Precalculus: First Semester Precalculus is the course that bridges the gap between Algebra 2 and Calculus. A thorough understanding of algebra and trigonometry is essential to success in Calculus and other college-level mathematics courses. The first semester of Precalculus reinforces and extends the concepts you learned in Algebra 2. The second semester is a full study of trigonometry. Prerequisites You must have successfully completed Algebra 2 (Math 21A and 22A) and Geometry (Math 21G and 22G) before enrolling in either semester of Precalculus. Required Materials The textbook for Math 41P is Advanced Mathematical Concepts: Precalculus with Applications, by Holliday et al (Glencoe, 2004). The textbook publisher provides a free Web site (www.amc.glencoe.com) that includes practice tests v
and quizzes as well as other information that may be useful to you as you work through the course. A scientific calculator is required for this course. A basic scientific calculator costs as little as $10. Although it s not required, if you have a graphing calculator, you ll find it to be a useful aid in the course. It is acceptable to use a graphing calculator to help you work through the lessons. However, graphing calculators are not allowed on the exams. Finally, you ll also need pencils, notebook paper, and graph paper. Lesson Content and Design Math 41P will cover the following textbook chapters and topics. Chapter 1: Linear Relations and Functions Chapter 3: The Nature of Graphs Chapter 4: Polynomial and Rational Functions Chapter 10: Conics Chapter 11: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions Chapter 12: Sequences and Series This content will be covered in the course s lessons as follows. Lesson Textbook Sections 1 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5 2 1-6, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4 3 3-5, 3-6, 3-7, 4-1, 4-2 4 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6, 4-7, 4-8 5 Midterm exam: chapters 1, 3, and 4 6 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5 7 10-6, 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, 11-4 8 11-5, 11-6, 12-1, 12-2 9 12-3, 12-4, 12-5, 12-6 10 Final exam: chapters 10, 11, and 12 vi
In lessons 1 4 and 6 9, you ll be asked to do the following. 1. Read selected sections in the textbook. 2. Study the examples in the textbook and this learning guide. 3. Complete several odd-numbered practice problems and check your answers as provided in the textbook. These problems are not to be submitted. You should complete as many of these problems as necessary in order to understand the material. Doing these suggested problems will help prepare you for the written assignment. 4. Complete the written assignment exercises from the textbook. After you ve completed all of the written assignment exercises for the entire lesson, you ll submit your work for grading. Lessons 5 and 10 contain tips about preparing for the midterm and final exams. These lessons include information about how to apply for the exams, as well as practice exams with solutions. Grading Each of the eight lessons and two exams will be graded for accuracy. Partial credit may be awarded where appropriate, especially on the exams. Your final course grade will be computed as follows. Lesson average 40% (5% each) Midterm exam 30% Final exam 30% Note: To be in compliance with the Independent Study Program s academic policies, your exam grades must average at least a D (60%) in order for you to pass the course. Even if your written assignment grades are excellent, you will not pass the course unless you fulfill this requirement. If you meet this minimum standard, your course grade will be assigned according to the following scale. vii
Percentage Grade 90 100 A 80 89 B 70 79 C 60 69 D 0 59 F Plagiarism As an educational institution, IU puts learning first. We want you to learn, and we think you value learning as well. We also value honesty and trust. You have every right to expect fair exams, fair assignments, and fair grades. By the same token, your instructor expects the work you hand in to be your own. You are welcome to discuss this course with other students and teachers, but when it comes to writing your assignments, all the words should come straight from you, unless you are supporting your assertions with a properly cited quote. Passing off someone else s work as your own is plagiarism. As stated in Indiana University s Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Art. III, A.3), A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without an appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give due credit to the originality of others and acknowledge an indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following: a. quotes another person s actual words, either oral or written; b. paraphrases another person s words, either oral or written; c. uses another person s idea, opinion, or theory; or d. borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common knowledge. We take plagiarism very seriously. If you are caught plagiarizing, you could receive an F for the whole course. So how can you avoid plagiarizing? When is it appropriate to cite your sources, and how should you cite them? The answer s simple. Ask your instructor. If you re unsure whether you ve cited your sources appropriately, call or e-mail viii
your instructor before you submit your assignment. Not only will you get answers to your questions, you ll reap the fruit of honesty: trust. Contacting Your Instructor You are encouraged to include comments and questions along with your written assignment submissions. For problems arising between assignments, your best option is to contact the instructor by e-mail. The instructor s e-mail address can be found on the course home page. Final Notes Many people find math to be difficult. It can be even more difficult in the independent study setting. However, independent study doesn t mean that you re totally on your own. Contact your instructor with questions. Find friends or family members who are familiar with the subject. Or, hire a tutor to provide help on a regular basis. Don t be afraid to ask for help! Always read and follow the directions. All too often, students miss problems not due to a lack of understanding, but rather because they don t entirely answer the question or don t write answers in the proper form. I mentioned earlier that you ll need graph paper for this course. Many students choose to do all of their problems on graph paper. By doing so, their graphs fit nicely with the other problems. Additionally, using graph paper helps them keep their lessons organized and makes their work easy to grade. If you have trouble with neatness and organization, graph paper may help you. Always make sure each lesson is complete before you submit it. A checklist is provided at the end of each lesson that contains written assignments to assist you in making sure your work is complete. Incomplete lessons may be returned to you without being graded. This can drastically hamper your progress, especially if you have a firm deadline to meet. I hope you have a successful and enjoyable course! ix