Complete Guide to Probability on SAT Math + Practice Questions

Complete Guide to Probability on SAT Math + Practice Questions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips A probability question asks you to identify how likely a particular event is to occur. How likely is it that you’ll pick a red marble out of a bag? How likely is it that a particular person will be chosen out of a lottery? How likely is it that two or more events will both occur? These are just some of the many different types of probability questions you may encounter on the SAT. This guide will take you through all aspects of probability you’ll need to know for the SATexactly what probability means, the typical probability questions you’ll see on the SAT math section, and the steps needed to solve them. Before You Continue Probability questions will show up on most SAT tests. The vast majority of SAT tests only have one questions out of the 58 math questions total, although you might very occasionally see a test with zero or two probability questions. So plan your SAT math study prep accordingly. If you are struggling to understand other fundamental sections of the math test, like integers or single variable equations, you will want to turn your focus there before you tackle this probability guide. The most important part of studying for the SAT is to focus your attention on topics that show up the most. This way, you can maximize your potential point gain per section. But if you already have a solid grasp of the other fundamental math topics (or you just really want to learn this section first), then let’s get cracking on probability! You'll learn SAT math tips and formulas to work through questions that deal with chance. Don't worry- I hear the probability of success is higher than you'd think. What Does Probability Mean? $\Probability = {\desired \outcome}/{\all \possible \outcomes}$ Remember this SAT math formula! Asking for the probability of an event is the same thing as asking for the â€Å"odds† of any particular event happening. And this probability is expressed as a fraction of: the likelihood of the event over all the outcomes possible. So how likely is it that you’ll get tails if you flip a coin? The chances are 1 in 2. 1 for the number of outcomes you want (tails) and 2 for the total number of possibilities (heads and tails). Let’s take a look at another example: There are ten students in the class. Every day, the teacher selects a random student to erase the board. What are the odds that Student A will be selected to clean the board today? The probability of Student A being selected is $1/10$. The desired outcome is 1 because Student A is only one student. And there are 10 students total, so there are 10 possible outcomes (students to pick from). Now what would happen if we had more than one possible choice as our desired outcome? What are the odds that either Student A or Student B will be selected to clean the board today? The probability is now $2/10$ (or $1/5$). Why? Because there are now 2 possible students to choose from, but the total number of students is still 10. Because the probability of any event happening is expressed as a fraction, it means that an event that will absolutely and without a doubt occur has a probability of $1/1$ or 1. There is no higher chance of it happening- this particular event will happen every single time, without fail. A probability of an absolutely impossible event, however, will be 0 because $0/x = 0$. You can also think of probabilities as percentages. If I select a red marble from a bag at a probability of $1/5$, it means that there is a 20% chance that I will select a red marble because $1/5 = 0.2$ or 20%. I'm gonna go with tails on this one. Either/Or Probability ${\Probability \of \either \event} = [{\outcome \A}/{\total \number \of \outcomes}] + [{\outcome \B}/{\total \number \of \outcomes}]$ (Note: this kind of probability is called â€Å"non-overlapping.† This means that the two events cannot both happen at the same time. There is a way to find an either/or probability for overlapping events, but you will never be asked to do this on the SAT, so it is not in this guide) As we saw above with our example of multiple students selected at random to clean a board, an either/or probability question asks how likely it is that either one of two or more events will occur. This increases the odds of our desired outcome because we do not care which of the two events happen, only that one of them does. To solve this kind of problem, we must therefore add the probability of each individual event. Their sum is the probability of either event happening. What is the probability of drawing either an ace or a queen from a deck of cards? There are 4 aces in a deck of cards and 52 cards total. Therefore, the probability of drawing an ace is $4/52 = 1/13$ (or 7.69%). There are also 4 queens in a deck of cards. So the probability of drawing a queen is also $1/13$. So the probability of drawing either an ace or a queen is $1/13 + 1/13 = 2/13$ or 15.38%. There are types of probability questions other than simple probability and either/or, but these are the only two types of probability that the SAT tests. Conditional Probability Very occasionally, the SAT will hit you with a simple conditional probability question. (I found one spread across all 8 free SAT practice tests). Conditional probability is the chances of an event (B) happening given that another event or condition (A) has already