Onward to the next type of problem!

Onward to the next type of problem!

The next step in the calculator is creating an option so that the user can switch between which type of calculation he/she wishes to solve. As I've mentioned before, stoichiometry contains a wide range of very diverse problems that change depending on the situation of the problem, which poses difficulty when trying to create a stable calculator. I've decided to only create two options for problems as far as this year is concerned:  two-reaction one-product (which has already been completed), and two-reaction two-product (which still needs to be created), as well as a button to be able to switch easily between the two types of problems. The button works similar to when you choose your gender when you create a new email. As one circle is selected, the other circle becomes unselected. Each circle will be labeled corresponding to the type of problem it represents. As you click on, and choose which problem you have, the GUI of the calculator changes so that you can solve that type of problem. If you were, let's say, to switch from the two-reaction one-product problem type to the two-reaction two-product problem type, the only thing the user would see visually would be added input boxes for another compound on the right side of the equation (another product). 

Currently, I am finishing up the button's code within the program, and will soon proceed to write the entire arithmetic for the two-product calculations. Again, if you have any questions over anything I'm doing, may it be general or meticulously specific, please don't hesitate to ask; I will try to post the video of the calculator in action by the end of the week.

Project Update: Mr. Larsen

I've been meeting with Mr. Larsen for the past four weeks to acquire a greater knowledge of programming to apply to the calculator. Although he is a wizard, and definitely a professional at computer science, I must admit the experience is a whole lot different than I had imagined, and different for the better! I don't think I've ever left his office without the biggest smile on my face and new masses of inspiration! Initially, after hearing how incredible and intelligent he is, I thought meeting with Mr. Larsen would put me at an inferior position. I thought this because I just assumed he would know all the answers, and therefor render me quite useless as far as the program was concerned. This is not what happened at all. I must admit I sort of underestimated my then current understanding of how the program worked my ability to understand logic, and to learn things hastily. Anything that needed to be learned, or just slightly changed, was fairly easy to pick up and apply. I also just ignorantly assumed he would have all the answers as far as how the calculator should look and the best and most efficient way for the GUI to look. This was also false. I was ebullient to realize that the ambiance of the meetings were that of a partnership; we both played major roles in the development, and neither of us superseded the other. We bounced ideas off each other and utilized both our knowledge to one main achievement. As well as working together to discover and complete the goal, he is also teaching me a lot as we go, and everything he teaches me I always take and practice it until I fully understand it before I move on.

The current status of the calculator is radically further in the process compared to my timeline than I could've ever imagined. The calculator can now successfully solve two-reactant one-product problems where the user has the amounts of both reactants. The calculator then immediately displays the theoretical yield of the product in grams, moles, and particles, and tells the user the limiting reactant (all things/"answers" that are necessary to be displayed). The user can have the amounts of both reactants in either grams, moles, or particles, so that no unit conversions have to be made by the user outside the program.

However exciting this may be, there are many more things that can be done. The first thing on my agenda is to create a drop-down box on the banner of the program to create options (or "modes") for the user to choose. One of the most challenging things about a stoichiometry calculator is that stoichiometry problems can vary tremendously from problem to problem, and there are many different types of problems as the chemical reaction you're using changes; as the problem type changes, the math alters too. So Mr. Larsen and I have proposed a tentative solution:  there will be a drop-down box so that the user can choose what type of problem he/she has (two-reactant one-product, two-reactant two-product, three-reactant two-product, etc.) and the calculator will change accordingly. The second thing on my agenda is then to code all the different types of problems in the calculator, which isn't as a gigantic task as it may seem. I already have one type done, so I must only need to build on from that. 

In a few days or so, I plan on screen recording a video of me using the calculator, and explaining as I do so. That way I can hopefully cover any confusion about what this is actually looking like/starting to become. But as for now, if you have any questions please ask them below, and I will try my best to answer them!

The Project - An Introduction

As I briefly mentioned in my last post, my project idea is a purely introverted idea, meaning that it's not super community based (like many of the other Openers' projects), but rather an entrepreneurial concept based upon a lack of necessary technology:  A Stoichiometry Calculator.

"What is that? I have never heard of that ever in my life, how do you even say that word?" Is probably the most recurring statement I ever heard during the Faire...and for good reason It's most certainly not a common subject.

