GRCC In the News, 9-9-19

Street Talk: Detecting suicide risk

Sept. 6, 2019; Grand Rapids Business Journal

… Digging it

Grand Rapids Community College has never had a student asked to do a presentation for the Geological Society of America’s annual meeting. But this year, three GRCC students — and one alumnus — have been invited to share their work at the national event.

Scholarship fundraiser in memory of David Schieber

Sept. 6, 2019; FOX 17

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., — The late David Schieber was a beloved member of the graduating class of 1970 from Sparta High School. He later went onto serve as a professor at GRCC and Kent County’s assistant prosecutor before he passed away in September 2009.

College makes extra effort to get students enrolled

Sept. 6, 2019; schoolnewsnetwork.org (Kent Intermediate School District newsletter)

GRCC’s approach: Sometimes it takes that extra push.

Scholarship, prominent display at Project 1 awarded to Grand Rapids junior

Sept. 7, 2019; FOX 17

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Cindy Mazariegos-Barrios was awarded a $1,000 college scholarship from Consumers Energy for her art focusing on the importance of renewable energy.

… The competition began during the end of the 2018-2019 school year. Grand Rapids Public Schools officials picked their top 20 from the 81 student submissions, which were then presented to a panel of judges from Kendall College of Art & Design, GRCC, GVSU, and Ferris State University.

Graduates from Autocam Medical’s CNC Machinist Apprentice Program

Sept. 1, 2019; Manufacturing News

Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, has announced that 13 adult students have graduated from its CNC Machinist Apprentice Program.

… Bill Pink, President of Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), John C. Kennedy, President/CEO of Autocam Medical, and John Kennedy, IV, General Manager of Autocam Medical, were also present for the event.

Mathematics Seminar – Some Irrational Numbers

The Grand Rapids Community College Mathematics Department is pleased to announce that it will host its first Mathematics Seminar of 2019-2020 on Wednesday, September 18, 3-4 PM in 101 Cook.

Our speaker is GRCC mathematics instructor Sang Lee.  For the title and abstract of his talk, please see below.

Refreshments will be served at 2:45 PM.

 

 

Some Irrational Numbers

In textbooks for intermediate algebra, college algebra, trigonometry, and precalculus, it is common to find the directions for exercises such as “Solve each equation.  If the answer is not exact, round to four decimal places.”, or “Solve each equation.  Give irrational solutions as decimals correct to the nearest thousandth.”

Do students know whether a solution they obtained is rational or irrational?  Would students recognize an irrational number when they see it?  Technology does not help as a graphing calculator can display only a finite number of digits and, at times, a calculator can mislead students in determining irrationality of a number.

In this talk, we will review some common irrational numbers that students may encounter in a course mentioned above.