happened or been fulfilled. It's still simple probability- desired outcomes over total outcomes- but figuring out the correct number of desired vs. total outcomes can be a little tricky. Here's an example: There are 100 people working on a performance: 52 dancers, 12 stage technicians, and 36 musicians. Among the dancers, 14 are ballet dancers, 20 are jazz dancers, and 18 are modern dancers. What is the probability of selecting a ballet dancer from those working on the performance, given that the person selected is a dancer? It might seem like this is asking you the probability of selecting a ballet dancer (of which there are 14) from everyone working on the performance (of which there are 100). But actually, it's asking you the probability of selecting a ballet dancer from the dancers, because we are accepting as a given (as a condition) that the person we are randomly selecting is a dancer. We can tell this from the phrase "given that the person selected is a dancer." Thus, we must calculate the probability of selecting a ballerina (Event B) given condition A, that the person we select will be from among the 52 dancers. So the answer is $14/52$. You can identify conditional probability questions because they will say "given" or some other word or phrase to indicate that there is some precondition being met ("provided that," "assuming," etc.). Life would be better if there were a much higher probability of this actually happening Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Typical SAT Probability Questions Probability questions on the SAT will always be accompanied by a chart of some sort. Here's an example from SAT Practice Test 1: Dreams Recalled During One Week: None 1-4 5+ Total Group X 15 28 57 100 Group Y 21 68 100 Total 36 39 125 200 The data in the table above were produced by a sleep researcher studying the number of dreams people recall when asked to record their dreams for one week. Group X consisted of 100 people who observed early bedtimes, and Group Y consisted of 100 people who observed later bedtimes. If a person is chosen at random from those who recalled at least 1 dream, what is the probability that the person belonged to Group Y? $68/100$ $79/100$ $79/164$ $164/200$ There's no "either/or" or "given/assuming" in the question text, so we can conclude this is a simple probability question. This means we are looking for two pieces of information: the number of desired outcomes over the total number of outcomes. Let's actually start with our total number of outcomes: the text says we are choosing from "those who recalled at least 1 dream." So we need to figure out the total number of people (in either group) who recalled at least 1 dream. That's going to be everyone in both Group X and Group Y from the "1-4" and "5+" columns of the table. $$28+57++68 = 164$$ So our total number of outcomes (or the total number of people who remembered 1 or more dreams) is 164. You could also look at the "Totals" row at the bottom and add $39+125$ if that's easier for you. Now we need to know the number of desired outcomes. The question asks us the probability that our random choice from the group of people who remembered 1+ dreams is in Group Y. So how many Group Y individuals are in our group of 164 people who remembered at least one dream? We can figure this out by adding together the Group Y cells in the "1-4" and "5+" columns: $$+68 = 79$$ Our number of desired outcomes, then, is 79. If we put our desired outcomes (79) over our total outcomes (164) then we get $79/164$. Thus, the answer is C. I somehow don't think the odds are that much in my favor in this game.... How to Solve a Probability Question: SAT Math Strategies You will know if you are being asked for a probability question on the SAT because there will be a chart and the problem will ask you for the "probability of," the "proportion of," or the "odds of" one or more events happening. When you see those words, follow these two simple steps to solving a probability question: #1: Determine What Kind of Question It Is It's important to determine whether the question is a simple probability question, a conditional probability question, or an either/or probability question so that you know how to proceed. Remember, either/or questions will pretty much always have an "either" or an "or" in the question, and conditional probability questions will say "given" or "assuming" or some other word to indicate that there's some kind of condition or event preceding the probability you must calculate. #2: Simplify the Idea of a Probability Once you get used to working with probabilities, you’ll find that probability questions are often just fancy ways of working with fractions and percentages. This is especially clear in the SAT's format, which gives you everything in a chart. You typically just need to figure out which cells of the table to add together to get the desired outcomes and put that over the cells you need to add together to get the total number of outcomes that the question is asking about. The really important part is usually identifying what the total outcomes actually are and what the desired outcomes actually are. With odds of 37 to 1, how could you lose? (Answer: easily) Test Out Your Knowledge with SAT Math Practice Questions 1. From SAT Practice Test 3: Under 40 40+ Total Male 12 2 14 Female 8 3 Total 20 5 25 The table above shows the distribution of age and gender for 25 people who entered a contest. If the contest winner will be selected