In Hamlet, what are the three problems that Claudius faces at the beginning of act 4?

Claudius is obviously in a very tricky position at the
beginning of Act IV. He has just tried to find out the cause of Hamlet's madness,
thinking that it was Ophelia. He has also been made to sit through a re-enactment of the
way that he killed his brother which shocked him so much that he got up and left the
play. Now he walks in to the Queen's chamber to find out that Hamlet has just exited,
having killed Polonius. His one major problem therefore is how to get rid of Hamlet -
both to save himself and to stop him killing any other people in his "madness". However,
he has to go carefully because he is dealing with the son of his new wife, and therefore
cannot dispose of Hamlet openly in the way he would like. Note what he resolves to
do:

The sun
no sooner shall the mountains touch,

But we will ship him
hence, and this vile deed,

We must with all our majesty and
skill

Both countenance, and
excuse.

Of course, what he is
really planning is the death of Hamlet and the end of his inconvenient presence as it is
clear that Claudius knows that now Hamlet knows the real facts of the old King's
death.

The sum of n terms of an arithmetic series is 5n^2-11n for all values of n. Detemine the common difference.

To determine the common difference, we'll have to consider
to consecutive terms of the a.p.

We'll
get:

an - an-1 = d

We know,
from enunciation, that the sum of n terms of the a.p.
is:

a1 + a2 + ... + an = 5n^2 -
11n

We'll determine an by subtracting both sides the sum:
a1 + a2 + .... + an-1:

an = 5n^2 - 11n - (a1 + a2 + .... +
an-1)

But a1 + a2 + .... + an-1 = 5(n-1)^2 -
11(n-1)

an = 5n^2 - 11n - 5(n-1)^2 +
11(n-1)

We'll expand the
squares:

an = 5n^2 - 11n - 5n^2 + 10n - 5 + 11n -
11

We'll combine and eliminate like
terms:

an  = 10n - 16

Knowing
the general term an, we can determine any term of the arithmetical
series.

a1 = 10*1 - 16

a1 = 10
- 16

a1 = -6

a2 = 10*2 -
16

a2 = 20 - 16

a2 =
4

a3 = 10*3 - 16

a3 =
14

The common difference is the difference between 2
consecutive terms:

a2 - a1 = 4 + 6 =
10

d = 10

We can verify and
we'll get a3 = a2 + d

14 = 4 +
10

14 = 14

So,
the common difference of the given arithmetic series is d =
10.

Explicate or analyze Macbeth Act 5 Scene 3.

In Act 5 Scene 3 of Macbeth, Macbeth
receives reports that many of his soldiers and noblemen have left his side in Scotland
to join the English army.  Macbeth, however, does not care that his men have abandoned
him.  At this point, Macbeth has placed his full trust in the prophecies of the witches,
and he believes that no harm can come to him until "Birnam Wood come to Dunsinane." 
Macbeth has been blinded by his own greed and ambition so he does not consider that
there might be an alternative interpretation of the witches' prophecy.  Macbeth is
reading quite literally into the prophecy and expects that the actual trees will move
when he is in danger (he does not consider that the men will move the trees which
happens later in the play).  Further, Macbeth in this scene resolves to continue his
fight against Malcolm, Macduff, and the English army so that he does not have to face
the fact that he has made a series of bad decisions to get into a position of
power.

What is the significance of having many names in The House on Mango Street?Because I have read in so many chapterin which Esperanza talk about...

In The House on Mango Street,
Esperanza describes the given names and nicknames that she and others have. 
In describing her own name, Esperanza tells the audience that her name in Spanish means
"hope."  This is significant because Esperanza's name becomes a symbol for her
characterization--even though she will experience rough times living on Mango Street
(i.e. sexual harrassment, poverty, violence), she will still see hope in her life and
make plans to gain a brighter reality. 

This is true of
other characters as well.  For example, Geraldo No-Last-Name is a young man whom Marin
meets at a dance.  He is killed that night, but no one know who his family is or where
he has come from.  Geraldo's not having a last name represents his anonymity in this
country--he is an immigrant and has come to the U.S. to work to send money home to his
family.  But he is part of the mass of immigrants who have a similar experience, and no
one cares about them as individuals.  His not having a last name is symbolic of this
reality.

What is the most important determinant of a household's consumption spending?

While this is not a hard and fast rule, the most important
determinant of a household's consumption spending (in absolute terms) is their income. 
A household generally spends more as it makes more in
income.

This is, of course, not always true.  There are a
number of variables that can intervene and throw this relationship off.  For example,
the number of people in a family and their ages will have a significant impact on the
number of dollars that the family spends on consumption.  So will (in a less easily
measured way) the family's values -- are they thrifty or
not.

But the general rule is more income = more
consumption.

Solve the expression e = sina + cos a + sin2a + cos2a if cos a = -1/4 belongs to (pi, 3pi/2) .

First of all, before calculate sin a, we must establish to
what quadrant belongs. Due to the facts from hypothesis, a is in the interval (pi,
3pi/2), we draw the conclussion that we work in the third quadrant, where the signature
of sin a is minus.

cos a =
-1/4

sin a  = [1- (-1/4)^2]^1/2 (from the fundamental
formula of trigonometry,where sin^2 a + cos^2 a = 1).

sin a
= -(15)^1/2/4

In order to calculate the expression E, first
we have to calculate sin 2a and cos 2a

sin 2a = sin
(a+a)=sina*cosa + sina*cosa=2sina*cosa

cos 2a=
cos(a+a)=cosa*cosa - sina*sina=cos^2a-sin^2a

e= sina a +
cos a+ 2sina*cosa + cos^2a-sin^2a

e= -(15)^1/2/4 - 1/4 +
2*1/4*(15)^1/2/4 + 1/16 - 15/16

After finding the same
denominator, which is 16, we can calculate by grouping the terms which contains (15)^1/2
together and the integer terms together.

e= [-2 -2*(15)^1/2
+ (15)^1/2 - 7]/8=[-9-(15)^1/2]/8

What is x if 4^(4x-15)-4=0 ?

We'll re-write the equation, moving the coefficient -4 to
the right side:

4^(4x-15) =
4

We can write as
well:

4^(4x-15) = 4^1

Since
the bases are matching, we'll apply the one to one
rule:

4x-15 = 1

We'll add 15
both sides:

4x = 15 + 1

4x =
16

We'll divide by 4:

x =
4

The solution of the equation is x =
4.

What can be said about 3 variables if only 2 equations are given?

If we are given 2 equations with three variables, they can
be of the form

a1x+ b1y+ c1z+d1=0…
(1)

a2x+ b2y+ c2z+d2=0…
(2)

Now as we have 3 variables we can only eliminate one of
the variables using the two equations, so we have to express two of the variables as
factors of the third variable.

For example, if we perform
a2*(1) - a1*(2)

We can eliminate x we are left with a2b1y+
a2c1z+a2d1- a1b2y-a1c2z-a1d2=0

=> y= [a1d2- a2d1
+a1c2z – a2c1z]/ (a2b1- a1b2)

Similarly, x also can be
written as an expression with z in it. It is not possible to find numeric values of x, y
and z if only two equations are given.

Please summarize the 3rd and 4th selections in the satire "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift.I mean from the...

The selection you have indicated begins with Swift's
"humble proposal" of his thoughts on how to solve the famine in Ireland and the
subsequent social problems that this has led to. He starts off by saying that an
American has assured him that a healthy child at one year old can be transformed into a
"nourishing and wholesome" dish for consumption. Swift therefore comes up with a system
of using most of the Irish children as an alternative food source, leaving an
appropriate number for breeding.  He details the way that a child can be used in
different ways to feed a number of people over a period of time. He talks about the cost
of "infant flesh" and also who will be eating them. He talks about the various costs and
how money will be saved by using children in this way, and the way that you can cook a
child in many versatile manners.

He goes on to tell of how
another "worthy person" refined this scheme by suggesting that the lack of venison for
hunting might be made up for by the hunting of young Irish teenagers. Swift begs to
differ because their flesh would be too "tough and lean" and they could be
breeders.

It is important to remember that this is a
"satire" - not for one minute is Swift being serious! Look at how his language and
reasonable tone is trying to shock his readers into action.

What is the real definition of racism?

I am not sure what you mean by the "real" definition, but
here is how I would define it.

I would say that racism is
the idea that people of one race or many races are inferior to some other race or
races.  This definition implies a couple of things:

First,
it implies that there is such a thing as race.  Scientists tell us that there is really
no such thing as race -- that there are as many differences between people we call
"black" as between "blacks" and "whites."  So in order to have racism, you first have to
believe that there is a difference between one kind of person (we'll call that a race"
and another.

Second, you have to believe that there are
traits that are inherent to these races.  You have to believe that some race is
always inferior.  You believe that they are just naturally
inferior -- not just that they're less educated, or unlucky, or
whatever.

