yl:chemistry

Greater Portmore Branch Librarys Shernett Bennett helps Merl Groves Kadesha Francis with her homework.

The mole and chemical equations

FRANCINE TAYLOR-CAMPBELL
Contributor

MAIN POINT

m To perform calculations based on chemical reactions, an

equation must first be written and then balanced so that the mole
concept can be applied.

CALCULATIONS BASED ON EQUATIONS

Example: the reaction ( Pb = 207 C = 12 O = 16 H = 1 N = 14 )
PbCO3(s) + 2HNO3 (aq) = Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g)
1 mole
2 moles
1 mole
1 mole 1 mole
44g = 24 dm3 at RTP
267g
2*63g
331g
18g

QUESTIONS
1. How many moles of nitric acid are needed to obtain 0.5 moles of
lead nitrate? What volume of carbon dioxide is obtained in the same
experiment (at RTP)?

ANSWER:
2 moles HNO3 = 1 mole Pb(NO3)2
1 mole HNO3 = 0.5 mol Pb(NO3)2
2 moles HNO3 = 24 dm3 CO2 at RTP
1 mole HNO3 = 12 dm3 CO2 at RTP
12

2. If the nitric acid contains 2 moles in one dm3 (2 mol/dm3), what

volume of nitric acid (in cm3) would be needed in Q1?

ANSWER:
2 moles HNO3 are contained in 1000 cm3 solution
0.5 moles HNO3 are contained in 250 cm3 solution
3. How many grams of lead nitrate could be obtained from 53.4g of
lead carbonate reacting with an excess of acid?

ANSWER:
267g PbCO3 = 331g Pb(NO3)2
53.4 PbCO3 = (331*53.4)/267 = 66.2g Pb(NO3)2
4. 30g PbCO3 were reacted with 100 cm3 of 2 mol/dm3 HNO3.
When the reaction was complete, what mass of PbCO3 remained
unreacted?

ANSWER:
From the equation 267g PbCO3 react with 2 moles HNO3
267g PbCO3 react with 1 dm3 of 2mol/dm3 HNO3
That is, 267g PbCO3 react with 1000 cm3 HNO3
26.7g will react with 100 cm3 HNO3
Excess PbCO3 = 30 - 26.7 = 3.3g
5. What volume of CO2 (at RTP) is produced in the experiment in Q4?
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

ANSWER:
267g PbCO3 = 24 dm3 CO2 at RTP
26.7g PbCO3 = 2.4 dm3 CO2 at RTP.
6. Iron sulphate was prepared by reacting an excess of iron with 100
cm3 of 1 mol/dm3 sulphuric acid. ( Fe = 56 S = 32 H = 1 O = 16 )
Equation Fe(s) + H2SO4 (aq) = FeSO4 (aq)+ H2(g)
a. What mass of iron reacted?
b. What mass of FeSO4 could be produced?
c. What volume of hydrogen at RTP would be obtained?
d. When crystalline FeSO4.7H2O is obtained, what mass of this
could be obtained?
e. What volume of 1 mol/dm3 H2SO4 would react to produce
4.8 dm3 H2 at RTP?

ANSWERS
a. .5.6g of iron.
b. 15.2g FeSO4.
c. 2.4 dm3 of hydrogen.
d. 27.8g FeSO4.7H2O crystals.
e. 200 cm3 of H2SO4.
Francine Taylor-Campbell teaches at Jamaica College. Send questions and
comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

yl:geography

Exam
questions
(part 2)
MARJORIE HENRY
Contributor

n the last lesson, I started to discuss question two from the May 2010 examination paper. That discussion
continues today. I will restate each section of the question as the discussion ensues.

(b)(i) With the aid of a diagram, describe the MAIN features of the trellis drainage pattern.
Please note that you are being asked for both a diagram and a written account. Make sure to do both.
However, a properly drawn, well-labelled diagram is acceptable. Here is a diagram of the trellis drainage
pattern:

CONTRIBUTED

From left: NCBs Sandra Lyn, Simone-Alana Scott, Sherena Wellington and Camesha
Cole turn heads to the camera, after participating in the 13th Annual Sigma Corporate
Run which was held at the Emancipation Park on Sunday, February 20. NCB walked
away with the coveted Best Corporate Run Team award.

There are four processes by which a river can transport its load, however, you are asked to describe only
two. Here are the processes:
m TRACTION: The stones are rolled along the river bed.
m SALTATION: Sand-sized particles bounce along the bed in a leap frog movement (jerks and jumps).
m SUSPENSION: Silt and clay-sized particles are carried within the water flow.
m SOLUTION: Some minerals dissolve in the water.
(c)(i) Explain how volcanoes are formed at convergent plate boundaries.
Two plates, an oceanic and a continental, move towards one another and converge. The heavier (or
denser) oceanic plate sinks below the continental one. This area of downward movement is known as the
subduction zone. The sinking plate melts due to the heat in the mantle. The magma rises and reaches the
surface through vents, fissures or cracks in the continental plate forming volcanoes.
(c)(ii) Account for the formation of fold mountains at
a) Collision zones - Sometimes two continental plates moving towards each other collide. There is no
subduction as the density is the same. Sedimentary rocks lying on the plates are pushed and folded
forming mountain chains. One example is the Himalayas, which have been formed by the meeting of the
Eurasian and Australian plates.
b) Subduction zones - Two plates collide. The leading edge of one (the oceanic) is subducted or forced
under the edge of the other plate (the continental). The area of subduction is called the subduction zone.
However, since the crust of the continental plate is too buoyant to be forced down into the mantle, the
continental crust has a lower density and so is buoyant. Mountains are formed along its edge by the
crumpling of the marginal rocks and their upthrusting by the sudsiding plate. One example is the Rockies
Mountain.

