Why We Need To Change The Conversation About Jonathan Franzen

Why We Need To Change The Conversation About Jonathan Franzen It would seem Jonathan Franzen is a cartoon snowball that has gathered mass as it rolls from the summit to the bottom of the mountain that is 20th century literature. Here he now rests, a gargantuan, gleaming iceball that has found its place in the sun. His most lauded work, The Corrections, made him a critics darling in 2001, propelling him to become one of the most discussed and polarizing figures in literature since the turn of the millennium. Purity, his new tome, has received much praise as well (sort of), and has again made him the center of the discussion on what it means to be a great American novelist in the 21st century. By his fans, he is often referred to as one of the few remaining writers to earn this lofty designation, some lone artisan continuing an ancient trade. Perhaps this is why reviews of his work often begin on a macrocosmic level, naming him as a successor to William Gaddis, Thomas Pynchon, and Don DeLillo. In a reviewers mind, I would guess these starlit names give context to the man and his work. After all, its clear to see that these authors have influenced Franzens work, especially Gaddis, who hes written about in detail in his famous Mr. Difficult essay which appeared in the New Yorker in 2002. In fact, Franzen lists a group of 13 authors that have inspired him in this essay, referring to the bakers dozen as a canon of intellectual, socially edgy white-male American fiction writers. Which brings me back to my less-than-subtle snowball metaphor. Calling Jonathan Franzen the only great American novelist or suggesting that he is some kind of bookish outcast crusading for the perpetuity of true literature is a much more malicious statement than it would appear at first glance. It suggests that real American literature is written by white men, always has been written by white men, and now is being written solely by a white man. Ill level with you. I liked The Corrections. Ill be the first to admit that there are times when Franzens work has shined. Whats more, I dont think the perfidious title that is often bequeathed on him is a fault of the Franzen himself. The mere fact that more than a decade ago he was able to identify the exact type of writer to which he gravitated is a statement in itself. Its a sign that on some level hes aware of his shortcomings. The problem is that critics, fanboys, and the publishing industry in general allow the aura of Franzen to keep beaming. He continues to be praised shamelessly, elevated to some untouchable echelon. Its as if we didnt heed the warning, broadcast by the author himself 13 years ago. He blatantly, and based on the essays language somewhat abashedly, announced the singular nature of his influences. Thats why I like to believe that Franzen had deeper purpose in writing Mr. Difficult. While I ultimately disagree with most of his conclusions, it gives readers much insight as to where hes coming from as a writer. With no expectations, there can be no disappointment. The Corrections, at its simplest level, does an adept job of capturing a small, selective segment of the American population. Though it is chock-full of platitudes, the nuanced prose makes it an enjoyable read. Hell, as an upper middle-class white boy from the Midwest, it couldve very well become one of my favorites if I wasnt paying attention. However, the literary landscape today is too rich to continue deifying this old relic, and continuing to worship its creator is misguided, for the reality is that Franzen hasnt kept pace with contemporary literature, or really contemporary anything, for that matter. He is a privileged enough writer to vocally disdain Twitter, pokes jokes at any authors he finds too lowbrow, and generally only participates in society when he chooses. Every time he books an interview its guaranteed to spark a dozen think-pieces and cause a hurricane across the same social media he rejects. How do we expect a man to write about the American experience when he refuses to participate in it? More so, Franzens biggest advocate is himself. In his same Mr. Difficult essay, he swears off experimentation, as if he could foresee his own future irrelevance, suggesting that novels should be conservative and conventional. I cant think of a better phrase to aptly describe his hallmark work. This stance seemingly gives him an out on all the books to come since 2001, because he can fall back on big ideas rather than the details that elevate books to extraordinary. This actually prevents him from having the ability to write anything remarkable, because he loses out on the minutiae that can only be put to paper if one chooses to exist in the present day. This is why we must change the conversation about Jonathan Franzen. Like a student in a writing workshop who cant take criticism, Franzen sits on the sidelines and participates only when theres little to lose, using intellectualism to prove that he is a brilliant, unique snowflake. When we reward and validate this behavior, we are silencing other voices, allowing the stereotype of a middle-aged white man surrounded by books in a library, clacking away at a typewriter, to continue to be our view of an American author. It is undeniable that Franzen is an American, that he reveals some of our worst tendencies, and that he is an author that deserves recognition, but he is not the only great American novelist. He is the crust on the biggest slice of pie. He is the continuation of a myopic interpretation of American literature. We must talk about Franzen for what he is, a giant squid in an ocean of brilliant writers, lurking in the depths, only emerging to strike awe and terror before returning to the unknown. Putting him on a pedestal is an injustice. It is the continuation of monochromatic tradition.

