ooohh,its' rainbow fish!! ;x

true test survey, pls do

A sorrow no one can understand nor share..

PM speech, the real one...

Copy this link http://www.xin.sg/article.php?article=8274, there are video taps of his speech as well... haf fun mugging this

A sorrow no one can understand nor share..

Math test - complete the square method

Erm, I took the maths test on thursday, got one question supposed to use complete the square to prove that one value is the least, and thus all values obtained by that equation is positive.

Since this topic is tested under the miscellaneous section of EOY math exam... so i decided to surf wikipedia and blog abt completing the square method.

I will give an example, try understand on ur own first before looking down at my explainations...

$\begin{align}5x^2 + 7x - 6 &{}= 5\left(x^2 + {7 \over 5}x\right) -6 \\ &{}= 5\left(x^2 + {7 \over 5}x +\left({7 \over 10}\right)^2\right) - 6 - 5\left({7 \over 10}\right)^2 \\ &{}= 5\left(x + {7 \over 10}\right)^2 - 6 - {7^2 \over 2\cdot 10} \\ &{}= 5\left(x + {7 \over 10}\right)^2 - {6\cdot 20 + 7^2 \over 20} \\ &{}= 5\left(x + {7 \over 10}\right)^2 - {169 \over 20}. \end{align}$

err, first u sub out the A (A means the constant infront of x with a power 2, which is 5) and u end up with x² (the constant infront of x² must be 1) then the x¹ component will be divided by wadever u factorised out (which is 5 in this case and u end up with 7x/5) .

Now u must do smthing that is impt yet very stupid... u add something and minus something. Recalling wad you noe abt a perfect square quardratic equation: a² + 2ab + b², the third component, b² can be obtained by observing the second component (in this case its 7x/5) and u divide the component by 2 (which means denominator times 2) and square the whole thing.

Not forgetting the minused factor... which u haf to move out and join the constant. Dun forget to times the minused factor by wad u factorised (which is 5) and then u are almost close to finishing.

After dat, just move around the numbers, joining wadever u can join together, u should get smthing like this A(x+B) + C * then u can prove that x is wad then the A(x+B) is equals to 0, thus equation = C but when X is anything bigger/smaller than 'any value', the equation will be bigger than C thus "the value of C" is the smallest.... after obtaining this fact, u can prove other things, like the equation is forever positive (if C is positive) or equation is forever negative (if C is negative).

* note: the signs within can change... depending on the equations given.

dats done, can ask me personally if u are still confused as afterall my english is not dat good...

pictures taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complete_the_square,
credits go to wikipedia, the free encyclopedia!

A sorrow no one can understand nor share..

Geography, to those hu are in the class, other IHEs ppl dun need to bother

Err, today a bit sick so went to slp frm 6~8.30.... sry.... i try update a bit.

Firstly, Mrs Yap gave a few clues to the questions she will set.

Rowstow's model
Singapore's development

Let me go thr a few of the basics we shld noe before we get ourselves onto the battle field fighting human geography.

Development refers to a number of characteristics such as demographic change, economic growth, increased use of resources, modernisation, higher levels of technology and political freedom of a country.

Over the years, there were several terms used to describe a country's development, changing from less developed country/developed countries to north/south (north south divide) to a more complex system of measuring development (Economically LDC/ Economically MDC etc. ) which shall be elaborated...

Ways to measure developments include:

Gross National Product (GNP) is the total value of all final goods
and services produced by a country's factors of production and sold
on the market in a given time period.

It is the total value added from domestic and foreign sources claimed
by residents of a country.

GNP per capita would simply mean national income per person

Disadvantages of using GNP:

hides regional variations
fails to take into account local costs of living
does not take into account the unregistered economy
ignores the social and environment cost of economic growth

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the total value of final goods and services produced within a country's borders in a year.

In other words it is GDP (Gross Domestic Product, the value of goods and services produced within a country) plus net income received by residents from non-resident sources.

