The Chinese Languages at a Glance

The Chinese Languages at a Glance How can you Recognise the Different Types of Chinese? ChaptersThe Top Reasons for Learning Different Variants of Chinese!CantoneseLearning Wu and Travelling to ShanghaiMin Chinese“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” - Nelson MandelaIf there’s a language that makes you want to travel, makes you want to dream, and is pretty complicated, it’s Chinese. With Mandarin Chinese’s writing and tonal pronunciation, it can seem pretty complicated to master. However, Chinese itself actually includes several different languages, dialects, and regional variants which make learning “Chinese” even more difficult.Chinese is spoken by around 1.3 billion people by 7 main groups of people. From Chinese as it’s spoken in Shanghai to Mandarin, which most students will learn when they study Chinese, you need to be aware of the different languages that make up Chinese and what’s special about each of them.So what are the different languages that make up Chinese?In this article, we’re going to have a look at a few of them! NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Top Reasons for Learning Different Variants of Chinese!Learning a foreign language is often a good idea, especially if you opt for a language as common as Chinese. As you’ve understood, there’s no such thing as Chinese in the singular. There are different languages and dialects that are spoken across China in different regions around the country.In f act, Chinese is a group of Sino Tibetan languages. The most common is Chinese Mandarin, a standardised version of spoken and written Chinese which is based on the Beijing dialect. Mandarin is also known as Putonghua. While learning Mandarin is also really rewarding, there's more to learning to speak Chinese than just that. Of course, Mandarin is taught in most Chinese lessons.Travelling through China is arguably the best way to discover them and you’ll soon see why people in certain regions don’t understand one another. In fact, a number of different Chinese people speak languages that are completely different from one another. You'll soon see that everyday phrases are different, each syllable sounds unique, and the way people communicate can make having a conservation almost impossible if you don't speak the local language.Of course, many Chinese people are taught the Mandarin language as it's the official language of China and many people have a good level of proficiency in it . However, you can't assume that everyone in China is a native speaker of the language.In fact, learning all the different varieties of Chinese would be quite the challenge, especially given you’ll have to learn all about the different characters as well as the language and culture specific to each region, too. Being able to make yourself understood wherever you are, be it Shanghai, Hong Kong, or Taiwan, is a useful skill to have!Furthermore, being familiar with the various dialects and languages around China will help you better understand the history and culture of the country as well as help you better understand your own language. Of course, not every single Chinese language is easy to learn even to a basic or intermediate level since you need to spend a lot of time understanding the fundamentals of each, learning the characters, practising the phonemes, and studying the culture of where it’s spoken.  Learning the different languages and dialects will certainly help you more as you travel around China. There’s nothing better than immersing yourself in the local culture to learn more about it and its language.Additionally, learning the specifics of certain Chinese languages and dialects will be a major benefit depending on where you travel to. Knowing these different languages will help you distinguish them better, too. This might be massive in an interview, for example! While no language or dialect is inherently more interesting than another, we won’t be able to get through all of them in just one article so we’ve had to pick a few select ones.Cantonese“Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.” - Johann Wolfgang von GoetheWhat do you know about the Cantonese language?Chinese is actually a group of languages rather than one language. (Source: tillahrens)Most people actually know very little about Cantonese. Cantonese is actually one of the top three languages spoken in China and is often compared to Mandarin. The origins of Cantonese are very interesting.Spoken in the south of the country (mainly in the Canton region), Cantonese is also the main language of Hong Kong, which looks over to Mainland China. Cantonese is generally more fluid than Mandarin Chinese.Those who defend Cantonese will mention that Mandarin was only really created 100 years ago while Cantonese is over 1,000 years old. This basically means you can’t talk about Chinese history without talking about Cantonese.There are Chinese tones and vocabulary unique to Cantonese. For example, simplified Chinese characters are different from those in Cantonese, which also have different versions in Hong Kong.  Furthermore, Cantonese grammar is much deeper and richer than that of Mandarin Chinese, making the language very interesting to learn. It also makes it more challenging to learn Chinese.Furthermore, since it plays an interesting role in Chinese culture, why not learn it instead of Mandarin Chinese as spoken in Mainland China?In fact, in addition to making yourself understood in Hong Kong, speaking Cantonese will also make your conversations with Cantonese speakers more interesting than they would be if you spoke to them in Mandarin.However, Cantonese isn’t the only language native to China and nor is it the only language to learn if you want to learn more about Chinese culture. There are other regions with other languages, regional variants, and dialects, such as Wu, which is spoken in Shanghai.Cantonese is the main language of Hong Kong rather than Mandarin. (Source: skeeze)Learning Wu and Travelling to ShanghaiAs we’ve said, there are different languages in different parts of China. Shanghai is no exception to the rule, where they speak a variant of Wu Chinese, a language spoken by between 7 and 8% of the Chinese population. Learning Wu Chinese to travel to Shanghai would probably be a good idea if you really want to learn more about the local culture of this city.Wu Chinese probably isn’t the firs t language that gets mentioned when people talk about Chinese. While little probably comes to mind when somebody says Wu, there are a number of good reasons to learn about this language:You can learn more about Chinese culture.You can better understand certain populations of China.You can discover more about the places where Wu is spoken, such as Shanghai.You can learn to speak a language that is spoken by very few people in the West.It will help you develop transferable foreign language skills that will come in useful for other language courses.And much more!The bustling megalopolis of Shanghai, whose name means “on the sea”, is the biggest city in China and one of the biggest cities in the world. While the official language of Mandarin is often spoken, they also speak Wu Chinese here. It’s used in informal conversations all over the city.The writing is one of the most complicated aspects of learning Chinese languages. (Source: PublicDomainPictures)Learning Wu Chinese would b e a great way to get to know the locals of Shanghai better. It’s a language worth discovering. There are so many interesting facets to the language that you’ll enjoy learning about as you learn it.There are around 14 million speakers of the language. Wu is the second largest language in the People's Republic of China, after Mandarin and before Cantonese, and is the world’s biggest non-official language. You could even look for private Wu tutorials!Are you looking for Mandarin classes London? What you really need is a Superprof Mandarin tutor!Min ChineseThere’s another language in China as interesting as Wu Chinese, that’s spoken in the southeast of the country, Min Chinese. This type of Chinese is mainly spoken in the Fujian Province by around 70 million people. It’s a pretty big deal!There are different languages all over China. (Source: jplenio)So what exactly is Min Chinese?Fujian is where Min is mainly spoken, in the southeast of mainland China, near Taiwan. At aroun d 110BC, following the defeat of the Minyue Kingdom, Chinese peoples moved into the region. There are different varieties of Min Chinese which are generally classified according to the regions where they are spoken:Min Bei is spoken around Naping, in the Fujian Province.Min Dong is present in the Fuzhou region, the capital of Fujian Province.Min Nan is the largest of the dialects and is spoken in a number of different places in Guangdong and Taiwan.Min Zhong is the variety spoken in the Sanming prefecture.Pu-Xian Min is spoken in Putian and Xianyou County.Min Chinese actually uses the same characters as Mandarin Chinese for a number of terms. This can make it easier to learn via private tutorials if you’ve already decided to learn Mandarin Chinese. In fact, a tutor is a great option for learning languages like Min Chinese as well as learning more about the accompanying culture.As you’ve probably understood, Chinese isn’t just one language and nor is it just one type of food, b ut rather a series of languages, a multitude of different cultures, and impossible to classify as just one civilisation.So are you ready to learn more about them?Language learning is incredibly rewarding, especially if you choose to speak, read, and write a new language like Cantonese, Shanghainese, or Min.