So racism is this idea that there are races and
some of them are inferior to others.

What point of view is "A Sound of Thunder" written in and what is its importance?

When we think of point of view in terms of literature
there are three different types that are used mainly by authors: first person, the
omniscient point of view (all-knowing) and third person limited. The third person
limited point of view is interesting because we still have an exterior narrator who is
outside of the story looking in on the action, but this narrator chooses to tell us the
story from the point of view of one character alone. The narrator is still exterior to
the tale, so it is not first person point of view, but this narrator focusses on one
character alone.

It is clear from the very first paragraph
then that the third person limited point of view is the one that Bradbury uses in this
excellent short story. Consider the first paragraph:

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The sign on the wall seemed to quaver under a
film of sliding warm water. Eckels felt his eyelids blink over his stare, and the sign
burned in this momentary darkness... A warm phlegm gathered in Eckels's throat; he
swallowed and pushed it
down.

Note how the story is
narrated in the third person, but we are still focussing on one character alone. The
benefits of this approach is that we are able to remain exterior observers to the tale
as we follow one character and we don't know what the other characters' are thinking and
feeling, except through their words. This is crucial in this story as we are never aware
until the end how serious Travis is in terms of the punishment he will visit on anyone
who does change the future. Hearing the "sound of thunder" from Eckels's perspective
alone at the end of the tale seems to emphasise the horror of his untimely
end.

In Lord of the Flies, what is the significance to making children at war on the island when the adults are at war with the world?

By having the children at war on the island, Golding is
saying that people are, by their very nature, savage.  He is showing us that these kids
will lose their civilized veneer when they are dropped on the island and have no one to
force them to behave in civilized ways.  So this implies that we only behave in
civilized ways when we are forced to (by the pressure of our society if not by actual
violent force).

But, at this point, the adults are at war
too.  This tells us that even the civilized world is not all that deeply civilized.  It
tells us that all humans are pretty much ready to fight each other and revert to
savagery at any time.

So by having both groups at war,
Golding is saying that civilization keeps us out of savagery, but that even civilization
is not all that strong -- we are all savages beneath the skin (and not very far beneath
at that).

How can the ecological footprint be calculated?

The ecological footprint of a person can be calculated by
analyzing how much of the Earth's resources does a person's lifestyle use. This includes
numerous factors, some of which are:

• The amount
  of land that is required to produce food. And how much water, pesticide, fertilizer and
  energy are consumed during the production of
  food.

• The amount of fuel that is
  used for transportation.

• How much
  energy is consumed for heating and
  cooling.

• How much electricity is
  consumed and on an average what is the carbon dioxide emission associated with
  it.

• How much metal and other
  inorganic substances like plastics, glass, paper etc. are consumed by the person and how
  they are disposed once they have been
  consumed.

Once the details for the above are
available, it is possible to calculate an approximate ecological
footprint.

There are several methods available to do the
same though none of them can provide an exact figure. This is due to the fact that the
ecological footprint is dependent on where the person lives and also on how accurate an
estimate of the actual consumption can be made from the information
collected.

Several websites use information from a database
and your replies to various questions to give a rough estimate of your ecological
footprint. A few examples of these are provided below.

In the Garden Scene (Act III, Scene iv) in Richard II, how does Shakespeare use symbolism and metaphors?

The most obvious symbolism, and one that runs throughout
the play is the use of the soil or earth as a metaphor for the actual kingdom of England
itself.  This isn't an original image, since one of the common understandings of the
role of a monarch is that he IS his people, he IS the land -- hence the use of the royal
"We" instead of "I," used by Richard II very frequently in this play.  He considers
himself, as King, to be the land.

So, in this scene the
Queen sits in the garden with her waiting women, sad and without occupation.  The
gardeners enter, and as the Queen listens to their conversation, it becomes clear that
the Gardener is likening an unweeded garden to the state of affairs in England.  The
Gardener suggests that the King should have behaved more like a dedicated gardener and
make sure to pull the "weeds" and kill the "caterpillars" (those subjects who are
causing mischief in the "garden") so that the "fairest flowers," "wholesome herbs" and
"fruit trees" might flourish.

It is significant that the
Gardner, quite a low man on the totem pole in the kingdom, has common sense advice,
through the extended gardening metaphor that he employs, for the King.  He sees that
King Richard has been the author of his own demise:

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He that hath suffer'd this disorder'd
spring

Hath now himself met with the fall of
leaf.

The weeds which his broad-spreading leaves did
shelter,

That seem'd in eating him to hold him
up,

Are pluck'd up root and all by
Bolingbroke.

The Gardener
extends his use of metaphors here to include a timely symbol of the King's reign.  The
King oversaw a very "disorder'd spring," so that he must reap the consequences at the
present, during the "fall of the leaf."  In this way, Shakespeare implies that it is the
natural order of things, just as one season follows another, for a King who has misused
his power such as Richard to be swept away and replaced.  This is the way of Nature in
the garden, and the way of the world at large.

What is tangential speed ? Calculate tangential speed for radius r.

Tangential speed occurs in rotaional motion and it is the
spped of a point located at a radius r.

The vector v is
perpendicular to the radius and it has a magnitude and a
direction.

The tangential speed could be calculated when
the angular speed is given

The angular speed is omega and
the tangential speed is v.

v =
r*omega

We can connect the velocity with the
angular speed in this way:

- we'll link the distance
s, covered by the point along the circle, with the angle measured in
radians:

s = r*theta (1)

theta
- the angle measured in radians

r - the radius of the
circle

But v = s/t (2)

s -
displacement

t - time

We'll
substitute (1) in (2):

v =
r*theta/t

But the ratio theta/t is the angular speed
omega.

v =
r*omega

Ironically what Ralph has wished for does come true. Why is what happens in answer to his wish depressingly ironic?I couldn't find the answer!...

In addition to the irony that the fire on the top of the
mountain, meant for rescue by a plane is out and the mountain is the receptor of a dead
parachutist,  there is the sad irony of the parchutist's body
being

a sign
[that]came down from the world of grown-ups, though at the time there was no child awake
to read it.

Rather than
interpreting the parachutist as representative of the evil and savagery in man that
wages war, Samneric interpret him as the beast when they climb the mountain to stoke the
signal fire that has burned out.  Only Simon, who when he thinks of the beast, has
rise 

before
his inward sight the picture of a human at once heroic and
sick.

An adult has come from
the civilized world, but he is a sign Ralph has not sought.  It represents man's
intrinsic illness as he is a man from battle, and, ironically, Simon is the only one who
can recognize it.

Can anyone help me with a topic for my sociology research paper?The topic can be about any of the institutions religion, family, education, heath,...

That leaves things pretty wide open, which I like. 
Institutions are interesting because they are both static, yet subject to change over
time.  You might want to look at the changing definition of the family, whether that be
in terms of children born out of wedlock, people living together for long periods of
time without marrying, single parenthood, or increasing popular acceptance of gay
marriage and gay adoption.

In terms of religion, you could
look at why, in the United States and some other societies, diversity of religion is
more tolerated, while in other societies it is not.  What social factors could account
for that?

For education, you could compare and contrast the
role of family and schools in socialization.  Do schools play a unique role in
socialization or do they simply reinforce that which family provides people?  The public
at large?

Please provide help writing an explication of the poem "Old Walt" by Langston Hughes.

In the poem "Old Walt" by Langston Hughes, the author
describes, in a rhythmic fashion, the manner in which Walt Whitman worked before
creating each piece of his great expanse of prose and
verse.

Hughes explains the process as a "seeking" and
"finding" as Whitman starts with a question and looks for the answer or answers to that
question.

"Finding less than sought" infers that Whitman
had more questions than he found answers for.

"Every detail
minding" indicates that the information he collected always moved towards finding an
answer, and that the poet paid close attention to the details, never swerving from the
truth of those pieces of information, but continuing with what he found, the process of
"seeking and finding."

"Pleasured equally in seeking as in
finding" means that for Whitman, the search brought as much satisfaction to him as
finding the answer.

How is glass made so that one can see through it from one side but from the other side it is a mirror.

A half silvered mirror is used when there is a requirement
that the glass separation allows light only from one side to pass through, so it appears
as plain glass from one side but as a mirror from the other
side.

To make this glass it is very lightly coated with
atoms of silver. The coating is such that only half the light can pass through the glass
and the other half is reflected back. When the glass is being used, the side from which
the glass is intended to appear as a mirror is brightly lit while the room on the other
side is very dimly lit.

This allows light from one side to
pass through as it is brightly lit but from the other side no light passes
through.

How does male pride involve putting down women in Death of a Salesman?

In Death of a Salesman, there is a
lot of putting down women and treating them like second class citizens. There are some
examples of this in the story, especially with the characters of Happy and Biff. Since
they are so immature, they are unable to establish meaningful connections with females
and instead (as in the restaurant scene) they go for cheap and easy women to kill some
time with.

