What Is the Cost of Piano Lessons

What Is the Cost of Piano Lessons How Much Do Private Piano Tutors Cost? ChaptersCost of Piano Lessons: What You Need to Take into AccountPiano Lessons: Price According to LocationThe Private Piano Tutor’s ExperienceThe Price of Piano Tutorials by LevelAdvice for Saving Money on Piano Tutorials“The piano keys are black and white but they sound like a million colors in your mind.” - Maria Cristina MenaA lot of people in the United Kingdom are interested in learning to play the piano or keyboard but are struggling to find the right way to do it.After all, playing piano is a lot of fun. If you feel like learning to play piano, here’s some advice on getting private tutorials, finding a piano teacher, and becoming a great pianist! LouisPiano Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlisonPiano Teacher £32/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BarbaraPiano Teacher £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Chi yuenPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomPiano Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErenPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtiePiano Teacher £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCost of Piano Lessons: What You Need to Take into AccountA lot of Brits enjoy playing the piano. With electronic pianos, grand pianos, and upright pianos, pianos are far more accessible than they were in the past.There are different ways to learn to play the piano. (Source: Sebastiano_Rizzardo)There are electronic pianos for all budgets allowing any budding pianist to get started with beginner piano lessons.In addition to buying the instrument itself, you also need to consider how much you’ll pay for learning how to play the piano.Piano lessons and music theory go hand-in-hand. Of course, you can find piano tutors who’d be happy to use piano tablature to teach you, but it’s far more common to learn how to read sheet music.While some people get music less ons in school or at a dedicated music school, others prefer to learn about music from the comfort of their own home.Private piano lessons allow you to go at your own pace without having to travel anywhere. This can be particularly useful if you have kids to look after at the same time. However, it’s much better to fully focus on playing the piano if you really want to progress.The price of a piano lesson will vary according to a number of criteria.In particular, the type of the lesson will change how much you pay for it. Private tutors often offer a variety of different types of lessons:Weekly lessonsIntensive lessonsOccasional lessonsGroup lessonsEtc.Some tutors may charge a fee based on how far they need to travel in order to reach you.To help you better understand how the price of private piano lessons can vary, here are a few of the criteria.Piano Lessons: Price According to LocationYou’ve probably seen a variety of rates depending on the town.As with almost everything else, the cost of piano tutorials tend to be higher in London. (Source: Free-Photos)For example, it tends to be more expensive in London than elsewhere in the UK. However, there are often far more tutors in the capital than in the countryside.In London, the average cost of piano tutorials is £35 per hour. Of course, this will vary according to exactly where in London you live.Other towns and cities around the UK tend to be cheaper than the capital. However, there are some that cost more.CityCostLondon £35Manchester £24Birmingham £24Leeds £22Glasgow £22Liverpool £23Southamptom £25Newcastle £22Nottingham £22Sheffied £20Bristol £26Piano lessons tend to cost more (in London) than other musical instruments, too:InstrumentAverage CostPiano £35Acoustic Guitar £25Electric Guitar £27Violin £36Drums £29Bass £29Saxophone £35Cello £40Percussion £28Flute £35Accordion £30Ukulele £38Of course, these are average rates and if you shop around, you’ll be able to find cheaper rates. You can also look aro und for piano lessons online, which you can get from tutors anywhere in the world! LouisPiano Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlisonPiano Teacher £32/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BarbaraPiano Teacher £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Chi yuenPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomPiano Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErenPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtiePiano Teacher £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Private Piano Tutor’s ExperienceHowever you look for your ideal tutor, you’ll surely come across several potential candidates.A piano tutor with years of experience will probably charge more than one who's just started. (Source: ArtsyBee)Not every tutor has the same knowledge. Some have many more years of experience as music tutors than others who mi ght be new to tutoring.It doesn’t matter which instrument you’re learning to play (banjo, electric guitar, saxophone, cello, flute, etc.), there are various tutors available to teach you a variety of skills.  Their experience and their qualifications if drastically affect the price.A student who taught themselves to play probably won’t charge as much as a music tutor who formerly was educated at and taught in a prestigious music school.Even just a few years of experience can change the rates of a private tutor by over £10 per hour.So which type of piano tutor should you choose?It completely depends on your expectations. If you want to become a professional piano player and start teaching others to play, you’ll probably want to opt for an experienced tutor.On the other hand, if you just want to get into playing the piano for fun, an experienced piano tutor isn’t necessarily essential. You could benefit from a tutor who’s just starting out who charges less per hour.The Pr ice of Piano Tutorials by LevelThe way the piano is taught will vary from student to student. It’s far more complicated teaching advanced techniques to experienced pianists than teaching a new student the basics.  