Can a Job Seeker or a Growing Professional Really Self-Promote without Bragging - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Can a Job Seeker or a Growing Professional Really Self-Promote without Bragging - Introvert Whisperer Can a Job Seeker or a Growing Professional Really Self-Promote without Bragging? Dorothy January 8, 2016 Career Development, Self-Promotion 2 responses When the term “Self-Promotion” is said, it usually causes most people to have pictures of loud mouth baggers come to mind. We all know the type. You run away from this type of behavior as quickly as it’s socially acceptable to do so. The deal is if you don’t self-promote how else will you get a new position? How will you get your next promotion? Simple answer: You won’t. The good news is that Self-promotion â€" Authentic Self-Promotion is way different than the image you may have conjured up. Self-Promotion is subtle and useful but for some reason, we associate extreme versions with it. It’s time for an attitude check. Let’s look at the behavior of a Bragger compared to an authentic Self-Promoter: Bragger 1- Overuse of self-centered words like “I”,”me”, “mine”. It’s like over  salting your food making it offensive and unsatisfying. 2- Useless information. Often a bragger is telling you things that add nothing  of value to your life or business. 3- Unbalanced. One big problem braggers have been blithering on too long and  don’t know when to stop. They don’t balance what they are saying to support others or with useful information. Authentic Self-Promoter: 1- Use of inclusive words and statements like: “The project team I managed, completed the project below budget earning us all an award.” Yes, they still understand you managed the project AND got an award but it was inclusive and acknowledged the role of the whole team. 2- Factual information. If something is a fact, it isn’t bragging as long as you pay attention to the next point. 3- Enough. As long as you make your point and move on, your factual information will be enough for your listener to take note of. If they ask you for more information, you’ve hit gold. If they don’t, no issue because it is still impactful and retained for future use. 4- Useful information. If you are astute, you are thinking in terms of what you can share with the other person that is of value to THEM. Braggers lack insight and forethought in this regard. As a job seeker, you should be thinking about what the top 2-3 results you can share that would rock your prospective employers. If you’re looking for a promotion, you should be thinking about updating your executives with examples of work that demonstrate you are operating at the next level. I hope you have had your attitude adjusted about the importance of Self-Promotion throughout your entire career. We don’t just Self-Promote to get a job and then we’re done until the next job search. We also don’t Self-Promote up to the next promotion and then stop for a few years. Your Self-Promotion should be considered an ongoing activity. It is a critical success skill that you can learn to do well. Let me emphasize that Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be obnoxious to be effective. But, if you don’t Self-Promote you, who will? If you ever want to get ahead, you have to learn how to Self-Promote. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that shows you simple, yet effective ways to Self-Promote. Start watching now: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