Annotated Bibliography On Data Recovery - 1756 Words

Data Disaster Recovery Trang Thu Nguyen CIS -125 Telecommunication Concepts Prof. Abdur Iqbal Spring 2015 ASA College, New York Table of Content Introduction Security Vulnerability Security Measures 1. Data Backup 2. Hard Drive 3. Peer-to-peer Backup 4. Cloud-based Backup 5. Back up multiple versions Recovery Startegies 1. Internal Recovery Strategies 2. Vendor- based Recovery Strategies Conclusion Bibliography Introduction Data recovery is one of security planning that enable the continuity and recovery of data and technology after a natural or human-induced disaster (..) Businesses nowadays face multiple attacks, thus, data recovery is essential in any business continuity plan. This paper will discuss the security threats that businesses are facing and the appropriate data recovery strategies that come with. The Importance of Data Disaster Recovery An IT disaster occurs when a business’s mission- critical system is not available. An IT disaster may be nature- or human- induced. Natural disaster including fire, hurricane, flood, earthquake, tornado etc. can damage the IT physical infrastructures. Fire is reportedly one of the most common catastrophic events that can interrupts a business operation (....) Human- induced disaster include terrorist attacks, deliberate criminal activities etc. An IT disaster can have serious consequences to a business if not being addressed timely and correctly. Apart from loss of existing data,Show MoreRelatedAnnotated Bibliography on Treatment Approaches for Chilren with Autism726 Words   |  3 Pages Annotated Bibliography Siegel, B. (2003). Helping children with autism learn Treatment approaches for parents and professionals (Sec, 2002). Autism and the Risk on Using Alternative Medicine without Medical Supervision In this book, â€Å"Helping children with autism learn: Treatment approaches for parents and professionals† Siegel gives parents of autistic children what they need most: hope. 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A Question of Dowry - Story - 1625 Words

A QUESTION OF DOWRY 7) A story written in the early to mid-1960s; published in Twenty-two Malaysian Stories: An Anthology of Writing in English, selected and edited by Lloyd Fernando, Heinemann Educational Books (Asia) Ltd., Singapore, 1968, pp. 30-4. Corrections of some minor printing and other errors in the published version have been incorporated here. . Siew-Yue Killingley 1965; . Heinemann 1968, the author retaining the right to include the work in any collection exclusively of her own works two years after 1968. There was much excitement in Mrs. Ramachandran s household. The daughter of the house, Sivasothie, was going to be engaged. The festive air was laden with the spicy smell of curries and wad ¨Ã‚ ¦s sizzled in the kwali saucepan.†¦show more content†¦My father gave us four for my dowry, and our second son received three as his wife s dowry. Come now, wife! remonstrated Mr. Ramachandran. Don t you remember? We have only one piece of land left from your dowry ¡Ã‚ ªwe sold the o ther three for our third and fourth sons weddings. You asked me to do it yourself. As for Anandakrishna s land, that belongs to him, and he s already rented it out to some householders in order to get cash for his eternal drinks. Afraid of further secrets being revealed to prying ears, and being anxious to save her family s face, Mrs. Ramachandran motioned to her husband to drop the subject. However, Mr. Ramachandran continued. About the land, I m afraid it is impossible to sell it at a quarter of its former price. You see, water has been seeping out from some well for about ten years, and so the land is now too marshy for house-holding. Unless we were to drain it, no one would buy it at our sum. Are you insulting my poor father? He give me a piece of sodden land? Impossible! Oh, if he had known what sort of a son-in-law he was getting, he would have made a wiser decision. But I shall have a better son-in-law who ll not depend on his wife s dowry. He s a doctor, and he has his own income! With that she stalked out, after having locked the gold chain securely in its container again. Mr. Ramachandran looked worried, but resigned. He always found himself at a loss for words when his wife was most eloquent.Show MoreRelatedEssay about The Stand Aganist Abortion693 Words   |  3 PagesBelieve it or not, numerous amount of people in the world supports abortion. Abortion, I believe, is another type of murder, cruelly terminating a human’s pregnancy. My question is, how is it ever acceptable to kill someone who didn’t get the chance to live the life and take the advantages that they could’ve had? Taking that right away from someone, even a baby, is violating the human rights. 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Blizzards vs Hurricanes Free Essays

1 2 In 1903 W. E. B. We will write a custom essay sample on Blizzards vs Hurricanes or any similar topic only for you Order Now DuBois has said that race was to be the most important issue of the 20th century. This paper examines how the ‘race problem’ has unfolded in 20th century America, from the immigrations and United States imperialism to the Ku Klux Klan. The paper looks at what happened to help the issues with race why it took so long for America to pass the Civil Rights Act. Finally, the paper looks at the progress made in America in the latter part of the century. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination that was based on your race, color, religion and even national origin in employment and public accommodations. Then the Voting Rights Act in 1965 that restored and also protected voting rights. In 1965 the Immigration and Nationality Services Act that opened entry to the United States to the immigrants other than just traditional. These acts I believe helped save the United States and solve some of the race and immigrant issues due to Civil War. At the federal level , the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act were the highest of the political struggle to improve legislation. But long before these milestones, race-specific policy changed rapidly at the state level. It was unfair to the diffusion of anti-discrimination policy that provides the opportunities to be able to study the political economy. Also the effects of the policies before the federal coverage applied a comparatively uniform standard to most places at the same time. In the first two decades were the most intense and some people have said that it was the lowest point for Black Americans since the Civil War ended. The rule of the land was the segregation and separation. This caused issues; African Americans had to ride in separate railroad cars, their own drinking water fountain and most of all the black Americans even had