Stoichiometry, in my own words, is a sub-category of chemistry; a tool, if you will, to solve certain chemistry problems.

In certain situations in chemistry, chemists calculate how much of a chemical will be produced. I'm sure you're all at least vaguely familiar with the classic science fair experiment of the erupting volcano. The classic volcano combines vinegar and baking soda to produce water and carbon dioxide (the foamy stuff). Stoichiometry is the act, or calculation of how much product will be produced with a given amount of starting chemicals. Or, working backwards from how much chemicals were produced, to how much of each reactant was used. So in our volcano example, if we had, let's say, 15 grams of vinegar and 45 grams of baking soda, how much water and carbon dioxide (the foamy stuff) could we produce. Or, if we wanted exactly 140 grams of product (the foamy stuff) to erupt from our volcano, how much vinegar and baking soda would we need?
These are examples of stoichiometric problems.

The best way I can describe my project is comparing it to long division. When you're faced with a challenging division problem, the easiest and most probable solution is to utilize a calculator. Well, when chemists encounter a challenging chemistry/stoichiometry problem, the easiest and most probable solution would be to use a calculator...my calculator. Because a calculator like mine does not yet exist.

Now, in long division, people must learn the essentials first: writing it all on paper, showing their work, knowing how the math works, and understanding how the problems work as a whole. People must do this before moving toward the calculator for answers; if one were to skip the initial learning phase, they'd be missing the concept as a whole, and get entirely lost when trying to understand concepts at a higher complexity than what their missing.

The same goes for my calculator. It's sole propose is not a learning tool for the subject itself, more so a tool to solve problems for a higher purpose. For example: our volcano experiment above, or a  more real-to-life example would include calculating the correct components for a pharmaceutical product and applying the calculator's results toward the end solution, aiding the process of work.

I am coding it from scratch on a PC (computer) with Python 3.x.x (a programing language used for writing code) using IDLE as a text editor, and a GUI (graphical user interface (where things are displayed to the user)). It's going to be a downloadable program via computer. I'm working in close parameters with Mr. Larsen, OHS's assistant-superintendent. He's serving as a sort of mentor for the cause, and is helping in the aspect of the code and GUI building for the program itself. After nearly a year of pre-examination and meticulous dissection of the arithmetic, as well as how it will fit into the code of a program, I have completely mastered the chemistry aspect, along with all the math involved. The challenge, then, is first to obtain a stronger programming understanding and learn how to build the GUI of the program.

I am currently undergoing the process, and everyday I'm learning something new. I'll try my best to keep everyone interested informed via this page. If you have any questions feel free to comment below or contact me via email.

The Second Semester

It is now the ninth week of the proclaimed "scary" second semester. It was dubbed scary for all the right reasons:  each individual student is individual as a learner, and must proceed through their Math and English courses, as well as their personal projects, as they choose.

If you were not aware, each student within the Open Program must compile an independent idea for a project they are to work on the entire second semester. For example, Alex Sitze is constructing the first formal talent show to be hosted by OHS. Ellen Reckamp has taken on the rigorous challenge of constructing Open Program for Juniors next year. And many more innovative concepts that that will be carried out by each individual student over the course of second semester.

I haven't wrote anything in the longest of times so I feel the need to catch everyone up. Nearing the end of the first semester, Open Program put on a Faire for the public and all the curious onlookers. The Open Program Faire consisted of all the Openers' (students enlisted in the Open Program) project ideas;  a visual display along with a oral presentation aided their pitch to the public. The Faire was set up in a Faire-like fashion, meaning the onlookers browsed as they pleased, and could travel from table to table as they desired (similar to how the activities fair is ran). I think the Faire went extremely well! Personally, I know I have crazy stage fright/anxiety, and I definitely have problems speaking in front of people. As the Faire went on though, it became easier and easier to deliver my presentation, and to get my ideas across to people.

Due to the specificity of my project, it wasn't easy to explain my introverted idea. Regardless, I got amazing feedback from all my peers and everyone willing to listen and understand; a lot of people were really excited and supportive of my idea, and I'm overjoyed that they were so kind and caring.