at random, what is the probability that the winner will be either a female under age 40 or a male age 40 or older? $4/25$ $10/25$ $/25$ $16/25$ 2. From SAT Practice Test 3: Left-handed Right-handed Female Male Total 18 122 The incomplete table above summarizes the number of left-handed students and right-handed students by gender for the eighth-grade students at Keisel Middle School. There are 5 times as many right-handed female students as there are left-handed female students, and there are 9 times as many right-handed male students as there are left-handed male students. If there is a total of 18 left-handed students and 122 right-handed students in the school, which of the following is closest to the probability that a right-handed student selected at random is female? (Note: Assume that none of the eight-grade students are both right-handed and left-handed.) $0.410$ $0.357$ $0.333$ $0.250$ 3. From SAT Practice Test 5: Teaching Research Total General Surgeon 258 156 414 Orthopedic Surgeon 9 74 193 Total 377 230 607 In a survey, 607 general surgeons and orthopedic surgeons indicated their major professional activity. The results are summarized in the table above. If one of the surgeons is selected at random, which of the following is closest to the probability that the selected surgeon is an orthopedic surgeon whose indicated professional activity is research? $0.122$ $0.196$ $0.318$ $0.379$ 4. From SAT Practice Test 7: (Grid-In Question) Number of Contestants by Score and Day 5/5 4/5 3/5 2/5 1/5 0/5 Total Day 1 2 3 4 6 2 3 20 Day 2 2 3 5 5 4 1 20 Day 3 3 3 4 5 3 2 20 Total 7 9 13 16 9 6 60 The same 20 contestants, on each of 3 days, answered 5 questions in order to win a prize. Each contestant received 1 point for each correct answer. The number of contestants receiving a given score on each day is shown in the table above. No contestant received the same score on two different days. If a contestant is selected at random, what is the probability that the selected contestant received a score of 5 on Day 2 or Day 3, given that the contestant received a score of 5 on one of the three days? Answers: B, A, A, $5/7$ Answer Walk-Throughs Practice Question 1: This is an either-or probability question, which we can tell because the question includes "either" and "or." So we'll be adding two simple probabilities together. The first probability is the chance of choosing a female under 40 at random from the group of people who entered the contest. There were 8 females under 40 and 25 entrants total according to the table, so our first probability is $8/25$. The second probability is the chance of choosing a male 40 or over. According to the table, there were 2 men 40 or over, and, again, we know that 25 people entered the contest, so our second probability is $2/25$. Now we need to add our probabilities together: $$8/25 + 2/25 = 10/25$$ Thus, the answer is B. Practice Question 2: Wait a second- the table isn't all the way filled out here! This is actually an algebra question and a probability question tied up in one. How can we figure out what goes in the table here? Well, we know that there are five times as many right-handed female students as left-handed female students. Let's say, then, that the number of left-handed female students is $f$ and the number of right-handed female students is $5f$. For the male students, we'll say that $m$ is the number of left-handed male students and then, per the problem, $9m$ is the number of right-handed male students, since there are 9 times as many. We also know that there is a total of 18 left-handed students and 122 right-handed students. This means that $$f+m = 18$$ and $$5f + 9m = 122$$ What we're really interested in here is the number of right-handed female students (which is our desired outcome), so let's solve for $f$. Per our first equation, $$m=18-f$$ So replacing $m$ with $18-f$ in our other equation, we get: $$5f + 9(18 - f) = 122$$ $$5f + 162 - 9f = 122$$ $$-4f + 162 = 122$$ $$-4f = -40$$ $$f = 10$$ Remember, $f$ is the number of left-handed female students, and the number of right-handed female students is $5f$ or 50. This means that our desired outcome (right-handed female students) is 50. Our total number of potential outcomes is going to be the total number of right-handed students, since that is the pool we are selecting from. That's 122. So the answer is $50/122$. In decimal form, this is 0.410. Thus, the answer is A. Practice Question 3: This is a good old simple probability question. We are selecting one of the surgeons at random, so the total number of potential outcomes is just the total number of surgeons- 607. And we want to know the chances that a randomly-selected surgeon is an orthopedic surgeon whose professional activity is research. Per the table, there are 74 orthopedic surgeons who do research. This means our probability is $74/607$ or, as a decimal, 0.122. So the answer is A. Practice Question 4: This grid-in question is both an either/or probability question and a conditional probability question. The condition is we are selecting at random among contestants who received a 5/5 on one of the three days. The question tells us that we can assume that no one got the same score multiple days, so we can assume that the 7 people who received 5s across the 3 days are all different people. Our total number of potential outcomes, then, is 7- not 20, the total number of contestants. Our desired outcome is the number of people receiving 5s on Day 2 or Day 3 (there's that either/or)! 