Descartes Rule of Signs

Descartes Rule of Signs Descartes rule of signs helps in finding the number of roots or zeros of a polynomial. This rule is a technique for determining the number of positive real roots and negative real roots of a polynomial. It gives the upper bound of positive and negative roots but it does not give the exact number of roots. The number of positive real roots of a polynomial is the number of changes of sign in its coefficients. The number of negative real roots of a polynomial is the number of changes of sign in its coefficients of f (-x). Problem 1: How many numbers of positive roots in the polynomial: -5x^5 + 3x + 2x^2 2 Solution: Given polynomial: -5x^5 + 3x + 2x^2 2 = Rewrite the polynomial from highest to lowest exponent: -5x^5 + 2x^2 + 3x 2 = Now find the number of changes in sign. That is from minus to plus sign or plus to minus sign. = From the given polynomial there are 2 changes -5x^5 + 2x^2 and + 3x 2 = So, there will be at most 2 positive roots. Problem 2: Determine the number of negative roots f(x) = x^5 + x^4 + 2x^3 + 5x^2 + x + 3 Solution: To find negative roots find f (-x) = f (-x) = (-x)^5 + (-x)^4 + 2(-x)^3 + 5(-x)^2 +(- x) + 3 = -x^5 + x^4 - 2x^3 + 5x^2 - x + 3 = There are five sign changes. So, there will be at most 5 negative roots.

Watercolour Painting for Beginners

Watercolour Painting for Beginners How to Get Started with Watercolour Painting? ChaptersBuying Supplies for Watercolour PaintingPrepare Your SpaceTwo Indispensable CompanionsMixing PaintsThe Last, Most Important IngredientA distant memory: my mother and her paint-by-numbers kits. She had two of them; one for landscape painting and one for harlequins â€" don’t ask me how she settled on those two subjects.The experiment was short-lived. For about two weeks, she was full of fervour and the smell of mineral spirits filled the house, and then it was on to other things.Most likely those kits came with preselected tubes of gouache (a sort of enhanced watercolour), meant specifically for that work. The relevance of those kits to our topic today is that they make painting easy... unlike working with the more unpredictable watercolours that are pure pigment, without the benefit of a gum arabic binder.Shortly after Mum’s time of painting ended, our school art class started us on watercolours.I had hoped my artwork would end up looking as precise as hers did but we were n’t painting by numbers. Ours was more of a free-for-all assault on the blank white space that was our ‘canvas’; colours running into one another, saturated paper wrinkling and, in one corner, a gouge made by the brush’s ferrule.My early forays into art convinced me that van Gogh had nothing to worry about. Oh, if only I had had a few pointers!That is your Superprof’s intent: to help you discover the pleasure of creating art on paper without chucking it all in the bin after the umpteenth time your cadmium yellow runs into your ultramarine blue.Let’s get started, shall we? FernandoPainting Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaPainting Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidPainting Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPainting Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StefaniaPainting Teacher 5.00 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SakinaPai nting Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenPainting Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Off2themoonholliePainting Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsBuying Supplies for Watercolour Painting At first, you may be staggered by the variety of supplies for watercolor art Image by MustangJoe from PixabayWatercolour paint sets for the (semi-) serious artist are vastly different from the sets meant for schoolchildren that you might find at PoundWorld or on Amazon. Let us discourage you from making your first forays into the world of watercolour painting with one of those sets.Walking into any art supply store, you may become overwhelmed by the dazzling array of choices and products available for art creation.Unless you’ve done a hefty bit of research on your own or you have a painting instructor giving you recommendations, you may wonder what selections would best suit your needs.Consider these points...Choosing Watercolor PaperObviously, not all paper is the same, especially when it comes to artistic endeavours.Washi paper for origami is decidedly different from onionskin paper used to make kites and gliders. Copy paper is different than Inkjet paper and notebook paper is no t even in the same ballpark as sketch paper.So, while your favourite art supply store (or Amazon) may have lots of paper for sale, it would be best to bypass the many varieties of craft paper and steer toward actual watercolour paper.It may cost a bit more but your results will make the extra expense worth it.The Right Paintbrush for Watercolor PaintingYou don’t necessarily have to go top-of-the-line â€" that set of Kolinsky sable brushes can wait till you get a bit more proficient. Or, at least until you are sure you want to make watercolour painting a part of your life.With that being said, you shouldn’t scrape the bottom of the quality barrel for your brushes just because you’re a beginner. In fact, a poor-quality brush can skew your results and even turn you off of painting altogether!Some artists recommend that, before going all out on