This means that lessons for beginners tend to be cheaper than those for advanced students.You can find piano tutorials for almost any budget. (Source: kstuttard)The higher a student’s level, the more time the tutor will also have to spend planning and preparing their tutorials. Prep and planning can affect the cost of a tutorial.Starting to play the piano and learning about reading music also takes some time, but often less time than teaching a student how to play Beethoven’s Fifth in its entirety.The style of music (be it chamber music, jazz piano, or classical, etc.) will also affect how much you’ll have to pay for the hour. There are certain styles that can be much harder to find tutors for.Work out what your objectives are with the help of your potential tutor and explain your level so that you can be sure that you’ve picked the right tutor. If you’re a beginner, don’t forget to enjoy playing the piano! This is as important as putting the effort in.Advice for Saving Money on Piano TutorialsThere are a lot of advantages to learning how to play the piano with a private tutor, including ways of saving money.You could always get a group lesson to save money. Some piano tutors offer this option. The tutor goes to one student’s house where they’ll teach several students how to play the piano.This might be the perfect solution for someone who doesn’t want to learn to play the piano on their own and could benefit from the motivation you can get from your friends. Group classes are also a good choice for families and friends who are looking to do something together. Of course, each student won't get as much time with their instructor as they would in a classical piano lesson as the instructor teaches all the students at once.Getting a class as a group means that you’ll not pay as much each per hour whereas the tutor can earn more money for the hour. It’s a solution that works for everyone. The tutor benefits from teaching several students while only filling up one hour of his timetable.Even if this means that the total is higher per hour, there are a lot of benefits for the students.  You can also save money by learning the piano with online private tutorials. Your tutor can teach you how to play via webcam. You just need an internet connection.This method allows you to save on travel costs for the tutorials without losing the benefits that you get when you learn piano with a private tutor.If you hire a private tutor or music teacher on Superprof, there’s another way to save some money. Some of our tutors offer free piano lessons for the first hour of tuition so that students who want to learn to play the piano can see if learning piano is for them. This means you get to see if the tutor’s right for you b efore you hire them.Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced piano player, you can work with a private tutor to create your own piano course. Whether you just want to focus on your piano playing, learn to read music or master sight reading, improve your rhythm, practise improvisation, or just do a bit of ear training, private tutors can help you learn the piano however you want. This is great for those with specific goals or awkward schedules.Whether piano for beginners, lessons on the history of piano music, children’s piano lessons, or online piano lessons, the piano instruction is becoming increasingly accessible. By knowing what you're looking for and how much you'll be expected to pay for it, you'll find getting the right way to learn this magnificent instrument without wasting your time or breaking the bank!Now you’re ready to become the next Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, or Bach!

The Midpoint Formula Tutors

The Midpoint Formula Tutors A 2-dimensional coordinate plane consists of X and Y axis and in this plane any point can be located by representing it through the x and y coordinates. If a line is joining two points represented as (x1, y1) and (x2, y2), then we can find the midpoint of the line using the formula: [(x1 + x2)/2, (y1 + y2)/2]. This midpoint formula helps us calculate the coordinate of the point which lies in the middle of any line in the 2-dimensional coordinate plane. Example 1: Find the midpoint of the line whose endpoints of the line are A (2, 3) and B (4, 5). Given points: A (2, 3) and B (4, 5) Midpoint of a line, (x, y) = [(x1 + x2)/2, (y1 + y2)/2] Here given point A= (x1, y1) = (2, 3) and point B= (x2, y2) = (4, 5) This gives: midpoint of the line AB = (x, y) = [(2+ 4)/2, (3+ 5)/2] = (6/2, 8/2) = (3, 4) Hence the midpoint of the given line AB is (3, 4). Example 2: Find the midpoint of the line whose endpoints of the line are X (-1, 4) and Y(3, -6). Given points: X (-1, 4) and Y (3, -6) Midpoint of a line, (x, y) = [(x1 + x2)/2, (y1 + y2)/2] Here given point X= (x1, y1) = (-1, 4) and point Y= (x2, y2) = (3, -6) This gives: midpoint of the line XY = (x, y) = [(-1 + 3)/2, (4+ (- 6))/2] = (2/2, -2/2) = (1, -1) Hence the midpoint of the given line XY is (1, -1).

How Higher Order Thinking Skills Lead to More Effective Problem Solving

How Higher Order Thinking Skills Lead to More Effective Problem Solving Solve Problems More Effectively Through Higher Order Thinking ChaptersWhat Is Thinking About?What Are Problems Solving Skills?How to Turn a Student into a Problem SolverThe Role of Problem-Solving in Higher Order ThinkingAs we all know, some problems have easy solutions and others require a bit more thought.By that, we obviously don’t mean thinking about a problem for a longer period of time while using the same parameters and variables.Problem-solving entails examining a situation from a variety of perspectives and with a host of different aspects to arrive at the best solution â€" not just for that problem but for the larger framework in which it manifested.What, exactly, are we talking about, here?We do not mean to infer that word problems in a math assignment represent the opportunity to apply problem-solving skills in the classroom.Such problems demand logical thinking, not critical thinking which leads to problem-solving.Who knew that there were so many different types of thinking involved in solving problems?This article examines the p remise of higher-order thinking, its component part called problem-solving and how critical thinking skills are vital to the effort.By asking the right questions, teachers are instrumental in helping student groups think Image by succo from Pixabaya single definition that wholly characterises thought.  Specialists in educational psychology are equally at loggerheads over the issue.Clearly, students must be given information â€" that is done by someone who is knowledgeable of facts... in other words, a teacher.Ideally, students would process that information, arrive at conclusions and connect concepts to form a knowledge base into which they will integrate new facts.Now things get a bit more tricky.Our school teachers are very good at imparting information. Given the chance, they would be equally adept at guiding students as they work with this information.The trouble is, in our current curriculum standards, there is usually only room for one learning activity: either presenting new information OR working with said information.Generally, the latter aspect of learning is relegated to homework assignments. In such instances, tutors are instrumental in helping students gain thinking skills.To be a problem solver, you must be an active listener! Image by Couleur from PixabayWhat Are Problems Solving Skills?Problems are opportunities in work clothes â€" Henry Kaiser, IndustrialistIn the workplace, problem-solving is