University of Toronto – Faculty of Arts & Science

MAT133: Calculus and Linear Algebra for Commerce

Project #1 – Analyzing Change in Real Data
Instructions Booklet

Introduction
This project is based on the learning goals from Weeks 1 - 4. There are four main pieces to the project: the individual
part, the pod project, the presentation, and the reflective questions. We recommend that students finish the individ-
ual part before starting the pod project. This document outlines instructions for accessing and submitting each part.

Each part of the project is to be submitted on gradescope.ca. Note that you may change re-submit as many times
as you like before the submission deadline. If you resubmit the pod project, you’ll need to re-add your pod members
to your submission each time you resubmit.

• The individual part is due on Tuesday, October 3, at 10pm.

• Your first draft will be due on Tuesday, October 10, at 10pm.
• The pod project is due on Tuesday, October 17, at 10pm.

• Your presentation slides will need to be uploaded to Gradescope by Tuesday, October 17, at 10pm.
• Your presentation will be during your tutorial on October 19-20.
• The reflection questions are to be included with your regular weekly reflections, to be released on Friday,
October 20 and due on Tuesday, October 24, at 10pm.

Caution: Please be sure to always use gradescope.ca for this class and not gradescope.com. If you type
“gradescope” into Google, the first result will be gradescope.com and not gradescope.ca.

Contents
1 Academic Integrity 2
1.1 The Code and the OK List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 Your Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2 Individual Submission 3

3 Pod Project: Analyzing Change in Real Data 4

3.1 Finding a Data Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2 Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.3 Report Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.4 First Draft Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.5 Citations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.6 Submission to Gradescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

4 Presentation 8

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5 Reflection Questions 9

6 Appendix A: Sources of Data 10

1 Academic Integrity
1.1 The Code and the OK List
The UofT has high standards of academic integrity. It is your responsibility to read and understand the Code of
Behaviour on Academic Matters and to adhere to the list of “OK” resources below for this project.

The OK List
This OK list is a closed list of allowed resources, not just a list of examples. If you are unsure of what you are
allowed to use, do not hesitate to ask on Ed.
OK: Collaboration with other members of your pod and hive. You are also welcome and encouraged to discuss
the individual questions with your pod, then write up the final draft of your solutions on your own (using
your own reasoning, without copying from another source). You are required to collaborate on the pod
project with your pod.
OK: Anything that can be found on the MAT133 Quercus page
OK: Your own and your hive member’s previous MAT133 work, including any projects, tests, or homework

OK: Your own and your hive members’ notes from this course and your other courses
OK: Any other textbook (online or physical) you have access to
OK: Online learning videos (e.g. Khan Academy)

OK: Data sources including, but not limited to, those listed in Appendix A
OK: General advice on the MAT133 Ed page
OK: Excel, wolframalpha.com, desmos.com, any calculator
OK: Anything else declared as OK in a written announcement by the course coordinator

Examples of Not OK Things

Here are some examples of things that are not OK. These are just examples. Unless something is on the OK
list, it is not OK.
NO: Using generative AI such as ChatGPT
NO: Communicating about the project with anyone not in your hive. This means, for example, that you must
not use group chats to share project content if these group chats involve anyone who is not in your hive.

NO: Asking for answers on Ed (e.g. “how do you solve Question 2...”)
NO: Accessing or posting on so-called “tutoring” websites or services like chegg.com or Easy 4.0
NO: Using online forums like stackexchange

NO: Entering the question text into a search engine

An important note on group chats: If you have administration privileges for any online chat that involves
anyone not on your team and in which assignment content is shared, you must delete any non-authorized content

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from that group chat as soon as you see it (if this is technologically possible on that platform). Otherwise, you are
considered to have helped someone cheat and therefore committed an academic offence.

1.2 Your Statement

As part of your individual project submission, you’ll include an abbreviated statement to Gradescope that implies
the following. This statement is included as part of your individual submission, because each student must write
and sign it individually. However, the statement applies to all elements of the project, including the individual part,
the pod project report, the presentation and the reflection questions.

In submitting this assessment ... In short

... I confirm that my conduct during this take-home exam adheres I know the Code.
to the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.
... I confirm that I have not acted in such a way that would consti- I didn’t cheat.
tute cheating, misrepresentation, or unfairness, including but not
limited to, using unauthorized aids and assistance, impersonating
another person, and committing plagiarism.
... I confirm that the work I am submitting in my name is my This is my work.
own work. The work submitted for the pod project is the work of
myself and my pod.
... I confirm that I have only used the aids marked as approved I only used “OK” aids.
in the “OK List”.