supplies, spend a little bit of time with artificial-fibre brushes to see if painting truly is for you and to get the feel of working with paint. Once you’ve determined that you do indeed want to paint, that will be the time to invest in some really good, natural-fibre brushes.The difference in feel and performance will so amaze you, you’ll never use an artificial brush again!With that out of the way, which brushes should you buy?Perhaps the best value for your money would be a set that includes small, medium and large round brushes as well as a mop brush and a flat brush. That should do, for starters.You should, however, avoid craft brushes; the bristles tend to be too rough for delicate watercolors. Water colours allow for a wide range of expression while using few resources Image by Stux  from PixabaySelecting Watercolor PaintsHere, finally, you get to skimp â€" but only a little. You don’t need every colour of the rainbow to get started painting with watercolours; just a few of the basic ones. Ideally, you would start out with the primary colours: red, yellow and blue, and add some black. That is enough to get you going.You have the option of buying watercolours in cakes or tubes; perhaps you could select cakes of primary colours and a tube of black or vice versa, just so you can try out which would work best for you.Of course, you always have the option of picking up a kit. Such packs contain anywhere from 12 to 24 colours but the downside is that you won’t be able to mix them up â€" you will have all tubes or all cakes.Other supplies you might pick up while at the art store:A palette: a flat or shallow surface to mix paints on/inDrafting tape: while you could use any typ e of tape to keep your paper on the draft board, most will tear watercolour paper. Drafting tape will not.Tote boards are, essentially, giant-sized clipboards; they come in various sizesPencils and rubbers for making outlines and fixing mistakes, respectively.All other tools of the trade, such as masking fluid and tools for texturing can be purchased later, once you’ve decided that watercolour painting is definitely for you.Also, learn how to create texture in your paintings without relying on paper texture.Prepare Your SpaceYou may have seen, in countless films, how an artist’s studio tends toward the messy. While that is acceptable if you work with oil paints, the very nature of watercolours demands a bit of tidiness.Because watercolours are so fluid and fast, it will occasionally be necessary for you to have ready access to sponges, paper towels and clean water; working in a cluttered environment simply won’t do!First, give yourself enough space to work comfortably, making sure you have plenty of elbow room.Next, place all of your tools, colours and water pots within easy reach of your dominant hand â€" but not too close, you don’t want to risk knocking over that jar of water!You may also consider hanging a small towel from your waistband or another convenient place so that you can dry your brushes as needed. One watercolour artist I know likes to keep a wadded paper towel in her sleeve for ultra-quick access without having to reach for one.Did you know that there are vast resources available to help you master watercolour painting? As you learn to paint with watercolours, trying out colour mixes is vital Image by Stux  from PixabayWhat might you need spare paper for?Unless you have an uncanny ability to gauge a colour’s depth while mixing it, you will need to know that you’ve attained the right shade. The way to do that is by making a few sample brush strokes on paper that is similar in texture to the one you’re painting on.You may consider taking one or two sheets of watercolour paper and cutting them into smaller squares, that way you can use both front and back to test your paint mixing skills.Mixing PaintsThe frugal artist might believe s/he is saving supplies by mixing only a little paint at a time but experience says that there is nothing more frustrating than being fully into one’s work, bold brush strokes and all, only to realise that you’ve run out of paint.Especially if you’re just starting out using watercolour as your medium, it is difficult to gauge how much paint you’ll need to compl ete that portion of your painting, to say nothing of how difficult (read: impossible) it is to match a tone exactly.The moral of that story: err on the generous side when mixing paints.The Last, Most Important IngredientWe don’t presume to know the reasons why you decided to take up watercolour painting but we are glad that you’re going at it with gusto.Besides a lot of technical advice and letting you know that Superprof art tutors are standing by to help you master this medium, there’s really not much more we can do for you other than to clue you into the crucial ingredient to make any venture a success: have fun.We urge you to not see colour bleeds as a failure but an opportunity to experiment. Rather than paint splotches being a source of frustration, let them be a source of inspiration â€" what could you make of them?Forget colouring between the lines â€" or, for that matter, painting by numbers!Have fun with your new learning adventure and see where it takes you; that mi ght be more rewarding than being able to paint a landscape or harlequin... and you’ll probably feel a greater sense of accomplishment, at that!Now discover more about painting with watercolours...

