Quantitative Reasoning Sandy Gilpin, Assistant Dean of First Year ProgramsFort Lewis College

National and State Scene

Math for Liberal Arts Then

Dumping ground for students who couldn’t “hack it” in other math coursesPlace for professors to teach their “pet” topicsSurvey course to instill appreciation of mathematics in students – lots of topics, little depth

Quantitative Reasoning Now

Emphasis on critical thinking and quantitative reasoningChallenging, rigorous courseConnected to student majors and life as an informed citizen

Quantitative Reasoning at Fort Lewis College

Majors ServedArtElementary EducationEnglishHistoryMusicPhilosophy

Political SciencePsychologySociologySpanishTheatre

Meaningful ContentPercentages in the real world (relative change, of vs. more than/less than, recognizing problems with percent calculations)Statistical studies (identifying characteristics and types of studies, evaluating studies)Characteristics of data (descriptive statistics, graphs)Inferential statistics (confidence intervals, natural variation, emphasis on interpretation, not calculation)Financial literacy (exponential growth, characteristics of investments and types of debt)

Challenging Activities

Art Museum Attendance DataCategory

Difference from 2013 to 2014

Category

Difference from 2013 to 2014

Member

-786 Child -356

Non-Member

596 Senior Citizen

-342

Category

% Change from 2013 to 2014

Category

% Change from 2013 to 2014

Member

-8% Child -15%

Non-Member

11% Senior Citizen

-40%

Full Data SetMuseum

Category 2013 2014

Difference

% change

Member 10,458 9,672 -786 -8%Non-Member 5,435 6,031 596 11%Child 2,340 1,984 -356 -15%Senior Citizen 863 521 -342 -40%Totals 19,096 18,208 -888 -5%

A company’s sales in 2007 were $10,000. In 2008 the sales were

$9,000.Which statement(s) are true?a. The 2008 sales are 90% of the 2007 sales.b. The 2008 sales are 110% of the 2007 sales.c. The 2008 sales are 10% less than the 2007 sales.d. The 2007 sales are 10% more than the 2008 sales.e. The 2007 sales are 110% of the 2008 sales.f. The 2008 sales are .9 times the 2007 sales.g. The 2007 sales are .9 times the 2008 sales.

An item was on sale at a store for 25% off. Complete the

statements below.

The sale price is _______% of the original price.The sale price is _______% less than the original price.The sale price is _______ times the original price.The original price is _______ % of the sales price.

John is taking a History class. He has had 10 assignments in class and has an 83 average. Each assignment is worth 100 points. The history professor discovered he made a mistake in recording one of the grades for an assignment and changes the grade from a 70 to a 90. What is John’s new average in class?

Supplemental Academic Instruction (SAI)

Co-requisite instruction in mathematics for students with limited academic deficiencies who are placed into college-level course work that is approved for statewide transfer [i.e., gtPathways].

SAI Success*

  Fall 2013

Spring 2014

Fall 2014

Spring 2015 Overall

Students in SAI

89%n = 9

100%n = 14

78%n = 23

100%n = 15

90%n = 61

Overall 81%n = 64

81%n = 73

83%n = 134

89%n = 63

83%n = 334

*Success is defined as A,B, or C

Questions?

Thank You!Sandy Gilpin

gilpin_s@fortlewis.edu970-247-7164