On the front page of your individual submission, you’ll be asked handwrite and sign the abbreviated academic
integrity statement, as follows:
“I have read the project instructions. I know the Code. I didn’t cheat. This is my work. I only used “OK” aids. I
pledge upon my honour that I have not violated the Code during this assessment.”
Include your student ID number, the date, and your signature at the bottom. Here is an example:

2 Individual Submission
The individual problems are to be completed by each student individually. The deadline for the individual prob-
lems will be on Tuesday, October 3 at 10pm. Please complete the individual problems before starting the pod
project. You are allowed and encouraged to discuss these problems with other members of your hive, but you must
write your own solution for submission.

Please note the following general policies for the individual problems:
• Explain all your steps. Your solution should be easy to understand by any other student in the class.

• Always state your final answer in the form of a sentence, including units wherever applicable.
• Write clearly and concisely in a linear fashion. Do not submit messy scrapwork.

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 • Write directly onto the template, either by using a digital tablet or by printing, writing on paper, and scanning.
– If you use a digital tablet, please be sure that your app does not modify the template in any way or add
extra margins. Do not use Microsoft OneNote, because it adds extra margins and removes page breaks.
The following apps work well: PDF Expert, Notability, GoodNotes.
– If print the template and write onto it in pen or pencil, then you may use the Gradescope Mobile
App to scan and upload to Gradescope.
• Once your file is submitted to Gradescope, please review your submission to make sure that it’s readable,
the pages are in the correct order, and that the answer boxes for each question line up with the template in
Gradescope (approximately), by clicking on each question.
• If we have difficulty reading your submission, please note that (a) we cannot provide credit if we are unable
to read your work and (b) additional penalties of up to 20% may be applied if the graders needs to take extra
effort to mark your paper due to submission issues (such as unordered pages).
The individual problems will be accessed and submitted on gradescope.ca.

3 Pod Project: Analyzing Change in Real Data

As a pod, you’ll be analyzing rates of change of a real data set of your choice, in order to address a research
question of your choice. In Section 3.1, you’ll find tips on finding a data set. Section 3.2 contains guidance on how
to collaborate as a pod on this project. Section 3.3 describes the four sections required for your report.

3.1 Finding a Data Set

Remember, this part of the project is to be completed in your pods. You’ll need to find a data set that you are all
interested in analyzing. Please consider the following notes as you search for your data set.

• The data set should consist of at least two columns of data, with one column containing values of an input
variable and at least one column containing values of an output variable.

• We recommend choosing a data set with time as the input variable. If you wish to study a data set with a
different input variable, please ask your TA to confirm that your data set will work for this project, or ask an
instructor on Ed.
• Depending on your research question, you may wish to look at multiple data sets.

• Data sets are commonly found online in the form of a CSV file, which can be opened in Microsoft Excel
(available for free to UofT students). However, you may also collect the data yourself if you wish!
• A few sources are listed in the appendix, however, you are not restricted to these sources. You will be required
to summarize the survey or experiment that resulted in this data set.
• Important: In order to genuinely answer your research question, you will need to make sure you use real data
from a reliable source. While some websites contain a lot of real datasets, they may also contain fictitious
datasets. You should not assume that data posted on one of the sites in the Appendix is automatically
suitable! Instead, look for information on how the data was collected to verify that the data is real and
reliable.
• All pods should use their own distinct data sets! In particular, it is your job to ensure that every pod in your
hive is using a different data set before you begin your analysis. You may communicate this with each other
in your hive meetings (tutorials), Quercus group page, or through another channel of your choice.

You might have questions about a data set, such as:

• is this source reliable?
• how can I open this data in Excel?

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 • how can I convert this file to a format that Excel recognizes?
• what counts as a “distinct” data set, when comparing with other pods in my hive?
In this case, ask your TA or post to Ed in the “Projects” category. If sharing detailed information about your ideas
or your report, we recommend making your post private to avoid an academic offence.

3.2 Collaboration
Most pods have 3-4 members. You should collaborate as a group on all parts of this project, outlined
below. Before starting the project, have a 5-10 minute conversation about your group work norms, if you haven’t
already done so in the tutorial. For example, talk about upcoming deadlines in other classes, working styles (slow
and steady vs. working in large chunks), reasonable times to expect replies to text messages or emails, etc.
Even though you’ll collaborate on all parts of the project, lease assign one pod member to be primarily responsible
for writing up the final draft for each part of the report.
• If your pod has four members, we recommend that the student assigned to write the conclusion also be
primarily responsible to oversee progress all parts of the project and assist in other parts as needed.
• If your pod has three members, then we recommend that each student be primarily responsible for writing
up one of the first three parts and all three pod members can work together on writing up the conclusion.
In any case, all pod members are responsible to proofread, give feedback and ultimately approve your final submis-
sion.