A Day in the Life at Purdue University

A Day in the Life at Purdue University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teachtheyre sharing their college experiences as well. Matthew earned bachelors degrees in both Spanish and physics from Purdue University. He is currently a Chicago tutor specializing in algebra tutoring, physics tutoring, and Spanish tutoring, among other subjects. Take a look below at his review of Purdue University: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Matthew: With a population of roughly 40,000 undergraduates, Purdue University is by no means a small school. While not quite as spread out as a commuter college, or as condensed as a small private college, the university maintains a good size while still managing to be walkable. The city bus network connects students to all areas of campus, as well as to the neighboring city of Lafayette and the surrounding residential areas. So, whether you live one minute or 15 minutes away from campus, transportation to and from is always available. If speed is your priority, however, a car/bike is recommended. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Matthew: Professors are always available and are happy to meet with you, as well as the TAs. Depending on the department, however, the academic advisers can be difficult to deal with or even to see. If you ever need help, there are usually help rooms. Sometimes there are also supplemental instruction (SI) sessions, in which a TA teaches a lesson to supplement what was learned in class. As you get farther along in your major, however, its usually the case that you just have office hours if you need help. At that level, the teachers are always interested in teaching students more about whatever the subject may be. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Matthew: Dining is fantastic at Purdue University. In fact, the food is nationally ranked. With five dining courts, two late night grilles, cafes, and coffee shops located around campus as well as facilities at the student union all of which to choose from, there is no reason one should go hungry at Purdue. With two years of experience living in the dorms, I can say that its definitely something everyone should experience when they first come to college. Youre right on campus, situated along the bus routes, and are surrounded by students like you. Its great for keeping you focused, as well as for making new connections. The dorms usually have weekend activities and trips if you cant find something to do that weekend. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported at Purdue University? Matthew: Engineering, Agriculture, Pharmacy, and Nursing are all well represented and well supported at Purdue University. It is well known for its engineering program, however, the school was founded as a land grant institution meaning that it had to offer programs that supported disciplines like agriculture. Also, being that it is located in Indiana, there are plenty of nearby locations as well as outside interests that donate money to the school to fund research in this area. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Matthew: I have always said that there has never been an easier time to make friends at college than during the first few weeks of freshman year. Each year preceding the fall semester is a week-long orientation called Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) in which incoming freshmen get the chance to become acquainted with the campus. Its a fantastic event and many students who meet during that event remain friends up to and through graduation. In addition, Greek life is very important at Purdue. Roughly 40% of the campus is involved in some sort of Greek organization. However, not being involved doesnt necessarily mean that youll be missing out. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services at Purdue University? Matthew: The Center for Career Opportunities (CCO) at Purdue is amazing. They offer a wide range of services ranging from resume critiquing, to mock interviews, to the organizing of career fairs for each of the individual colleges. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Matthew: The availability of on-campus study spots, during the day, is incredible. Ive been at the university for four years and Im still finding a new one each week. There is also a large number of computer stations spaced evenly around campus. Usually, each academic building has its own library and set of computers that are accessible to students and which stay open late. A 24-hour undergraduate library is open at the heart of campus and is frequently used, but never crowded (with the exception of finals week). Describe the surrounding town at Purdue University. Matthew: The campus is situated in West Lafayette and borders the Wabash River, and across from it sits the town of Lafayette. Other than hiking trails, there isnt much in the way of natural attractions, and as such, many students take trips to Chicago (two hours away) on the weekends. Sadly, Chauncey Hill is the most exciting part of campus. Its home to mostly fast food restaurants, a couple of coffee shops, and a few bars. Lafayette, while also not very exciting, has more variety in the way of restaurants and stores. However, if you plan to go to the mall or grocery shopping, youll probably be making a trip into Lafayette. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Matthew: The undergraduate student body at Purdue University is around 40,000 people, yet there are plenty of times at which it can seem like a lot less. Depending on your major, your class size can vary. For example, if you choose a major in the Liberal Arts college, most of your classes will be small with anywhere from 10-30 people. However, if you choose to major in a scientific field, then your classes can start out with anywhere from 200-300 students. But by the time you reach your junior and senior years, they often shrink to around 30-50. Check out Matthews tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Planning a Trip to Mount Fuji