their own court houses and hotels. Can you imagine how the black Americans felt? To make matters seem worse the black Americans even had to use their own facilities and were not able to sit in the front bus, only in the back. The whites had much better facilities than the black Americans did. When a black man was accused by a any white person of having an affair with a white woman, a crime or a different kind of charge, they would become lynched. Lynching is known for ‘hanging’ and it became a public event for the white men, women and even the children. The whites would hang the body, torture it and the burn the body. This became such a popular horrifying event, that between 60 to 80 black men were lynched each year from the years of 1905 to 1915. I could not even imagine how the children felt seeing this. From the years 1900-1914, the White Supremacist called KKK known as the Ku Klux Klan, was started by a small group of whites from the south. The KKK were mad at the fact that the African Americans got their freedom and that the war ended but most of all that the south had lost all their slaves. They did not know how to react. Their revenge was to torture and kill the African American’s just because they got freedom and that they are not the south’s slaves anymore . By 1924 there were more than 4 million KKK men in the United States. Griffith To this day the KKK still exists and think the same way they had years ago. There are some people still do believe like the whites did after the Civil War, black Americans have way more freedom now than they ever did. For example black and white’s are now allowed to marry, all can use the same bathrooms, busses and be able to eat in the same restaurants. In my opinion I do not think that all the racial and segregation should have been a problem because we are all the same people just different skin color and some of our beliefs. White people have different beliefs than other white people but they do not hate each other or want to kill them. 5 References http://americanracedescrimination. wordpress. com/2011/01/27/1900-1914-racism-kkk/ Bowles, Mark . D, American History 1865-Present | End of Isolation http://www. nber. org/reporter/winter06/collins. RACE IN TURN How to cite Blizzards vs Hurricanes, Essay examples

No Man is an Island - An Analysis free essay sample

This paper analyzes the book No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton. This paper examines some of the most important themes in this book by Thomas Merton, focusing on both his mysticism and the profound understanding that he had of the ways in which humanism and Christianity can be blended. From the paper: We see this too in Merton, for while Merton is in many places in this book asking us to turn inward to understand the nature of the human soul, to examine as carefully as possible our own responsibilities vis-?-vis our own salvation, he is also asking us not to turn away from the world. The essence of a life well lived for a Christian, according to Merton?s humanistic sense of the religion, is that of a life well lived here on earth with a constant attention to the next. He does not advocate an asceticism that denies both the pleasures of this world or the good that we can each do in our mortal span. We will write a custom essay sample on No Man is an Island An Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For Merton, the good Christian is not the one who lives for heaven alone, but the one who lives for goodness and truth as well as God.

anchoring script Essays

anchoring script Essays anchoring script Essay anchoring script Essay Asa little girl, I spent countless hours playing with my Barbie dolls, even designing and sewing one-of-a-kind outfits for the doll. I guess you could say Barbie gave me my start as a designer. Santa Claus is anyone who loves another and seeks to make them happy; who gives himself by thought or word or deed in every gift that he bestows; who shares his Joys with those who are sad; whose hand is never closed against the needy; whose arm is ever outstretched to aid the week; whose sympathy is quick and genuine in time of trouble; who recognizes a comrade and brother in every man he meets upon lifes ommon road; who lives his life throughout the entire year in the Christmas spirit. Santa Claus is anyone who loves another and seeks to make them happy; who gives himself by thought or word or deed in every gift that he bestows. If entire Japanese population is brought down to your intelligence level, the world would collapse! Be friendly and intelligent. Doraemon is very friendly and intelligent, not to mention long-suffering because of Nobitas antics. In the real life, people usually think of the bad behaviors of others, so if you follow Doraemons habits, you will be focus on thers good points and have better relationship. Ive never flown a kite. I started kite boarding when I was 13. My dad was a kite boarder, and I begged him to teach me until he finally agreed. He made me wait because it can be dangerous. I think this kite thing is really special. Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldierneeds. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them. soldier loves his country, Be willing to live, fight and die for your foundation Men in uniform are often described as serious, strict, firm and dangerous , but I would describe him as the sweetest, most gentle and most loving person that every woman would wish to have My friend, my confidante, my hero, my soldier, the love of my life I only hope that we dont lose sight of one thing that it was all started by a mouse. Meerabai (Mira Bai[l]) was a Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna. She was one of the most significant Sants (true or saints) of theVaishnava bhakti movement. MiraBai (1498 1547) was a Rajput princess who lived in the north Indian state of Rajasthan. She was a devout follower of Lord Krishna. Payo Ji maine Ram ratan dhan payo 3 Vastu amolik di mere sataguru Kirapa kart apanayo Ram ratan dhan payo There is a tiger in my room, said Frances. Did he bite you? said Father. No, said Frances. Did he scratch you? said Mother. Then he is a friendly tiger, said Father. He will not hurt you. Go back to sleep The parrots so funny. He imitates me I hope you love birds too Parrots remain the most popular pet birds. This is due to their fascinating colors, their intelligence, attachment to their owners and their ability to imitate the human voice, but also to their adaptability to the captive life. This is exactly what led many species to the brink of extinction, and some species are already extinct. The annual illegal traffic of parrots bypasses 100 million birds. In the case of some species, the poachers destroy up to 70 % of the nests, and the rarer a parrot, the most expensive it turns.