Here are some tips for collaboration, from past students:

• Set soft deadlines in advance of the real deadline, to make sure your pod can finish in time, support each
other if you run into an unexpected snag, and give each other feedback to improve before submission.
• While you will be able to use parts of the tutorial sessions to discuss your project, it is important to set up
additional times to meet in person with your pod to collaborate. Many students find it more efficient to meet
in person than to sort things out only through online messaging, especially in terms of final polishing of the
report and practicing the presentation.
• In addition to your in-person meetings, decide on a convenient method of communication, such as your Quercus
pod page or use an instant messaging app of your choice, to communicate outside of your meetings.

3.3 Report Instructions

As you collaborate on this project, please write up a report with four parts addressing the questions below. Aim
for the final draft of your report to be both engaging and easily comprehensible to any other student in the course.
Any graphs, data tables, or formulas you introduce should always be preceded by text that provides context for
these items. Ensure that the report reads fluidly and appears cohesive throughout all sections.

Caution: Do not use ChatGPT or any other generative AI. These tools often give factually inaccurate information.
Writing the report with your pod (and without AI) is essential to your learning experience in this project.
1. Introduction
(a) Please begin by stating your research question: this is a question that you aim to answer by analyzing
your data set and its rates of change. Explain why your pod is interested in answering this question. Your
language here should be non-technical and understandable by the general public.
(b) What is the meaning and relevance of this data set?
In this section, you’ll write a paragraph (or a few) to explain the meaning and relevance of your data set.
Your paragraphs should address the following (but not necessarily in this order):
• Include a table or screenshot, displaying the first ∼10 rows of your data set.
• What do the numbers in your data set represent? Include units.
• Which variable do you consider as the independent (or input) variable? Which is the dependent (or
output) variable?

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 • Where did you obtain this data set? (Provide a link the source if applicable.)
• Briefly summarize the experiment or survey that resulted in this data set.

2. Visual Representations

In this section, you’ll create at least one visual representation of your data set, using Excel or another compu-
tational tool of your choice, and describe the behaviour of the graph as it relates to your research question.
• Create a scatterplot, with the input variable on the horizontal axis and the output variable on the vertical
axis. In this case, start by constructing a scatterplot that is interesting to your pod. You may use Excel,
Octave Online, or any other platform of your choice.
– Please be sure that the axes on your plot are labelled properly, including units.
– Please do not include a line of best fit (or any other curve of best fit) on your scatterplot.
– In your report, include a short paragraph before your graph, to introduce your graph to the reader.
• Please write a short paragraph to describe the behaviour of your function(s) based on the graph(s),
as it relates to your research question. If you feel it appropriate, you may include additional visual
representation(s) to accompany your paragraph (in addition to your scatterplot). Your language here
should be understandable by any other student in MAT133.
3. Rates of Change
In this section, you’ll analyze the rates of change for your data set and discuss how they relate to your research
question. Similar to the other sections, this section should be written in a way that is easy for the reader to
follow. For example, please do not include a wall of formulas without providing context. You may organize this
section as you see fit, however, please be sure to include the following elements at some point, in any order.
• Include at least one calculation of an average rate of change and interpret its meaning in context. (Be sure
to include units in your interpretation!)
• Include at least one estimate of an instantaneous rate of change and interpret its meaning in context. (Be
sure to include units in your interpretation!)
• Include at least one estimate of a relative rate of change and interpret its meaning in context. (Be sure to
include units in your interpretation!)
• Create a data table consisting of (approximate) values of the instantaneous rates of change of the function
represented by your data. Show a snippet of the first 10 rows of this table in your report. Describe briefly
how you calculated the numbers in the table.
• Create an approximate graph of the derivative of the function represented by your data. Construct this
graph based only on your dataset and the approximations that you made using this dataset. For this
graph, please do not use a formula that represents the function, even if one exists. (However, you may
make additional graphs based on formula(s) if you wish.) Be sure that your axes are clearly labelled,
including units.
• Provide a discussion on the rates of change of your function. Explain how they are relevant to the “real
world” and how they relate to your research question. Your language here should be understandable by
any other student in MAT133.