When to Choose a Dual Enrollment Program

When to Choose a Dual Enrollment Program Dual enrollment programs are academic arrangements that allow students to enroll in two separate learning institutions, such as a high school and a college. Dual enrollment programs permit students to take college-level classes and to receive university credit while they are still in high school. For some students, this is a great opportunity. However, dual enrollment programs are not for everyone. If you are contemplating a dual enrollment program, here are several factors to consider before you commit: Advantages of dual enrollment programs There are many benefits to dual enrollment programs. One potential advantage is financial in some states, high school students who participate in dual enrollment can do so for free or for a reduced fee. Students who earn university credit through dual enrollment may also spend less time in college completing their degrees. Another great advantage is that dual enrollment offers students the opportunity to challenge themselves with the rigor and pace of college coursework. Dual enrollment is especially ideal for students who are not able to take Advanced Placement(AP) classes, or who wish to take courses that are not available at their high school.Dual enrollment programs allow these students to build a more diverse academic background. This, in turn, can bolster students college and scholarship applications. Dual enrollment also prepares students for the difficult transition from high school to college. Students can become familiar with many aspects of college academics while still attending high school.This experience often eases the challenge of moving on to full-time collegiate studies. These are tips that every college freshman needs to knowwhich may help you in your transition. Risks of dual enrollment programs Despite these fantastic opportunities, there are some risks associated with dual enrollment. First, college classes are generally more rigorous than high school courses. If a student performs poorly in a college course, that grade may be factored into his or her high school GPA. Failing or earning a very low mark in a dual enrollment class can negatively affect the college application process, as some schools may question your ability to successfully complete college-level work. Additionally, if a student chooses to participate in dual enrollment, he or she must be able to communicate effectively with staff members at the college and high school. Students must also ensure that the college courses they take will meet their high school requirements. Confusion over whether or not a class counts can affect your ability to graduate, so clear communication is important. Finally, not all high school students can devote the necessary time and effort to a dual enrollment program. Many students are heavily invested in extracurricularactivities and events at their high schools. You may be unable to attend these activities if you participate in a dual enrollment program. Extracurricular activities are important though, check out why extracurriculars boost college success. Be sure to consider how much time you will need to spend studying before you commit to such a program.These tips on how to identify your study stylemay help you succeed in both programs! For many students, dual enrollment is a wonderful educational opportunity. However, it is not an ideal choice for all students. If you are considering participating in a dual enrollment program, first evaluate the advantages and risks listed above.