generally defined as the ability to manage difficult situations and complex challenges.Do such situations exist in classrooms across the UK?As far as academics go, primary and secondary school students are usually not confronted with situations where they would need problem-solving skills.However, cultivating such abilities in the early stages of education would serve students well a bit later in life, perhaps at the undergraduate and graduate levels; and most certainly will impact their career goals.Thus, were students trained to solve problems as early as possible, it would benefit not just student learning but society as a whole.The question remains: if students are unlikely to encounter situations where problem-solving skills are needed, how should those skills be taught?Let’s break down exactly what problem-solving skills involve:Creativity â€" an aspect of student intellect that is unfortunately suppressed in the course of formal education.Communication: there is a distinct lack of opportunity for talking in class!Active listening â€" we hope our kids listen to their teachers but there is little chance in a group setting to practise active listening.Research and analysis: these skills play a limited role in classroom learning; they are more the purview of after-school assignmentsTeam building: in the current teacher-led instruction model, there is no place for this facet of problem-solving.Even under the current teaching demands, there is still room for teachers to help their students cultivate these skills.Do you know the difference between critical thinking and higher-order thinking?How to Turn a Student into a Problem SolverWe’re not taught how to think â€" Sasuke, university studentThis particular undergraduate student hit the nail on the head with her assertion.As far as our general education standards are concerned, a school teacher’s primary function is to push information and do their best to ensure high test scores.For educators, this is particularly galling because it appears that those aims and student achievement are mutually exclusive propositions if you consider that said achievement should mean that every student would become a critical thinker and problem solver.An effective way around that is to embrace active learning and creative thinking in everyday class activities.Teaching strategies could evolve to include asking open-ended questions which would challenge students’ comprehension of the material at hand.Naturally, inviting discussion would not necessarily work well in math and science classes; STEM facts are pretty much indisputable.  In such classes, a certain amount of memorization is necessary but the assigned work need not be a test of memory.For teachers of those subjects, group study would be an effective way to cement new knowledge. Furthermore, assigning project-based learning activities could have a formative influence on student learning.Here’s how such an assignment may look.Subject: math. The topic: percentages. The assignment: calculate a budget for a fictitious country.Students must first discuss what must be paid for: education, healthcare, environmental protection, civic matters such as road maintenance and policing, to name a few.Next, they would collectively calculate what percentage of funds should be allocated to each. The assignment culminates in a presentation of each group's proposed budget.Classroom activities such as these encourage students to think beyond their personal experiences and they elicit interest (who doesn’t l ike money!) all while making use of their newly-gained math skills.As for the educator in the room, s/he needs only to go from group to group, asking the types of questions that would stimulate further thought.Such a pedagogy is the trademark of a master teacher; it sets the stage for student engagement better than any teacher-centred methodology ever could!Allowing students to work as a team is a good way to build problem-solving skills Image by Alexas_Fotos from PixabayThe Role of Problem-Solving in Higher Order ThinkingWe described in a sister-article how higher-order thinking comprises of both critical thinking and problem-solving.The concept of higher order thinking itself has its roots in various learning taxonomies, among them Blooms Taxonomy.Benjamin Bloom, an American educational psychologist, theorised that learning follows a certain hierarchy determined by the complexity and specificity of what being learned.There is more than one way that we learn and, to make learning e ffective, all three domains should be addressed.Remember how we used the words affective, cognitive and psychomotor  earlier in this article?According to his theory, those are the three domains under which learning is classified.Applying this model, we see that psychomotor learning starts very early â€" in infancy, and then effective learning follows shortly after, as toddlers discover emotions and how to manage them.Cognitive learning really takes off once a child starts school; in fact, throughout a person’s academic career, this type of learning is the one that is overwhelmingly addressed while the other two domains are mostly ignored.That assertion poses a very serious question: if we do not teach students to reason according to emotional as well as intellectual knowledge, are we creating cognitive disparities that will ultimately affect how people function in society?Instructional strategies that incorporate both problem-solving and critical thinking would be an effective sol ution to that admittedly gloomy projection.Posing higher order thinking questions such as ‘Can you give me an example of...’ or ‘What is the difference between...’ takes students away from the mere spilling of facts on demand and smack into critical thinking territory.They draw on students’ prior knowledge and cause them to reflect on dissimilar or not-conspicuously related concepts.Let’s go back to our fictitious country budget example, only this time we project a student who has a severe medical condition that causes many trips to AE.As s/he reflects on the assignment, s/he remembers how many times s/he has taken ambulance rides and has had emergency medical treatment.Drawing on this experience, s/he would urge his group to include funds for emergency medical care into their budget â€" a facet of government budgeting that perhaps other students would not think to incorporate into their plan.This student and that group have moved beyond rote work. They are drawing on th eir multiple intelligences to complete that assignment most creatively.Later, as they share their work in class, other students could learn from their example, meaning that everyone enjoys enrichment!Meanwhile, the teacher may bask in the warm glow of being a knowledge facilitator...Tutors: know when to back off of a higher-order thinking exercise!