REFERENCES:
The trellis drainage pattern develops in areas of alternate layers of hard and soft rocks.
The main river develops along the main slope, cutting across the bands of hard rock.
The tributaries develop on soft rocks and join the main river at right angles.
(b)(ii) Describe two ways in which rivers transport their load.

Geography for CSEC - Nelson Thornes

Geography for CSEC - Jeanette Ottley et al
New Caribbean Geography - Vohn A. M. Rahil
Marjorie Henry is an independent contributor. Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

13

yl:principles of business

The communication process

YVONNE HARVEY

14

Contributor

I FRIENDS! Lets begin right away with

our lesson. We shall consider the
communication process and strategies for
effective communication within an
organisation. I am sure you will agree with me
that people working in businesses spend a
major portion of each day speaking, listening,
writing and reading. These people are
involved in the communication process. It has
been estimated that executives spend as much
as 2/3 of each work day communicating.

Communication has been defined in many

ways. According to Karlene Robinson and
Sybile Hamil in CXC Principles of Business,
Communication is the means by which we
create, transmit and interpret ideas, facts,
data, feelings and opinions. Communication
can also be seen as the act of conveying
information or giving instructions. Simply put,
it is the process of making contact between
two points, or it may be described as
interaction in any form.
Communication may be external, that is, it
involves the firm or business organisation
communicating with the outside world, or it
may be internal, involving persons within the
firm or business organisation communicating
with one another.

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
The communication process or cycle
involves the following elements:
1. The transmitter
(Sender) who creates the message, for
example, a supervisor.
2. A message
Specific information or idea being transmitted
which includes meaninings from body
language or any form of non-verbal
communication.

3. The medium of transmittion

The channel through which the message is
sent, for example, internal memorandum.
4. The reciever
The recipient of the message.
5. Feedback
Response to the message, for example,
signing the memorandum to indicate that
the message is understood.
METHODS OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

The main methods are oral, written and

visual communication.
Oral communication refers to word-ofmouth communication between two or among
several parties. This includes direct speech,
interviews, meetings, conferences, public
address systems, speech and use of the
telephone, intercoms and walkie-talkies.
For very complicated instruction, oral
communication should not be used alone.
However, it is useful where persuasion or cooperation is involved, since it maintains vital
person-to-person contact. It is through oral
communication that most internal
communication takes place.
Written communication is the printed form
and includes agendas, annual reports,
bulletins, letters, memorandums, minutes of
meetings, manuals, suggestion boxes,
magazines, journals, newsletters, emails and
faxes.
Visual communication is similar in intent
and effect to written communication, except
that it is more abbreviated. Examples of visual
communication include pictures, diagrams,
symbols, closed-circuit television, films and
film strips, charts, computers, posters and
graphs.

Now let us discuss some of the strategies

for effective communication.

STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE

COMMUNICATION
Effective communication in a business is
the life-blood of its existence. Internal
communication is important because it
develops employer-employee understanding,
it communicates instruction and intelligence,
furthers employees interests, lessens the
shock of technological change, helps to create
a good public image and gives employees
opportunities for communication back to their
employers. Good communication achieves
efficiency.
Without effective communication, there may
be a breakdown in communication or delay in
production. This may increase the cost of
production. So, what can be done to increase
the effectiveness of communication?
. Ensure that the communication is two
way. This means that the sender of the
communication should allow the receiver of
the communication to respond to what was
received.

. Effort should be made to eliminate all

distractions. Distractions refer to anything
that interferes with the message, for example,
noise and interruptions.

. Choose an appropriate method or

channel of communication.

3
4
5

. Ensure that all five elements of

communication are present.

. Be specific. This means avoiding vague

or general words or words with several
meanings. For example, Sales increased a
little is vague. It is more effective to say
Sales increased by 10%.

. Avoid distortions. This refers to people

consciously or unconsciously changing
the message.

. Plan the message. Think through the idea

before saying or writing it.

7
8

. Keep the receiver of the message in

mind. This means you will treat the
receiver of the message with courtesy and
respect.
. Keep the communication as short as
possible. This can be done by omitting
unnecessary detail.

