Problem: Article: If possible, avoid starchy potatoes, like russets, since starch will effect your mashed potatoes’ texture when frozen. Use a waxy or all-purpose potato, like Red Bliss (waxy) or Yukon Gold (all-purpose), which have move moisture. Add plenty of cream, butter, and/or cream cheese to your recipe to keep your potatoes moist. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dole your mashed potatoes out into single servings with an ice cream scooper or measuring cup. Freeze the tray until the potatoes harden completely. Switch them to a storage bag or other container. Then place them back into the freezer and help yourself to a serving at a time. If storage space in your freezer is an issue, transfer your warm mashed potatoes into small storage bags. If you’re going to reheat them periodically instead of all at once, choose a size that will hold the number of servings you expect to reheat at one time. Fill them and then flatten the potatoes with the bag open so air can escape. Then seal each bag and freeze as many as space permits. Once they’re frozen hard, stack or otherwise arrange them in your freezer to optimize space.
Summary: Use the right ingredients. Portion your potatoes before freezing. Flatten your potatoes.

Problem: Article: Several schools, programming companies or other sources have created websites that will very easily calculate covariance values for you. Using any search engine, enter the search term “covariance calculator.” Read the instructions on the website carefully to make sure that you enter your data properly. It is important that your data pairs are kept in order, or you will generate an incorrect covariance result. Different websites have different styles for entering your data.  For example, at the website http://ncalculators.com/statistics/covariance-calculator.htm, there is a horizontal box for entering x-values and a second horizontal box for entering y-values. You are instructed to enter your terms, separated only by commas. Thus, the x-data set that was calculated earlier in this article would be entered as 1,3,2,5,8,7,12,2,4. The y-data set would be 8,6,9,4,3,3,2,7,7. At another site, https://www.thecalculator.co/math/Covariance-Calculator-705.html, you are prompted to enter your x-data in the first box. Data is entered vertically, with one item per line. Therefore, the entry on this site would look like: 1 3 2 5 8 7 12 2 4 The attraction of these calculation sites is that after you enter your data, you generally need only to click on the button that says “Calculate,” and the results will appear automatically. Most sites will provide you with the intermediate calculations of the x(avg), y(avg), and n.
Summary: Search the Internet for covariance calculators. Enter your data. Calculate your results.

Problem: Article: Most daycares won't allow you to just drop in and walk around whenever you like. Call ahead to schedule a time when someone will be free to talk to you and guide you through the different rooms. It may be helpful to take a day off from work and see several daycares in a row so that you're there while the facility is full of children. Bring a notebook with you that has several questions you want to ask the provider. It's easy to forget what you wanted to know when you're trying to take everything in. You can also use the notebook to jot down any thoughts you have during your visit so you can remember them later. When you arrive, you shouldn’t be able to walk right in. Look for a locked door and a doorbell that you have to ring to be buzzed inside. Otherwise, anyone could enter the center and potentially endanger your child. Ask the provider whether an ID is required when you pick up your child. And find out how they handle pickups from a friend or relative if you're not available. Toddlers need lots of attention and interaction. Look to see if anyone is on the floor playing with the children or if anyone has a child in their lap. This type of eye-level interaction shows they’re interested in supporting your child’s development. There are bound to be lots of toys out, but it shouldn’t look chaotic or unsanitary. You should be able to walk around easily without stepping on small toys or craft supplies. Ask to see the bathroom and the kitchen, and check the floors to see if they look like they’ve been recently swept and mopped.  Diapering areas should be separate from food prep areas. Look for hand-washing stations and sanitary solution or wipes for toys and pacifiers. Peruse the toys to see if many of them are broken or have sharp edges. Make sure you don’t see any cleaning products stored within a child’s reach. And glance behind large furniture or televisions to see if they’re secured to the wall. You’ll be talking to at least one of the workers every day when you drop off and pick up your toddler, and you need to feel comfortable communicating with them about your child. If no one seems to want to talk to you during the tour, that’s a sign you might not get much feedback about your child’s day.  Start up a conversation with someone by asking them to explain what art project the children are working on, or how they deal with a fussy child during naptime. Ask them how long they’ve been working there. If it seems like there’s a lot of turnover, your child may not get the consistency they need. Ask the provider what formal education they have. If they have none, be sure they have several years of child care experience to make up for it. And look for first aid and CPR certification for all employees. A center could have glowing recommendations and great standards, but if it doesn’t feel right to you during the tour, forget it. You have to feel comfortable every time you leave your child there, and it’s not worth it if you’re stressed and distracted while at work. Trust that you’ll find the perfect place eventually.
Summary: Call ahead to schedule a tour. Make a list of questions. Look for security measures. Observe the interaction between workers and children. Note the cleanliness of various areas. Look for potential safety hazards. Chat with the employees. Ask about training and qualifications. Go with your gut.

Problem: Article: Let's say you're working with the following problem: 5 - 3/4. Write it down. You'll want to convert the number 5 into a fraction with the denominator of 4 in order to subtract the two numbers. So, you can first think of 5 as a fraction that is really 5/1. Then, you can multiply both the top and bottom of the new fraction by 4 in order to create two fractions with the same denominator. So, 5/1 x 4/4 = 20/4. This fraction is really equal to 5, but it allows you to subtract two fractions. The new problem can be written like this: 20/4 - 3/4. Now, you can simply subtract 3 from 20 to get the final answer. 20 - 3 = 17, so 17 is your new numerator. You can keep the denominator as it is. Your final answer is 17/4. If you'd like to state it as a mixed number, simply divide 17 by 4 to get 4, with 1 left over as the remainder. This will make your final answer 17/4 equal to 4 1/4.
Summary:
Write down the problem. Turn the whole number into a fraction with the same denominator as the fraction. Rewrite the problem. Subtract the numerators of the fractions while keeping the denominator the same. Write your final answer.