What to Know About AP Exams in 2017

What to Know About AP Exams in 2017 Because tests are constantly evolving, it can be difficult to keep track of everything you need to know. As we enter into 2017, it may help to think about AP exams in their entiretyevery test you could take, when theyre scheduled, and what youll need to do to prepare. While knowing the logistics of your exams is only the beginning, it is a crucial step in achieving your testing goals. Here is what you should know about AP exams in 2017: Where and when do I take my 2017 AP exams? If you remember the month of May, youre in good shapeall AP exams for 2017 take place during two weeks in May (May 1-5 and May 8-12). For a more specific breakdown, check the College Board's schedule. Students are not allowed to take AP exams early, and local coordinators will announce test locations. If youve got two exams at the same time, you can reschedule one of them for later in May. By July, you should know how you did on your examby mid-July, you should have the results of any exams youmay have rescheduled to take later in May. [RELATED: A Scoring Guide to AP Exams] How do I register for my 2017 AP exams? Of course, youll have to first register for AP exams, which must be done through your school with an accompanying fee. Begin by inquiring as to whether or not your school has an AP exam coordinatorthat person should have all the information necessary and can advise you on appropriate coursework, though you are not required to take the corresponding AP course in order to take the exam. If your school does not offer AP classes (or if youre homeschooled), you should contact AP Services no later than March and ask them to put you in touch with a local coordinator who can help you out. What should I bring to my AP exam test days? While it may seem like months away, it doesnt hurt to know well ahead of time what youll need to have with you test day. For instance, youll need to know your schools six-digit code (theres one for homeschooled students as well). If youre taking an exam at another school, be sure to use the code for the school you attend. For a more comprehensive list of materials you can and cannot bring, check the College Board site. How should I prep for my 2017 AP exams? Believe it or not, May will be here before you know itand students who study appropriately are more likely to perform infinitely better on their AP exams. Now is a great time to commit to taking one or more exams. Knowing theres a test in your future makes it easier to pay attention and form a study plan that will work for you. If you havent already, consider meeting with your high school guidance counselor to seek any advice on AP exam prep. You may also want to take a closer look at identifying your learning style. Both of these actionable steps can help you tailor an AP test prep plan that works for you. Bonus tip: dont forget about practice tests! There are many free AP practice tests to help you determine your strengths and weaknesses. [RELATED: What You Need to Know About the New AP Calculus Exams] Finally, make a detailed timeline to give you an idea of what will be necessary and when as you prepare for your 2017 AP exam(s). If youre taking a corresponding AP class, you might note when youre going to cover certain topics, particularly if you feel like you may need extra study time with them. If youre taking the exam without an accompanying course, make a more detailed schedule of when youll independently cover exam topics. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to address problem areas and sharpen your skills. Take preparation seriously and youll be on your way to a stellar AP score! Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Accounting Glossary

Accounting Glossary Accounting Activities Accounting vocabulary word cloud Accounting Activities French translations English definitions Pronunciation Accounting vocabulary card game Accounting Listening Resources Careers: The Real World of Accounting How to use AccountingCoach.com to Learn Accounting for Free Accounting Reading Resources A day in the life of an Accountant/Auditor What can I do with a degree in Accounting? 3 Reasons to Become an Accountant 5 Reasons Why You Should Become an Accountant 3 Reasons to Pursue a Financial Profession Grammar for  Accounting Online ESL grammar checker Glossary of Accounting account A record or statement of financial expenditure or receipts relating to a particular period or purpose. account payable A liability account showing how much is owed for goods and services purchased on credit; the problem was to match receivables and payables in the same currency account reconciliation The act of confirming that the balance in ones checkbook matches the corresponding bank statement. Accounting The systematic and comprehensive recording of financial transactions pertaining to a business. accounts receivable Sales made but not paid for by customers (trade debtors), shown as current (short-term) assets in a balance sheet and are, in fact, unsecured promises by customers to pay accumulated depreciation The total depreciation on a tangible asset accumulated up to a specified date. This amount is subtracted from the original cost or valuation of the asset to arrive at its book value. amortize Reduce or pay off (a debt) with regular payments amount A quantity of something, especially the total of a thing or things in number, size, value, or extent asset An item of property owned by a person or company, regarded as having value and available to meet debts, commitments, or legacies assignment credit The book credit leveraged against the fiduciary assignment of a companys receivables. association An organization of people with a common purpose and having a formal structure. balance sheet A financial statement that summarizes a companys assets, liabilities and shareholders equity at a specific point in time balance sheet analysis An analysis of a companys assets, liabilities and equity usually conducted at set intervals, such as quarterly or annually. bank loan Money borrowed from a bank bankruptcy A legal proceeding involving a person or business that is unable to repay outstanding debts. breakeven point The point at which the income from the sale of a product or service equals the invested costs, resulting in neither profit nor loss; the stage at which income equals expenditure. budget An estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period in the future. budgetary accountability The process in Government Accounting of recording budgetary amounts in the accounts of a fund. capital account That part of the balance of payments recording a nations outflow and inflow of financial securities capitalized interest Interest that is not immediately expensed, but instead is treated as an asset and amortized over time in the income statement. cash cycle The length of time between the purchase of raw materials and the collection of accounts receivable generated in the sale of the final product. cash flow The total amount of money being transferred into and out of a business, especially as affecting liquidity. charge off The declaration by a creditor (usually a credit card account) that an amount of debt is unlikely to be collected. This occurs when a consumer becomes severely delinquent on a debt. chart of accounts A created list of the accounts used by a business entity to define each class of items for which money or the equivalent is spent or received. commission the act of committing or giving in charge conservatism The belief that business systems should follow a safe approach to business practices. contract An  agreement between two or more parties to do or not do something specified. credit The deduction of a payment made by a debtor from an amount due. current assets Any asset expected to last or be in use for less than one year. current liabilities Obligations such as deferred dividend, trade credit, and unpaid