2 people received 5s on Day 2, and 3 on Day 3. Our two probabilities that we are adding together, then, are $$2/7 + 3/7 = 5/7$$ The answer, then, is $5/7$. Whoo! Take your new probability knowledge and celebrate! The Take-Aways Probability questions can seem much trickier than they actually are. By taking the time to analyze what is being asked of you- what's really the desired outcome? How many possible outcomes are there really? Is this an either/or question?- and understanding that probabilities are simply fractional relationships of desired outcomes over all potential outcomes, you’ll be able to tackle SAT probability questions in no time. What’s Next? You’ve stacked the odds in your favor by mastering SAT probability. Now that you’re done, it’s probably a good idea to take a look at all the topics covered on SAT math. Don’t know how you could possibly finish a math section on time? Look no further than our article on how to buy yourself time and complete your SAT math problems before it’s pencils down. Want to get a perfect score? If you’ve already mastered your timing and score, it may be time to look at our article on how to get a perfect 800 on SAT Math, written by a perfect-scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math strategy guide, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Too Many Things To Write About

Too Many Things To Write About â€Å"If neurotic is wanting two mutually exclusive things at once and the same time, then I’m neurotic as hell. I’ll be flying back and forth between one mutually exclusive thing and another for the rest of my days.†Ã‚  - Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar A common complaint But writing anything is progressive. Even writing the wrong story, if there is such a thing. Putting words on paper, crafting plot, molding character, solving structure are all positive, advancing efforts in the evolution of a writer. All that time stressing and not writing is wasting time you could spend writing. I have a partial novel on a flash drive. I doubt Ill ever complete it, because Ive found other writing I love better. However, the weeks and weeks I spent writing those thirty thousand words taught me what I wanted and didnt want to write. It was an over-zealous project for me at that stage of my career, but the lessons were legion. I admire that unfinished piece as many stair steps toward what I ultimately published. Ideas. . . we all have them. Some of us incessantly ponder them in their heads. Others of us just write lists of them. Others carry through and complete the stories. Most of those stories wont see the light of day, will be rejected, or will simply become dead ends. But those writers. . . the ones who go through the sweat of crafting those ideas into words, will have taken the biggest strides forward. Those are the ones who will one day strike gold Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and heres to writing badly in order to find the good.

Midterm assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Midterm - Assignment Example They are the key elements that lead to so much variation in the physical and chemical conditions of different habitats. Temperature: It is one of the most relevant environmental factors controlling the type of organism that the ecosystem will support. The average temperature on land varies seasonally, decreases progressively from the equator towards the poles and from plains to the mountain tops. Temperature plays a very significant role in the metabolism and survival of the organisms. Water: Next to temperature, water is the most important factor influencing the life of organisms. The productivity and distribution of plants is also heavily dependent on water. For example, in deserts where water availability is very limited, only organisms with special adaptations to conserve water alone will be able to survive. Light: Sunlight is the main source of energy for the ecosystem and for the process of photosynthesis, by which plants produce food, can take place only in the presence of sun light. For many animals too, light is important in that they use the diurnal and seasonal variations in light intensity and duration (photoperiod) as cues for timing their foraging, reproductive and migratory activities. Biotic Factors The biotic components include all living organisms like plants, animals, fungi and bacteria of the ecosystem. The biotic components including the pathogens, parasites, predators and competitors – of the organism interact constantly with the abiotic factors of the environment for their survival. The biotic components modify their responses to changes in abiotic factors and maintain the balance of the ecosystem. 