What Is the Best Time To Play Guitar

What Is the Best Time To Play Guitar When Should I Practice Guitar? ChaptersLearning How to Learn Guitar.Physical Learning: Body, Muscles, Nerves and BrainLearning to Play Guitar: a Question of MotivationLearning to play guitar is a great adventure that will expose you to new musical horizons. Being a guitar player is more than just knowing how to play guitar; it demonstrates commitment, passion, great musicianship, and, honestly, being able to play songs is an incredible skill.However, the question of when to practice the instrument is always key. Are you ever too old to play the guitar?  Or, indeed, can you be too young to understand the fretboard or tablature, to be able to play guitar solos or power chords, to get your head around fingerpicking or the pentatonic scale?You may well feel that your kid is too young to play guitar. Yet, as long as they are simply big enough to hold a guitar, any beginner guitar player - of any age - can become, with a guitar teacher and plenty of practice, one of the best guitarists in the world.The usual questions: Can your 10 year-old play the guitar without prior knowledge of music theory? Will they just be too small to play guitar chords? At that age, will they even  want  to learn how to play the guitar?Practice guitar at any age!Whatever style of guitar you want to learn, blues, classical, rock, or funk; whether you want to play solo or in a band; whether you want music lessons, enroll in an academy, or you just want to attend occasional workshops at a club; the answer is the same, you can learn guitar at any age.At 8, 12, 20, 45 or 60 years old, you can learn to play the guitar whenever you want as soon as you decide to do so. So, without further ado, let's get you playing your first guitar, equip you with some guitar tricks, and sit you down for your first guitar practice.If you've been practicing the guitar for a while and have taken a break, this type of structure is perfect to get you back on track. It's certainly better than online guitar lessons, which do not give you commitment an d personal support that you might need to rediscover your passion.Remember that learning the guitar is easy, easier than learning other instruments.Private Guitar Teachers to Learn to Play GuitarAnother solution is to take private lessons with an independent teacher - by searching for guitar lessons for beginners on the Internet or directly with Superprof. Beginner guitar lessons are really important if you want to start off with great technique.You can learn from home with a professional - either with video lessons on Skype or in person - who will adapt to your needs and your level.One of the advantages with this type of learning is the relationship you can form with your teacher: not only will they survey your technical progress, but they will also introduce you to new music, and help you discover sounds you would not consider on your own. They can help you learn your favorite songs as well as get to grips with open chords, other basic chords, and some tasty guitar licks.It is the chance to build a bond with another guitar enthusiast  - and for them to share with you their favourite guitar songs.Learning By Yourself.Finally, you could try learning alone, using eBooks, online videos, a metronome, or following a guitar course online from home.This is a great way to get started and learn the basics, from finger placement to your first chords. However, it will be difficult to get to grips with all the concepts of lead guitar or fingerstyle guitar if you do not have the support of even a video lesson.(By the way, most Superprof tutors offer one-off free guitar lessons to new customers!)Physical Learning: Body, Muscles, Nerves and BrainOf course, in the right conditions you can practice the guitar at any age.You may encounter some physical challenges as you learn to play.Playing guitar means moving your hands and fingers in new ways, which has to be learnt until it becomes second nature - until it becomes part of your muscle memory. Your movements must be fluid, e fficient, fast, and accurate.You will find you use your whole body, especially your hands, arms, forearms, shoulders, and elbows - even in the most simple chord progression.If you want to learn the guitar, be aware that you will have to work with your body, muscles, nerves and brain.Play guitar while staying focused.You need to practice each movement with care and concentration, while keeping all your muscles as relaxed as possible to handle your guitar smoothly.If you aren't relaxed when you play your guitar will not sound right. You'll struggle to hold even a simple major chord for too long, whilst the guitar basics of technique will seem much more difficult.Adults and the elderly in particular struggle with tension when they learn, due to the build-up of stress from external responsibilities in their private and professional life.Free Yourself from Muscular TensionTo become a good guitarist, play the guitar music you like, develop a particular style like blues, rock, or learn par ticular techniques like the touch technique or arpeggio chords, you have to learn to free your hands, arms and shoulders from tension.Pay attention to this when you choose your method of learning the guitar. Unlike learning violin or piano, which requires impeccable posture, relaxation is essential to playing guitar. You can't play a guitar solo if you are stressed, nor perform the simplest of chord shapes - let alone a barre chord.Most guitar teachers are first and foremost guitar players.Playing guitar can be very enjoyable, but it does require training. When you get started you will have to train your wrists, hands and fingers to perform new movements.The more you practice with your instrument, the easier it will be on your muscles, and you will see progress in each practice session as it becomes more enjoyable. Once you reach a certain level, you can learn improvisation - and you'll be amazed at how short a time it took for you to get there!.Learning to Play Guitar: a Question o f MotivationYou might think it's easier to play guitar when you're young, but it's not always the case.  Children have a tremendous capacity for memorization that adults do not have, but they do not always have the intellectual or physical maturity to learn the guitar correctly. They might struggle to read music or to reach all the parts of the fret board.Personal GoalsAlthough you can buy the right size of guitar for almost any age, it is important that it is the child who chooses to play, and not the parents who decide.Learning the guitar: a question of motivationA music professional will be able to advise you on the right solution: accompanied musical discovery if the child is young, private lessons or a more structured music school course.There is no need to have music-loving parents to start the guitar, nor to have ultra-technical knowledge in music, all this can be learned at the same time as the instrument.Personal InvestmentThe guitar requires a minimum of discipline, seriou sness and a regular practice: and this must factor into your decision. There can be no resting on your laurels.Are you ready to clear at least 20 minutes a day to play the guitar?If so, then don't hang around. There are no further restrictions: if you are motivated enough and willing to invest your time, then you will learn guitar quickly.It is important that you enjoy learning and sharing the instrument with your teacher, your friends or your family.Once you have the motivation, you have everything you need to be able to achieve your goal. Playing guitar will help you express yourself and show what you have inside.Join the discussion: is there an age limit to learning the guitar?