ACT Math Strategy

Plugging in Numbers A Critical SAT/ACT Math Strategy SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As we mentioned in our math strategy article on plugging in answers, neither the SAT nor the ACT measures how you arrived at your answer. On standardized tests, all that matters is whether your answer is correct or not. There is no such thing as partial credit on a standardized test and no one is looking over your shoulder to see if you solved the question the â€Å"proper† way. This means that finding the right answerno matter the processis the only thing that matters. And there are plenty of short-cut techniques you can use to find that correct answer without the need to create and solve complex equations. This guide will take you through the strategy of plugging in your own numbers, one of simplest processes for working out the answers to several different kinds of standardized math questions. In this guide, we’ll give you a complete walk through on the strategy of plugging your own numbers (PIN) for math questions.We’ll go through the whys, hows, and, most importantly, whens of using PIN your standardized test(s), as well as take you through several real SAT and ACT practice problems. The other best strategy for working around problemsplugging in the answersis covered in a separate guide. Why Use Plugging in Numbers? Sometimes you may find yourself confronted with a problem that you have no idea how to approach. Sometimes you may just think it will take too long to solve the problem algebraically. And other times,you maybegiven so many different variables in a single problem that you want to make absolutely sure you have the correct solution. When this happens, plugging in your own numbers can often help get you to the right answer. It can be intimidating to begiven a question or answer choices with multiple variables, especially when you are on a strict time crunch. But if you use real numbers in place of x or y or a or k(or any other variable), it can make a previously obscure problem turn into one that it quite simple. Using numbers in place of variables can make the more theoretical questions become more practical and easy to visualize, which will allow you to solve them much more easily. For example, (We'll walk through how to solve this question in the next section) It can be very easy to forget that you have the power to replace variables with your own numbers while you’re taking the test. So remember to relax and know that solving a question via complex algebra is not your only option; you have other avenues available that are often much easier to work with. Use any and all advantages you have when battling standardized testing. How to Use Plugging in Numbers So now that you know why plugging in numbers can come in handy, let’s go through exactly how to do it. The basic idea of plugging in your own numbers is that you provide real numbers in place of variables or unknowns in your problem. This technique can work for any problemalgebra or geometryin which you are presented with several unknowns, or variables. The best way to tell if you can use PIN on a question is to look and see if the question, the answer choices, or both involve variables. When the question and/or answer options include variables (especially multiple variables), you can most likely use PIN. Because these kinds of questions are asking about the relationships between numbers (or objects or degrees, etc.), these relationships will be constant, no matter what actual numbers are used. As long as your numbers follow the rules you are presented with in the question, then you can find the right answer using your own numbers. Then, once you’ve picked a number to represent a variable, use that number to solve the original equation. Then use the number you chose for your original variable to replace that same variable in your answer options. By doing this, you can test your answer options and see which answer choices match the result you got for your original equation when you plugged in your own numbers. Don’t worry if this doesn’t make any sense to you yet. We’ll break down the steps using an actual math problem example: We are told that themathematical relationships described above work for all numbers $x, y, z$. This means we are allowed to pick any numbers we would like for $x, y, z$ because any and all numbers must work. We have multiple variables and a complex series of equations. Let's make life easier on ourselves and give each of these variables a number. Let's say that: $x = 2$ $y = 3$ $z = 4$ Now, let's solve our problems in accordance with the rules we were given and see if the equations are equal. The first is: $x⊕y = y⊕ x$ Let's take the left half of the equation first and replace our variables with numbers. $x⊕y$ $2⊕3$ Well, according to our rules, this would be: $2⊕3 =(2)(3) + 2 + 3$ $$ The left half of our equation is. Now let's look at the right half to see if it is equal. $y⊕x$ $3⊕2= (2)(3) + 3 + 2$ $$ Both sides equal , so option I is correct. This means we can eliminate answer choices B and C. Now let's try the equation for option II, using our same numbers for