Planning a Trip to Mount Fuji How Can You Plan a Trip to Mount Fuji? ChaptersHow Long Should You Spend at Mount Fuji?Climbing Mount Fuji at NightThe Fuji Five Lakes RegionWhen Is Mount Fuji Open?When Is the Best Time to Visit Mount Fuji?Getting to Mount Fuji from TokyoShould You Visit Mount Fuji Alone or in a Group?“He who climbs Mt. Fuji is a wise man; he who climbs twice is a fool.”In the Land of the Rising Sun, the volcano by the towns of Hakone and Kawaguchiko is one of the unmissable sights.  It’s the most visited mountain in the world with 3 million visitors and 300,000 climbers every year.  It last erupted in 1707 and women were banned until 1872.So for your trip to Japan, have you planned a trip to the highest mountain in the country or even a climb to the top?You should plan! NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st l esson free!Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Long Should You Spend at Mount Fuji?You’re not obliged to climb to the top of Japan’s highest mountain. After all, at 3,776.24 metres above sea level, it's quite a climb and altitude sickness is a real possibility.There are plenty of things you can do around Mount Fuji. For one, there are plenty of lakes. This isn’t called the Fuji Five Lakes region for nothing!You can also walk around Mount Fuji all year round.Climbing Mount Fuji at NightChoose when the weather’s at its best. If there are clouds, you won’t be able to enjoy the views of the sunset. When it’s raining or cloudy, you’ll never get to enjoy most of the mountain. Climbing Mount Fuji through the night is very popular as you get to enjoy the sunrise once you reach the summit. (Source: mohamed_hassan)There are two options available to you if this is the case.The first option is to start your climb at the end of the day before the sunset. You can enjoy the sunset where you are or continue the climb and stop in one of the huts on the way up for the night.  The huts only have a few futons on them so don’t expect any privacy for the night.  You can pay for the night or just a few hours. After all, you’re going to have to get up early if you want to see the sunrise over Mount Fuji.Your second option is to start the climb at 21:00 or 22:00 and climb through the night to enjoy the sunrise in the morning.  There’s a ceremony in the morning, making the experience even more special. You’ll hear the Japanese anthem and be able to see the flag flown over the peak. However, you won’t be alone on these paths. You can find a torii at the summit.Durin g the day, the climb isn’t as interesting but there are fewer climbers and it’s warmer. You can enjoy some of the viewpoints on your way up if the weather permits.The Fuji Five Lakes RegionJapan is home to many marvels including the Fuji Five Lakes. You can easily spend 5 days there. Enough time to visit each lake, go on hikes, camp, fish, or go for a bike ride.Here are the 5 lakes to visit around Mount Fuji:Lake Kawaguchi. Don’t hesitate to take the cable car up to Mount Tenjo.Lake Sai is the smallest of the lakes.Lake Shoji is a great place to spend a night in one of the many hotels on its banks.Lake Motosu appears on the 1,000 yen note.Lake Yamanaka, the largest of the five lakes in the region.Make the most of the onsen, visit the temples in the region, and enjoy some sushi away from the bigger Japanese cities. If you’re there during the cherry blossom bloom, you can enjoy some incredible views of Mount Fuji in the background. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st less on free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhen Is Mount Fuji Open?Mount Fuji doesn’t have specific opening hours. It’s a volcano which is open, though a donation of 1,000 yen is welcome but not obligatory.You can spend all day there even though it’s recommended that you get there for sunrise or sunset.The climb to Mount Fuji is open from 1st July to 10th September. Outside of these dates, it’s not forbidden but it’s not recommended. Temperatures swing between -18 °C and 8 °C and the av erage temperature is -6.5 °C. The rest of the year, you can still visit the areas around Mount Fuji without having to do the climb.Since 2013, Mount Fuji has been a UNESCO World Heritage site. The climb, while difficult, can be done by all ages as long as you’re in good physical condition.When Is the Best Time to Visit Mount Fuji?To avoid the crowds, avoid weekends in summer. Go during the week and make sure you avoid school holidays. If you want to climb Mount Fuji, the best time to visit is when it's open for climbing! (Source: sayama)The best time to go is still in July and August. In June and September, temperatures can drop quite drastically. After all, June is the rainy season and September is typhoon season.It’s even better for enjoying the views when the weather is good. You might be disappointed if you get there and can’t see anything.You didn’t climb all that way for fog, did you?It wouldn’t be a great end to the day.Getting to Mount Fuji from TokyoThere are two main ways to get to Mount Fuji from Tokyo. While there are trains you can get to Mount Fuji, you can also get the bus, which costs less. (Source: gabyobs)You can go by train with the Japan Rail Pass. You can take the JR Tokaido line to Kozu and change onto the JR Gotemba to Gotemba. You can then get the bus to the foot of the climb.You can also get the JR Limited Express Azusa or Kaiji from Shinjuku to Otsuki. You then just have to take a train from Fujikyuko to Kawaguchiko. This will take you around 2 hours and 20 minutes.You can also get the bus from Tokyo Shinjuku station in around 2 and a half hours to Kawaguchiko. This is the simplest way as you won’t need to change, unlike the train. It’ll cost you between 2,000 and 2,500 yen. Try to book your tickets ahead of time.Once at the Kawaguchiko station, you can take the bus to the 5th Station of Mount Fuji.Learn more about the history of Mount Fuji.Should You Visit Mount Fuji Alone or in a Group?You don’t need to visit Mount Fuji as part of a group. However, the climb i s difficult and you’ll need to plan and be in good physical condition.Plan the climb before you start it. If you have problems with your knees, the climb could be difficult. After all, there is a lot of loose volcanic rock. If you're a novice climber, it's probably a better idea to visit Mount Fuji in a group. (Source: dylanagonzales2011)It’s a long hike which can take between 4 and 8 hours depending on your physical fitness. The summit