Willy's character always treated people in
general like second class citizens thinking that he was always liked, and it was obvious
that he did not treat his wife with the highest of respects when he took a
mistress.

NONE of these things, however,  have to do with
male pride. Male pride does NOT involve putting women down. Male pride may result in a
man feeling shame for something they are unable to do as expected by society, but male
pride has nothing to do with putting people down. If anything, male LACK of pride is
what does that.

How does Winston Smith try to take control of his confusion? Explain how his actions are an example of the literary technique, indirect...

Indirect characterization is a literary technique that
helps the reader make judgments about a character's quality, personality, and values
directly based on their actions, thoughts, feelings, and dialogue.  Rather than telling
the reader exactly what the character is like, the author lets the reader make that
judgment for themselves based on what the character says, does, and feels.  George
Orwell implements this technique frequently in
1984.

One of Winston's primary
struggles throughout the novel is with his perception of the ineffectiveness and
deceptiveness of The Party.  He acknowledges INGSOC's inconsistencies and deceptions,
but his indoctrinated fear and "loyalty" to The Party initially keeps him from inquiring
further into his uncertainties.  He is confused by his ill feelings towards The Party,
especially because he has been carefully conditioned to believe everything they say,
even if he knows it to be untrue (Doublethink).  Winston attempts to take control of
this confusion in a number of ways.

First of all, the novel
begins with Winston writing the words "Down with Big Brother" multiple times in his
journal.  Even though he knew that purchasing the journal and writing down his concerns
were acts of Thoughtcrime and punishable by vaporization, he still did so in order to
reconstruct memories that were distorted by the Party's brainwashing.  This audacious
act reveals Winston's determination and emotional connection to his past.  This already
makes him unique in comparison to many of the other characters, because he actually
feels sentiment towards his past rather than apathy towards everything but the
Party.

Winston also seeks out knowledge and relationships
from other people in order to collect more information about life before Big Brother. 
He speaks with the old man in the pub, purchases the paperweight and rents the room
above the antique store, and engages in a scandalous and prohibited sexual relationship
with Julia in order to explore his deeply supressed human
nature.

Ultimately, Winston's attempts to take control of
his confusion result in his destruction at the hands of the Party.  Regardless of his
fate, his courage and curiousity allowed him to experience a small amount of joy in an
otherwise sorrowful world.

What is the foil (difference) between Antigone and Ismene?How are they different? I know that Antigone is for the God's rule, and Ismene is for...

Antigone is certainly much bolder and more independent
than her sister is. In the play's Prologue after Ismene tells Antigone that her plan to
bury their brother's body is impossible, Antigone
promises,

"If
you say this, you will be hateful to me, / and the dead will hate you always–justly"
(93-94).

The title character
is not afraid to alienate her family and friends--even her own sister--in order to do
what she believes is her moral obligation.

While many
audience members might agree with Antigone that Ismene is a coward, Sophocles suggests
in the Prologue that perhaps she is simply not as hot-blooded as is Antigone. While
Ismene also loves her father and brothers, she realizes that infighting has brought only
death to her family, and she does not see the point of continuing the feud (it would now
be between her and Antigone and their Uncle Creon).

In the
end, both women possess admirable qualities. Antigone's strength and boldness allow her
to affect her uncle and all of Thebes before she commits a martyr's suicide, and
Ismene's calmness allows her to bring hope of a more peaceful future for Thebes when all
the carnage is done. She is the only female family member left alive at the play's end,
and it will be up to her to decide if she will continue following the laws of man or if
she will try to assert herself as a woman.

Where is the climax in the novel The Devil Wears Prada?

For me, the climax is the part in the novel where Andrea,
the young assistant to Miranda Priestley at Runway
magazine, decides to leave and live her own life.  She does so in a burst of anger and
publically, so she fears that her career as a writer is ruined, but finds that her
outrage has made the papers and that many are willing to buy her freelance articles. 
Andrea also meets an editor with whom she becomes friendly (hinting that there may be
the opportunity for future full-time work at her magazine) at a teen magazine.  The
editor tells Andrea that she also worked for Runway before editing
her own magazine, so there is an instant bond of knowing what the two women have been
through having slaved for Miranda.

Although there are other
parts of the novel which are tense, they all help to build up to the final burst of high
tension--Andrea's public outburst and leaving/being fired from her
job. 

To what extent does the truth of what we say depend on the literal meaning and how much of what we mean depend on context?

I think that what you are examining here is the branch of
ethical study called deontology.  Deontological ethics argues that individual actions
have to adhere to prescribed rules and adherence to rules of conduct.  This is where the
assertion of "literal meaning" is present.  For example, if lying is wrong based on a
code of conduct, then it is wrong in all circumstances when it is placed.  Context or
contingency is not something that needs to be examined.  This would mean, then, that one
does not argue, "What if a person was in a situation where they had to lie?" 
Deontological ethics argues that if there is a code of conduct to be followed, then the
ethical right thing to do is to uphold this code.  A consequentialist theory of ethical
conduct is where context and the results of one's actions are examined.  In this
setting, ethical action is dependent on context.

Discuss the four major components of an OSHA inspection.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
was established by congress as a result of the passing of the occupational safety and
health act. The primary purpose and mission of OSHA is to enforce safety and health
standards in the workplace.

The four major components of an
OSHA inspection are:

1. Inspector credentials –
   Before the inspection begins the OSHA compliance officer presents their
   credentials.


2. Opening conference – The compliance officer
   explains the reason for the inspection and the scope of the particular
   visit.


3. Walk-through – The compliance officer and a
   company representative walk-through and inspect the location for possible OSHA
   non-compliance.


4. Closing conference – The inspection is
   reviewed and findings are discussed. 

In Hard Times, how does Louisa Gradgrind's marriage to Bounderby set an example of patriachal and utilitarian "arrangaments" in Victorian society?

This is a great question! It is clear that Dickens
presents Bounderby and Louisa's marriage as an unhappy one. Note how it is juxtaposed in
the text with another unhappy marriage - that of Stephen Blackpool to his drunken wife.
Note how typically Mr. Gradgrind attempts to treat marriage like a logic problem that he
would use to teach his philosophy of Facts in his school. When Louisa wants to know his
opinion, Bounderby responds by asking her to consider it in the way that she has been
taught to consider every other question, as being a matter of "Fact" alone, without
allowing emotions to enter in to the equation:

readability="13">

"I would advise you (since you ask me) to
consider this question, as you have been accustomed to consider every other question,
simply as one of tangible Fact. The ignorant and the giddy may embarrass such subject
with irrelevant fancies, and other absurdities that have no existence, properly viewed -
really no existence - but it is no compliment to you to say, that you know
better."

Thus it is that
Gradgrind turns to empirical evidence to find an answer - he talks about some statistics
concerning the relative age of husbands and wives to prove that the age difference would
not prevent them having a happy marriage. Thus because of this and the fact that Louisa
has not received any other offers of marriage, Gradgrind calculates that Louisa should
accept. Louisa's marriage seems to be yet another vehicle for Dickens to illustrate the
way that mechanisation has penetrated even the recesses of Victorian family life.
Gradgrind makes his "calculation" without once thinking of or referring to love, thus
highlighting the way that utilitarianism taken to its extreme converts human beings into
machines. As Louisa responds with her decision, "What does it matter?" In a world where
there is no room for emotion, what does it matter whom we marry?

Bottom's "translation" into an ass is a kind of emblem for all of the transformations that occur in the play. What are these transformations?

There are several transformations in the play A
Midsummer Night's Dream by William
Shakespeare.

Besides Nick Bottom's transformation into an
"ass," and back again, we also see transformations in terms of the relationships of the
characters.

Hippolyta is the Queen of the Amazons, a
war-like race of women. She has been "won" by Theseus (the Duke of Athens) in battle,
but now he would like to woo and win her in love. She watches how he handles the affairs
of those around him, in particular the affairs that deal with men and women. While
Hippolyta is critical of, for instance, Bottom and his players, Theseus shows what a
fine leader he is by extending his gracious acceptance for all regardless of their
social status. Perhaps this is the reason that by the play's end, Hippolyta has softened
somewhat towards Theseus, seemingly more willing to accept him than
before.

Another transformation can be seen in the marriage
between Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the Fairies, who have been fighting over a
changeling child, born to a friend of Titania who has since died. One of the major
conflicts of the story is found in the opposition between the two, which Titania
explains (and the Elizabethan audience would have believed) that when there is an
imbalance in the fairy world, it causes an imbalance in the human world. (This theme is
also seen in other of Shakespeare's works, including Macbeth.) At
the conclusion of the play, Titania relents, won over by her love of her husband and his
obvious love for her, and it would seem there is a mutual agreement to "share" the
company of the child.

