right now, and to keep passing math, but to press hard on more science.