taxes, arising in the normal course of a business and due for payment within a year. customer A party that receives or consumes products (goods or services) and has the ability to choose between different products and suppliers. debt Something, typically money, that is owed or due. debtor A company or individual that owes a sum of money. deferred revenue Revenue that is considered a liability until it becomes relevant to the business at hand, such as a payment received for work that has not yet been performed. discount A deduction from the usual cost of something. doubtful account Name given to an account that records the sums (accounts) whose collection looks uncertain. Such accounts are termed bad debts and are usually written off against the profit of the firm as expense. down payment An initial payment made when something is bought on credit. employer A person or business that employs one or more people, especially for wages. equity Total assets minus total liabilities; also called net worth or book value. expenditure The act of expending something, especially funds; disbursement; consumption. federal Pertaining to or of the nature of a union of states under a central government distinct from the individual governments of the separate states. finance The management of revenues; the conduct or transaction of money matters. financial statement A document showing credits and debits. fixed costs A periodic cost that remains more or less unchanged irrespective of the output level or sales revenue, such as depreciation, insurance, interest, rent, salaries and wages. free cash flow The amount of cash that a company has left over after it has paid all of its expenses, including investments. functional currency Currency of the country (called the primary environment ) in which a firm conducts its business activities and generates most or all of its income and expenses. goodwill An intangible asset that arises as a result of the acquisition of one company by another for a premium value. gross income Receipts and gains from all sources less the cost of goods sold. Also called gross margin and gross profit. gross profit Sales minus all costs directly related to those sales, including manufacturing expenses, raw materials, labor, selling, marketing and other expenses. intangible asset Reputation, name recognition, and intellectual property such as knowledge and know how. interest A charge for a loan, usually a percentage of the amount loaned. interest expense The amount allocated for interest payments made by a company. investment The action or process of investing money for profit. leasehold improvement A physical improvement made to a facility by a lessee that enhances the value of the facility. liability An obligation that legally binds an individual or company to settle a debt. license Authorize the use, performance, or release of something. liquid assets Assets in the form of cash. liquidity The availability of liquid assets to a market or company. loan A sum of money borrowed and expected to be paid back with interest. loss The result of selling assets for a price lower than the original purchase price. margin The difference between a sale price and a cost. margin of safety An excess of a company’s actual sales revenue over the breakeven sales revenue, usually expressed as a percentage. mortgage A debt instrument that is secured by the collateral of specified real estate property and that the borrower is obliged to pay back with a predetermined set of payments. net earnings The total revenue in an accounting period minus all expenses during the same period. opening balance The new amount on their balance sheet after financial statements are completed. operating expense An expense incurred in carrying out an organizations day-to-day activities, but not directly associated with production. overdraft A loan arrangement under which a bank extends credit up to a maximum amount against which a current checking account customer can write checks or make withdrawals. pension A regular payment made during a persons retirement from an investment fund to which that person or their employer has contributed during their working life. periodic inventory system A system where a business calculates its inventory by physically counting items at end of each accounting period rather than updating inventory continuously. perpetual inventory system A system where a business updates the quantity and availability of its inventory on a continuous basis, after each purchase or sale. prime cost The direct cost of a commodity in terms of the materials and labor involved in its production, excluding fixed costs. profit A financial gain, especially the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something. purchase Acquisition through the payment of money or its equivalent. real estate Property consisting of land or buildings. residual value Estimated scrap value of an asset at the end of its economic or useful life. retained earnings Profit generated by a company that is not distributed to shareholders as dividends but is either reinvested in the business or kept as reserve for specific objectives. return on net assets A measure of a companys financial performance, equal to net income divided by the sum of fixed assets and net working capital. running cost Money spent by a company for the purpose of managing the business and/or for operating machinery for use in the business. salary A fixed amount periodically paid to a person for regular work or services. share A unit of account for the capital or stock of a company. shareholder An owner of shares in a company. solvency The ability to meet maturing obligations as they come due. stock The capital raised by a business or corporation through the issue and subscription of shares. tangible asset Equipment, machinery, plant, property that has long-term physical existence or is acquired for use in the operations of the business and not for sale to customers. tax A compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on workers income and business profits or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions. transfer pricing The price that is assumed to have been charged by one part of a company for products and services it provides to another part of the same company, in order to calculate each divisions profit and loss separately. trial balance A statement of all the open debit and credit items in a double-entry ledger, made to test their equality. variable cost A periodic cost that varies in step with the output or the sales revenue of a company. Variable costs include raw material, energy usage, labor, distribution costs, etc. wages Money that is paid or received for work or services, as by the hour, day, or week.       Please follow and like us:

Give Back - Phrasal Verb of the Day

Give Back - Phrasal Verb of the Day Todays phrasal verb of the day is: Give BackInfinitive form: Give BackPresent Tense: Give back/Gives backing form: Giving BackPast tense: Gave BackParticiple: Given BackIt is a separable phrasal verb that can be used in two ways:1. When you return something to someone.I gave her dress back, after I finished wearing it.2. To contribute something to a community, foundation, or charity.She gives back to her community by volunteering at the local schools.Exercises: Write your answers in comments and we will correct them.Write three sentences by inserting the objects in parentheses.Example: (my phone, it) Give back please. - Give it back, please. Give my phone back, please. Give back my phone, please.1. (the newspaper, it) Give back when you are finished reading.2. (the keys, them) Give back when you check out of the hotel.3. (the money he borrowed, it) He gave back  to his parents.  Complete the sentences with the correct form of give back.1. You dont need to ____ ____ the money I gave you.2. Have you ever ____ anything ____ to your community?3. I am ______ ____ this birthday present. It cost too much money!