2. What is ecosystem function - in other words how does an ecosystem work? Ans. The components of the ecosystem are seen to function as a unit through the following aspects: (i) Productivity (ii) Decomposition (iii) Energy flow; and (iv) Nutrient cycling. The green plants known as the Producers or autotrophs trap the solar energy and conv ert simple inorganic materials into complex organic compounds or food. All animals depend on plants (directly or indirectly) for their food needs. They are hence called consumers or heterotrophs. The interdependency of organism for the requirement of food leads to food chain or food web. Based on the source of their nutrition or food, organisms occupy a specific place in the food chain that is known as their trophic level. The solar energy captured by plants flows through different organisms or different trophic levels of an ecosystem. The Organisms at each trophic level depend on those at the lower trophic level for their energy demands. When any organism dies it is converted to detritus or dead biomass that serves as an energy source for decomposers. Decomposers secrete digestive enzymes that breakdown dead and waste materials into simple, inorganic materials, which are subsequently absorbed by them. 3. Use the Diablo Range as an example of an intact ecosystem – Describe th e Diablo Range's abiotic and biotic components (including the Diablo Range location, topography, climate, plant communities, mammals & other organisms found there). Give details for each! Ans. Diablo mountain range is a classical example of an intact ecosystem. It is located in the eastern San Francisco Bay area south to the Salinas Valley area of northern California, the United

Terrorist Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Terrorist Behavior - Essay Example One such study is how close terrorists live in proximity to where the terrorist act occurs. Many studies have been conducted to ascertain how close terrorists live with respect to areas they strike. One such was carried out by the National Institute of justice. In its study, it examined sixty terrorist cases that have hit the United States in the past twenty five yeas. The study revealed that terrorists live close to their targeted area (Smith, (n.d)). For instance, the study reveals that among the cases examined, terrorist lived within 30 miles from their targets. This was evident in a case study with respect to McVeigh the mastermind of September 11 terrorist attacks and Rudolph the mastermind behind the bombing of abortion clinic in Birmingham. In this case it was noticed that they lived closer to their target points before carrying out the attacks (Smith (n.d)). Preparation time is another question that lingers in the minds of many researchers. The study by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) reveals that terrorist acts do not just happen in a matter of days but instead goes through a number of strategic planning. For this reason, the finding showed that terrorists take several months or years before accomplishing their mission (Smith, (n.d)). With regard to the whether there is a difference in proximity and preparation for domestic and international terrorists, the findings showed almost similar pattern. In this case, the findings by the National Institute of Justice revealed that in both cases the proximity of the target point is close. For example according to analysis of survey conducted by National Institute of Justice, about half of domestic terrorist and close to three-fifth of international terrorists actually lived within thirty miles of their targets. This trend seems to make it easier for the terrorists to carry out intensive surveillance and other

Understanding of Pain and Suffering Essay Example for Free

Understanding of Pain and Suffering Essay Everyone has a different perception of pain and what it means to one’s state of health. Pain can be physical or psychological; it can also be acute of chronic. All pains and aches are a maker of some type of suffering. My understanding of pain and suffering mainly comes from previous experiences of from my own state of discomfort and also from observation of patients at work. After reading book titled â€Å"The Anatomy of Hope† by Dr. Jerome Goodman, I realized how little I really knew about pain and suffering. This lecture contains many stories of the prevalence of pain for patients during the course of illness. In having studied these readings, a newfound understanding of how pain works in the lives of people who are struggling with health concerns has helped to illuminate how I can be a better health service provider. Helping patients to find internal hope and faith can aid them in their struggle for health and improved quality of life. In one of the chapters entitled, â€Å"The Right to Hope†, the author talks about his colleague, George Griffin, a specialist in treating stomach cancer who ironically gets diagnosed with a terminal case of stomach cancer. Against the odds, George undergoes intensive and painful treatments in order to fight the deadly disease. As a physician, George had knowledge about the severity of this condition, but as a human, he wanted to live. As a result of his determination, he gathered all of his strength and pushed himself through intense chemotherapy as well as suffering during recovery from the painful surgery. I think George’s view that â€Å"all of us have natural fear of death, but his belief in God and in afterlife assuaged it† played an important role in his decision to undergo the treatment (Groopman, 62). His will to live, faith in life, and struggle for what is good and healthy was an extremely powerful aspect of his own treatment, and I commend him for enlightening others about the powerful gift of spiritual faith and hope. George survived, yet he endured a lot of pain and suffering along the way. Furthermore, George wanted to prove that there is always â€Å"inherent of the uncertainty in the behavior of even the worst diseases†. By working through his own illness, he disproved the negative prognoses by his own strength and willpower. Also, he wanted to â€Å"spark hope that went beyond clinical truth† (Groopman, 78). George’s battle with cancer taught me