our variables. $(x - 1)⊕(x + 1) = (x⊕x) - 1$ Again, let's take the left side of the equation first. $(x -1)⊕(x + 1)$ $(2 - 1)⊕(2 + 1)$ $1⊕3$ $1⊕3= (1)(3) + 1 + 3$ $7$ So the first half of the equation equals 7. Now let's see if the right half is equal. $(x⊕x) - 1$ $(2⊕2) - 1 = ((2)(2) + 2 + 2) - 1$ $7$ Both sides equal 7, so option II is correct. We can eliminate answer choice A. Finally, let's test the last equation. $x⊕(y + z) = (x⊕y) + (x⊕z)$ Looking at the left side of the equation, we have: $2⊕(3 + 4)$ $2⊕7$ $2⊕7= (2)(7) + 2 + 7$ $23$ The left side of the equation equals 23. Now let's test the right to see if it matches. $(x⊕y) + (x⊕z)$ $(2⊕3) = (2)(3) + 2 + 3$ $$ And $2⊕4 = (2)(4) + 2 + 4$ $14$ We are told to addthe two together, which gets us: $ + 14 = 25$ The left half of our equation was 23 and the right half was 25. The two expressions not equal, so option III is incorrect. This means our final answer is D, I and II are the only correct equations for all values of $x, y, z$. Again, we were able to choose all of our own numbers for this problem, but this will not universally be the case. Always pay attention to when you have the leeway to choose your own numbers for multiple (or all) variables, and when you must choose a number for only one variable and solve for the rest. The reason we were allowed to choose numbers for every variable above was because the problem told us the equations were true for all numbers. This meant that any numbers we chose followed the rules as outlined by the problem. You will be able to tell when you can plug in numbers for multiple variables because the problem will specifically tell you that "all numbers" or "all integers" must work in place of yourvariables. This gives you free reign to pick your numbers with impunity. If you don't see the words "all numbers" or "all integers"in the question, then you may only use your own number for one variable and solve for the rest. This will keep the variables following their defined rules and keep the relationships between them intact. Now let's look at a problem where we CANNOT pick our own numbers for every variable: Because we are not told that this problem works for "all numbers," we know we must choose our own number for just one variable and solve for the rest. In this problem, I've chosen to replace$v$ with my own number. Why $v$? Because $v$ shows up in the middle equation and so will be usefulfor finding our other variables. We can also see that $v = 4t$, so let's give $v$ a number that is divisible by 4. (Note: we do not HAVE to make $v$ divisible by 4, but it makes lifeeasier forus, as it means we will bedealingwith integers rather than decimals.) Solet's just say that $v = 8$. If we replace every $v$ with the number 8, our first equation would look like: $x = 3v$ $x = 3(8)$ $x = 24$ So we know now that, when $v = 8$, $x = 24$. Now for our second equation: $v = 4t$ $8 = 4t$ $t = 2$ So, when $x = 24$ and $v = 8$, $t$ will be 2. And finally, let's look at the last equation using our newly found numbers for $x$ and $t$. $x = pt$ $24 = p(2)$ $p = 12$ So $p$ equals 12. But wait! Maybe you think $p$ equals 12only in this this one instance and that it would equal something else had we chosen a different number for $v$. Well let's test it. Let's say that $v = 20$ instead of 8. $x = 3v$ $x = 3(20)$ $x = 60$ And our second equation: $v = 4t$ $20 = 4t$ $t = 5$ And finally, our last equation: $x = pt$ $60 = p(5)$ $p = 12$ As you can see, no matter what value we choose for one of our variables, $p$ will always equal 12 as long as we keep the relationships between the variables intact. So our final answer is 12, $p = 12$ Using PINcan be like having your own personal decoder ring. Tips and Tricksfor PIN Now that you know how PIN works,you can use it more quickly and accurately by using these tips for your ACT and SAT math questions: Tip 1) When using PIN, your best bet is to testeach and every answer choice, even after one of the answers matches the one you got for your original equation. Why should we do this? Because sometimes when we choose our own numbers, we can get multiple answer options that work. Let's say for this problem that you randomly chose 95 to be your two digit number for $x$. If: $x = 95$, then the tens digit $t = 9$, and the units digit $u = 5$. We are told that $y$ is the number found by reversing the digits, so when $x = 95$, $y = 59$. And finally, we are searching for the value of $x -y$. Using our numbers: $x - y = 95 - 59$ $x - y = 36$ Now let us test our answer options using the numbers we have found for our variables and see which one matches 36. F. $9(t - u)$ $9(9 - 5)$ $9(4)$ $36$ Answer F works! (We can also eliminate answer choice K right now, because $36≠  0$). G. $9(u - t)$ $9(5 - 9)$ $9(-4)$ $-36$ Answer G has been eliminated. H. $9t - u$ $9(9) - 5$ $81 - 5$ $76$ Answer choice H has been eliminated. J. $9u - t$ $9(5) - 9$ $45 - 9$ $36$ Uh-oh! We found 36 for both F and J. When this happens, we must choose a different number or set of numbers in order to eliminate the answer that only works sometimes. Our goal is to findthe answer that works always and no matter what. But