5 Reasons to Not Buy the New iPhone 5

5 Reasons to Not Buy the New iPhone 5 Photo by medithIT via Flickr.com 2)  It’s not an innovative technological upgrade After the presentation for the iPhone 5 was over, many technology journalists scratched their heads, asking, “Is that it?” While the new iPhone is an improvement over past iterations, there is no significant jump in technology. The presentation showed nothing new, groundbreaking, or innovative. There was no Siri or vastly improved camera features. iOS6 isn’t a major upgrade over iOS5. Quadcore processors? Welcome to 2011, Apple. It’s a new phone, but technically, at this point, it’s just playing catch up with Android. 3)  Samsung may be suing Apple While Apple has been busy collecting the billion dollars won in a patent-infringement case against Samsung, it looks like Samsung might be looking to retaliate. Samsung seems to be making the claim that Apple has infringed on their patents concerning 4G LTE technology. What does this mean for the consumer? While we don’t know the full extent of what could happen, it’s certainly possible that the iPhone 5 could be pulled from stores just like the Samsung Galaxy Tab. 4)  The design is outdated While the new iPhone is thinner and lighter than its predecessors, it’s still the same old iPhone design. For a company that prides itself so much on ingenuity and balance in design, this is really becoming stale. It’s not a companywide movement; however, just take a look at the constantly evolving iPod Nano line. While the screen size has finally been enlarged, at 4”, it’s still a tiny screen compared to most competitors’ phones. 5)  The iPhone 4S is still a great phone With the release of the iPhone 5, the 4S will likely see a price drop. If you really want an iPhone that bad, it’s probably worth it to just get the 2011 model. It doesn’t have 4G LTE, but it’s got Siri, a great camera, and a rock-solid operating system. The iPhone 5 simply is not a good enough improvement to justify its price.

6 Tricks for Cutting Down How Much Time It Takes to Learn a Language

6 Tricks for Cutting Down How Much Time It Takes to Learn a Language 6 Tricks for Cutting Down How Much Time It Takes to Learn a Language No matter where youre standing, learning a language can look like a marathon and then some.If youre about to start learning a language, you might be wondering how much time youll have to invest to reach your goals.Or if youre already learning a language, you might be asking  Shouldnt I be fluent by now?So yes, if you havent been told yet, Ill be the one to break it to you: Even if you can learn in your sleep, you arent going to achieve fluency overnight.Now heres the good news: With a few relatively simple strategic improvements to your language learning processâ€"outlined below in this postâ€"you can significantly reduce  the amount of time  it takes you to learn a language. Because the only thing better than learning a language is learning a language quickly, right? How Much Time Does It Take to Learn a Language, Anyway?But what exactly does it mean to learn a language quickly?Well, that depends on what language you want to learn.For the easiest languages to learn, were talking a bout a few hundred hours of studying. For the hardest languages, that number is in the thousands. See this infographic for a good summary of how much time it takes to learn different languages.So if you can learn a language in a few hundred hours, thats practically a walk in the language learning park.The amount of time involved in mastering  a language might seem overwhelming, but keep in mind that these are estimates of how long it takes to get from zero to fluency. Youll start to enjoy some of the benefits of learning the language long before you hit the thousand hour mark.That said, when youre talking about hundreds to thousands of hours of your time, you can see why you wouldnt want to drag out the process of learning a language any further than necessary. Here are some tricks for ensuring youre making as much progress in as little time as possible.6 Tricks for Cutting Down How Much Time It Takes to Learn a Language1. Make your language study sessions shorter but more frequentI ts tempting to think that because learning a language takes hundreds or thousands of hours, its a good idea to just sit down for ten hours straight and knock off a real chunk of the time youre going to have to put in.Not so fast though!If you want to cut down how much time you have to spend learning a language, the trick isnt just to study as much as possible, but to divide up your work into shorter, more frequent study sessions.There are two obvious ways this method speeds up your language learning:By doing frequent study sessions, youre keeping the language fresh in your mind. If you take extended breaks from language learning, youll lose ground and end up having to spend more time getting back to where you were.By avoiding unnecessarily long and drawn-out study sessions, youre keeping your mind sharp  and firing on all cylinders (or at least more cylinders), which makes your learning more efficient and therefore faster.However, the main benefit of short but frequent language lear ning sessions is that something fundamentally different is happening in your brain when you study something, go do something else, then come back and study it some more (as opposed to just studying it for longer with no break in the middle).Specifically, while youre off doing non-language-related things, your brain is still consolidating what youve learned. By going back and continuing your studying in the relatively near future, youre reinforcing what youve learned and building on the knowledge your brain has consolidated. But wait too long, and this knowledge starts to dissolve away.For example, say you have a list of vocab words you want to learn. Suppose you can either (a) study  the list twice, then wait two days, then study  it twice again, or (b) you can study  it once a day for four days.In both cases, youre doing the same amount of studying, but the latter approach is probably going to be more successful. Why? Because by doing shorter, more frequent study sessions, youre ge tting a better balance of consolidation and reinforcement.To apply a little bit of pressure to a familiar analogy: Language learning is a war, not a battle, and to win the war you have to make the battles shorter and more frequent.In practice, it can take a little creativity to make the short and frequent study sessions approach work. Some techniques you can use to stick to this kind of schedule are:Give each study session a limited, concrete goal, especially on days