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Student Success Toolbox
sample
Learning
Journal
Don Mapleton
Math 110
Name __________________________________________
Focus or Course __________________________________
What I learned:
What triggered the learning?
I learned how to calculate gas mileage in
miles driven per gallon of gas (Miles Per
Gallon: MPG).
This was part of the current chapter in my
math textbook; the context is multiplication
and division of whole numbers.
How do I know I’ve learned it? (validate your learning)
Why is it important?
I have worked the practice problems in the
math book and arrived at correct answers. In
the world outside my math book, I was able
to validate the Miles per Gallon for my car. I
looked up the MPG for my make and model
car (an average of 26 miles per gallon) and
I filled the tank and drove 416 miles on that
tank of gas. Doing the division, my gas tank
should hold 16 gallons. I looked it up in my
owner’s manual and it does!
Being able to calculate how many miles I can
drive on a given amount of gas will come in very
handy, since I live on a budget. I was thinking of
trading in my car for another to save money on
gas but I see that I already get more miles per
gallon than I would in the car I was thinking of
buying. I also know that one of the signs that
something is wrong with a car is when the gas
mileage drops. If I keep a record of my MPG,
this will help me keep my car running well. That’s
important because I depend on my car.
How will I apply my new knowledge
now
?
How can I apply my learning in the future?
I will continue to practice working these
problems in anticipation of the upcoming math
test.
I will be able to apply this learning when I
need to budget for fuel, whether in my normal
driving or for something like a road trip. I will
be able to calculate how much it will cost me
to drive a given number of miles, because if
I know how far I drive, through figuring out
how many gallons that takes, I can multiply
the cost of gas (per gallon) to find out how
much it will cost to drive that distance.