now that we have chosen a different set of numbers, do we have to test each answer choice again? Nope! We already know that G, H and K didn’t work last time, so they won’t be our final answer. Again, weare looking for the answer that works every time. Only test F and J again. Instead of $x = 95$, let's say that $x = 43$ (Again, this number is entirely random and can be anything you'd like). If $x = 43$, then $t = 4$ and $u = 3$. It also means that $y$, as the reverse of $x$, will be 34. $x - y = 43 - 34$ $x - y = 9$ So now we are looking for the answer choices that match 9. So let us once more test F and J. F. $9(t - u)$ $9(4 - 3)$ $9(1)$ $9$ Looking pretty good for answer choice F. But let's look at J as well. J. $9u - t$ $9(3) - 4$ $27 - 4$ $23$ Success! We can eliminate answer choice J now and feel confident that F (and only F) will work no matter our values for $x$ and $y$. So our final answer is F, $9(t - u)$ Tip 2) When plugging in your own numbers,avoid using the numbers 1 or 0. It can be very easy to get multiple right answers or very screwy answers when using 1 or 0, so it is best to avoid them. For example, let's look again at the first problem we saw: Now let's say that we had said $x = 0$, $y = 1$, and $z = 2$. For the sake of saving time, the first two equations are still correct, but now let's look at the third. $x⊕(y + z) = (x⊕y) + (x⊕z)$ First, let's look at the left half of the equation: $x⊕(y + z)$ $0⊕(1 + 2)$ $0⊕3$ $0⊕3= (0)(3) + 0 + 3$ $3$ Now let's look at the right half of the equation: $(x⊕y) + (x⊕z)$ $(x⊕y)$ $0⊕1 = (0)(1) + 0 + 1$ $1$ And $(x⊕z)$ $0⊕2 = (0)(2) + 0 + 2$ $2$ So when we add them together, we get: $1 + 2 = 3$ This means that both sides of the equation are equal, which would mean that I, II, AND III were all correct. And we already proved when we did this question earlier that III is actually incorrect. (Remember, the answer choices must work every single time.) If we had used 0 and/or 1 in place of our variables, we would have gotten the question wrong. We would have chosen answer E, when really answer D is correct. Tip 3) Good numbers to use when working with percentages are 100 or 10, as most percentages questions involve you having to manipulate them around. Using nice, round numbers can make life easy for you. Alice has been collecting sea shells for many years. From 2009 to 2010, she increased her collection by 30%. From 2010 to 2012, she added another 20% to her collection. But in 2014, she had to move away and get rid of 50% of her collection. What percentage of her original shell collection did Alice end up with? 75 78 100 150 156 Let's say, for the sake of a nice round number and a good one to use with percentages, that Alice started out with 100 shells. If she increased her collection by 30% from 2009 to 2010, then she would have $100 + 100(0.3) = 130$ shells in 2010. If she then increased her collection by another 20% from 2010 to 2012, she woud have $130 + 130(0.2) = 156$ shells in 2012. Now, she must get rid of 50% (half) of her shells. $156 - 156(0.5) = 78$ So she is left with 78 shells. And, since we used 100 for her original amount, we do not have to fiddle with finding percentages. We can simply see that she is left with 78% of her original collection. So our final answer is B, 78. One day Alice may feelthat she has enough sea shells. Today is not that day. When to Use Plugging in Numbers Because it is best to test out each answer option when using PIN, it can often take longer to solve a question this way than by using algebra alone. Sometimes you can check all the answers at a glance, which will save time, but whether or not using PIN will eat up more time than it saves truly depends on the question This question would be a slow PIN. If you don't remember how to FOIL and you are fuzzy on your rules for multiplying and subtracting integers and variables, then go ahead and use PIN here. But if you are at all comfortable with the above mathematical concepts, then simply work with your variables and save using PIN for another occasion. As a demonstration, see how fast it is to use algebra here: $(4z + 3)(z - 2)$ $(4z *z) + (4z * -2) + (3 * z) + (3 * -2)$ $4z^2 - 8z + 3z - 6$ $4z^2 - 5z - 6$ So your answer is J. On the other hand, look how slow the process is using PIN: Let's say our $z$ value is 4. $(4z + 3)(z - 2)$ $(4(4) + 3)(4 - 2)$ $(19)(2)$ $38$ So we are looking for an answer choice that matches 38. F. $4z^2 - 5$ $4(4^2) - 5$ $64 - 5$ $59$ Option F is too large, so we can eliminate it. We can also eliminate option G because we can see that it would be 58, which is still too large. H. $4z^2 - 3z - 5$ $4(4^2) - 3(4) - 5$ $64 - 12 - 5$ $47$ We can eliminate option H, as it is still too large. J. $4z^2 - 5z - 6$ $4(4^2) - 5(4) - 6$ $64 - 20 - 6$ $38$ We have found an answer that matches our original equation. This could be our right answer, but let's look at option K to make sure we don't have duplicate correct answers. At a glance, we can tell that option K ($4z^2 + 5z - 6$) would be too large, because we would be adding 20 to 64. This means we can comfortably eliminate it. So our final answer is J. Though we were still