Andrew M

Just a curious question that seems silly at first.

To start, I have written programs since I was about 11, and recently wrote an iPhone application that has been sold in 7 countries.

I'm going to college next year so I've decided to take the AP Computer Science exam this spring. I've enrolled in an APCS course and find it reasonably easy, as I have seen most of these concepts before. However, a fishy thing arises when I take some of the practice exams modeled after past administered tests.

The questions themselves are unreasonably complex (especially if you consider the 2 min per question average), and don't necessarily focus on the students understanding of Java, but on their ability to compile complex algorithms and track 5 or so subsets of methods to predict the outcome all within a short manner of time.

Now, I'm all for the AP tests really making sure you understand your topic, but this test, at least, seems to be going overboard, and very potentially weeding out students who understand Java very well, but can't keep track of the purposefully confusingly-written code.

What do you think? How about the other AP exams you have taken?

Just a curious question that seems silly at first.

To start, I have written programs since I was about 11, and recently wrote an iPhone application that has been sold in 7 countries.

I'm going to college next year so I've decided to take the AP Computer Science exam this spring. I've enrolled in an APCS course and find it reasonably easy, as I have seen most of these concepts before. However, a fishy thing arises when I take some of the practice exams modeled after past administered tests.

The questions themselves are unreasonably complex (especially if you consider the 2 min per question average), and don't necessarily focus on the students understanding of Java, but on their ability to compile complex algorithms and track 5 or so subsets of methods to predict the outcome all within a short manner of time.

Now, I'm all for the AP tests really making sure you understand your topic, but this test, at least, seems to be going overboard, and very potentially weeding out students who understand Java very well, but can't keep track of the purposefully confusingly-written code.

What do you think? How about the other AP exams you have taken?

I was curious about this. I just signed up to take my SAT, and in the rules it states that cell phone use is not allowed, and they will kick you out and cancel your scores if seen using it.

That all makes perfect sense, and seems perfectly legal. However, they go on to say that they may confiscate your cell phone, and send it off to be inspected. Not that I'm planning on bringing my cell phone, but how is that legal? If you think about the legality of the situation, kicking you out and not giving you your scores for breaking their rules is in no way against the law.. but a private company (not at all affiliated or endorsed by the government) forcibly taking and inspecting a persons private property against their will with no legal warrant (search warrants, btw, are only obtainable by government law enforcement) is clearly breaking the fourth amendment of the United States Constitution.

Even if College Board were to attempt to summon a judge to grant a search/seizure warrant for them, (which would be extremely unorthodox) the student would be free to leave at any time during the medium, as he/she could not be held against their will - even under citizen arrest - due to the lack of them breaking any United States laws. And that's not even considering the fact the no judge would ever grant a warrant to a private company, because the third party company's rules and guidelines in no way represent or hold any merit against the laws of the United States.

But, College Board has been known to take this action for time to time. Forcing students to hand over personal property for their own sake of investigation. So what do you think?

Here is the question:

1/a=a/5a

find a.

I know a = 5 because my book says so, but I had no idea you could cross multiply something with the variable in 2 different places. Once you cross multiply do you get 5a=a squared? If so, Then how do you simplify to get 'a' alone if there are no independent numbers in your equation?

Thank you :) I appreciate your help

I have a geometry question that I just cannot figure out. (picture link below) My book has the solution to the question, but I can't make sense of it. I know I need to most likely use the Pythagorean therom, but beyond that, I'm stumped.

http://i.imgur.com/8YhSD.jpg

Thank you in advance!! :)

I have a math exponent problem (see link below) and I believe the answer is 'B'. you can see from my work how I got 'B' and it seems right but my book says the answer is 'A'. Why or why not is the answer 'A', or did I get it right? I'm confused.

http://i.imgur.com/3vDgB.jpg

Thank you in advance :D

I have this problem that I really need help solving. The book doesn't give a clear explanation.

http://i50.tinypic.com/b5la9e.jpg

Any advice on how to solve it? Thanks in advance :)

I know they faught over the Panamal Canal But I don't know the details.

Did Rafael not like TR?

Thank you so much! :)

I need to graph this half hyperbola:

y=sqrt(x^2-16)

How would I graph this?

If the vertex is (5,4) and the focus is (5,15/4) what is the equation of the parabola?

I have a tough time figuring these out

If the vertex is (8,1) and the focus is (8,9/8) what is the equation of the parabola?

I have a tough time figuring these out

I am struggling a little bit with this subject we are on right now in history. We are talking about how Laissez-Faire shaped American society in the 19th century. Like for example, in the government or economy.

Do you guys have any ideas?

Just curious. I hear that 1 in 3 woman in the U.S. have an abortion before 45, so it got me thinking - what % of woman TOTAL even become pregnant in their lives?

Ive tried researching this and found no answer.

For example - If I have a 0.5% chance of having an apple, and my friend John has a 0.2% chance of having an apple, what is the chance that both of us have an apple?

I have virgin mobile and I forgot my bill was due today, and my phone got shut off for several hours. I am going to the mall and getting it turned back on but I was wondering if all the text messages that were sent to me while it was turned off will be sent to me in a bundle when it gets turned back on or will I never get those messages?

My girl friend missed the 3rd pill of her birth control pack, and the 10th pill. (Taking them early the next morning)

For the sake of making this short, lets say we had sex within a few days of both of those dates. (although about 60% of the time around that time we used stuff like condoms and pull out)

But throughout the whole month she has cramped and had kinda weird stuff going on (like nausea for a few days and once had sore breasts) Its almost time for her period again, and she has said she has been mildly cramping (but thats nothing new - btw, not close enough yet to take a HPT)

My question is, is there a reasonable chance she could be pregnant? And what is the explanation for cramping throughout the month? It seems like a pregnancy symptom, but some people have said that happens with birth control quite offten. Any ideas? Thanks! :)

My girlfriend missed a birth control pill on day 3 of her new pack and took it the next morning. We had unprotected sex on day 6 of her pill pack and all the other sex was with a condom. On day 10, she missed another pill and took it very early the next day. For several days we used protection while having sex, but on day 14 of pill pack we used pull out. Condoms used for rest of month.

The question is, I know this raises the chance of pregnancy, but what is it percent wise? should we be reasonably worried? what percent chance of pregnancy does birth control rise to with 2 pills missed over the course of a month?

Thank you guys very much!

My girlfriend missed the 3rd pill of her new pack of birth control and took it early the next morning. Is a backup method needed?

In light of the government shutdown that may occur, it seems that if there is a compromise to extend funding, the republicans will try to stop all funding to planned parenthood. At least thats what I get from the current news stories.

My question is, many women in the country, including my girl friend, receive free birth control from P.P. because they are either unable to obtain it from a regular doctor, or don't have health insurance/money. If planned parenthood is shut down, where will these woman, along with my gf, receive birth control?

I have a setup with a LED and a 330 ohm resistor connected to a 4.7 V, 18 mA solar panel, but when everything is plugged up, the LED doesn't burn. not even a little. Here's what is looks like:

http://oi51.tinypic.com/8zpgfs.jpg

Any ideas of what is wrong?