Now, as usual, I must give you an

assignment.
(a) Define the term communication.
(2 marks)
(b) Outline two reasons why effective
communication flow is important to an
(4 marks)
organisation.
(c)List three methods of internal
communication and explain any one.
(5 marks)
(d) Give one example of a form of
communication you would recommend to
be used in a large factory for the following:
- to announce the date and venue of the
annual sports day
- to announce a bomb scare
- to inform employees of the terms and
conditions of their employment (3 marks)
(e) Discuss three strategies that can be
considered for effective communication
(6 marks)

TOTAL MARKS: 20
Next weeks lesson will be on management
information systems. Bye for now.
Yvonne Harvey teaches at Glenmuir High School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

These members of the Inter-schools Christian

Fellowship club at Holland High School know all about
keeping the faith.
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

yl:history

Caribbean economy
1875-1985
DEBBION HYMAN
Contributor

ARIBBEAN ECONOMY is theme six in section B of the revised syllabus effective for examinations
from May/June 2011. It begins with the factors which created the crisis in the British-colonised
Caribbean sugar industry in the late 19th century and climaxes with an assessment of the effects of
industrialisation on the English-speaking Caribbean.

In this weeks lesson, we will be examining the factors which caused the decline in the British Caribbean
sugar industry and the measures taken to reduce that decline. This is a very popular exam question. For the
theme Caribbean Economy, please ensure that you are competent with the following topics:
m Factors that created the crisis in the British-colonised Caribbean sugar industry
m Measures taken to resolve the crisis
m Factors that led to the growth of Cubas sugar industry
m The growth and survival of alternative agriculture
m Factors accounting for industrial development
m Effects of industrialisation

FACTORS WHICH CAUSED A DECLINE IN THE SUGAR INDUSTRY

The British Caribbean planters faced several problems that led to them being unable to produce sugar
competitively. Sugar in these territories was produced inefficiently. These inefficiencies were influenced by
the following:
a) the high costs of production
b) absenteeism
c) lack of mechanisation
d) poor sugar soils (in the mountainous Windwards)
e) inadequate large arable lands

REVISION ACTIVITY
Below is a revision activity assessing what you have learnt.

The decline in sugar production in the Windwards and Jamaica began prior to 1850. The reasons for this
included:

TRADE REGULATIONS
Duties on all sugar being imported into Britain was equalised over a four-year period. Prior to this,
foreign (non-British) territories had to pay a high duty percentage on sugar being sent to Britain. This new
act, however, would gradually reduce the duty, making their sugar even cheaper. The result was that British
West Indian (BWI) planters could not successfully compete against these cheap producers.

COMPETITION FROM CHEAP SUGAR PRODUCERS

Cuba, Brazil, Louisiana and Mauritius were countries that were able to produce sugar at a cheaper cost.
They were considered as low-cost producers. They had several advantages that allowed them to produce
at a cheap cost. They had the following advantages:
a) large areas of flat arable land
b) they had undergone mechanisation. These countries introduced steam engines, vacuum pans,
centrifuges in large centralised factories
c) slave labour - such as in the case of Cuba and Brazil that had slaves up to the late 19th century

COMPETITION FROM BEET PRODUCERS

Europe was able to produce its own type of sugar (beet) at a cheap cost. The introduction of beet sugar
made Europe less dependent on BWI sugar.Even with the mounting problems faced by British Caribbean
planters, they still attempted to save the sugar industry. Some of the measures included:
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

PLEASE SEE ECONOMY, PAGE 16

15

ECONOMY

yl:english language

continued from page 15

Poetry analysis

ACROSS
4. Cuba had use of this form of labour until 1886.
6. Spanish colony that produced sugar profitably.
8. Many planters received this to stay afloat.
9. The production of sugar at one central factory.
11. Cuba recruited a lot of workers from this territory.
12. Planters reduced this as a cost-saving technique.
13. One of the machinery introduced by the Cubans. Begins with a v.

NATASHA THOMAS-FRANCIS
Contributor

DOWN
1. The introduction of machinery into sugar production.
2. The merging of two or more estates.
3. Many BWI planters turned to this scheme as a way of saving the sugar industry.
Begins with an i.
5. American state which produced sugar cheaply.
7. Sugar produced in Europe.
10. In full, the Sugar Duties ____ Act.

ANSWERS
ACROSS
4. Slave
6. Cuba
8. Loans
9. Centralisation
11. China
12. Wages
13. Vacuum pans

In the exam, you should not attempt to

answer the questions after just one
reading of the poem. Your first reading
of the poem will introduce you to the
main ideas or theme(s) in the poem.
Your second reading should provide you
with the feelings and emotions (tone and
mood) in the poem. Finally, your third
reading will show you the images and
other devices the poet uses to appeal to
the reader. It is normally after this
reading that you are able to fully
experience the poem through your
senses.
Consider the following guideline as
you analyse a poem:

DOWN
1. Mechanisation
2. Amalgamation
3. Immigration
5. Louisiana
7. Beet
10. Equalisation
Answers to last weeks multiple-choice activity.
1. C
4. A
7. C
10. B

XPLORING A poem is a wonderful

experience; language is brought
alive through the choice of words
that the poet uses. The poetry question
on Paper 01 or 02 of the English A
examination is one way in which your
comprehension may be tested.