is 3,700m up so make sure you take it easy so you don’t get altitude sickness. It’s better to take your time and get to top rather than take unnecessary risks.The Yoshida route is the easiest. This is also the busiest one. You can also take the Subashiri, Gotemba, and Fujinomiya routes (check the opening dates).Avoid mid-September and instead opt for July or August if you can. There are huts on the way up to the summit where you can stay if the weather changes.Make sure you have the right gear: warm clothes, waterproofs, hiking boots, and walking poles will all be greatly appreciated on the way up and down. Don’t forget about the descent, which is hard work on your thighs and knees. You should bring 2 to 3 litres of water or energy drink. There are places to pick stuff up but they’re quite expensive.Don’t forget a head torch and bring money to use the toilets.So are you ready to head up Mount Fuji?Learn more about budgeting for Mount Fuji.If you're interested in learning Japanese, there are plenty of great resources online to help you. Similarly, you can also get help with your Japanese from one of the many talented tutors on Superprof.There are three main types of tutorial available for Japanese: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials. Each has its pros and cons and you'll have to choose the type that's right for you and your budget.Generally, it's a good idea to start a new hobby with group tutorials as they're less of an investment. Once you get serious about it, you can always start working with a face-to-face or online tutor and learning exactly what you want to learn.Before you make your decision, remember that many of the tutors on Superprof will offer free tuition for the first hour. This means you can try a few tutors, see if you like their teaching style, and see if you get along with them. After all, it's useless paying for a tutor that you don't enjoy spending time with!

Scholarship Preparation Adams A to Z

Scholarship Preparation Adam's A to Z Knowing where to start with scholarship preparation can be tricky for entrance to independent schools such as Eton and Westminster.  We spoke to one of our experienced tutors,  Adam M, who shared his A-Z of what it takes to be successful when preparing for these testing series of exams.   A is for ambition and attitude. You must be ready, willing and able to face the challenge of studying for a scholarship.   B is for brainstorming. There is a lot of essay writing to do in the exams, so get into the habit of mind-mapping, structuring your ideas.   C is for character. In a competitive atmosphere for a place at a school, prepare as if you want to win a race, to be first, to be the champion!   D is for diligence, discipline and determination. E is for enthusiasm, engagement, encouragement and example. Try to enjoy the preparation process, savour the moments you are studying, try to stay upbeat through the whole process. It won't always be easy, so having a positive and exemplary attitude to study will do you credit. F is for fulfilling your potential. Going for the scholarship is your opportunity to shine and perhaps you will surprise yourself as to just how much you can achieve! G is for grit - passion and perseverance towards long term goals. Now is the time to show it. H is for Hard work. You can't avoid it. I is for Investment. You will look back on the experience of studying and discover all the things you have learnt well worth the time invested. J is for Journey. The preparation for scholarship exams is a journey. There will be highs and lows, peaks and troughs. It's all character-building stuff. K is for knocks. I have seen the scholarship journeys of many children preparing for these exams and how you respond to knocks of confidence along the way will determine your success. L is for learning. There will be lots of it! M is for motivation. Keep it up, and make sure there are people around you motivating you to keep focused and spur you on. N is for notes. Take lots of them. Memo cards, spider diagrams, bullet points - they all help you learn. O is for organisation. You will be at an age where you should be taking some sense of responsibility for own actions. You should know where your files, papers and pens are kept, not your parents or guardians to know for you. P is for positivity, productivity, practice and preparation. Q is for questions. Ask lots of open questions - Who, What, Where, Why, When, How - to develop your critical thinking ability. R is for reading. Keep it up, it will fuel your writing. Pick some books to read from suggested reading lists and read what you both enjoy but is also challenging your reading level. Read newspapers and magazines, listen and watch the news. Stay informed. S is for support. Whether from parents, teachers, tutors, nannies, wider family, they will all be behind you, rooting for you and your success. T is for time management. You will learn more about allocating and prioritising time to work and play and ultimately in the exams themselves.   U is for unlocking your potential. You will learn more about yourself and become more aware of the world around you. V is for vocabulary. You will want this to be as strong and varied as possible to use naturally when writing in an exam or in interview. W is for writing. Whether it be discursive, persuasive, creative or other forms, you will learn to appreciate the forms of each and be able to write in those different styles, as necessary. X is for extra. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little word 'extra'. Y is for YOU. How much do you want to get the scholarship, to do your best? That's entirely up to you. Not your teachers or parents or anyone else. Z is for Zzzzz.... Make sure you get a good amount of sleep.... and after all that hard work studying, you’re going to need a well-deserved rest! Adam M  is a  highly experienced tutor offering common entrance and scholarship   tuition. He has also written articles for tuition blogs on Classics, History, Maths and the nature of tuition  and has been interviewed by the BBC, for podcasts, for articles in The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, among others.  Interested in booking a lesson with Adam?  Click here to visit his Tutorfair profile  and find out more!