We see a metamorphosis with the
Athenian lovers. At the start, Hermia and Lysander are in love. Demetrius wants to force
Hermia into an unwanted marriage to him, while Helena has been spurned by Demetrius, but
still adores him. As the plot of the play moves forward, the couples fall out of love,
in love, and out again, etc., until all are happily joined. (Demetrius' transformation
is brought on with some help from Oberon and Puck, and the use of a magic potion: he
loves Helena, and they marry at the end, with the
others.)

A final transition takes place with the
craftsmen-turned-actors who hope to perform for the Duke's wedding. If their play is
chosen as entertainment for the event, they will have it made as actors. In other words,
if the Duke chooses them, their reputation as one of the finest
acting troupes in the land will be solidified.

Of course,
these actors are not remarkable, in the least, but very entertaining. They are thrilled
to find they have been selected by the Duke. And while they fumble
along with egos and barely noticeable theatrical skills, as well as interference from
the fairy-folk, they eventually give a relatively good presentation of their play. And
Bottom, at the end, excels beyond his own expectations, providing a beautifully rendered
death scene that touches the audience. The actors, especially Bottom, are
transformed.

The transformations in the play involve humans
and fairies; some are permanent, while others are temporary. As always, Shakespeare
shows a keen insight into the human character, and displays this in the play, as well as
his flair for comedy.

For the series 1/2 , 1/4 , 1/6 , 1/8 , 1/10, 1/12, 1/14, 1/16 what isthe nth term?

The given terms of the series
are:

1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/10 1/12, 1/14, 1/16
...

Thus

Term number 1 = 1/2 =
1/(1*2)

Term number 2 = 1/4 
1/(2*2)

Term number 3 = 1/6 =
1/(3*2)

Term number 4 = 1/8 =
1/(4*2)

Term number 5 = 1/10 =
1/(5*2)

Term number 6 = 1/12 =
1/(6*2)

Term number 7 = 1/14 =
1/(7*2)

Term number 8 = 1/16 =
1/(8*2)

Term number n =           
1/(n*2)

Answer:

nth term =
1/(n*2)

If a defendant is not guilty, how would not having tougher standard of proof affect this person?

If I understand your question correctly, you are asking
how an easier standard of proof affects innocent defendants.  If so, having an easier
standard of proof would tend to make it easier for an innocent defendant (or a guilty
one, for that matter) to be convicted of a crime.

From a
defendant's point of view, a tougher standard of guilt is a good thing.  If you are
accused of a crime, you would rather have the government be forced to prove you guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt, or beyond any doubt at all.  You would not like the standard
to be a simple preponderance of the evidence.

So an easier
standard of proof would be very bad for an innocent defendant.

What is the main conflict in "The Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan?

In Amy Tan's short story "Rules of the Game," Waverly, the
daughter of Chinese immigrants, uses chess to subvert her parents' traditional ideas.
Her mother wants her to be quiet and traditionally Chinese. Her mother tells her the
"strongest wind cannot be seen," meaning that Waverly should not complain or make her
needs overtly known. Waverly, who has several brothers and is the only girl in the
family, uses chess as a way to avoid the usual tasks and role that would fall to her as
a girl. After she wins a tournament, she no longer has to do the dishes. When her
brother complains, her mother says, "Is new American rules." In other words, by using
chess, Waverly feels like she can subvert her mother's Chinese rules and live by
American rules.

However, Waverly feels like her mother is
taking over her glory. She gets angry with her mother for always telling people that
Waverly is her daughter, and the mother reacts by ignoring her. When Waverly closes her
eyes, she visualizes her mother as her opponent. Waverly's conflict with her mother is
that she wants to use chess to define herself as an American and as the type of girl who
has freedom. Her mother, on the other hand, wants Waverly's chess success to be part of
her family's glory. In a traditional Chinese way, she thinks her daughter's chess
victories are not just about Waverly but about the whole family. The idea of
individuality versus family commitment is at the center of the mother-daughter
conflict.

What does government do in relation to foreign policy?

The American government does a lot of things with regard
to foreign policy -- everything from war and espionage to foreign
aid.

The government is the main actor in foreign policy. 
It is the government (mostly the executive branch) that decides what America's foreign
policy will be.  It decides, for example, whether it is our policy to try to overthrow
Iran's government or not.  Then, it takes steps to implement these policies.  For
example, if we decide we want Iran's government out, we might try to persuade the UN to
place sanctions on them for their nuclear program.  Or we might try to support groups
within Iran that are trying to get more democracy in that country.  Both of these are
things that the government does in relation to foreign policy.

What is the role of the Exclusionary Rule in the court?

In addition to preventing police and prosecutors from
using blatantly illegal tactics to gather evidence and statements, the Exclusionary Rule
forces them to follow the letter of the law regarding the limits of police power, and
the legality of investigative techniques.

For example, a
search warrant is a very specific document, with a date, time range, address and item
list for the search.  It may say the "living areas" of the home only, which means the
garage would be excluded, and the outbuildings too.  The Exclusionary Rule forces the
police to follow the judges order to the letter, because if they do not, then the
evidence won't be used anyway. It is a very effective means of controlling the actions
of the police in the field (and one of the few effective
techniques).

While I am sure it is frustrating for police,
who have a tough job already, it does protect us from expanded or abused police power,
and society has decided early on that using the Exclusionary Rule, and allowing some
criminals to go free on occasion is acceptable if it is needed to protect the legal and
privacy rights of all citizens from abuse of power by the
government.

Below are links to two articles debating this
issue.

What is E(a) if a^2-3a+1=0 and E(x)=x^4-3x^3+4x^2-9x+3

We'll consider the expression E(x) and we'll re-write it
substituting 4x^2 by the sum 3x^2 + x^2

E(x) = x^4 - 3x^3 +
3x^2 + x^2 - 9x + 3

We'll group the terms in a convenient
way:

E(x) = (x^4 - 3x^3) + (3x^2 - 9x) + 3 +
x^2

We'll factorize:

E(x) =
x^3(x-3) + 3x(x-3) + x^2 + 3 (1)

Now, we'll consider the
given
constraint:

a^2-3a+1=0

We'll
factorize the first 2 terms:

a(a-3) + 1 =
0

We'll subtract 1 both
sides:

a(a-3) = -1 (2)

We also
could write

a^2-3a+1=0 as

a^2
= 3a - 1 (3)

We'll re-write (1) substituting x by
a:

E(a) = a^3(a-3) + 3a(a-3) + a^2 +
3

We'll substitute (2) and (3) in
(1):

E(a) = a^2*(-1) + 3*(-1) + 3a - 1 +
3

E(a) = -3a + 1 - 3 + 3a - 1 +
3

We'll eliminate like terms and we'll
get:

E(a) =
0

What is Ann Petry's purpose for writing Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad?

There are two major purposes to this novel.  First, the
author is trying to depict slave life and make points about that institution.  Second,
she is trying to encourage people to have the same sorts of values and strengths that
Tubman showed in her own life.

This is a historical novel
about slavery.  In the book, the author is trying to show us that slavery was a horrible
and unjst institution.  She feels that most textbooks that students learn from do not do
a good enough job of conveying this fact.  Therefore, she wanted to write this book as a
way of showing people how bad slavery really was.

At the
same time, she wants to highlight Tubman's qualities.  She wants readers to see that
Tubman was courageous and caring and that she never gave up.  These are qualities that
would be useful for all people and Petry is encouraging us to learn these qualities from
Tubman's example.

Compare and contrast Connie of "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" with Queenie of "A & P."Joyce Carol Oates - "Where Are You Going, Where...

While there is not as much character development of
Queenie in John Updike's "A & P" as there is of Connie of Joyce Carol Oates's
"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been," both girls represent rather
superficial teen-aged girls who become aware of their new sexuality.  Their behavior
also exhibits a certain rebelliousness and egotism. In Oates's story, Connie is not
concerned with the feelings of the boys who admire her, only perceiving them as vehicles
for her "trashy daydreams."  With her friends, she enjoys ignoring the boys they
encounter.  At home, in her self-centeredness, Connie dreams about the boys she has
met

But all
the boys fell back and dissolved into a single face that was not even a face, but an
idea, a feeling, mixed up with the insistent pounding of the music and the humid night
air of July.

Likewise,
Updike's Queenie, in her swimsuit with the straps that have fallen off her shoulders,
attracts the attention of Sammy who is smitten by them.  Sammy narrates that she takes
no notice of him--"Not this queen."  When she lifts a folded dollar bill "out of the
hollow at the center of her nubbled pink top," Sammy, nevertheless, thinks "that was so
cute." 

