CS / Mt 401 Seminar

Benchmark Test – Study Guide

 

The Benchmark Test will have two sections.  Students may choose to take each part of the benchmark test at a separate time.  The benchmark test will be available on Monday, March 8, and students are to have completed both parts by Friday, March 26.  (Spring break is March 15 – 20.  A student may make an appointment with Sr. Barbara to take the benchmark during spring break.)  To pass each section of this benchmark, the student must score at least 85% (on each section).  If a student does not pass a section of this benchmark, she/he may take that section again once or twice.  (Until a student passes the benchmark, no score will be recorded.  So not passing the benchmark is effectively earning a score of 0%.)

 

Computer Science Section (14 points – 12 points needed to pass)

This will be available as an email attachment to each student by March 8.  Students are to email their work to Sr. Barbara by March 15 (Monday).  A student who does not pass this portion of the benchmark may take another version of this test during the week of March 22.

 

1)         Create a document in Microsoft Word.  Sr. Barbara will specify the topic or content of this document. You will be asked to construct a Word document, and email this document to her after completion.  (3 Points)

 

2)         Create a short (4-6 slide) PowerPoint presentation.  Sr. Barbara will specify the content of this presentation. This PowerPoint presentation must include at least 2 images.  E-mail the presentation to Sr. Barbara.  (3 Points)

 

·       The topics you will be asked to write about for items 1 and 2 will be drawn from hardware components of a computer system, software application programs, computer viruses and strategies to protect yourself from them, Franciscan values at Stritch.

 

3)         Using Microsoft Excel, enter some data into the cells.  Create a graph representing this data.  At least one of the cells will require a formula to compute a result.   Sr. Barbara will provide the data, and indicate the kinds of computations that are to be done. E-mail the file to Sr. Barbara.  (3 Points)

 

4)         Using Maple, successfully execute basic commands. Copy and paste the result into a Word document and e-mail it to Sr. Barbara.  (3 Points)

·       You should be able to enter an expression representing an algebraic function, and execute plot, limit, diff, int for this function over an appropriate domain.

·       You should be able to use Maple to calculate the inverse of a given integer under a certain modulus, for example, (901)-1 mod 1234.

 

5)         The final two points are for the successful e-mailing of each of the components to Sr. Barbara.  (2 Points)

 

 

Mathematics Section (14 points – 12 points needed to pass)

This will be available March 8.  A student may take this test outside of class (by appointment with Sr. Barbara) anytime between Monday, March 8 and Friday, March 26.  (We will end class about 20 minutes early on March 9 and 11 to accommodate those students who want to take this benchmark immediately after class on either of those days.) 

 

·       No calculator or computer is to be used during the mathematics portion of the benchmark.

 

·       If a student does not pass this test on the first attempt, she / he may take the test up to two additional times as long as this is completed by March 26.

 

1)         Boolean Logic: Be able to evaluate the truth values of a given Boolean expression. (3 points)

·       Evaluate (A and B) or C, assuming that A and B are true, and C is false.

·       Set up a truth table for the expression (A and B) implies (B or C).

·       Consider the statement If Fido has stripes, then Fido is a tiger.  If you know that Fido is a dog, can you say for certain whether or not Fido has stripes is true or false?  Explain.

 

2)         Graphs: You should be able to use properties of a given algebraic function and features of its graph to answer questions relating a function to its graphical representation. (3 points)

·       Identify the correct graph for the equation y = x2 + cos(x).  Explain the features of the graph and the properties of the equation, which enabled you to make the correct match.

·       The graph of y = 100 + 30 cos(x) will not appear in a standard graphing window of your calculator.  Explain how you will have to adjust the viewing window to see a graph of this function.

 

3)         Trigonometry:  Given a right triangle, be able to use the Pythagorean theorem and the six trigonometric functions (sin, cos, tan, sec, csc and cot) to calculate the lengths of sides or values of the trigonometric functions for the angles.   (2 points)

·       Triangle ABC has a right angle at C.  The length of AC is 10 inches, and the length of BC is 7 inches.  Find the length of the hypotenuse.

·       Triangle ABC has a right angle at C.  The length of AC is 10 inches, and the length of BC is 7 inches.  What is the value of the tan(B)?

 

4)         Limits (3 points):

a.     Use a limit to discuss the behavior of a function at points in the domain that are problematic.

b.     Given a problem situation involving a function, be able to explain what the limit of this function means in the context of the situation.

 

·       The function f(t) = 3 / (5 – t) is not defined at t = 5.  What is happening to this function when t gets close to 5?

·       If A(q) = (1130 + 7.35 q) / q represents the average cost in dollars per quart for producing q quarts of a certain liquid, what is the limiting average cost of producing this liquid?  Who might be interested in knowing the limiting average cost in this kind of situation? Why?

 

 

5)         Derivative/Integral (3 points):

a.     Given a situation, be able to determine whether it is appropriate to solve the problem using a derivative or an integral.

b.     Be able to calculate a simple derivative, anti-derivative, or definite integral.

 

·       Marginal profit is defined as the unit rate of change in profit with respect to unite quantity of goods produced or sold.  If P = f(q) is a function which gives the profit (P) in terms of the quantity (q) of goods produced, would the derivative or the integral be the appropriate computational strategy to use to determine the marginal profit? Explain why your strategy works.

·       Consider the function f(t) = t3 + 5 sin(t). 

o      Calculate the derivative of f with respect to t. 

o      Calculate the anti-derivative of f with respect to t. 

o      Evaluate the definite integral of f over the interval t =  –1 to 5.