List of English Telephone Phrasal Verbs - English Lesson via Skype

List of English Telephone Phrasal Verbs - English Lesson via Skype Dont like reading? Scroll down for Telephone Phrasal Verbs infographic and English video lesson on useful English telephone phrases. Enjoyed this infographic? Here’s what you can do next: There are certain telephone phrasal verbs that ESL students need to know if they want to communicate well using the telephone.  The telephone is still a vital part of everyday business life, with most employees having at least one phone call  per day. Native speakers use phrasal verbs very often when they speak.  Lets take a closer look at telephone phrasal verbs commonly used  in telephone conversations in English. List of 15 Telephone Phrasal Verbs in English to call backto call upto cut offto get back to someoneto get throughto hang upto put someone throughto pass on to hold onto pick upto get offto switch offto switch onto break upto speak up English Telephone Phrasal Verbs with Meanings and Examples TO CALL BACK â€" to telephone someone (again) laterWe can also say to ring back or to phone back.Ex. I am sorry, but this number is engaged. Would you like to call back later?TO CALL UP â€" to telephone someoneWe can also say to ring up or to phone up.Ex. I rang up to cancel my gym membership.I called up the clinic yesterday to make an appointment with my doctor.TO CUT OFF â€" to lose a telephone connection. We can also use it in passive form â€" to be cut off, to get cut offEx. Sorry, I ran out of credit, and we got cut off.If you don’t pay your phone bill on time, the phone company will cut you off.TO GET BACK TO SOMEONE  â€" to telephone someone laterEx. Sorry, I am in the meeting right now, can I get back to you in twenty minutes?TO GET THROUGH â€" to get a telephone connection with someoneEx. I can’t get through to Dad, he doesn’t answer his phone.TO HANG UP â€" end a telephone conversation (often abruptly).Ex. I am not sure what happened, Jane just hung up in the middle o f the conversation!We can also use hang up with preposition on if someone hangs up on you. Quite often it means that the other person was frustrated or upset.Ex. He hung up on me.I can’t believe she hung up on me!TO PUT SOMEONE THROUGH  â€" to connect someone on the phoneEx. Could you put me through to Mr. White, please, on extension 316? TO HOLD ON â€" wait (for a short time). Generally we use it in imperative form.Ex. Please hold on the line, I’ll put you through.TO PICK UP  â€" to answer a phone callEx. I tried calling her last night but she didn’t pick up.TO GET OFF  (the phone) â€" to finish talking on the phoneEx. I should get off the phone, I have so much to do.Ive just got off the phone with Mum, she is keeping well.TO SWITCH OFF â€" to disconnect using the power buttonEx. You should switch off your laptop during take-off and landing.We can also say TO TURN OFF.TO SWITCH ON â€" to connect using the power buttonEx. You shouldn’t switch on your mobile phone after landing until you are in the terminal building.We can also say TURN ON.TO SPEAK UP â€" to speak louderEx. I’m afraid I didn’t hear you very well, the line is very bad. Could you speak up a little please?TO BREAK UP â€" the line is quite bad and you can’t hear a person on a call clearly (usually when talking on a mobile)Ex. Sorry, you are br eaking up, I didn’t hear that very well. Could you repeat, please?TO RING OFF â€" to finish a telephone conversationEx. I have to ring off now, but I’ll give you a call tomorrow.TO PUT DOWN (the phone) â€" to end a telephone conversationEx. Put your phone down and do your homework!TO PASS ON (a message) â€" to communicate (to convey) a message to someone elseEx. I’m sorry, John is not at his desk at the moment. I’ll pass the message on as soon as he comes back.