that perhaps it is more difficult to beat the odds if they are familiar to a person, but in the end heritage and faith can go beyond clinical expertise and assist someone in the fight for life. George won his battle with cancer but he proved that it is worth it to have hope under even the most extreme circumstances and it is part of the human spirit to let miracles happen (Groopman, 81). Another valuable story which assisted me in understanding the terms of pain and suffering when a patient is initially resistant in the struggle for hope is also written by Dr. Groopman and is entitled â€Å"Step by Step†. The reading is about a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patient named Dan. He refuses all the treatment and does not want to have hope in his cure. We find out later in the story that Dan based his decision on personal experience from the past when his veteran friend lost battle to cancer in spite of all the pain, suffering, and struggling he endured during his stay in ICU. Dan did not have medical knowledge and he did not want to undergo the same suffering and complications as his friend who eventually died. As time is running out, Dan’s symptoms tend to worsen, illustrating the patient’s hopeless experience of illness, not just the biology of the disease (Groopman, 93). Things change for Dan when Dr. Groopman changes his approach and tries hard to lessen Dan’s fear. He presents him realistic outcomes and knowledge about the treatments. I think he did marvelous job by telling Dan that everyone reacts to treatments differently, allowing Dan the chance to hope, increasing his faith and supporting the possibility of recovery. Eventually, Dan accepts treatment in steps as part of bargain and notices improvement. I think that Dan suffered in watching his friend fight and die, so he did not want to have false hope and fail. However, the support of a good health provider can assist even the most resistant patient in finding internal hope and strength, the personal power to fight an illness. I learned from those two stories that it is how we approach the subject of pain and suffering which can either strengthen or weaken a person. Constructive and positive interaction can work wonders in helping to dissolve destructive and negative thinking, helping to increase the chances of success and the alleviating pain and suffering. I also learned that the way we understand a concept can be altered by many factors, for example like in Dan’s case previous negative of experience. Seeing suffering and death and the failure of treatments can instill a sense of fear and hopelessness in a person, however, it is important to note that fear and hopelessness will not be helpful to anyone. George’s story was going against the odds and accepting pain and suffering as part of the journey. In my opinion, a healthcare provider can’t always just focus on the clinical presentations, one has to explore deeper into a people’s souls to what really troubles them, what can possible cause a delay in recovery, and help the person to find a reliable source of strength.

The Privilege of the College Experience :: College Admissions Essays

The Privilege of the College Experience At age four, I was a firewoman, fighting to save the spirits and possessions of those faced with devastation. Twelve short months later, my occupation mutated into the daring role of a policewoman working to keep the peace. Later, still devoted to the sake of betterment, I finished my fourth year of law school and took my bar exam with F. Lee Bailey and Johnny Cochran. Nothing more notorious than a thief seemed to cross my 10-year-old mind. Unpractical but whole and with an intense fancy, I lived one hundred lives. Emitting the wonders of life into the ornate dream of childhood, I sailed though the adult world as a na†¢ve foreigner. Inevitably, the misconceptions of childhood soon turned to red, green, yellow and orange and fell frailly from the tree of life. Now a chance for an even more colorful future has arrived: college. As a young adult, dissecting and analyzing every feeling, occurrence, or loss that I experience, then writing about it, has become a way of life. Throughout my high school years, I have experienced many "firsts." These firsts embedded in me much more than book knowledge: the friendships, the new responsibilities, the leadership roles. The new experiences turned my fire fighting days into adulthood. However, the fire fighting skills were never lost; each childhood and adolescent lesson has kept me from falling in flames, and similar morals gained in college will fulfill the same role in my adult life. These writings that I look back on not only remind me of why I would love the privilege of gaining a degree in (field of study), but also paint a picture of a blooming thirst for challenge and a hunger for success. The privilege of the college experience is the privilege of eating from the tree of life. Fortunately, I learned early in "law school" that love and hate have close ties. On the tree of life, good and evil grow from the same branch, and shape the world as they fall. Education is the ultimate teacher of these principles. After years of rain or shine, my childhood images remain vivid and my feelings the same, for each leaf is sprouting from that same seed of adventure - the very seed that has been nourished with experience and showered with responsibilities, and now grows with petals thirsting for the passion of their sun: college.