When scolded for their lack of attire by Lengel,
the store's manager, Queenie retorts that they "are decent."  Like
Connie, Queenie ignores the disapproval of adults and operates in her own world.  She
also ignores Sammy's chivalrous act of quitting his job because he feels that Lengel has
insulted the girls with whom he is smitten, feeling "scrunchy inside."  In Connie's
encounter with Arnold Friend, of course, the circumstances are completely different;
Arnold turns Connie into the one who is manipulated--even terrorized.  She, then, is the
one who feels "a wave of dizziness rise in her," and the consequences of her actions are
far more dangerous than those of Sammy.

if 2a - 3c = 8 and a/2 = (2c+1)/3, find a and c.

Given that :

2a - 3c = 8
.................(1)

a/2 =
(2c+1)/3

Let us multiply by
6:

==> 6a/2 =
6(2c+1)/3

==> 3a =
2(2c+1)

==> 3a = 4c +
2

==> 3a - 4c = 2
...................(2)

Now we will solve the system using
the elimination method.

-3*(1)
+ 1*(2):

==> -6a + 9c =
-24

==> 6a - 8c =
4

==> c =
-20.

Now we will substitute in
(1).

==> 2a- 3c =
8

==> 2a - 3(-20) =
8

==> 2a + 60 =
8

==> 2a =
-52

==> a = -
26

Then, the answer is: a =
-26 and c = -20

Describe 3 conflicts in Act I of The Crucible.

1.  Parris has numerous conflicts with others and his own
sense of ego.  For example, he is upset that he doesn't get more money for a salary, and
he fights with Proctor about that one.  Then, he complains that he has to pay for his
firewood.  Then, he complains that no one appreciates him or his degree from Harvard. 
Then, he is upset when Proctor tells him that his sermons are too intense, and that they
frighten small children.  So, he has conflict with his sense of wounded pride in the
community, and with the townsfollk over the subject matter of his
sermons.

2.  Thomas Putnam gets into arguments with John
Proctor and Giles Corey over land boundaries.  John and Giles are leaving to go gather
firewood, and Thomas challenges their land boundaries, insinuating that John has
unfairly used his land for firewood in the past.  Giles mentions that Thomas has a
reputation for taking land that isn't nailed down and confirmed as being owned by
someone else, and they argue over that for a few
minutes.

3.  There is a lot of conflict revolving around
Abigail. First, she fights with her uncle about the dancing in the forest and about why
she was fired from her previous job.  Then she fights with John about her being in love
with him still and not willing to abandon his wife for her.  Then, she fights with the
other girls, who are terrified and want to confess to making spells.  So, she brings a
lot of conflict with her.

I hope that those thoughts help
to get you started; good luck!

Explain briefly the antagonist and protagonist of Macbeth.Give relevant examples to support your answers.

The protagonist of a literary work is the main character. 
As such Macbeth of Shakespeare's play is a protagonist, albeit not a good man.  Still,
he is the character who drives the plot of the drama. The antagonists are any character
whom Macbeth opposes or with whom he comes into conflict. Thus, Macbeth conflicts with
Duncan, Banquo, Lennox, Macduff, Ross, Mentieth, Simward, and all noble Scotsmen.  Of
course, Malcolm III must be included in this list, and even the three sisters whom
Macbeth encounters in Act I since they make predictions that work against Macbeth.  For
instance, they tell Macbeth in the first act that he will be Thane of Cawdor, but they
also tell Banquo that his sons will be king. Later, in Act III Banquo asks Macbeth if
the witches can fulfill their prophesies for him, which prove to be antagonistic, why
cannot his prophesies be also fulfilled:

readability="24">

As the weird women promised and I
fear

Thou play'dst most foully for't:  yet it was
said

It [being king] should not stand in thy
posterity

But that myself should be root and
father

Of many kings,. If there came truth from
them--

Why, by the verities on thee made
good,

May they not be my oracles as
well

And set me up in hope?  But, hush, no more.
(3.1.1-10)

This statement, of
course, is Banquo's undoing as he, thus, becomes antagonistic to Macbeth in wishing his
sons to be king.  In another example, when Malcolm speaks of returning Scotland to its
people, he also intends to dethrone Macbeth.  This action again sets the witches as
antagonists since they have predicted that no man born of woman will kill Macbeth;
however Macolm is not "born of [any]women"; he has been surgically removed from his
mother's womb.  Worried about Malcomb, Macbeth attempts to destroy
him.

To what fraction of its current radius would the sun have to be compressed to create a black hole?

You want to determine the radius of the sphere that the
present volume of the sun would have to be compressed in, to achieve a black
hole.

We can determine this using a formula developed by
the mathematician named Karl Schwarzschild.

According to
the formula, to create a black hole starting with a body of mass M, the radius of the
sphere it has to be compressed to is given by Rs = 2*G*M/c^2, where G is the
gravitational constant, M is the mass of the body we want to compress and c is the speed
of light.

The mass of the Sun is 1.99*10^30 kg, G=
6.674*10*10^-11 N*(m/kg) ^2 and the speed of light is 299792458
m/s.

Now using these values in the formula, we get Rs =
2*1.99*10^30*6.674*10^-11/ (299792458) ^2

= 2955
m

The present radius of the Sun is 7*10^5 km = 7*10^8
m.

Therefore we need to compress this into a sphere with a
radius that is 2955/7*10^8 = 4.2*10^-6 times the present
radius.

The ratio of the radius of the sphere
required to achieve a black hole to the present radius of the Sun is equal to
4.2*10^-6.

A rectangle is to be placed in a semicircle of radius 2. What can be the largest area of the rectangle and what are its dimensions.

Let AB be the diameter, and O be the centre of the circle
of radius diameter. To find the rectangle of
maximum area.

Let C and D be the points on either side of
the centere O from which CE and DF are drawn perpendicular to the diameter AB to meet
the circumference at E and F on one side and E' and F' on the other side of the
circle.  

Therefore , the rectangle CDFE has the area =
CD*CE.

But OCE is a right angled triangle with OC = x say.
And CE^2 = OE^2-x^2 = r^2-x^2 = 2^2 = x^2 = 4-x^2 as r = 2 is
given.

So CD = 2x and CE =
sqrt(4-x^2).

Therefore Area of the rectangle A(x) =
2x*sqrt(4-x^2).

A(x) is therefore maximum for x = c, where
c is a solution of A '(x) = 0 and A"(c) < 0.

A'(x) =
{xsqr(4-x^2)}' = (x)'sqr(4-x^2)
+x{sqrt(4-x^2)}'

A'(x)=1*sqrt(4-x^2) +
{x/2sqr(4-x^2)}(4-x^2)'

A'(x)=sqrt(4-x^2)+x(-2x)/2sqrt(4-x^2).

A'(x)=
{2(4-x^2) -2x^2)/2sqrt(4-x^2) = 4(2-x^2)/2sqrt(4-x^2)

A'(x)
= (2-x^2)/sqr(4-x^2).

A'(x) = 0 gives:  Numerator 2-x^2  =
0. Or x = sqrt 2.

A"(x) =  {2-x^2)/sqrt(4-x^2)}' = 
{-2x sqrt(4-x^2)  -(2-x^2) (-2x)/2sqrt(4-x^2)}/(4-x^2).

=
-2x{sqr(4-x^2)-(2-x^2)/(4-x^2)}/(4-x^2)

=  -2x{(4-x^2
-2+x^2}/(4-x^2)^(3/2)

=
-2x*2/(4-x^2)^(3/2)

A"(sqrt2) :  -2*2/(4-2)^3/2
<0.

So for x = sqrt2, the area of the recrangle A(x)
= 2x^2 = 2(sqrt2)^2 = 4sq units is the maximum area.

One newton is the ____ it takes to change the ____ of a ____ mass by ____ in one second.

To understand the concept of force it is necessary that
one newton is defined through one kg of mass and the change of velocity by a unit of
velocity.

So one Newton is the  force  required to change
the velocity of  one kilogram of mass by  velocity of one meter in one socond
.

But it should be noted that one newton is also a force
required to change velocity 100 gm of mass by change of velocity of 10 meter in one
secon.

Or  for any x kg of mass , if the change in velocity
is a/x m/s in in one second the force is one newton.

Thus
the definition force F = m*a, where m is kilogram and a is acceleration or  change
velocity per second.

So if  m*a = 1 Newton implies m = 1/10
and change velocity = 10m/s in one second.

Or for any value
m = x kg, then  a = 1/x m/s in one second holds.

For "A Love Medicine" by Louise Erdrich and "Theme for English B" by Langston Hughes, what characteristics you use to match the two poems?

In my mind, I think that a dominant theme in both works is
the idea of exploring how the individual experience is one that needs to be revered in
all of its different forms.  Hughes' poem is quite open about this.  His experience is
different from his White counterparts.  This is something from which Hughes does not
run, but rather openly states.  In this light, Erdrich's work does much of the same. 
Her separated vignettes help to explore what it means to be Native American.  Both works
do not seek to make broad and totalizing statements about each cultural condition.  Yet,
both do seek to bring clearly the fact that what it means to be Native American and
African- American brings with it different components of reality and the construction of
one's identity is vastly different than the cultural norm.  This theme is a resounding
one in both and one worthy of further exploration.