Implicit Derivative

Implicit Derivative Assume that the equation f (x, y) = 0 represents y as an implicit function of x. If y is a differentiable function of x, then the equation f (x, y) = 0 is differentiated with respect to x and the value of dy / dx is obtained by solving this equation. Examples of implicit derivatives: - Question 1: - If x ^3 + 3 x ^2 y 2 y ^3 = 5, find dy / dx. Solution: - x ^3 + 3 x ^2 y 2 y ^3 = 5 (1) Differentiating both sides of (1) with respect to x. Or, d / dx (x ^3) +3 d /dx (x^2 y) -2 d/dx (y^3) = d/dx (5) Or, 3x^2 +3 {x^2 dy/dx + y d/dx(x^2)} 2 *3y^2 dy/dx =0 Or, 3 x^2+3 (x^2 dy/dx + y * 2x) 6 y^2 dy/dx = 0 Or, 3 x^2+3 x^2 dy/dx +6 x y- 6 y^2 dy/dx=0 Or, -3 dy/dx (2 y^2-x^2) + 3 x (x + 2 y)= 0 Or, -3 dy/dx (2 y^2-x^2) = -3 x (x + 2 y) Or, dy/dx = 3 x (x + 2 y)/ 3 (2 y^2-x^2) Therefore, dy/dx = x (x + 2 y)/ (2 y^2-x^2) Question 2: - If x + y = 1, find dy/dx. Solution: - Differentiating both sides with respect to x. d / dx (x) + d /dx (y) = d/dx (1) or, 1 + dy/dx = 0 or, dy/dx = -1 Therefore dy / dx = -1