2. C
5. D
8. A
11. B

3.C
6. B
9. B
12.C

Debbion Hyman teaches at St Hughs High School. Send questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

1. Understand what the poem is about

In order to understand what is taking
place in the poem, you should ask
yourself the question: What is this
poem about? Generally speaking, a
poem may cover some aspect of at least
one of the following themes:
m People (how they behave)
m Life (how it is lived; ones attitude
to it)
m Death (how it occurs; ones attitude
to it)
m Love (for people and things)
m Mans treatment of/attitude towards
nature

2. Look for meanings below the surface

You should read between the lines.
The language that the poet uses will be
loaded with meanings that are not
always literal.

thought to be too harsh or direct. (for

example, ass away for die)
m Repetition - A device in which a
word or phrase is repeated for
emphasis.

3. Locate the use of imagery in the poem

Imagery is what you can picture in the
poem. Locating the imagery is done
through your senses (sight, touch, taste,
hearing and smelling).

6. Identify the tone and mood of the

poem
m Tone is the personas or poets
attitude towards a subject/issue. It is
created by the deliberate use of
language. Tone conveys the overall
attitude, spirit or character of a piece
of writing. In poetry, you can use the
following words to describe the tone:
happy, pleasurable, reassuring, angry,
frustrated, sad, impatient, fearful,
anxious, enthusiastic, sarcastic.

4. Look for particular words and

phrases and examine their effect.
Normally, the exam will require you to
explain or examine the effectiveness of
words or phrases in the poem. You
would need to say how these
words/phrases make whatever is being
described more vivid.
5. Explore poetic devices used by the poet
Some of the devices with which you
should be familiar are:
m Metaphor - An implied
comparison between two things.
m Simile - A direct comparison
between two things expressed by the
use of like or as.
m Personification - Human attributes
being given to inanimate objects or to
something that is not human.
m Onomatopoeia - The use of words
whose sounds suggest their
meanings. (For example, buzz, sizzle,
hiss, boom).
m Alliteration - The repetition of
speech sounds at the beginning of
words. (for example, If you slip, you
slide).
m Euphemism - A mild or vague
expression substituted for one

m Poets can signal or evoke a

particular mood by conscious and
careful choice and arrangements of
words. The mood is the effect that the
poem has on the reader. The main
difference between tone and mood is
that the latter is related to how the
reader feels about the issues raised in
the poem, while the former is related
to how the persona or poet feels.
Words to describe mood include:
happy, sombre, lively, nostalgic, lighthearted, pensive, reflective.
7. Give a personal response to the
poem
Sometimes a question may require
you to explain something in your own
words. This is where your personal
response is relevant. However, be careful
to use evidence from the poem to
support your ideas.
If you follow this guideline, you
should have very little difficulty
understanding and responding to any
poem.
In next weeks lesson, we will look at a
poem and use the guide to analyse it.
Until then, I want you to choose a poem
from your textbook or magazine and use
the guide to understand it. I also want
you to be inspired by an object or event
in your life and try to write poetically
about it. Share your thoughts with your
peers and teacher.
Have a productive week!

Nola Stanford (left) has much to say to social studies teacher Veronique OMeally of Kingsway High School (second left) and her students.
16

YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

Natasha Thomas-Francis teaches at Glenmuir

High School. Send questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

yl:biology

The study of
inheritance

ALLELE
The different forms of the same gene, for example, eye colour,
brown and blue are alleles for eye colour.

GENOTYPE
This refers to the alleles that you have on your chromosomes or, in
other words, your genetic makeup.

PHENOTYPE
This refers to or describes your appearance; what you look like,
whether you have brown or blue eyes, or whether or not you can roll
your tongue.

HOMOZYGOUS
When both the alleles controlling a characteristic are the same, the
organism is said to be homozygous for the characteristic, for example,
if the individual can roll his tongue and both the alleles for tongue
rolling are the same, then the individual is said to be homozygous.
Homo means same.

HETEROZYGOUS
When both alleles controlling the characteristic are different, the
organism is said to be heterozygous for the characteristic. Hetero
means different.
Notice that reference has been made to alleles being the same and
different. What is meant by this? In order to explain this we will need
to meet two other new words. These are dominant and recessive. What
do these mean?
An allele is said to be dominant if when it is present on one
chromosome with the allele governing the particular characteristic on
its matching chromosome, it is the one that is seen in the phenotype.
Remember that chromosomes are found in pairs. Each member of the
pair will have one of the alleles governing the characteristic, for
example, eye colour. One chromosome can have the allele responsible
for brown eye colour and the other the allele responsible for blue eye
colour.

Male students at Ardenne High School respond to a charge given to them during Male Awareness Day which was held
recently, under the theme,Bright and Brave: Lead the Change.
MONACIA WILLIAMS
Contributor

HIS WEEK, we will begin to look at genetics. Like the topic we

have just completed, it is one that might not be dealt with in great
detail in your class sessions due to time constraints. However, I
need to tell you that any study of genetics must be preceded by a study
of cell division. Without knowledge of cell division you will have
difficulty understanding genetics. Hence, we will do a quick revision of
cell division before we begin.

CELL DIVISION
All new cells in living organisms are produced by cell division.
There are two types of cell division. These are called mitosis and
meiosis. The cells produced by mitosis are known as body cells or
somatic cells; those produced by meiosis are the sex cells or gametes.
Daughter cells produced by mitosis are identical to the parent cell
and, therefore, have the same number of chromosomes as the parent
cell.
The sex cell or gamete (the egg or the sperm in animals and egg
and pollen in plants) which is produced by meiosis has half the
number of chromosomes of the parent cell. Can you think of a reason
for this?
Meiosis occurs in the ovary and the testis of animals, and in the
ovary and anther of plants. The ovary in animals produces the egg; the
testis produces the sperm and in plants the anther produces the
pollen.

INTRODUCTION TO GENETICS
This study is going to include words that you might not have seen
before, so, as is customary, let us first look at the definition of these
words.

CHROMOSOME
Threadlike bodies found within the nucleus that carry the genes
which control the characteristic of the organism. The number of
chromosomes present is specific to each species. Humans have 22
pairs of somatic chromosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes.

DIPLOID
The full number of chromosomes that an organism possesses. This
is the number in the somatic or body cells. In humans, this is 46, that
is, 44 somatic + 2 sex chromosomes.

Do you remember the word phenotype? Look at the definition again.

In the example given, even though the allele for brown eyes and blue
eyes are present, the individual has brown eyes. This means that it is
the allele for brown eyes that is expressed. The allele for brown eyes
is, therefore, dominant to the allele for blue eyes. The allele that is not
expressed is said to be recessive.
The dominant allele is said to mask the expression of the recessive.
The recessive can only be expressed when the dominant is absent.
Let us see what this means. Dominant alleles can be expressed in
the phenotype when both alleles are dominant, that is, the same, and
are, therefore, homozygous; also when both alleles are different and
are, therefore, heterozygous. The recessive characteristic can only be
expressed in the phenotype when it is in the homozygous condition,
that is, when the two recessive alleles are together.
Below is a list of characteristics that are governed by dominant
genes in humans.
m Freckles
m Dark hair
m Tongue rolling
m Free ear lobe
m Normal skin colour

HAPLOID
This is half the diploid number of chromosomes or the number
present in the sex cell; that is, in humans, the egg has 23 and the
sperm has 23, a half of 46. Have you figured out yet why the number is
halved? Think about what happens at fertilisation when the egg
nucleus fuses with the sperm nucleus!

The recessive condition would be:

m No freckles
m Light coloured hair
m Non-tongue rolling
m Ear lobe joined
m Albino

GENE
This is a specific section on a chromosome that determines a
characteristic, for example, eye colour in humans, flower colour in
plants.
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

Next week, we will look at how genes are inherited. See you then!
Monacia Williams teaches at Glenmuir High School. Send questions and comments
to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

17

yl:information technology
NATALEE A. JOHNSON
Contributor

ELLO, STUDENTS. In this weeks

lesson, we will be starting a new
unit on which we will be focusing
for the next few weeks. It is problem
solving and program design. Have you
ever wondered how problems are solved
on the computer, or why we ourselves
have problems we cannot seem to solve?
Well, you are going to be requiring your
analytical skills with some mathematical
knowledge for this unit.

In our everyday life, we actually solve

simple problems. For example, you have
a problem getting to school early in the
morning. How would you solve this
problem?
m Examine the problem
m Determine possible solutions to
the problem such as setting an alarm
clock; making arrangements with a
taxi
to pick you up early, travelling with a
friend who is normally early for school
or getting ready for school earlier.
m Evaluate to determine the best
possible solution to the problem
m Choose the best solution to your
problem
Similarly, the computer is designed to
solve problems for you, the user. How is
this possible? A computer solves enduser problems by following a set of
instructions given to it by the
programmer which produces the
specified results. The computer
programmer creates the instructions for
the computer to follow. These
instructions are referred to as computer
programs. You were introduced to the
term computer programs when we
looked at software.
A computer program is a finite set of
clear and specific instructions written in
a programming language.

PROBLEM-SOLVING ON THE
COMPUTER
The design of any computer program
involves two major phases:
m The problem-solving phase
m The implementation phase
The problem-solving phase
comprises the following steps:
1) Define the problem
2) Find a solution to the problem
3) Evaluate alternative solutions
4) Represent the most efficient
solution as an algorithm (you will learn
about this in up-coming lessons)
5) Test the algorithm for correctness
The implementation phase comprises
the following steps:
1) Translate the algorithm into a
specific programming language
2) Execute the program on the
computer
3) Maintain the program
18

Problem solving
and
program design

thought processes of human experts

in certain well-defined fields.
(ii) Areas of application - any one of
the following:
(a) Medicine - diagnosis of infectious
blood diseases, prescription of
medicine
(b) Geology - search for mineral
deposits
(c) Chemistry - identifying molecular
structure of compounds

ADVANTAGES:

m Does not display biased judgements

m Does not jump to conclusions on
the face of contrary evidence
m Systematically considers all
possible alternatives

DISADVANTAGES:

m Not good at judgement requiring

common sense
m Cannot adapt easily to new rules
and concepts
m Cannot reason across disciplines

3. (i) CAD - Computer Aided

Drafting/Designing - A system that uses
computer hardware and software in the
drawing of engineering or architectural
designs.

School Dayz Round 1 Singathon finalists (l-r) Asheika Cunningham, DJ Sheika, Foga Road High School,
Eon Campbell, Alabama, Gaynstead High School and Daina Fletcher, Quanito, St Jago High School share
in the excitement with Honey Bun Marketing Director Krystal Chong after their first professional
recording experience at ZIP 103 FM.
DEFINING THE PROBLEM

THE OUTPUT

Defining the problem is a way to help

the programmer understand what he or
she is required to do. It involves
breaking down the problem into three
key components:
m What is given (that is, the inputs)
m The expected results (that is, the
output)
m The tasks that must be performed
(that is, processing)

The output is the end result required.

You can identify what is the output in a
given problem by the following
keywords: print, display and output.

These three components can be

illustrated using what is called a defining
diagram. Some texts may refer to this as
the input processing and output (IPO)
chart. The defining diagram is a formal
approach to defining a problem. The
defining diagram is a table with three
columns, which represents the three
components: input, output and
processing.

THE PROCESSING
The processing column is a list of
what actions are to be performed to
achieve the required output.
Let us now look at an example of a
problem that is defined with the
construction of a defining diagram.

EXAMPLE 1
A program is required to read three
numbers, calculate and print their total.

DEFINING DIAGRAM:

THE INPUT

INPUT
3 num
Say num1,
num2,
num3

PROCESSING
OUTPUT
1. Read/get 3 nums TOTAL
2. Add numbers
together
3. Print total

The input is the source data provided.

You can identify what is the input in a
given problem by the following
keywords: given, read or accept.

We will break here to look at the

solutions to the revision questions I
gave you in the previous lesson.

1. (a)(i) modem, telephone, fax machine

(ii) Reduction in travel expenses
/fuel consumption
- Working men and women would
be able to spend more time with
their families
(iii) The worker might miss out on
promotion opportunities at central
headquarters
- Increase in expenses such as
telephone, electricity, etc.
(b) Telecommuting involves working
off-site/home and communicating
with the office, while teleconferencing and telemarketing do not.
Telemarketing is the use of the
telephone as an interactive medium
for promotion and sales to
prospective customers, while teleconferencing is used by organisations to
conduct meetings involving
individuals who are located at various
parts of the world.
2. (i) An expert system is a program
that reproduces the knowledge and

YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

CAM - the use of a computer to

control manufacturing plant and
equipment in a production system to
produce a product.
(ii) CAD and CAM are integrated so
that an object is designed, tested and
then passed to a manufacturing process.
4. (a) Robotic arms are used in the
manufacturing of motor vehicles. One
function that the robotic arm serves is to
spray the motor cars with a uniform coat
of paint.
(b)(1) Robots do not miss
(2) It wastes less than half as much
paint as a human painter does
(3) They are not affected by the
dangerous fumes or heat, therefore,
they do not get sick
See you next week, when we will
continue to look at problem solving and
program design. Remember, if you fail to
prepare, be prepared to fail.
Natalee A. Johnson teaches at Ardenne High
School. Send questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

yl:office administration
HYACINTH TUGMAN
Contributor

HE PURPOSE of the factory office is to

coordinate the activities of the production
process to allow for maximum efficiency and
to make quality products in the required quantities.
The size of the factory office is generally
determined by the manufacturing or production
activities that take place in a company. In a large
company, there is usually a production
department managed by a production manager
who oversees:

m Manufacturing of articles
m Organisation and management of the factory
m Factory and production planning
m Dispatch and transportation
m Stockroom
m Maintenance of good office services
RELATIONSHIP OF THE FACTORY OFFICE
WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS:

SALES DEPARTMENT
It is important that the factory office maintain a
close relationship with the sales office so that when
orders are made, the sales department will check
carefully and present to the accountant for clearing
(or verification and credit worthiness). Sales
invoices are then prepared, after which copies are
sent to the dispatch and transport section of the
factory office for processing.

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT
It is the responsibility of the purchasing
department to obtain tools and materials for the
factory. Therefore, the factory office clerk should be
in constant dialogue with the purchasing
department, reporting on the status of these. If the
factory experiences difficulty in obtaining constant
supplies of raw materials from its suppliers, the
progress-chasing clerks work diligently with the
purchasing department to locate the materials or to
find suitable substitutes. The aim is to keep the
production line going; thus ensuring the customer
of continued supplies of the commodity.

This department is responsible for the

b. Maintaining suitable procedures for the

i. Batch production - the making of a

The factory
control office
recruitment, selection, orientation and induction of
workers, as well as their welfare and ongoing
training.

FUNCTIONS OF THE FACTORY OFFICE:

1. Organisation of production activities
The major function of the factory office is the
organisation of production activities. This is
because the office brings together production
principles and processes, production staff,
production procedures, production materials,
machinery and tools, company policies and
objectives as well as statutory rules and regulations
in the creation of articles for consumption.
The office, therefore, has responsibility for:
a. Planning and supervising all types of
manufacturing

control
of production
c. Maintaining an appropriate level of discipline
in the factory
d. Maintaining the factory, including power
supply, plant, equipment, machinery, tools and
buildings
e. Maintaining an excellent transportation system
f. Suggesting ways in which improvements can
be made
2. Implementation
Production planning is just one major function of
manufacturing goods. Implementation requires the
control of various activities. Two important activities
associated with implementation are:
a. Instructing supervisors with regard to what is to
be produced and when production is to commence
b. Determining the method of production to be
utilised, for example:

number of similar items at the same time.

ii. Mass production - this involves the
production of large quantities of goods
to cater to a mass demand. Clothing,
shoes and cars are usually mass
produced. This method is referred to as
an assembly-line operation.
iii. One-line production - from time to
time, factories sign contracts with
customers for the production of single
non-repeated products as well as a few
articles of a similar design.
Until next week, see you.
Hyacinth Tugman teaches at Glenmuir High School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

STOCKROOM
The stockroom is essential to the production
department as items produced must be carefully
stocked away until they are ready to be dispatched
to various customers. Raw materials, too, need to
be stocked in sufficient quantities so that the
production process is not jeopardised.

ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT
The accounting department must be involved in
the estimating, costing and general budgeting
activities for production. A factory office clerk must,
in some cases, record factory workers hours of
regular and overtime work and the information
passed on to the accounts department for payment
to be prepared.

Chanelle Mitchell (second right) and Devonte McCarthy (right) tag Governor General Sir Patrick Allen (left) while Lady Allen and
Courtney Campbell, CEO of Grace Kennedy Financial Group, wait their turn at Kings House on Monday, February 21, during the
launch of the Girls Brigade Tag Drive under the theme Together we can.

HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

19

yl:mathematics

Vectors
CLEMENT RADCLIFFE
Contributor

AST WEEK, you were given solutions to select past-paper questions. I do hope that you found the
entire exercise beneficial. You are expected, of course, to continue to do other examples on your own.
Past papers are available in the book shops and you should endeavour to make use of these, along
with the examples you will find in your textbooks
.
Today, we will begin the review of vectors.
Please review the following description:
(a) A motor car travels with velocity 45 Km per hour due north.
(b) A force of 25 N due East.

Could you say what both statements have in common?

You are correct that in both cases, their sizes and directions are given. These are examples of vector
quantities representing velocity of a car and force, respectively. A vector quantity is one which identifies
both the magnitude (size) and direction; for example, the velocity given above. A speed of 20 metres per
second is a scalar quantity. (No direction is given).

Clement Radcliffe is an independent contributor. Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

20

YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

yl:social studies
MAUREEN CAMPBELL
Contributor

The moving process

IGRATION IS the movement of people from

one place to another. There are two main
types of migration, internal migration movement within one country, and international
migration - movement from one country to another.
An example of internal migration in Jamaica is the
movement from St Elizabeth to Kingston. An
example of international migration is the movement
from Jamaica to Europe or the United States.
Why do people migrate from one place to
another? The reasons for migration can be divided
into two main areas - push and pull factors. Push
factors are things that are bad about the place that
one lives in, and pull factors are things that attract
one to another area.

These Campion College

sixth-formers are proud to
be at the Top of the Class.

PUSH FACTORS
Push factors are those in the country of origin or
part of the country which force people to move, and
include:
m Not enough jobs
m Few opportunities
m Famine or drought
m Political fear or persecution
m Poor medical care
m Loss of wealth
m Natural disasters
m Death threats
m Lack of political or religious freedom
m Pollution
m Poor housing
m Discrimination
m War/Civil war

PULL FACTORS
Pull factors are factors in the host/target country
or area of a country which encourage people to want
to move there, include:
m Job opportunities
m Better living conditions
m Political and/or religious freedom
m Education
m Better medical care
m Attractive climates
m Security
People who migrate are called migrants or, more
specifically, emigrants, immigrants or settlers,
depending on historical setting, circumstances and
perspective

EFFECTS/CONSEQUENCES OF MIGRATION
(COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN AND HOST COUNTRY)

The effects of migration vary widely. Countries of

origin may experience both gains and losses in the
short term, but may stand to gain over the longer
term. For receiving/host countries, temporary
programmes help to address skills shortages but
may decrease domestic wages and add to public
welfare burden.

While every mouth brings a pair of hands, these

hands sometimes make more than they eat and
sometimes less, noted a writer in the Financial
Times.