Once again, please remember that your report should be engaging, comprehensible and coherent. Kindly refrain
from hitting your reader in the face with a wall of formulas! Use full sentences to provide context.
4. Conclusion
In language that is easily accessible to the general public, write paragraph(s) to summarize your findings and
explain how they relate to your research question.
Please ensure that your conclusion also addresses the following questions: What further questions related to
this project would your pod like to investigate? Looking at the syllabus, which upcoming topics in MAT133
might be related to these questions (if any)? Which upcoming topics in your other courses might be related to
these questions (if any)?

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3.4 First Draft Instructions
The same instructions for the report apply to the first draft. Your pod will be given credit for submitting a complete
first draft, even if it may not be fully polished.

On the cover page of your first draft, you are welcome to include one specific question or request for
feedback from the TA who will look at your first draft. The feedback will be provided within four days so
that you will be able to use it to improve your final draft.

We believe that all students will be supportive and communicative pod collaborators! However, if a student in
your pod doesn’t communicate with their pod and/or doesn’t contribute to the project before first draft deadline,
then your pod will unfortunately need to move forward with the project without that student. Only students who
contribute to the project should be included on the title page and on the Gradescope submission. If you have
questions about a challenging situation in your pod, please reach out to us at [email protected] no later
than the day after the first draft deadline of October 10. If you write to us later than this, there won’t be enough
time to resolve the situation before the report deadline, so we will be unable to help.

3.5 Citations
When you cite sources in your report, we ask you to please use the American Psychological Association (APA)
citation style. Here is a brief guide on using the APA citation style, which has been adapted from https:
//libguides.csudh.edu/citation/apa-7 by Withorn and Caffrey.

• For in-text citations, the basic format is to write (Author’s Last Name(s) or Organization, Year).
For example,

According to Shavers (2007), limitations of studying socioeconomic status in research on health disparities
include...

• For a direct quotation, introduce the quote with the above method and also include a page number. For
example,

Shavers and Tulson (2010) found that ”Among the limitations to studying how socioeconomic status
impacts research on disparities in healthcare outcomes are...” (p. 1021).

Direct quotes should be used only sparingly!

• For the References section at the end of your paper, organize the items by the author’s last name in alphabetic
(A-Z) order and use a hanging indent to separate each list item. The basic format should be: LastName,
FirstInitial, & LastName, FirstInitial (Date). Title of the work. Source where you can retrieve the work.
URL or DOI if available.
For example,

Ashing-Giwa, K. T., Padilla, G., Tejero, J., Kraemer, J., Wright, K., Coscarelli, A., Clayton, S., Williams,
I., & Hills, D. (2004). Understanding the breast cancer experience of women: A qualitative study
of African American, Asian American, Latina and Caucasian cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology,
13(6), 408-428. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.750

Rogers, O. (2021, July 9). Why naming race is necessary to undo racism. Psychology Today. https://www.
psychologytoday.com/us/blog/who-am-i-who-are-we/202107/why-naming-race-is-necessary-undo-
racism

Schmidt, N. A., & Brown, J. M. (2017). Evidence-based practice for nurses: Appraisal and application
of research (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.

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3.6 Submission to Gradescope
• Please include a cover page that lists the names, student IDs and UofT email addresses of all group members.
• Be sure to include ALL contributing pod members on your submission in Gradescope. All pod members that
appear on the cover page must also appear in Gradescope. Penalties may apply to pods who do not follow
these instructions.
• Your submission must be in the form of a single pdf.
• You will be asked to select which pages correspond to which section. It is very important that you select these
pages; otherwise your report is very difficult for us to grade. You will lose points if you skip this step.

• IMPORTANT: Please make sure to pay special attention to your pod’s writing to ensure its quality and
clarity. This includes integration of mathematics and figures into your paragraphs, ensuring all figures and
graphs are well-labelled, and being mindful of the overall appearance of your submission. A guide for including
mathematical formulas in your reports can be found on Quercus.

4 Presentation
The presentation is based on your pod project. Your pod will present your project to the rest of your hive. Each
member of your pod will briefly discuss the part of the project that they are responsible for.

Your pod’s presentation will consist of two pieces: your slide presentation and the hive discussion. In order to
present, you or your TA will be sharing to one of the screens via HDMI. If you have an HDMI adapter for connect-
ing your laptop or tablet to the screen, please bring it.

Your slide presentation will be 8 minutes long. That means each member of your pod should speak for 2 minutes.
The 8 minute limit will be enforced, so that all pods have sufficient time to present. Make sure to practice before-
hand so you don’t overrun.