GDP per capita refers to the same meaning (see top)

bad side of GDP:

the statistics does not take into account the underground economy (not reported transactions)
GDP is not intended to gauge material well-being, but serves as a measure of a nation's productivity, which is unrelated to the development of a country

The Human Development Index measures the average achievements in a country in three basic dimensions of human development:
Life expectancy at birth.
Adult literacy rate (with two-thirds weight)
The combined primary, secondary, and tertiary gross enrollment ratio (with one-third weight).

PQLI

Physical Quality of Life Index is a scale to measure the quality of life or well-being of a country.

The value is a single number derived from basic literacy rate, infant mortality, and life expectancy at age one, all equally weighted on a 0 to 100 scale.

Purchasing Power Parity measures how well a country's people can spend (based on strength of currency) measured in USD.

MODELS

basically there are three stupid models we will be going to face tmr... and they are:

Rowstow's model (very impt to us)
Friedmann's model of regional development (second most impt)
Mydral's model of cumulative causation

First up, Rowstow's model

It appears that there is such a person called Rowstow, who believes that all countries had the potential to break the cycle of poverty and to develop through five liner stages

First stage: traditional society

Subsistence economy based mainly on farming with limited technology or capital to process raw materials or develop industries and services

Second stage: Preconditions for take off

Usually with external aid. Extractive industries develop. Agriculture becomes more commercialised and mechanised. Some technological improvements and growth of infrastructure. Development of transport infrastructure encourages trade. A single industry dominates. Investment is about 5% of GDP

Third stage: take off

Manufacturing industries grow rapidly. Transport quality improves as airports, railways and roads are built. Political and social adjustments are necessary. The growth is usually limited to one or two parts of the country (growth poles) and to one or two industries (magnets). Focus on agriculture decline. Investment increases to 10 – 15% of GDP

Fourth Stage: Drive to maturity

Growth becomes self-sustaining and economic growth spreads to all parts of the country. Number and types of industries increases (multiplier effect), more complex transport system develop and manufacturing expands causing rapid urbanisation.

Fifth stage: High mass consumption (cash flow like water) =D

Rapid expansion of tertiary industries and welfare facilities. Employment in service industry grows but declines in manufacturing. Industry shifts to the production of durable consumer goods due to higher demand from people.

Now for Friedmann's model (his name reminds me of fries somehow ._.)

Just to mention some the things we shld noe but it may not even come out so i am not wasting much time on this fries man.

The model explains using the core and periphery stuff. Where he believes development is usually concentrated in a certain area (usually the capital of a country where the transport and service systems within the nation is the best) and the development in the core areas will soon be saturated and causing development to spread outwards and forming more cores and periphery.

Concept of Core and periphery:

The core regions are having a concentration of population, wealth and resources. In contrast, the periphery consists of sparsely populated areas which are less developed than the core. They tend to lack both wealth and resources, or their resources are drained by the core.

Core regions have a high potential for economic growth and innovations. They r the centres of the nations international market and large-scale industry, commercial services and high levels of technology. The core usually have a concentration of resources, professional and highly skilled workers and a well-developed infrastructure. The core absorbs resources and labour from the periphery.

Upward transition area

close to core, high immigration rates and industrial and economic growth. With natural resources, these areas benefit from high lvls of investments in industry and agriculture.

Downward transition area
Declining economies of a periphery areas. Low agriculture productivity, loss of primary resources. Declining industries, labour and resources drained frm these areas by core.

Mydral's model... (damn retarded)

The model is used to explain why some areas develop more than other areas, setting out three stages of regional development to explain the uneven spread of development within individual countries.

Stage one: early economic growth takes place where there are natural advantages. Industries will develop where there is an abundance of natural resources. The area developes more rapidly than its surroundings and gradually, the acquired advantage will reinforce the natural advantage. this forms the core. People continues to migrate from the periphery as further industries grow. Multiplier effects takes place as linked industries become established.