After the Faire, all the Openers had to then pitch their second semester project idea to the four Open Teachers (Ms. Rad, Mr. Glim, Mr. Davidson, and Mr. Sitze), the principal of OHS (Mr. Nelson), the vice principal (Mr. Boyer), the superintendent (Mr. Mahoney), and any Board of Education members that were interested. The pitch was a speech -- a presentation of the independent second semester project and a plan of what is to come. The pitch also served as a first semester final exam for the Open Lab class. Due to my anxiety during the presentation, I was really surprised at the 100% I received as a grade for the pitch. Needless to say, I am very excited to see what I can accomplish this semester. Future posts will entail what my project consists of; if you have any questions feel free to ask below.

Acquisition of Skill: Dancing?

As you might've noticed... I have no clue what I'm doing when it comes to dancing. What-so-ever. That is why, between now and November 24, my amazing partner Allison Hunt and I will be learning how to swing dance. By the 24th of November, we will have mastered a swing routine. I think this is going to be awesome! I always have secretly wanted to learn to dance, and there's no cooler way to do it than a classy swing dance to one of my all-time favorite songs: Sing Sing Sing by Benny Goodman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhyhP_5VfKM. Learning a new skill such as this will better myself and aid any sort of learning I do in the future; as I go about learning something so foriegn I will also aquire passive skills in regrards to picking up new things. In the future it would be pretty cool to have this unique skill under my belt and to show it off at weddings, parties, etc,. All I know is that very seldom do you come across or witness people that dance in this manner and this elegantly, and because it's so rare (or at least rare to me) it just makes it that much more incredible! Plus, swing music is fantastic and because it's so mildly unpopular in this day and age learning to dance to such "sick-nasty charts" makes this skill pretty unique.
This skill relates to me in the sense that the music and the age of this dance really applies to one of my many not-so-secret interests. I feel as if I'm being almost redundant, but jazz/swing music is extraordinary, and I'm excited to learn something so interrelated!
A thankyou to my best friend Allie Hunt for agreeing to do this with me and a thankyou to Mr. and Mrs. Davidson, our incredible dancing instructors/coaches!

Collaboration

The focused topic in Open this week was Collaboration. Basically we figured out how to work well in groups. This sounds easy enough, but in all reality, it's pretty difficult. Joining a group of people with a common goal at hand and discussing ways to accomplish your goal and then actually executing plans into action is a lot of work. People don't become successful collaborators over night. Group/People skills take time to really understand and get comfortable with; some adults still struggle with communicating in large groups or have trouble listening and are too egotistical to acknowledge other peoples' ideas. I thought that our instructors (the dynamic duo Mr. Glim and Mrs. Rad) did an excellent job demonstrating good and not-so-good collaboration, and teaching us how to be efficient and work efficiently in a group setting. We did an in-class activity that was super interesting. We had a setlist of charaters (hypothetical people)that we could group together to send off to start a new world on a differnet planet. The idea was to send people we thought would better civilazation and create an idealistic "new world". We worked invidualy at first, and over time grew in group size until the whole class was partisipant in the decison. Eventualy, after collaborating for some time, and exercising our collaborative skills, we came to conclusion. In the real world, you will always have to work with people that you do not necessarily like or want to work with. It is necessary to be able to collaborate with anyone and everyone you encounter; to be able to hear and understand them, and to make sure you are being heard and understood. Good collaboration skills are used in everyday life. Is it possible that by learning how to collaborate and how to deal with certain situations within a group setting I'll have a slight advantage over those who weren't as lucky? And is it possible that I, with my freshly obtained upper-hand in collaborating, will better understand the dynamic of a group, and overcome issues to achieve that common goal rather than those who may not be as educated in collaboration?

Creative Problem-Solving

This week in Open we primarily focused on Creative Problem-Solving. Solving problems in a "Creative" manner is applicable practically in every situation. Situations may call for an extended view, an "outside-of-the-box" outlook, a mindset of broader knowledge to successfully (or rather adequately) complete, accomplish, or overcome the task at hand. Solving problems this way will become more fluent and subconsciously active the more we practice thinking in this manner and exercising creative, successful outcomes to issues.  The more fluent this becomes the better. Creatively solving problems always reminds me of the quote, "I always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it." - Bill Gates. I came across this about a year ago and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. "Find an easy way to do it", is referring to a hard task completed rather simply and more agile than expected, by solving it in a more simple and agile way... a creative way.