Hive discussion: After your presentation, your hive will have about 3-7 minutes to discuss your presentation and
ask questions (depending on how many pods are in your hive). To get the conversation started, your pod must
prepare at least 1-2 guiding questions.

Your pod will need to prepare a slideshow to run alongside your presentation. This should include any visual
representations you created in your project. You will submit this to Gradescope by 13:00 on the Wednesday before
your presentation, along with your project report and individual questions. Your slides must be submitted
in the form of a PDF document. If you only provide a link to access your slides (e.g. in Google Drive or
OneDrive), they will not be graded.

Tips:

• Practice beforehand! Set up a meeting with your pod and practice the entire presentation. Make sure
that everyone is comfortable with their part and that the presentation doesn’t take more than 8 minutes.
• Don’t speak too quickly. If you speak too quickly, your hive will find it difficult to understand you. It is
better to focus on the key points from your project than try to discuss every detail.
• Choose one person to share slides from their device. Make sure to practice so the person sharing
slides knows when to go to the next slide!

Grading (out of 10 in total)

Individual Performance (out of 5):

• Presence (1): Arrive on time and don’t leave early. Give your full attention to the presentation at hand; put
your phone and any other devices away, so as not to be distracted.
• Discussion (1): Engage in hive discussion after each pod’s presentation. Ask questions! Give feedback.

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 • Mathematics (1): Discuss any relevant concepts from the course, using accurate mathematical language.
• Coherence (1): Your pod’s presentation must be coherent. Your segment of the presentation should connect
with the rest of your pod’s presentation.
• Accessibility to Audience (1): The rest of your hive should be able to understand your presentation. Avoid
using unnecessary jargon.

Pod Performance and Slides (5):

• Mathematics (2): You must relate your pod’s project to relevant concepts from the course and use precise
mathematical language.
• Content (1): Your slideshow should summarise the work your pod did in your project and how this answers
the questions in the project instructions.
• Style (2): Your slides should not be overly packed with information. They should show clear graphs or other
visuals where possible. Text should consist of concise bullet points, rather than paragraphs.
Your individual performance marks will be posted to Quercus, whereas your pod performance will be provided on
your slides in Gradescope.

Here are some additional tips from past students:

• Do not pack your slides with lots of text or equations! The most effective slides are concise. They may include
a visualization and/or a few brief bullet points, but not a full paragraph.

• When you include graphs, be sure that they are well-labelled, including axis labels and units.
• Do not read from your notes or your phone.
• Make eye contact with your audience.

Are you ready for your pod presentation? Use the checklist below to be sure.

□ Slides - submitted as a PDF to Gradescope by 13:00 on Wednesday

□ Discussion questions for your hive

□ Practice, on your own and with your pod
□ A pod member designated to share the slides

□ If you have an HDMI adapter, you brought it with you to the presentation

5 Reflection Questions
Reflection is key to learning from experiences. As usual, you will complete a weekly reflection in Quercus. The
questions posted on the Friday after presentations will be based on your experiences with this project.

Your grade on the reflection questions will be based on your efforts to thoughtfully reflect on each question, accord-
ing to the instructions provided. While we do ask that you write in full English sentences, we will not judge your
grammar or syntax. Please don’t worry too much about writing perfectly! Think of it as being like a journal entry.

The estimated time to complete these questions is approximately 30 minutes.

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6 Appendix A: Sources of Data
The websites below contain a variety of data sets on different topics. If you have any questions regarding data sets,
please reach out to us in Ed using the “Project” category!

• Federal Reserve Economic Data - United States macroeconomic data (e.g. GDP, unemployment, federal debt,
and more) (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/)
• Yahoo Finance - Price data on stocks, cryptocurrencies, currencies, and commodities (https://ca.finance.
yahoo.com/)
• American Economic Association data sources - List of reputable sources commonly used in economics research
(https://www.aeaweb.org/resources/data)
• OECD - Global data on various indicators related to education, environment, health, technology, and more
(https://data.oecd.org/)
• United Nations Comtrade Database - Global trade statistics by products and partners (https://comtrade.
un.org/)

• UCI Machine Learning Repository - Data used by a wide variety of sectors (https://archive.ics.uci.edu/
ml/datasets.php)
• ICPSR - Social, behavioural, and health science research data (https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/)
• COVID-19 Data Repository - Data used in COVID-19 research papers (https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/
search/covid19/studies)
• US General Social Survey - monitors societal change in the United States (https://gssdataexplorer.norc.
org)

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