able to find our answer, it took noticeably longer using PIN. Basically, don't be afraid to use PIN to help you through a test, butmake sure you useit in places that will help you the most and get you to the right answer in the shortest amount of time. Now let's look at a quick PIN problem. This is a problem you can mostly do in your head using PIN. For example, give $a$ and $b$ small numbers and then you can work out your answer choicesfairly quickly. Let's say that $a = 2$ and $b = 3$. Using those numbers, we know then that the absolute value of $a - b = 1$. Why? Because $a - b$ = $2 - 3 = -1$ and absolute values make anything contained in them positive. (For more info on this, check out our guides to advanced integers on the ACT and SAT) So we can tell straight away that F is incorrect, as that would be 5. This means G is also incorrect, as it would be -5. H would be an imaginary number, as it is the square root of a negative. J would be a negative number. Only K makes sense and we can see for ourselves that it is correct. $-(2 - 3) = +1$, which is the answer we are looking for. So our final answer is K. See how we were able to solve thesecond questionnoticeably faster using PIN? As you do more and more ACT and SAT math practice problems, you'll better be able to intuit when to use PIN (and when to use algebra or skip the question entirely) as you go through your test. As a general rule, if you have a lot of spare time per section, then go ahead and use PIN! It may even save you time going back and double-checking your work (though it never hurts to be extra sure and double-check anyway). If, however, you find yourself running short on time, you may want to save using PIN for these circumstances only: 1) You cannot find a way to solve the problem without using PIN If you have absolutely no idea how to approach a problem, definitely use PIN! If you forget a math rule or equation, you can still find the answer with PIN. Often, you won’t have to know the rules for manipulating multiple variables or the rules for exponents, etc., if you can circumvent the question entirely by going straight to using your own numbers. 2) You have enough spare time that you can spend the extra using PIN If you’ve gone quickly and accurately enough through earlier sections, go ahead and let yourself have the extra seconds per question that PIN uses. Though the difference between an algebraic solve and a PIN solve may not be more than 30 or 40 seconds, that time can add up fast. Always be sure you are using your time to your best advantage to get the most points possible across the board. If you feel you are completely running short on time, however, check out our articles on how to buy yourself extra time on both the SATand the ACT. 3) You want to double-check your answer PIN can often act as its own question double-checker. This can sometimes help off-set the extra time PIN eats up, but don’t always count on this. Because you found the answer by testing it out using real numbers instead of variables, you don’t have to plug more numbers into the equation to make sure it worksyou already know it works! You’ve both solved your question and double-checked to make sure it was accurate all in one. 4) You feel that you may have found the wrong answer using algebraic methods Maybe you started in on the question right away with algebra and got halfway through before you felt that you had taken a wrong turn somewhere. Maybe you know you tend to get distributing questions or exponent questions wrong. Maybe the algebra equation you set up spit out an answer that didn’t come close to any that were provided (or worsemaybe the answer you found was just slightly off). If questions with multiple variables tend to trip you up, this means it’s probably a good idea to switch your method and try using PIN. 5) The question lies in a question range in which you have previously made several errors If you have taken a practice SAT or ACT and discovered that you generally start to make mistakes around the halfway or three-quarter mark, switch your tactics to PIN instead of algebraic methods in this section in order to increase your score. It can be slower, but it will be more accurate and you won’t have to spend as much time double-checking your work. The more practice you get using PIN, the more you'llknow when to hold 'em (and use PIN) and when to walk away. Can I Always Use Plugging in Numbers? Unfortunately some questions can NOT be solved by plugging in answers. Again, when the question and/or answer options include variables, you can oftenuse PIN. If, however, your answers use numbersintegers, decimals, or fractionsyour best bet is probably to use the strategy of plugging in answers. Most questions (though not all) can be solved using one of these two strategies. To demonstrate the broad range of question types that both PIA and PIN can cover, let us look real SAT and ACT math questions and how to solve them using PIA and PIN. Test Your Knowledge: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)In the figure above, $z = 50$. What is the value of $x + y$? 