Learning Classical Guitar Can I Use Tabs or Should I Read Music

Learning Classical Guitar Can I Use Tabs or Should I Read Music Sign up successful Tabs have 6 lines  which represent  the 6 strings of the guitar. It is commonly used in notating rock, pop, folk, ragtime, bluegrass, and blues music and  is mostly related to the acoustic and electric guitar. Tab is not that popular for classical guitar, even though there are some serious music pieces transcribed for classical guitar using tabs. What is Standard Musical Notation? The standard musical notation for guitar uses staffs of five horizontal parallel lines where symbols are notated to represent musical expressions. In the example below, the top line is standard musical notation, and the bottom is written in tab. Should I Learn to Read Standard Notation or Can I Use Classical Guitar Tabs? To answer the above question  you should ask yourself first: Do I want to study classical guitar and start a career, or do I want to play guitar just as an amateur? Not to learn standard musical notation being a dedicated classical guitar student, who wants to pursue a career in classical guitar performance, is potentially limiting because  there is so much more information in standard notation than  there is in tab notation. Even though there is no such a rule that says that it is imperative that an amateur or even a professional must learn standard notation, you, as a serious classical guitar student, will want to access the existing information in order to achieve the utmost technical musical development contained in standard notation. There have been various attempts trying to incorporate all this information in a Tab notation but they are generally quite cluttered and difficult to read. Also the best existing method books used to teach classical guitar are, as of this day, written in standard notation, such as Arenas, Solo Playing Guitar, and Melodic Guitar,  just to mention a few. Other limitations of contemporary tab notation vs standard musical notation are: It  doesnt tell you how long to play the notes, making it hard to  recognize or  understand the musical piece It doesnt allow you to choose where to play in order to reach various color-tone nuances It doesnt support  understanding of music theory per example: chords, keys, etc. The options are, as far as classical guitar repertoire is concerned, most limited It doesnt achieve  accuracy  compared to standard musical notation Why would you want to study the classical guitar without learning the literary skills of standard musical notation, which are inherent to it? It is important to study the classical guitar by traditional standard music notation! It might take some effort to learn to read music, but in the long run its worth it. Raymond L. teaches guitar, classical guitar, musical theory, ukulele, and Spanish in Jacksonville, FL. Raymond has been teaching for over 30 years and he specializes in pop, blues, modern, Latin, classical and popular music. Learn more about Raymond. Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Charles Knowles

Help With Learning Algebra Pass the parcel

Help With Learning Algebra Pass the parcel After Mark Maclaine’s first blog post explaining how to understand the basics of algebra, he now goes into more depth using his ‘pass the parcel’ method in order to supply another method to help with learning algebra. As a kid I remember playing a game called “pass the parcel” which involved unwrapping a present layer by layer every time the music stopped. It’s one of those games kids play at parties, and can lead to tantrums…. But what has this got to do with algebra? Imagine that the side of the equation containing the unknown (the letter) is a bit like that parcel. It has been wrapped in a set of layers one by one. The order that it was wrapped in can be determined by BIDMAS or BODMAS. See my blog post on how to understand BIDMAS here: For example: 3m + 5 In this case, let’s say m = 10: the first thing we would do is multiply it by 3 (as multiplication comes before addition), and then we would add 5. Now if we were to try “unwrap” this in an equation, just like the parcel in the game, we would have to unwrap it in the reverse order: last layer first, and so on… As we can see the last layer to be wrapped was the “add 5”, so this is the first layer we take off. Only then can we remove the “multiply by 3”. If m was placed into the following equation, the first thing we could get rid of is the “add 5”. Remember, the opposite of adding 5 is subtracting it: From here we are now left with the final layer â€" this is the “multiply by 3”, so to get rid of that we do the opposite â€" we “divide by 3”. Now let’s look at a slightly more complicated question. In the case above, the w is first multiplied by 5, then you subtract 8 and only then divide everything by 4. This may be a little bit confusing; following the rules of BIDMAS, division normally comes first but because the whole sum  â€˜5w-8’ is divided by four (as if there were brackets/parentheses around it) this is done last. Remember: the first thing to unwrap is the last thing that was wrapped: This method takes a little time to get your head around, but once you have it, even hard questions (like the dreaded square roots!) become a whole lot easier. Let’s look at this final example: How has this been wrapped? First ‘m’ was multiplied by 3, then 4 was added 4 and only then was the square root of the whole thing put in. Like the previous example: normally when following the rules of BIDMAS, indices (squares, square roots and other powers/roots) come before multiplication and addition. However, because the whole sum ‘3m+4’ is contained inside the root sign (as if contained within brackets/parenthses) it is done first, and only then is it square-rooted. Now to unwrap the equation and solve it, we must do everything in reverse order. Note: the opposite of square-root is to square, and vice-versa. So… I hope this two blog posts have been helpful in getting your head around algebra. Have a go at some questions? Here are three to get you started: Find the value of  x 1. x-5=12 2. 2x-2=14 3. 3(x+10)=15   Post your answers! If you have any questions or suggestions, please add them to the comments section below. Would you like extra help with Algebra? Search  Tutorfair and find a selection of excellent Maths tutors in your local area.