In chapter 9 of The Great Gatsby, why does Nick feel responsible for the funeral?

Nick is the first one that makes any calls regarding what
had happened to Gatsby. Because he did so, every practical question or idea about the
situation seemed to be referred to him. He notes that others just weren't around or
available. Nick tried to connect with Daisy, but they were gone. He realizes that this
came down to just him because no one else took interest in doing something about the
fact that Gatsby was gone. It became his responsibility because no one else stepped up
to take responsibility or even wanted the
responsibility.

Then, he feels responsible to make sure
that people attend because everyone should be honored in their death. He feels like it
should be easy enough to find one person who cares. This is why he went to Wolfsheim. He
thought if anyone, Wolfsheim would care. But Wolfsheim can't because he sees plenty of
people die in his line of work and to get sensitive now would be a problem for
him.

evaluate the limit of f(x)=(3x^2-6x)/(x-2) x->2

To determine the value of the given limit, we'll
substitute x by 2 in the expression of the function.

lim
f(x) = lim (3x^2-6x)/(x-2)

lim (3x^2-6x)/(x-2) = 
(12-12)/(2-2) = 0/0

We notice that we've obtained an
indetermination case.

We could solve the problem in 2 ways,
at least.

The first method is to factor the numerator.
Since x = 2 has cancelled the numerator, then x = 2 is one of it's roots. The other root
we'll calculate it using Viete's relations.

x1 + x2 =
6/3

2 + x2 = 2

x2 =
0

The factored numerator
is:

3x^2-6x = 3x(x-2)

We'll
re-write the limit of the function, having the numerator
factored:

lim f(x) = lim
3x(x-2)/(x-2)

We'll
simplify:

lim 3x(x-2)/(x-2) = lim
3x

We'll substitute x by
2:

lim 3x =
3*2

lim f(x) = 6, for
x->2

Another method is to use
L'Hospital rule, since we've get an indeterminacy
"0/0".

lim (3x^2-6x)/(x-2) = lim
(3x^2-6x)'/(x-2)'

lim (3x^2-6x)'/(x-2)' = lim
(6x-6)/1

lim (3x^2-6x)/(x-2) = lim
(6x-6)

We'll substitute x by
2:

lim (6x-6) = 6*2 -
6

lim (6x-6) =
6

What is a character analysis of Desiree in "Desiree's Baby" by Kate Chopin?

A character analysis of Desiree reveals that she is a
gentle and loving young woman who feels no shame nor inferiority because she was a
foundling abandoned by the road when a toddler, then found, claimed, and adopted by the
Valmondes. When grown into young womanhood she is as beautiful and charming as she has
always been good natured and sweet of temperament. In addition, she loves easily and
without judgementalism for we learn that she gives her heart to the first man who dotes
upon her beauty--fortunately, he is a man her parents know well and approve of for her
(perhaps wrongly, we find out).

As a young wife, Desiree
exerts a peaceful and tranquil influence on the hard-hearted Armand, which induces his
mean spirit to exert a gentle understanding hand with his slaves instead of a punishing
and severe hand so as to escape being what he later becomes when Desiree's influence is
lost to him: "the very spirit of Satan." As a young mother, she is overjoyed with her
infant and even more overjoyed to see the pride and joy the infant's father experiences.
She reaches a level of happiness that almost frightens her when she realizes the change
the infant's presence brings in Armand's feelings and
behavior:

"he
hasn't punished one of them - not one of them - since baby is born. Even Negrillon, who
pretended to have burnt his leg that he might rest from work - he only laughed, and said
Negrillon was a great scamp. Oh, mamma, I'm so happy; it frightens
me."

When her world tumbles
around her and Armand rejects her, she is quick to sense the impending doom coming her
way and horrified when Armand finally explains the reason for the growing doom to
her:

"Tell me
what it means!" she cried despairingly.

"It means," he answered
lightly, "that the child is not white; it means that you are not
white."

On a negative side,
rather than fight back and uphold her right to dignity and her humanity--regardless of
evidence of racial mixing (wrongly interpreted evidence)--she instantly and immediately
yields to despair and takes herself and her beloved baby to cleanse them both of
ignominy, shame, and rejection in the bayou.

A cultural note may be
helpful in understanding the falling action of the story. You will notice that the text
says:

Desiree
had not changed the thin white garment nor the slippers which she
wore.

This indicates that the
action of walking into the bayou occurred on the same day as the pronouncement that her
baby was not white. The reason this can be so is that messages would be sent back and
forth between L'Abri and the Valmonde plantation in minutes, as a slave would have been
sent as messenger, either walking on "the broad, beaten road which led to the far-off
plantation of Valmonde" or on horseback, the latter of which seems most probable. Her
mother's response to her despairing letter would have been written immediately while the
messenger waited for it before rushing back to L'Abri with Madame Valmonde's reply.
Thus, everything would have been accomplished in one afternoon and evening, everything
from listlessness to disappearance:

readability="13">

She sat in her room, one hot afternoon, in her
peignoir, listlessly drawing through her fingers the strands of her long, silky brown
hair that hung about her shoulders. ...
Desiree had not changed the thin white
garment nor the slippers which she wore. ...
She disappeared among the reeds
and willows that grew thick along the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou; and she did not
come back again.

What are the effects of the cause below in The Crucible? If Judge Danforth had not charged Proctor with witchery, then ...

If Judge Danforth had not charged Proctor with witchery,
then Proctor would have lived. Proctor would have raised his boys. He and his wife would
have been happy after getting through a great struggle together. This mess would have
been over. Putnam would have tried other ways to get at Proctor because there is an
apparent division between the two fundamentally.

Here's
another example: If Hale would have convinced Danforth sooner to stop this madness, then
none of these proceedings could have happened at least at that time. Parris would have
struggled with his congregation. Proctor would have continued to press Putnam, and
Putnam would have looked for a new way to get people in trouble. Proctor's marriage
would likely still be in trouble.

Compare the location of the focal point of a concave mirror and a convex mirror. Give reasons for the difference.

In a concave mirror, the reflecting surface is shaped such
that when the rays of light strike the mirror they are reflected to converge at a point
called the focal point. The point of focus of a concave mirror lies in front of the
mirror and the focal length is considered positive.

In the
case of a convex mirror the rays of light that strike the mirror are reflected in such a
way that they diverge away from a point called the focal point. The focal point in this
case lies behind the mirror. It is not a real point but an imaginary one. It is assumed
to be the point from where the rays originate and is determined by extending the
reflected rays of light in the reverse direction and estimating the point where they
meet. The focal length of a convex mirror is considered to be
negative.

What do the lagoon, colors, palm trees, and nakedness symbolize in Lord of the Flies?

When discussing the question of symbol, you need to know
that these are a highly interpretive literary element and everyone can see them a little
bit differently. To me, these symbols mean the
following:

NAKEDNESS: This refers to the boys total
wreckless abandon of the society in which they used to partake. They have completely
discarded its rules and order.

PALM TREES: In my opinion,
the palm trees stand with significant shadow over the boys which demonstrates the great
length to which they would have to go in order to free themselves from the island. These
trees are insurmountable to climb, they have nothing to grip and they pose great danger.
The case for rescue is a similar obstacle.

COLORS: When the
boys begin to paint their faces, we start to see more color emerge for specific reason
in the text. The red in particular signifies danger and harm. This comes to fruition
when Jack's crew begins to ultimately hurt the rest of those who refuse to convert to
Jack's tribe.

LAGOON: This area is a place of safety for
the boys. Their scheduled meetings take place close to here and they use the lagoon to
bathe. It is a symbolic cleansing of the evil that wears more on them everyday. As Jack
and his crew of evil move further into the forest, they move further away from the
opportunity to experience the safety of this cleansing location. If you recall, when
Ralph and Piggy were first alone on the island, these were moments of pleasure in the
lagoon.

In what ways did the Battle of Trenton transform attitudes toward the War of Independence on both sides of the Atlantic?

Basically, the victory that Washington won at Trenton
inspired people both in America and Europe to have greater confidence in Washington
himself and in the potential for the rebellion to succeed.  This had some important
consequences.

In the colonies, people had been losing
confidence in Washington.  Many soldiers were going to be leaving the army after their
enlistment terms were up at the end of the year.  The victory inspired many to stay and
convinced others that the cause was not lost.

A similar
thing happened in Europe.  There, the most important consequence was that the French
started to take a more active role in supporting the Patriot cause because they believed
that there was a serious hope of victory.

Please follow the
link -- it has a good discussion of these changes.

What would be the economic impact of an outbreak on our society caused by influenza epidemic and pandemics? 

I agree with the above post in that a true pandemic of a
deadly strain of flu virus could lead to the worst case scenario described in the first
post.