Federalist Paper No. 16

The Federalist Papers: Federalist Paper No. 16 Alexander Hamilton By Joshua Trottier HIST 146 Professor Bramson TTH: 2:15-4:45 Joshua Trottier HIST 146 Professor Bramson TTH: 2:15-4:45 In previous papers I have given you clear reason to support the union for your own benefit. I've presented the dangers that would follow, should the union that binds the states together, break. Finding the correct information can be difficult and it is my goal to help you understand the current status our union is in, in the best manner that can be done.I want to discuss the â€Å"insufficiency of the present Confederation to the preservation of the Union. † It could be asked what reason there is for someone to ask such a question that many men, friends of the new constitution or not, agree upon. This raises the truth of our situation to be acknowledged in order to keep clear of nearing anarchy. The people no longer speculate the facts of our situation, they have been accepted by the masses. The reality is that there were some defects in the scheme of our federal government, which has already been addressed by current members of the Union.Have we reached the final stage of our nation humiliation? There's nothing that could make our country feel any less of it self than it does now from what we are experiencing. Do we owe debt? Have we valuable territories under foreign control? Can we repel this in our current situation? We have no army, no money, and no government. Our country is experiencing many difficulties currently and this is what we have been given by the people who would now discourage us from the proposed Constitution, who have pushed us to the edge of an abyss.My men, let us stand up for our own security, our peace, our pride, and our reputation. Let us find the paths of prosperity. There's nothing wrong with the idea of an alliance or treaty between independent nations so long as their purpose is precisely stated, regulating every detail of time, place, circums tance, and quantity; making sure to leave nothing that could be up for debate between those who will eventually be living with that alliance.Contracts of this kind are apparent all throughout the globe, bringing with them times of peace or war, observation and non-observance, as the powers at head dictate. These treaties; however, if based on the idea of good faith for peace and justice, which goes against human nature, can be broken when the those who represent the people, act on impulses or immediate passion.Abandoning all prior beliefs towards a confederate government would bring the States into frequent battle among their neighboring States; however, If we take action to avoid this situation and readdress the design of a national government, then we would be presented with the opportunity to include in our plan those characteristics that differentiate between a league and a government. The ability to create laws, within the states, belongs to the identified government. If howeve r, these laws did not include sentences or penalties for being broken, then they would only serve as helpful tips or suggestions to the people.The sentences should bring some form of punishment for not doing what had been advised. In a society where the government works internally, will mean that every infraction upon the laws should involve a state of war; this is not a government and no person would freely choose it. It is also important to point out that within every political association that is formed in order to unite a group(s) of people there will that there will be those who want to break free from the common.This is nothing new though, it comes with the love of power. The enemy to power is almost always that power that is being inflicted upon. From this we have little reason to expect our representatives to act accordingly to what we have intrusted them with, for their actions are the result of human nature. What reason do we have to believe that they will in according; pu nctuality, a sense of fair play and good-humor, and to have an unbiased and open view of what the public is presenting them.If the confederacy cannon be achieved without the intervention from a particular administration then there is very little chance that they will achieve at all. Those who hold power over the respective members will take it upon themselves to judge every measure presented before them. They will consider such things as, monetary gain and lose, or their own personal interests before the interest of those who they represent. This will be done in ignorance towards national circumstances or State reasons which in order to have correct judgement, is required.How difficult would it be for sovereignties who participate with each other, from afar, during different times, and under different circumstances to participate with each other towards the same views and pursuits, to hold together if, for example, our popular assemblies are already so difficult to establish a compr omise without any outside source of pressure upon the representatives. Until the States figure out a better replacement for the current government, then congress can do nothing to help keep forms of administration. This situation we are in now did not come by happenstance but by the acceptance of propositions by the Union.