when youre pressed for time. For example: Im going to translate this excerpt, Im going to review my FluentU vocab words, or Im going to listen to this podcast episode, etc.On days when it seems like you really arent going to be able to fit in any language learning, you have three options: (1) make a list of everything youre doing that day and see if you can shave even five to ten minutes off of any of your other activities, (2) do five to ten minutes of studying first thing in the morning or (3) do five to ten minutes o f studying right before you go to bed.Review is less time-consuming than learning entirely new material, and its better to do lots of lightning quick review sessions than nothing at all if youre going through an especially busy time.One of the basic illusions of time management is that if you plan out how youre using your time in advance, it seems like you actually have more time. Try to schedule as many of your study sessions in advance as possible.2. Use repetition strategicallyUnless you have a photographic memory, language learning isnt going to happen without a healthy dose of repetition. Youll often have to review material multiple times before you get it to stick.However, its not just a question of how much repetition you do. The quickest path to learning a new vocab word isnt necessarily just to repeat that word as much as possible.The reason for this is that timing is everything. When you repeat things also matters.Specifically, psychology researchers have long known that i ts easier to learn something when you repeat it at increasing rather than even intervals. For example, if youre learning a vocab word, youll learn it more quickly by looking it up, then reviewing it a few seconds later, then a few minutes later, then a few hours later, then a few days later and so on, rather than just reviewing it every 24 hours.This effect is called spaced repetition, and its something a lot of language learning software takes advantage of.But you can also use it yourself to optimize your study habits. The idea is simple: When you learn something, review it multiple times with increasing intervals between your review sessions. You can even draw up a basic schedule the first time you learn it to keep track of when you want to do your repetitions.Coming up with an optimal schedule is part art and part science, so itll take some experimentation, but a good rule of thumb to use as a starting place is that ideally youll have at least one review session within a matter o f minutes, at least one review session within a matter of hours, at least one within a matter of days and at least one within a matter of weeks.For more challenging material, its often especially helpful to add extra sessions at the days level since its generally not helpful to move on to weeks until you have it down pretty well.This technique will really cut down your language learning time for a couple of reasons.  First, because its a general rule for how learning happens best, you can apply it to any material youre studying.And second, the amount of repetition involved is the main reason it takes so long to learn a language, so anything you can do to make sure you have to repeat things as few times as possible will go a long way towards speeding up the process.3. Make the language relevant to your lifeHeres a pretty simple truth: We remember things that matter to us and we forget things that dont.Language is no exception. And when we treat language as nothing more than a bunch o f words on a piece of paper, we make it something that doesnt matter.If you want to learn a language quickly and efficiently, finding ways to make the language relevant to your life should be a top priority. The problem with trying to learn a language thats not relevant to your life is that youll find yourself forgetting what youve been learning more often, and the problem with forgetting things is that it takes a lot of timeâ€"because then you have to relearn them!So how can you  make a foreign language relevant to your life?The best way is to take a two-pronged approach.In the long term, you need to be clear about your goals, about why youre learning the language. Maybe youre going to a country where they speak the language, maybe youre drawn to a culture or literature associated with the language, maybe you know people who speak the language. Whatever it is, there should be some reason becoming fluent in the language is actually relevant to your life.In the short term, you need t o use the language, not just study it. Finding activities you enjoy that involve the language (reading books, watching movies, cooking, etc.) is important  because things you enjoy are by definition relevant to your life! Getting someone to talk to can also do wonders for picking up your learning pace.When you have a powerful long-term motivation for learning a language and when you have things youre using the language for in the short term, all the studying youre doing really matters. Whether or not you remember what youre learning suddenly has real consequences in terms of your ability to engage in these short-term activities and meet these long-term goals.If you dont yet  know how your target language connects directly to the things you care about, take some of the time youve set aside for language learning and brainstorm as many ways as possible to complete each of the following statements:I want to learn this language so that I canOnce Im fluent in this language, I will be able toIf I dont succeed in learning this language, I wont be able toThen take as many of the things you wrote down and start doing them as soon as possibleâ€"especially before you feel ready.Making the language personally relevant is the most direct way of calling up your brain and saying hey, brain, this stuff is important to me, so youd better remember it! And the more you remember, the less you have to repeat, the faster you learn.4. Speak the language like your life depends on itTheres a difference between studying a language and learning a language.Studying a language implies memorizing new vocab, getting to know new grammatical constructions, maybe following some kind of courseâ€"all that stuff. Studying a language is good.Learning a language implies actually internalizing it and getting to the point where you can use it to communicate. Studying is important, but learning is the goal.Now, studying is an important part of learning a language, but its not enough to get you all the way. To really learn a language, you have to use it. Studying gives you the raw materials you need to learn a language, but to make those materials into something meaningful