If you look at last year's Swine Flu scare, which
some described as a pandemic, the economic effects were more subtle.  According to the
Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, about 20 million Americans per year get the flu,
and the disease takes between 3 - 5 days to run its course under normal circumstances. 
Assuming that even 60% of those infected are members of the workforce, we would be
looking at 36 - 60 million lost work days.  So one economic impact is that we lose
productivity, and medical costs rise as a result of the
illnesses.

Since government routinely provides or contracts
for the production of vaccines, there is a significant up front cost to taxpayers to
vaccinate even the most vulnerable people in our population, the young and the
elderly.

What quotes exemplify infidelity in The Great Gatsby?

Infidelity: what an interesting choice of words! According
to Wiktionary, the primary definition of infidelity is "unfaithfulness in marriage or
other moral obligation" with a synonym of
"betrayal."

Before throwing quotes out, let's label the
infidelity first. Tom can be accused of infidelity due to the affair with Myrtle. Myrtle
can be accused of infidelity due to the affair with Tom. Daisy can be accused of
infidelity due to her relationship with Gatsby. Due to the second half of the primary
definition, perhaps Gatsby can be accused of infidelity due to the fact that he's a
bootlegger in love with Daisy (i.e. he nixed his moral obligation to society by breaking
the law for money as well as the law of love and
marriage). 

Now that the main culprits have been named in
regards to infidelity, it's time to enter the realm of quotations. Tom's infidelity is
proven at the very beginning of the book with Jordan's simple remark, "Tom's got some
woman in New York" (15). There you go: Tom is having an affair. This is further proven
when Tom takes Nick to "stop by the ashheaps" just a few pages later because Tom
insisted to Nick, "I want you to meet my girl" (24).

Myrtle
is, perhaps, even more bold about her infidelity, flirting with Tom directly in front of
her husband while wetting her lips:

readability="9">

She smiled slowly and, walking through her
husband as if he were a ghost, shook hands with Tom, looking him flush in the eye.
(26)

The "party" at Myrtle's
apartment is absolutely filled with quotes mocking the institution of marriage and
praising adultery.

readability="17">

"Neither of them can stand the person they're
married to. ... Can't stand them." She looked at Myrtle and then at Tom. "What I say is,
why go on living with them if they can't stand
them?"

"Doesn't she like Wilson
either?"

The answer to this was unexpected. It came from
Myrtle, who had overheard the question, and it was violent and obscene. ... "I married
him because I thought he was a gentleman," she said firmly. "I thought he knew something
about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick my
shoe." (33-34)

There's a
definite irony in the impassioned conversation between Tom and Myrtle about "whether
Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy's name." As Myrtle aptly screams Daisy's name
again and again, Tom breaks her nose with his open hand
(37).

Ah, but I can talk about infidelity, Tom, and Myrtle
all day long.  Let's approach Daisy and Gatsby now. As characters of betrayal, Daisy and
Gatsby are a bit harder to find quotes for. Their meeting at Nick's cottage is so very
awkward and full of meaningless pleasantries, there's hardly true betrayal going on
there quite yet.

In regards to Gatsby and his
unfaithfulness to moral obligation, Gatsby lies and lies about his past and his
money. There are plenty of quotes pointing to this, but my favorite is this: "And with
this doubt, his whole statement fell to pieces, and I wondered if there wasn't something
a little sinister about him after all" (65). And, of course, in regards to betrayal of
moral obligation taking a married woman away from her husband is certainly evidence of
this, so I put this to you as the best quoted
example: 

She
never loved you, do you hear? ... She only married you because I was poor and she was
tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved any
one except me! (131)

Betrayal
at its best. So refreshing, isn't it?

What is the significance of Blackpool's name in Hard Times?

Stephen Blackpool's name is significant in the story "Hard
Times" because he is a man who does not seem to get out of falling victim of the muck of
society, even though he is a good man.

He was a displaced
worker who only wanted to work to be able to make his own living. Conditions were horrid
in England at the time that industrialization was on the advent, hence, the word around
was bleak, dark, and dirty not only in the atmosphere of it all, but in the attitudes of
people.

To top his misery, he was accused of a robbery that
he would have never committed, and his name was soiled in the city until the day of his
acquittal.

In addition to this, Blackpool is also the name
of a sister city of Liverpool, which was given the name of Blackpool for its industrial,
darkened surroundings. Therefore, he is also surrounded by polluted people and by the
mentality that arises as a result of the survival of the fittest that occurs in a
society whose lower classes are feeling the crunch of an unfair economy that only
benefits the rich and the upper-middle classes.

How high is the Manned Orbital Lab above the Earth's surface and what is its kinetic & potential energy in orbit?The Manned Orbital Lab makes 16.0...

The satellite completes 16 revolutions around the Earth in
one day. The centripetal force acting on the satellite is due to the gravitational force
of the Earth. This is equal to G*Me*Ms/r^2. As the satellite is in a constant orbit, it
is equal to (Ms)*r*w^2, where r is the radius, w is the angular velocity and Ms is the
mass of the satellite.

Equating the two, G*Me*Ms/r^2 =
(Ms)r*w^2

The orbital radius of a satellite is given by the
relation:

R^3 = [(T^2* G* Me) / (4* pi^2)
]

G*Me = 398600, T =
24*3600/16

=> R^3 = [(24*3600/16)^2*
398600/(4*pi^2)]

=> R = 6652
km

Therefore the satellite is 6652 km from the center of
the Earth.

The potential energy of the satellite is
G*Me*Ms/r

= 398600*400/6652 = 23968.7
J

The kinetic energy of the satellite is (Potential
Energy)/2 = 11984.3 J

The height in metres of a stone thrown by a student t seconds after it is thrown into the air is given by H(t)=-5t^2+30t+2a) Explain why it is -5^2...

H(t) = -5t^2 +30t + 2

a) The
factor for t^2 is negative because the rock was thrown against the gravity. If the rock
was falling toward gravity, then the factor will be
positive.

b)To reach maximum height. We need to find the
maximum value of H(t):

First we need to determine first
derivative's zeros.

H(t) = -5t^2 + 30 t +
2

==> H'(t) = -10t + 30 =
0

==> t=
3

B) Then the height will be at maximum point
when the time t= 3

C) To find the maximum
height we will substitute with t=3.

Then the maximum hight
is:

H(3) = -5*3^2 + 30*3 + 2

=
-45 + 90 + 2 = 47

Then the maximum height is
47 .

d) The time before it hits the ground.
This means we need the time when the height is 0. (hit the
ground)

So, we will substitute with h= 0 and determine
t:

Note that there will be two values for t, the first when
first we through the rock, and the second will be when it hit the
ground.

H(t) = -5t^2 + 30t +
2

==>-5t^2 + 30 t + 2 =
0

==> t1= [-30 +
sqrt(900-4*-5+2)]/2*-5

= [-30 +
sqrt(940)]/-10

= (-30+
30.7)/-10

= (-0.7/-10 =
0.07

==> t1= 0.07 ( thisis te initial time when the
roch first thrown.

==> t2= (-30 -30.7)/10 =
-60.7/-10 = 6.07

Then the time needed for the
roch to hit the ground is:

t=
6.07 seconds.

e) The height where
the och thrown is:

H(t1) = H(0.07) =
4.0755

Neither the Finch nor the Ewell children have a mother. However, their lives are totally different.Compare and contrast the similarities between...

There are many, many differences between the Finches and
the Ewells, despite the fact that neither family includes a mother.  Atticus Finch does
his best to teach his children the importance of morals and ethics while modeling them
himself; Bob Ewell sets an example of laziness, lying, and taking advantage of others
whenever possible.  Atticus Finch loves peace and controls his temper, while Bob Ewell
does his best to draw attention his way, even when he must resort to violence to do so. 
The head of the Finch household attempts to show his children love and kindness in every
way possible, but Bob Ewell seems to have no compassion or tenderness for his
offspring. 

In addition, Bob Ewell demonstrates no respect
for others and believes himself to be superior to those around him, which directly
contrasts Atticus Finch's efforts to treat everyone (Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, the
Cunninghams) with respect and does not consider himself to be superior to anyone.  Bob
Ewell is willing to do whatever he feels is necessary in order to get his way and make
others see him as a peer, but Atticus does not feel the need to prove himself to those
who judge him.

The sides of a pentagon are represented by x , x+4, 2x+1, 2x+2, 3x. Determine each side if the perimeter is 52.

Since the pentagon is not regular, the lengths of the
sides are not equal.

The perimeter of any geometric shape
is the sum of the lengths of the sides of that shape.

We'll
note the perimeter as P and the sides as s1, s2...

Since
the pentagon has 5 sides, we'll calculate the perimeter
as:

P = s1 + s2 + s3 + s4 +
s5

We know, from enunciation, the value of the perimeter
and an expression for each side. We'll substitute all we know in the formula of
perimeter.

