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Balancing Equations in El Segundo

March 28th, 2011

El Segundo High School students that need chemistry tutoring are in luck. Study Hut tutoring in El Segundo is going to get you going where you want to go. We are experts in every subject, with tutors who’s knowledge is and teaching style is tailored to each of the students who come in for subject help and test prep. Take a look at this breakdown from Andy, our UCLA bio/chem major who dominates science like nobodies business (but ours!):

Sometimes balancing chemical equations is easy….unfortunately it can also be
a nightmare! When all else fails there is one way to balance an equation that will
always work; with ALGEBRA! Who ever said learning math wasn’t useful?

To solve balance chemical equations using algebra start by assigning a variable
to each part of the reaction. For example if we had the unbalanced equation

NaHCO2 + C6H8O7 ——-> CO2 + H2O + Na3C6H5O7

First we assign a value of 1 as the coefficient of the first compound. We then give
letter designations to the other coefficients.

(1)NaHCO2 + (A)C6H8O7 ——-> (B)CO2 + (C)H2O + (D)Na3C6H5O7

Now we can establish relationships between the variables based on the different
atoms.

Sodium: 1=3D
Hydrogen: 1 + 8A = 2C + 5D
Carbon: 1 + 6A= B + 6D
Oxygen: 2 + 7A = 2B + C + 7D

Now we solve these equations starting with Sodium

1=3D ——–> D=1/3

We then plug D=1/3 into the Hydrogen and Oxygen equations and solve for C
and B respectively:

1 + 8A = 2C + 5D ———> C = 4A – 1/3

1 + 6A = B + 6D ———–> B = 6A -1

Finally if we put these into the Oxygen equation we can solve for A:

2 + 7A = 2B + C + 7D ———–> 2 + 7A = 2(6A-1) + (4A-1/3) + 7(1/3)

This give A = 2/9. Now we can go back to Hydrogen and Oxygen and solve for C
and D.

C = 4A – 1/3 —–> 4(2/9) – 1/3 = C
C = 5/9
B = 6A -1 ——–> 6(2/9) -1 = B
B= 3/9

This give us: (1)NaHCO2 + (2/9)C6H8O7 ——-> (3/9)CO2 + (5/9)H2O + (1/3)

Na3C6H5O7

To get whole numbers we multiply by 9 giving us the solution!

(9)NaHCO2 + (2)C6H8O7 ——-> (3)CO2 + (5)H2O + (3)Na3C6H5O7

This method may seem complex, but it is guaranteed to work for any chemical
equation!

Thinking Outside the Box

December 14th, 2010

Being a veteran tutor at the Hut, I have heard my fair share of
questions from students. One of the most common questions I hear,
especially with math, is some form of the question, “when will I EVER
use this again?” As a trained engineer and eternal student of math and
science I do my best to explain to those college-bound kids that there
is more to it than meets the eye.

It’s hard for kids to understand that when they practice math that
they are learning a language. And as far as languages go, this is much
more complex than learning how to conjugate verbs in Spanish or
memorize French vocabulary. Learning to understand mathematics
comprehensively takes years beyond what a typical 18 year old has
under their belt. What your kids are doing is getting the basics
driven into them until solving an equation becomes as second nature to
them as dribbling a basketball is to Kobe Bryant. As you study more
math it becomes more and more complex, stretching your mind to think in different ways to solve a new problem or understand a new concept, just as pumping iron will leave you sore the next day.

What I want to stress is that our society will always need technical
expertise. But that’s not to say that we need number crunchers,
accountants or statisticians to make the world a better place. What we
do need is creative thinkers that are interested changing the way
things work and inventors that are not satisfied with the status quo.
When your kids say that being a scientist would be boring or that
nobody would be their friend if they declare themselves a math major,
remind them that these people are not just nerds. They are problem
solvers, and people that solve problems think outside of the box. They
must be creative in order to solve the complex problems that our
society demands.