Stage two: Concentration of economic activities leads to the backwash effect. Downward spirals in the periphery occurs as people migrate to the core. Growth in the core is therefore sustained by the constant labour and resource supply from the periphery. Loss of labour and resources seriously reduce further industrial development in the periphery.

Stage three: Industrially expanding region of the core on the one hand, and the stagnating and declining periphery on the other. Cumulative causation is under way and creates and overall regional depression. A downward spiral in the core is established.

NOW we are gonnah go into Singapore's development notes and allow me to dig out some facts and figure on Singapore.

SRY... i just realised these notes, if u read them urself, its much easier than surfing a blog, the first two pages are impt onli... the rest is sai4 =x

Just a bit to help those confused:
Singapore's development was based on its people. As learned last year, skilled workforce, knowledge based economy, gd facilities (transport, banking services, housing etc) to attract investments and develop. Control of population (stop at 2 then became the have three or more if u can afford it) to suit the development of the nation. Now we have the very "intelligent" policy of attracting foreign talents here and letting them settle and contribute.

Infrastructure as mentioned, such as transport lar, telecommunications lar, IT infrastructure etc... all contributed to the development of Singapore.

Industrialisation, which is caused by rapid increase in population in 1960. Emphasis on low value added, low skilled, labour intensive manufacturing industries before becoming value added when face with competition. KBE was then introduced and compulsory education for children were made. Focus on tertiary or service sector was increased. Tourism became a big role in Singapore's economy in the 21st century.

Regional Global Trends: Making investments promotion visits to countries such as USA, UK, Japan and Germany to establish partnerships to invest in developing countries in Asia. Regionalisation and globalisation were a necessity to Singapore's development as we lack natural resources and workforce manpower. Thus we go by means to attract multi-national cooperations to set-up their operations in Singapore.

Remember to read the summary at the back of the notes (although everyone noes abt it)

A sorrow no one can understand nor share..

Update on IHC exam (postponed to thur)

Mr Ho, has luckily given us a chance to mug, and gone thr several impt topics with us...

Mainly about Diplomacy and Deterrence

Firstly, for those hu wan read more, u can go:

wikipedia
ministry of foreign affairs website
ministry of defense website

for 8 mark questions asking abt diplomacy and deterrence in Singapore, the format goes like this:

L1 - Disagrees and identifies other ways to maintain sovereignty

e.g. Bi-lateral relations, multi-lateral relations & deterrence

L2 - Agree and explain why (bring in theories e.g. realism theory)

L3 - Disagree and explain why (international aid might not be forthcoming so quickly)

L4 - Explain that diplomacy and deterrence are mutually dependent because diplomacy must be conducted from the standpoint of a political equal

Muz rmber that Singapore must be adequately prepared for a military threat in order to be seen as a credible partner in diplomacy.

Singapore

believes in realist theory
since independence, we has behaved in a siege mentality
Afraid to lose our competitive edge (怕输)

Singapore's foreign policy carefully combines realism with complex interdependence notwithstanding the different philosophies underlying the approaches.
Singapore was able to embed its foreign relations in a web of diplomatic and political contacts that linked the country to a diverse array of major powers including China, the USA and UK.
Singapore has developed strong economic links to a wide array of trading partners and has encouraged multinational corporations from the main global economies to invest heavily in the country's manufacturing and financial sectors

This ensures that the world's major powers have a strong interest in Singapore maintaining its sovereign integrity and autonomy and together, these strategies have helped to allay fears of Singapore's vulnerability and promoted its independence and sovereignty.

By being friends with so many major powers, it ensures that:

Even if one side fails, not much damage will be done to Singapore
Increase trade and investments
Militarily, it prevents actions against Singapore because it is closely tied with these major powers

Results of Singapore's policy of combining diplomatic and deterrence:

Immediate Neighbours feel threatened by Singapore's forward defense policy (train army in Malaysia)
Forward policy, any war would be fought on Malaysian soil

A sorrow no one can understand nor share..