52 = x + (x+4) + (2x+1) + (2x+2) +
3x

We'll remove the brackets from the right
side:

52 = x + x + 4 + 2x + 1 + 2x + 2 +
3x

We'll combine like
terms:

52 = 9x + 7

We'll
subtract 52 both sides:

0 = 9x + 7 -
52

0 = 9x - 45

We'll add 45
both sides and we'll use symmetric property:

9x =
45

We'll divide by 9:

x =
5

 Now, we'll determine each
side:

s1 = x

s1
= 5

s2 = x+4

s2
= 5+4

s2 =
9

s3 = 2x +
1

s3 = 2*5 +
1

s3 = 
11

s4 = 2x +
2

s4 =
12

s5 =
3x

s5 =
15

I have heard rumors that "Lamb to the Slaughter" is a true story. Is it?It's not really important but it's just curiosity...

Well, we don't really know and Dahl gives no indication,
however, if we think for one minute about the way the story is structured and the
precision with which Dahl is known to have crafted his writings, we can see there are
serious doubts. First of all, it is highly unbelievable that a woman such as Mary
Maloney who is described as such a loving and caring wife, attentive to her husband's
every need, should suddenly at a drop of a hat (or at the drop of a leg of lamb), show
herself to be a criminal mastermind able to outwit the pooled intellect of the police. I
wonder whether Dahl had heard a rumour of a story of the perfect crime and worked on
that to produce the unforgettable story that we have now.

Analyze how the reluctance of a central character to accept reality may lead to tragic consequences. I am having a hard time thinking about what...

You will need a thesis statement in order to create the
supporting points that each of the paragraphs in your essay will cover.  From the essay
prompt that you have given, I will assume that your thesis statement is: 
Hamlet's reluctance to accept reality leads to tragic
consequences. However, you will need to further define your
terms.

What is the reality
that Hamlet is reluctant to accept?  His father's death?  The veracity of the Ghost? 
The remarriage of his mother to Claudius?  His own grief?  Any of these could
potentially be a truth that he is reluctant to accept.  You must decide which you will
focus on.

You must also decide what the
tragic consequences are that result from Hamlet's reluctance to accept
this reality.  Is it Hamlet's own tortured spirit?  The numerous deaths in the play? 
The final demise of Denmark, which is invaded and, presumably, taken over by Fortinbras
at the end of the play?  The easiest way to create an essay is to choose ONE reality
that Hamlet is reluctant to accept and ONE set of tragic consequences that result from
this.

Here is an example of the thesis statement with terms
further defined:   Hamlet's reluctance to accept the reality of the
Ghost's truthful call for vengeance leads to tragic consequences -- the death of nearly
every character in the play.

To suport this
thesis, I would first show the moments in which Hamlet argues that the Ghost might not
have been an agent for good, the moments in which Hamlet decides he must have more
proof.  The most obvious of these is the moment in Act II, scene ii when he decides to
"catch the conscience of the King" at the play.  These moments will connect to the
assertion that Hamlet is reluctant to accept reality.

Next, I would show how the deaths of
innocent bystanders Polonius, Ophelia, and Gertrude can be attributed to Hamlet's delay,
his refusal to accept the Ghost's word and act quickly.

And
finally, I would show how the acts of intrigue that kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern,
Laertes and Hamlet himself are all direct results of Hamlet's avoidance of accepting the
reality of the Ghost's command.  Claudius is, in fact, the very last person killed in
this play.

Please note:  The above ideas should
be taken as an example and not the formula for your essay.  You should
develop your own thesis, but you might certainly use these ideas to help you develop
your own thesis statement.

The links below will give you
more useful information.

What is the purpose of a preliminary hearing?

As its name implies, a preliminary hearing is sort of a
first step.  It is a step that is taken before an actual trial can be held. 
Specifically, it is a step taken to try to determine whether a trial can and should be
held in a certain jurisdiction.

In order to determine that
a trial can and should be held in a give jurisdiction, the preliminary hearing must be
held to determine the following things:

• Was a
  crime committed?


• Was the crime committed in an area that
  is under the jurisdiction of this particular court.


• Is
  there probable cause to believe that the defendant is the one who committed the crime. 
  This is not the same as finding the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt -- it is
  just a finding that says that there is enough reason to
  believe that the defendant is guilty and that there should therefore be a
  trial.

What does the behavior of Starkfield's citizens imply about New Englanders' attitudes toward outsiders in Ethan Frome?

Your question is a complicated one, because you ask both
about behaviors (of which there are few) and the citizens of Starkfield, who are
stereotypical, close-mouthed New Englanders.  These two factors in Ethan
Frome make it difficult to determine how much of their reticence to speak of
either Zeena or Ethan is protectiveness and how much is simply their natural
disinclination to be talkative.

Clearly the narrator is a
newcomer in town, here to do a temporary engineering job.  At the post office, he gets a
bit of Ethan's story.   He learns that the only mail they generally get is the newspaper
or mysterious packages from odd patent medicine companies.  He learns there has been a
"smash-up" which has left Ethan not only incredibly scarred from head to toe but has
also left him looking like "a man who was dead and in hell  now."  He learns that Fromes
live a long time (perhaps even if they shouldn't or when they don't particularly want
to).  He learns that Ethan had to stay in Starkfield to be a caretaker--first for his
father, then his mother, and now his wife.  The town native, Harmon Gow,
says:

“Guess
he's been in Starkfield too many winters. Most of the smart ones get
away.” 

That's a good start
on Ethan's story. The narrator's landlady adds a few more details: Ruth Varnum saw them
first, it was a tragic event, and it happened down at the bend of Corbury Road.  After
that, no more.  The narrator said:

readability="10">

on the subject of Ethan Frome I found her
unexpectedly reticent. There was no hint of disapproval in her reserve; I merely felt in
her an insurmountable reluctance to speak of him or his affairs, a low “Yes, I knew them
both…it was awful…” seeming to be the utmost concession that her distress could make to
my curiosity.

That's actually
quite a lot of information from this very tight-lipped community.  Harmon Gow is clearly
sympathetic to Ethan's plight, and the landlady appears to be unwilling to speak any
more of Ethan's woes.  If she's protecting anyone, it's Ethan.  It appears more, though,
that the episode (the "smash-up") simply makes her inexpressibly
sad. 

I'm gathering you haven't read beyond chapter one, so
I want to be careful about how much I reveal here; but it seems that any reluctance
Harmon has to speak of the event comes from his natural disinclination not to speak too
much to strangers, and the landlady's hesitancy to speak comes from her unwillingness to
talk about painful subjects. Neither appears to simply distrust foreigners and refuse to
talk to our narrator. 

What are the important parts in chapter 13 of Beka Lamb?

This chapter begins with some allusions to the effects of
colonialism on Belize. Beka's father encourages her to buy shoes from a local Creole
businessman, for example, to support him as a local businessman. Beka also notes that
there is only one Creole grocer left nearby. The locals are unable to compete with the
big chain stores from the United States and other western nations, and the "little guys"
are being driven out. This is an important theme of the
novel.

Another important part of this chapter is that
Toycie's pregnancy is first hinted at. Toycie comes to pick Beka up for the first day of
school, and she is obviously sick. She tells Beka her stomach hurts. Uh oh! And then,
she vomits! A bad sign.

readability="6">

Vomiting was never regarded lightly among the
women of Belize. It was something to be observed with theutmost
suspicion.

As the chapter
ends, Beka sees Toycie following Sister Virgil up the stairs to her office. Another bad
sign.

In "The Masque of the Red Death," what are the gothic elements present?

When we think of Gothic literature one of the first things
that comes to mind is setting. Eerie towers at night, spooky graveyards, haunted houses,
deserted mansions and so on. Then we have to inject an element of the supernatural -
strange sounds, unexplainable happenings, supposed ghosts. If you look at novels that
are considered "Gothic" such as Jane Eyre or Wuthering
Heights, these are all key ingredients.

So, when
we think about "The Masque of the Red Death," we need to investigate if we can detect
Gothic elements in the setting and if there are elements of the supernatural. Certainly,
the setting seems to be particularly bizarre, and it is worth thinking about how it
operates symbolically. However, the last, black room, seems particularly Gothic in its
presentation:

readability="10">

The seventh apartment was closely shrouded in
black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls, falling in
heavy folds upon a carpet of the same material and hue. But in this chamber only, the
colour of the windows failed to correspond with the decorations. The panes here were
scarlet - a deep blood
colour.

Add this to the light
from the brazier that produces an effect "ghastly in the extreme," and you have a clear
Gothic setting here. Note too the element of the supernatural, with the uninvited guest,
whose costume makes him resemble a "stiffened corpse" and who disappears when
challenged. An obvious example of Gothic supernatural.

So,
in this story you can analyse the setting and also the element of the supernatural that
is introduced through the uninvited guest to find examples of how this story is
considered Gothic.