Math 1060 Final Reflection

For my signature assignment in Trigonometry, I was tasked to perform a number of calculations related to a voyage from San Juan to the center of the Bermuda Triangle in order to search for treasure amid the wreck of a sunken pirate vessel, then on to Miami pursued by a ghost ship. I have a fondness for treasure hunting as a concept, so I found this project fairly fun. It was very interesting to see the ways in which the material I’ve learned through this Trig class could be applied in a naval setting, which I imagine happens on some level every day on ships across the oceans.

Among all of the areas of math I have been introduced to, Trigonometry seems to have the most immediate applicability. Nearly every application of trig has a fairly obvious and useful application in the real world. Even the areas I had been somewhat frustrated with for their abstract appearance, such as the graphs of trigonometric functions, were applied in very practical ways through this project. Using an understanding of sine wave graphing to determine the height of waves, detecting a possible oncoming storm, is something I would not have imagined doing with the skills I’ve learned here. But still, a practical application presents itself.

On a personal level, I have always had an insecurity about my math skills. This is some early childhood trauma or something manifesting itself, I’m sure. But as I’ve climbed through the math classes here at SLCC, I find myself growing in confidence. I am nominally an engineering major, a result of my obsession with gadgets and doodads, so this aversion to math is not something I can afford to ignore. Now, nearing the end of this class, I feel fairly confident in continuing on through Calculus and beyond.