So when your kids tell you that math is worthless and they’ll never
use it again I strongly urge you to ask them a few questions. Ask them
to think about their day to day lives and list all of the technology
they use. The video games that they spend hours if not days trying to
beat are all thanks to people that studied mathematics and science for
several years. That cell phone they’re always texting their friends
on? Throw that out the window if it weren’t for the scientific genius
of the 20th century. How about that car they want to drive? If it’s
made in the last decade it’s almost as much computer as it is engine.
If your son or daughter hates their math class or is struggling with
their chemistry homework it’s important to let them know that, yes, it
can be difficult, but no, it is not impossible. It’s even more
important to let them know that they can really do something with this
beyond their current assignment. They may not change their opinion
about their teacher or their assignment, but at least they can know
that it’s not worthless.

Study Hut’s Student of the Week

November 29th, 2010

If Study Hut isn’t already in your daily vernacular, well – it should be. We’ve been called lifesavers and superheroes, among other superlatives, but we prefer the term tutors. When we are not solving multi-variable polynomial mysteries, we are working hard to make sure our students excel in school.

Hut superstar Kate, a student at Mira Costa High School, is the epitome of a Hut student. Kate comes to the Hut regularly to study, refine and reinforce concepts she is struggling with in her academic classes. Beyond prepping for tests and finishing homework assignments, she is inquisitive about the topics she is learning and asks thought-provoking questions to master the material beyond textbook knowledge. She is never afraid to seek help and is ever ready to do extra practice problems to ingrain these concepts. Her high grades are evidence of her diligence and a testament to our competency and commitment.

The encouraging and nurturing ambiance at Study Hut is vital to the success of students like Kate. We aim to advance and cultivate the students’ desire to learn and grow. By incorporating analogies, interactive videos, worksheets and personal anecdotes into our lesson plans, the tutors are able to provide exciting insight and applicability to the seemingly humdrum topics. I personally enjoy using Math, Biology, Chemistry pick-up lines/jokes to teach the material. While you may not ROFLOL when I ask you `Why did the bear dissolve in water?’ and respond with an enthusiastic `because it was POLAR!’- You will definitely remember the solubility rules of polar compounds. This personal touch catered to the needs of each student is forte of Study Hut. The focused 1-on-1 tutoring, coupled with our unique style, develops these young’uns into self-motivated and hardworking students and avid learners.

Planning Makes for Better Scores

May 13th, 2010

At The Hut, we know that all students learn differently and come to tutoring with unique expectations. For those high achieving high school students who are immersed in Advanced Placement courses, SAT practice, and extracurricular activities, time management is key.

Junior and senior year of high school are the most academically demanding years of the four. This is the time when students are mastering those tough classes (AP Euro, Bio, US, Chem, Spanish…) and special skills (soccer, music, community service…) that will make them competitive at the university of their choice. With little sleep and less free time during the day, what these teens need is a schedule.

Mira Costa junior Danny came to The Study Hut in need of a little planning. With a full schedule of electives and extracurriculars, Danny had no trouble learning the material; he just needed to find the time to do it. During tutoring sessions, Danny and I spent time organizing his schedule for the week – ensuring that he would have time to do the activities he loves as well as the focused studying that he needs to ace information-dense AP Biology. With a realistic amount of time blocked out every day for biology review, and the creation of specific goals for the completion of assignments, Danny’s test scores immediately improved. With the continued use of these organization techniques, as well as weekly concept review at The Study Hut, Danny’s grades are steadily improving. By the time of the AP Biology exam, he had drastically improved his grade in the class and his ability to retain large amounts of information.

One hour of one-on-one tutoring for high school students is not only an excellent way to clarify difficult concepts, it is also a way to keep busy students on track all week long. Short-term study techniques will prepare a student for an upcoming test, but organization and planning skills with a long-term focus are the key to improving a student’s ability to learn information, retain information, and succeed in the analytic-based learning that is in their future. The commitment to a regular schedule allows students to anticipate assignments and plan their schedules accordingly. This reduces stress, which in turn makes test-taking less of an ordeal. Less panic means better decisions and higher scores. Period.

If a student can stick to a study plan and stop relying on last-minute cramming, they are guaranteed to see positive results. And a little more sleep never hurts either…