ACT Test Tutoring In NYC

ACT Test Tutoring In NYC Does ACT prep sound like a bore? It did to me too, but, now that I am in college, I am doing ACT tutoring because I understand just how important ACT prep classes, an ACT prep course, or an ACT tutor are to getting into the school of your dreams. Many ACT tutors will say that studying for the ACT is about knowing how to take the test more than it is about knowing the material, and I couldn’t agree more. My ACT prep tutoring focuses on helping students to find the answers that are there hidden within the test and how to use process of elimination to make an educated guess or to know when a question should be skipped or saved for later. As an ACT prep tutor, I recognize that every student learns differently, and so, when teaching students how to take the ACT, I focus on finding the test taking methods that work best for each student. ACT scores can be scary, but it, usually, isn’t a bad idea to take the test again. There are many ACT test dates and opportunities for ACT registration. However, this can be a pain and some colleges require that all ACT scores be revealed rather than allowing what is called super-scoring where only the best scores from each section are sent, so, in order to account for this, I highly recommend that all students who are able take a practice ACT to get used to the test before the real thing. My own ACT prep with students will also include numerous practice tests to familiarize students with the ACT test format. There has always been a big push to study ACT vocabulary, but flashcards full of ACT words was not an approach that I used when I studied for the ACTs, and my ACT practice does not and never will include that sort of useless, rote memorization. Instead, I prefer to use ACT practice questions that include ACT vocabulary so that students can learn ACT words in context rather than from a card. I, also, want to make students understand just what it means to have a “good” or a “bad” ACT score. ACT prep courses can, often, be stress inducing rather than stress reducing especially when ACT vocab is such an essential part of the curriculum. Even an ACT online course can negatively affect a student’s confidence. In an attempt to ease students, I will, when going over a practice ACT test, not only explain to them the ways in which they can improve their score but also give them some perspective on what their ACT score means in a broader sense. The idea behind this approach is that ACT testing can mislead students into thinking that they are not smart or not good enough when really the problem has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with getting used to a very specific type of standardized testing. To help students be better acquainted with the ACT test format, I will introduce different ACT tips as we go along and I become more knowledgeable about a specific student’s strengths and learning style. Having spent some horrible hours with ACT prep books back when I was in high school, I have come to learn that the best ACT prep book is a person (be that a tutor, a teacher, a parent, or a friend) who has taken and who understands the ACT on a personal level. ACT questions are designed to be tricky. ACT tutoring is intended to reveal the secret behind the trick. ACT test prep ensures that a student sees the same trick enough times to be able to identify it and immediately remember its secret. While ACT prep books can help with revealing secrets, because they are written down, they aren’t very good at adapting their explanations to different audiences. A practice ACT, the real ACT, they will be the same for everyone, but that doesn’t mean that everyone will understand them in the same way. My job as an ACT tutor is to make sure that you get the tricks and you see the secrets in the way that makes the most sense to you.

Dreaming big Our decision to teach abroad, part 2

Dreaming big Our decision to teach abroad, part 2 Moving abroad and starting over in a new country is one of the most nerve-wracking yet exhilarating adventures ever. If you’re thinking about teaching abroad with a family but wonder whether it's the right choice for you, Ryne’s story is essential reading. Just make sure you check out part 1 here first! Opportunity knocks One day in early September 2017, an email from Teach Away landed in my inbox, letting me know about some of the international teacher job fairs that would be happening this year. As sheer luck would have it, the first one was happening Atlanta, where one of my best friends lived. I had never been to Atlanta (but always wanted to visit) and it had been around two years since we had last seen each other. It seemed like a great opportunity to catch up with my friend, personally meet with international school heads and do some hands-on research on teaching abroad. Next, my wife Grace and I discussed the opportunity with our parents. While they were obviously saddened at the prospect of having us living so far away, they were fully supportive of the idea of teaching abroad. In fact, my dad referred me to some former colleagues of his, who had been administrators at international schools in South Korea and China. I gave one of them a quick call to get a feel for his experience teaching abroad, as well as what to expect at an international teacher job fair. Getting the chance to talk to someone that I knew and trusted was far more reassuring than anonymous bloggers online - especially when he had nothing but positive things to say about his experience teaching abroad. He was also able to help shed some light on the many questions my wife and I had. He also gave us some honest insight into the challenges of moving overseas, which was a good reality check for us. But when we weighed up all the pros and cons, the benefits of teaching abroad still won out over thepotential pitfalls of making a move overseas. Best of all, my dad’s former colleague was able to put us in contact with someone he knew who had also taught abroad with a young family. It was during this second Skype conversation that I could really start to see my wife’s excitement brewing. He told us all about what it was like for their children growing up in a culturally diverse environment and all the benefits that come with an international education. While we were even more sold on the idea of teaching abroad, the timeline was still up in the air. We felt that we were a couple of years away from being fully committed to accepting a job offer. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. Next, I called Irma, my Teach Away representative, to find out more about what a job fair would entail. I was concerned about the pressure of having to say yes to a job offer right away out of fear of missing out on a great opportunity. Irma put my mind at ease by letting me know that hiring schools would give me at least 24 hours to consider any offers. Best of all, she also let me know that my wife would be able to stay home with the boys while I went to the job fair, as many of the schools would be willing to have interviews with both of us if Grace was able to Skype in on the interview. This was a huge weight off our shoulders - especially when you consider the cost of flying us both to the job fair (not to mention making sure the boys were taken care of while we were both away). Irma also pointed something out to me that really made us think seriously about pushing our timeline for teaching abroad up to the following year. As both Grace and I are dual certified, in high-need fields, we would, more than likely, walk away from the job fair with multiple job offers. Feeling excited, we started drafting up a list of questions we needed to answer fully before committing to teaching abroad the following school year. 10 important questions we asked ourselves before teaching abroad 1. Should we sell our house or rent it out? 2. What would we do with our larger possessions and furniture? 3. How will our state retirement be impacted if we leave for two to five years? 4. How much money are we looking to save? (With certain international schools you can live off of one salary and pocket a salary, whereas with others you can only save $5,000 - 10,000 USD a year) 5. What will the healthcare situation be like? 6. Are we OK with ananny watching Everett (our six-month-old baby)? 7. What parts of the world are we willing to teach in? 8. Do we want to be in a large metropolitan area or are we okay to be in an area without a major city close by? 9. What kind of housing are we willing to live in? 10. What subjects are we looking to teach? After we had a plan in place for each eventuality, we were finally ready to make our dream of living and teaching abroad a reality. Job fair time One week before the fair started, Teach Away senta list of all the schools and their available positions. That way, we were able to compile a list of schools that we would both have a realistic chance of landing jobs with. Based on the itinerary we initially received from Teach Away, we would have one day of school presentations where each school would give a 30-minute presentation and answer our questions. Being able to compile a shortlist in advance was extremely helpful as many of the school presentations ran concurrently. Following the presentations, we could sign up for interviews taking place over the following two days. Unfortunately, this was going to be tough as my wife and I would only have the evenings to talk through our options. Clearly, I was going to have to go back to my college days of diligent note-taking on every school! Teach Away also sent us information on all of the school benefit packages ahead of the fair. This included basic information on the school, expected salary ranges, how much money you can save as a single teacher or teaching couple, healthcare packages, accommodation and tuition for dependents. Based on the info Teach Away provided, we came up with a top ten list of schools that we would be willing to accept job offers with. This meant we could focus solely on nailing our interviews, instead of wondering whether the school was the right fit for us. When I first arrived at the job fair, I felt lucky to have Teach Away there to answer all my questions. I really felt that we already had built a relationship with the constant communication before the job fair had even begun. It was especially helpful having the team there when I suddenly found myself having scheduled three job interviews - the day before interviews were even supposed to start! I thought I would have a little downtime at the job fair but ended up being busy from morning to night with interviews and events. I definitely did not get to spend as much time with my friends from Atlanta as I had hoped - but happily, they still had food in the fridge and a bed for me at 10 pm at night! Job offer time In the end, Grace and I received six offers in total at the Atlanta job fair. We both ended up accepting jobs at our dream school in China. Next up, we’ll be dealing with the visa process and all the other life-changing things that come along with moving abroad - not least of which is selling our house! How can you know if teaching abroad is right for you? Just as I started this blog series by talking about the perception of having children versus the realities, my advice to you would be to approach the opportunity of teaching overseas in much the same way. If you anticipate the fact that there are going to be unexpected obstacles that you will encounter and are willing to roll with the punches, you will walk away with an overall positive experience. Right now, we are so excited to be moving to China, where our sons will get the opportunity to be immersed in diverse cultures and be educated in an international setting that they would never have been able to experience here in the US. Being a part of a smaller, family-friendly school community and having the chance to grow in the profession that we both love is more than we could have hoped to ask for. We’re also looking forward to blogging more about our experience moving overseas and teaching abroad - stay tuned to the Teach Away blog for more posts from us over the coming months. My wife and I cannot thank Teach Away enough for their amazing help and support throughout the entire process, along with our family friends who were able to give their first-hand experiences that gave us the confidence to take the leap in the first place!