Commonly Confused Homophones in English - Advanced English Level

Commonly Confused Homophones in English - Advanced English Level Have you ever looked at some English words that are spelled differently pronounced the same but have different meanings? These can be somewhat confusing for even native speakers so I can imagine them being extremely confusing for those trying to tackle the issues of pronunciation, meaning and the correct spelling.In fact there are over 440 such word pairs where the spelling is different the meaning is certainly different but the pronunciation is exactly the same. These are known as Homophones.Examples of English homophones:MADE/MAIDMade (v) â€" past tense and past participle of the verb ‘TO MAKE’I made up my mind to learn English with a native speaker.Maid (n) a lady’s maid or helpShe really missed the old days when every lady had her personal maid to help her with the housework.BAND/BANNEDBand (n) â€" a group of musicians, a music ensembleHe was a good singer and also played the guitar. What he really wanted to do was join up with a band and make some records.  Banned (v) â€" past tense and past participle of the verb ‘TO BAN’ to stop or preventHe was charged by the police for driving without a proper licence and was banned from driving for three years.EWE/YOUEwe (n) female sheepThe farmer went to the market to buy some new livestock. He bought some cows and some sheep. The sheep were all ewes as he already had a ram (male sheep).You pronounIt is important that you understand the basic mathematical formula if you wish to study it seriously.FLEW/FLUFlew (v) past tense of the verb ‘TO FLY’I went on holidays last week. I visited Thailand and flew there in 8 hours.Flu (n) virus or bug that affects your healthThe school was closed for a week as many children had been taken ill with a flu virus and the management did not want others to become ill also.BOARD/BOREDBoard (n) a group of people who control a company or school or similar organisationThe board of management meet every month to discuss the progress of the business. There is a chairman o f the board who controls all the meetings.Bored (v) â€" past tense and past participle of the verb ‘TO BORE’The film was bad. The story was awful and after twenty minutes I was bored stiff.WAIST/WASTEWaist the area around the middle of your body.The Doctor measured her waist to check her health.Waste rubbish or left over food no longer needed.The food waste was collected and placed in rubbish bins to be collected by the city’s waste collectors.WAVE/WAIVEWave the hand movement we use when saying good-bye to someone OR the part of the sea that surfers ride on when surfing.When she left for her business trip her husband waved goodbye at the train station. The waves on the sea were very high due to the very strong wind.Waive refers to a decision to give up or do without something.The business was not performing very well. The CEO waived his bonus payment to help the companies’ cash flow.WEIGHT/WAITWeight the size of people or things measured usually in Kilos.He was very hea vy the Doctor suggested that he lose some weight very quickly.(to) Wait is a verb that refers to the action when we are expecting something to happen. It can also be used as a noun.When he called to the Dentist he was asked to wait in the waiting room until the dentist was available. The wait (noun) was difficult as he was very nervous.PLANE/PLAINPlane the shortened version of airplane or aeroplane used to travel from country to country.He went to the airport early so that he could book his seat in the middle of the plane.Plain means something blank or without colour or uninteresting.He wanted to write a note and asked for some plain white paper. The food he ordered was plain and did not taste very good but the doctor had ordered him to eat only plain food without sauces.BEAR/BAREBear   refers to the large animal which hibernates during the winter. It can also mean to carry or bring something.The bear is a large animal that has several forms. The polar bear located in the artic z one and the brown bear in many states of the USA.Bare usually refers to something/somebody without any cover or clothes.The model was bare except for the yellow hat that she was modelling!!There are many many more homophones…What homophones do you know? Let us know in the comments below.We recommend to read:  Make or Do? tips to help you make the right choiceWhere do you live?  Making suggestions in English