90 130 180 210 230 Answers: A, B, D, E Answer Explanations: 1) In this first problem, we are dealing with the costa boat for $x$ amount of dollars split first 3 ways and then 4. To make life easier on ourselves, let's pick a number for $x$ that is divisible by both 3 and 4, so that we do not have to work with decimals. So let's say that the cost of buyinga boat ($x$) is 120 dollars. Now, we are asked how much less it is per person to divide the cost by 4 instead of by 3. So let us divide 120 by both and find the difference. $120/3 = 40$ $120/4 = 30$ $40 - 30 = 10$ So, when the boat costs 120 dollars, each member of the group will pay 10 dollars less when the cost is split 4 ways instead of 3 ways. Now let us test our answer options to see which one matches 10 dollars. A. $x/12$ $120/12 = 10$ Answer A matches the answer we got. But before we celebrate, let us look over the other answer options to make sure there are no duplicate right answers. Options B and C would be too large. Ifour number for $x$ divided by 12 was perfect, then that same number divided by 3 or 4 would be much larger. Option E would also be enormous and far greater than 10 (as it is $x$ multiplied by 7), so that is out as well. We can also and finally eliminate option D. We found our correct answer simply by dividing our $x$ value by 12. If we multiplied and then divided, that number would be much larger. So our final answer is A, $x/12$ 2) We need to find 75% of $m$ and $k$ percent of 25 (which we are told are equal). Instead of using decimals and fractions (and potentially getting ourselves confused), let us assign a number for $k$. If we say, as a random choice, that $k = 60$, then we are finding 60% of 25. $25 * 0.6 = 15$ And we know that this number (15) is 75% of $m$. So, to find $m$, we would say: ${15 * 100}/75 = 20$ So we have: $k = 60$ $m = 20$ Now, we are asked to find $m/k$ $20/60 = 1/3$ So our final answer is B, $1/3$ 3) Here, we need to know the difference between $t$ and $t^2$. So let us say that $t = 3$. (Why didn't we use 2 for $t$? Because, occasionally, using 2 for questions about squares and roots can give us duplicate right answers. For now, we are using 3 to reduce the possibility of needing to start over and select a different number, but we will look over what would have happened had we used 2 at the end of the problem.) So, if $t = 3$, then $t^2 = 9$ The difference, then, between $t$ and $t^2$: $9 - 3 = 6$ So we are looking for an answer option that matches 6. Answers A, B, and C are all eliminated for being too small (answer C $= t = 3$). Answer D is $t(t - 1)$ $3(3 - 1)$ $3(2)$ $6$ Answer D is correct, but let's look at answer E to make sure D is our only correct answer.Answer E is $(t - 1)(t + 1)$ $(3 - 1)(3 + 1)$ $(2)(4)$ $8$ This does not match, which means D is our only possible correct answer. So our final answer is D,$t(t - 1)$ (But what would have happened if we had used $t = 2$ instead of $t = 3$? Well $t^2 = 2^2 = 4$ and the difference between $t^2$ and $t$ would have been $4 - 2 = 2$. So answers B, C, and D would have all been correct. When this happens, simply choose a different number, like $t = 3$ and test B, C, and D again.) 4) PIN can be used for both straight algebra problems and for geometry problems. As long as the numbers we choose follow the rules of geometry, then we should always get the right answer. So here we have a triangle and we know one angle measure ($z = 50$). So let us give a value for each of the other angles inside the triangle. If $z = 50$, then the other two angles have to add up to $180 - 50 = 130$. So let's call the angle next to $x$ 100, and the angle next to $y$ 30. If the angle next to $x$ is 100, and it createsa straight line with $x$, then $x = 180 - 100 = 80$ And if the angle next to $y$ is 30 and it creates a straight line with $y$, then $y = 180 - 30 = 150$ $x = 80$ and $y = 150$ Together, they equal: $80 + 150 = 230$ So our final answer is E, 230. Remember to always give your brain time to rest and recover while studying. You worked hard, so don't be afraid to take a little break. The Take-Aways The strategy of plugging in your own numbers can be invaluable if you find yourself confronted with a problem you don’t know how to solve algebraically, or if you want to make absolutely sure you have the correct answer. The drawback, however, is that PIN can eat up extra time. If you make sure to use your plugging-in strategies wisely and save them for times in which you need them most, you will likely find yourself solving problems you were never able to before. What’s Next? Now that you’ve gone through the ins and outs of PIN, make sure you know the other techniques for navigating standardized math questions. Be sure to check out our article on plugging in answers (PIA) to get a complete picture for how to circumvent using complex algebra on the SAT and ACT. Running out of time on ACT or SAT math? Look no further than how to buy time on SAT math and how to buy time on ACT math. Want to get a perfect score? Check out our article on how to get an 800 on the SAT math section and how to get a 36 on the ACT math section, both written by a perfect scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: