TA: Students, today in class we’re going to discuss yesterday’s experiment. -- What went on in this lab?

Student: What do you mean?

TA: What did you do in this lab?

Student: Lab 3.

TA: And what did you do in lab 3?

Student: We measured the result.

TA: Assume I’ve never seen this lab before, and you were going to explain it to me. What would you say?

Student: (pause) Well, it was all about getting the slope.

TA: The slope of what?

Student: The slope of the plot. We plotted some points.

TA: I know that, but assume I’ve never seen this lab. How would you explain what you did?

Student: We got the wires and measured at each point.

TA: Measured what?

Student: What the meter said.

TA: (pause) Look, you’re report tells me nothing. This could be an experiment about baking cakes. What’s this number here?

Student: 5.

TA: Yes, I KNOW it’s 5. What did it measure?

Student: The slope. Of the line.

TA: In lab, you ran an experiment, you plotted some points. What was the result?

Student: (jokingly) We finished the experiment. We went home.

TA: (frustrated, patiently) If I was a total stranger, how would you explain this lab to me?

Student: You just connect it up—

TA: Connect WHAT up?

Student: The circuit.

TA: Why?

Student: I’m sorry I don’t know what you’re asking.

TA: I’m asking, what is this lab all about?

Student: We, we plugged in the wires and got 5.

TA: 5 what?

Student: The slope.

TA: WHAT was the slope?

Student: 5.

TA: Yesterday, I saw you take your wires and hook them up to the power supply.

Student: Yes.

TA: We called the voltage y and the current x.

Student: Of course, we wrote it in our lab just like you said. Voltage y

TA: And current x.

Student: Exactly.

TA: Then what?

Student: We divided the voltage by the current to find the slope.

TA: What was the slope for?

Student: It was 5.

TA: Okay, the slope was 5. And Why?

Student: That was four.

TA: What?

Student: Huh? Y, it was 4.

TA: I’m not asking about Y. The slope. What was it for?

Student: I just told you it was 5!

TA: You plotted the data, you calculated the slope. What was your point?

Student: I was starting to wonder if you had one.

TA: From the plot. The slope is 5. Y is four. You must have had an ex?

Student: What does that matter?

TA: I’m curious.

Student : Why?

TA: No, not why. Ex. Do you have an ex?

Student: Are you looking to date me or something?

TA: What?

Student: Huh? I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re asking.

TA: Oookay, from the beginning. Where did the plot come from?

Student: We drew it.

TA: From what?

Student: From the experiment.

TA: The experiment about what?

Student: Lab 3! We had Voltage Y. We had Current X. What is it you want to know?

TA: Why are you giving me so much resistance?!

Student: Resistance? That’s what the slope is!

TA: (expires)