School Year 2008-2009

Instructor: Mrs. Armstrong

Room: 130

Course Syllabus

Prerequisite: Individuals will be selected on the basis of the following: mathematics placement test results, individual standardized test performance, prior academic record. Permission of Department Chairperson and/or instructor required. Signature required.

Textbook: Cummins, Malloy, McCain, Mojica, Price. Algebra Concepts and Applications. Columbus, Ohio: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. 2004.

Course Description: This course is an elementary course in Algebra in which no prior background in Algebra is assumed. The course content focuses on developing algebraic fluency. Students will develop understanding of algebra as a tool for thinking and communicating across all standards of mathematics. Topics include operations with numerical and algebraic expressions, including rational and radical expressions, factoring and graphing. Note-taking instructions and test-taking preparation are included. Students will be assessed on individual performance in the following areas: daily homework, weekly quizzes and tests. Students will be using a TI-83 plus or TI-84 plus graphing calculator.

Format: Class meetings will include lectures, projects, critical-thinking writing assignments, class work, homework, and calculator/computer activities.

Evaluation and Assessment: Grades are computed based on the following ratio:

Points earned / Total points possible

Students are expected to review material daily.
Students are expected to do the homework/class work by themselves unless otherwise indicated by Mrs. Armstrong. Homework will not be collected but students are expected to complete the assignments. Class work will be collected; although, it will be graded on a completion basis not an accuracy basis.
Students are expected to participate either through volunteering or being called upon by Mrs. Armstrong.
Quizzes may or may not be announced.
Assessment will be any of the following formats: short answer, multiple choice, essays, true/false, matching, and/or problem solving.
Students are expected to show their work. Without showing proper work, full credit will not be given.
Students may be asked to orally present a problem, a topic or a chapter.

Standard: Number and Number Sense

Benchmarks:

· Use scientific notation to express large numbers and numbers less than one.

· Identify subsets of the real number system.

· Apply properties of operations and the real number system, and justify when they hold for a set of numbers.

· Connect physical, verbal, and symbolic representations of integers, rational numbers and irrational numbers.

· Compare, order, and determine equivalent forms of real numbers.

· Explain the effects of operations on the magnitude of quantities.

· Estimate, compute, and solve problems involving real numbers, including ratio, proportion and percent and explain solutions.

· Find the square root of perfect squares, and approximate the square root of non-perfect squares.

· Estimate, compute and solve problems involving scientific notation, square roots and numbers with integer exponents.

Standard: Measurement

Benchmarks:

Solve increasingly complex non-routine problems and check for reasonableness of results.
Write and solve real-world, multi-step problems involving money, elapsed time, and temperature and verify reasonableness of solutions.

Standard: Geometry and Spatial Sense

Benchmarks:

Represent and model transformations in a coordinate plane and describe the results.

Standard: Patterns, Functions and Algebra

Benchmarks:

Generalize and explain patterns and sequences in order to find the next term and the n^th term.
Identify and classify functions as linear or nonlinear, and contrast their properties using tables, graphs or equations.
Translate information from one representation to another representation of a relation or function.
Use algebraic representations, such as tables, graphs, expressions, functions, and inequalities to model and solve problem situations.
Analyze and compare functions and their graphs using attributes, such as rate of change, intercepts, and zeros.
Solve and graph linear equations and inequalities.
Solve quadratic equations with real roots by graphing, formula, and factoring.
Describe and interpret rates of change from graphical and numerical data.

Standard: Data Analysis and Probability

Benchmarks:

Create, interpret and use graphical displays and statistical measures to describe data.
Evaluate different graphical representations of the same data to determine which is the most appropriate.
Compare the characteristics of the mean, median, mode for a given set of data and explain which measure of center best represents the data.
Find, use and interpret measures of center and spread and use data to compare and draw conclusions about the set of data.
Evaluate the validity of claims and predictions that are based on data.
Construct convincing arguments based on analysis of data and interpretation of graphs.
Describe sampling methods and analyze the effects of method chosen on how well the resulting sample represents the population.

Standard: Mathematical Processes

Benchmarks:

Formulate a problem or mathematical model in response to a specific need or situation determine information required to solve the problem, choose method for obtaining this information and set limits for acceptable solution.
Apply mathematical knowledge and skills routinely in other content areas and practical situations.
Recognize and use connections between equivalent representation and related procedures for a mathematical concept.
Use a variety of mathematical representations flexibly and appropriately to organize, record and communicate mathematical ideas.
Use precise mathematical language and notations to represent problem situations and mathematical ideas.
Write clearly and coherently about mathematical thinking and ideas.
Locate and interpret mathematical information accurately and communicate ideas, processes and solutions in a complete and easily understood manner.

The following topics will be covered in Basic Algebra I but not limited to the following:

Quarter One

Operations on Real Numbers-estimating square roots of perfect squares and non perfect squares without technology
Properties of equality, identity, commutative, associative, and distributive
Problem solving
Mean, median, mode
Matrices exploration
Writing and solving equations one-step, multi-step, variables on both sides,

Quarter Two

More work with variables on both sides and multi-step equations
Box and whiskers exploration
Proportions using
Percent equations (is/of) = (%/100)
Percent change: sales tax/discount
Relations
Equations as relations: creating a solution set
Graphing linear equations using a table of values
Functions, evaluating functions f(x)
Direct variation
Inverse variation
Collecting data
Displaying data and interpreting data
Probability (simple) and odds
Simple compound events

Quarter Three

Slope
Writing equations in point slope
Writing equations in slope intercept
Scatter plots by hand and technology
Graphing linear equations
Families of linear graphs
Writing equations of lines that are parallel and perpendicular
Powers and exponents leaving negative exponents alone
Scientific notation using technology
Pythagorean theorem
Polynomials: identify, add, subtract, multiply: poly with monomial, and foil

Quarter Four

Graphing quadratics by hand and technology
Families of quadratics
Solve quadratics using graphing and quadratic formula
Exponential functions
Solving inequality equations
Distance formula
Simplify radical expression using technology