and memorable, you have to use them to put together sentences and convey ideas.Therefore, to learn a language faster, you need to speak the language any and every chance you get. When you use what youve learned by speaking the language, it becomes a part of you and youll ultimately have to spend much less time rehashing it and trying to get it to stick.A great way to create opportunities to speak the language is by finding people to talk to, either online, offline or both.But you shouldnt limit yourself to talking to other people. Talk to yourself. After all, youre around yourself 24/7, so youre your own most accessible conversation partner. Some ways of learning by talking to yourself are: Have conversations with yourself out loud. You can either have conversations with yourself about topics youd normally think about anyway, or you can create dialogues between fictional characters. Try to keep the flow of things going like you would in a normal conversation.Keep a journal. Write regular entries about your life, your thoughts or any topic youre interested in. This is also a good way of making the language more personally relevant.Record yourself speaking. Once youve got the recording, listen to it and try repeating back sentences to correct pronunciation, grammar, etc. as necessary. Record yourself both speaking spontaneously and using a prepared text (which will allow you to do multiple takes). Or you can combine these two approaches by doing the first take spontaneously, then listening back and creating a written transcript of what you said, then reading the transcript back and recording yourself.Narrate an inner monologue in your new language. Push yourself to use a rich vocabulary and varied grammatical constructions.Anything that gets you speaking the language cuts down how much time its going to take you to reach fluency. Speak the language like your life depends on it, and youll find studying translates into learning much more quickly, reducing the amount of time you have to spend studying overall.5. Use these three apps to make language learning part of your daily lifeOne of the easier parts of language learning is how flexible the process is. You can study whenever you want for however long you want and still make progressâ€"even very short study sessions can be very helpful.With this in mind, one of the best things you can do to speed up your language learning is to take  advantage of idle moments you have throughout the day to sneak in just a little language learning here and there.Interspersing little slices of language learning throughout your daily life will shave time off your core study sessions, and  itll also keep the language fresh in your mind and thus make your learning more efficient. After all, the idea of doing micro-study sessions at interval s over the course of your day is just an extreme version of doing shorter, more frequent study sessions.If you own a smartphone, an incredibly simple  way to make language learning part of your daily life is by installing these three apps (and using them!):Any dictionary app.  Make a habit of asking yourself I wonder how you say ~ in [target language], and then looking up the word youre curious about in your dictionary app. Two good options are Google Translate and iTranslate, though a dictionary specifically for your target language will probably be more accurate (i.e. Spanish, German, French, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Russian).Any flashcard app.  Theres never a dull moment when you have flashcards! Okay, that might be a stretch, but with one of these flashcard apps  you can go into language learning mode at the drop of a dime.FluentU.  FluentU lets you learn a language using real-world videos, and the app provides a sort of multimedia smartphone immersion experience. Bes ides helping you work a little language studying into your daily schedule, the FluentU app has the added benefit of giving you an excuse to take a minute and chill out watching cool videos.[cta id=3447]6. Create a sustainable language learning plan that worksLearning efficiently isnt something thats just going to happen by itself. If you want to learn quickly, you have to plan to learn quickly.Part of this is coming up with a language learning road map that includes time-saving language learning strategiesâ€"working language learning into your day with smartphone apps, using repetition to your advantage, speaking the language as much as possible, engaging in activities that make the language relevant to your life and doing short but frequent study sessions.However, you also need to make sure your language learning plan is sustainable. When youre looking to learn a language as fast as possible, it can be tempting to try to just power through a superhuman amount of material in record time.The problem is, if you burn yourself out by trying to do too much at once, your motivation will fizzle and your language learning will end up taking more time in the end.This is a case where slow and steady wins the race. Well, okay, maybe not slow. But steady is definitely something to strive for.When designing your language learning plan, you want to make sure you have a specific strategy for how youre going to improve in each of the following areas: vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, writing and reading.You also want to make sure a good chunk of your activities will improve your general fluency by giving you an opportunity to integrate everything youre learning. For example, having a weekly conversation with a language exchange partner is both a chance to improve your speaking and an exercise that you can use to improve general fluency.Once you set your language learning plan in motion, keep tabs on whether its working in a sustainable way. In particular, if youre mak ing much more progress in some areas than others, revise your plan to spend more time on or to change your methods for  the areas youre falling behind in.And if you find yourself consistently failing to meet your goals and stay on pace with your schedule, thats a red flag that your plan isnt sustainable and that you should go back and make it less dense.So make sure youre starting with an approach that works both in the sense that youre using effective learning techniques and in the sense that youll be able to keep up your energy and commitment from beginning to end.If you can do that, and if you use these tricks to optimize your language learning, youll probably be surprised by how fast those five hundred hours fly by. Instead of asking Shouldnt I be fluent by now? youll find yourself wondering How did I learn an entire language already?