For countries of origin, the short-term economic

benefit of emigration is found in remittances.
According to the World Bank, remittances
worldwide were estimated at $414 billion in 2009.
This figure, though, only takes into account funds
sent by formal channels, so the amount is much
larger.
For host countries, the positive gains from
immigration result from the infusion of cheap and
eager labour into the economy. In the United States
and Canada, migrant workers often fill low-wage
jobs for which there is not enough local supply of
labour, such as farm labour. Just as cheap imports
of industrial goods benefit the American economy,
so too does the importation of cheap labour.
Economists who support the notion of these
positive gains claim that immigration has little
impact on wages or job availability for domestic
workers.
At the same time, developing countries can suffer
from brain drain - the loss of trained and educated
individuals to emigration - an example of the
possible negative effects of emigration for
developing countries.
Indeed, cultural issues are a significant factor in
the response to global migration. Fear and distrust
of immigrants has fuelled the creation and success
of anti-immigrant laws in several countries. Many of
these have linked immigration to social ills such as
unemployment and crime.

CAN THERE BE AN END TO MIGRATION

m Migration will be a major, unstoppable fact of

global life until the economic disparities between
sending and receiving states are equal or more
equal. Can this ever happen? Once people
recognise there is better life opportunity
elsewhere, they will tend to always move towards it.
m How easy is it to stop the movement of
human beings and the resulting increased
populations of illegal immigrants in host
countries coming in from developed countries?
m Dealing with both legal and illegal
immigration, then, is one of the pressing issues
facing governments and societies across the world.

CONCEPTS/TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW

International Organisation for migration (IOM):
This intergovernmental organisation works with
governmental, intergovernmental and nongovernment organisations (NGOs) to promote
humane and orderly migration. The organisation
also provides services and advice to its members.
Brain drain: The loss of trained and educated
individuals to emigration.
Human trafficking: The process includes
recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring
individuals for exploitation. Human trafficking often
uses illicit means such as bribery, coercion, force,
abduction, fraud and deception to achieve its goals.

Migration: the movement of people across a

specified boundary for the purpose of establishing a
new or semi-permanent residence.
Internal migration: occurs when someone moves
from one section of a country to another, usually for
economic reasons. The most notable example of
internal migration has been the movement from
rural regions to cities.
International migration: change of residence over
national boundaries. An international migrant is
someone who moves to a different country.
International migrants are further classified as legal
immigrants, illegal immigrants and refugees. Legal
immigrants are those who moved with the legal
permission of the receiver nation; illegal immigrants
are those who moved without legal permission, and
refugees are those who have crossed an
international boundary to escape persecution.
Migrant: An individual who moves from one
region to another by chance, instinct or plan.
Emigrant: an individual who leaves one country
for another in order to settle there.
Immigrant: a person who comes to a country in
which he/she was not born, in order to settle there.

ACTIVITIES
OTHER PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH
MIGRATION

m In the countries of destination, migrants are

generally regarded negatively or ignored.
m Migrants have been blamed for or are feared
to cause various problems including the rise in
crime, the spread of diseases, the taking away of
jobs from locals or driving down the wages of
local workers.
m In the case of foreign domestic helpers, their
influence on the young has been a cause for
concern.
m The medias tendency to focus on migrants
arrested for migration violations or problems they
encountered adds to the perception of migration
as a problem-ridden issue.

Pull factors: Factors that attract people away from

home. Pull factors occur within receiving states,
that is, states that receive immigrants who have
moved away from their places of origin.
Push factors: Factors that drive migrants to a new
location. Push factors occur within sending states,
that is, those that send migrants abroad.
United Nations Commission for Refugees
(UNHCR): The agency is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and
resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary
purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of
refugees.

YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011

1. Define the following terms associated with

migration: asylum, refugee, step migration and
emigration.
2. Give four reasons why people migrate.
3. When is migration considered illegal in most
countries?
4. State two requirements for migrating from the
Caribbean region to the United States.
5. Explain the following: Migration has two-fold
effects with regard to the countries involved in its
process.
Maureen Campbell teaches at St Hughs High School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepbur@gleanerjm.com

21

yl:principles of accounts

Interpretation
of final
accounts
ROXANNE WRIGHT
Contributor

INTERPRETATION OF FINAL ACCOUNTS

Below is the solution to last weeks homework alert.
Workings:

FACTS TO REMEMBER:
A firm with a good current ratio is one that is liquid enough to pay its creditors on time and pay for its
expenses when they become due. However, it may have to depend on the sale of goods in stock to meet
those obligations.
A firm with a bad acid test ratio is one that is not liquid enough to pay its creditors on time or pay for
expenses when they become due, without having to depend on the sale of goods in stock to meet those
obligations.
Match your answer with mine and make the correction where necessary, and always pay attention to the
principles applied and make great effort to retain them for future use.
Next week, the presentation will be a worked example of a sole trader and adjustment question. See you
then.

Roxanne Wright teaches at Immaculate Academy. Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

22

YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 1-7, 2011