ModelCourses/BeginningAlgebra

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Beginning Algebra

The beginning algebra model course spans "developmental" algebra between Arithmetic/Pre-algebra and College Algebra/Pre-calculus. There are many ways to arrange this material, and it is usual for the material to overlap with College Algebra.

A common two-course sequence (with two separate books) is Beginning Algebra followed by Higher/Intermediate Algebra. There are also combined Beginning and Intermediate Algebra textbooks.

The outline below is meant to help index beginning algebra model course problems. The bold words/phrases are the keys in a 3-level hierarchy. For example, basic set theory problems would be indexed under arithmetic as: <br\> BeginningAlgebra->arithmetic->sets

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Arithmetic

Review

• Set 1.1 Integers
  Students will be able to:
  • Add and subtract integers
  • Add multiple numbers mentally
  • Compute fractions of integers
  • Do a word problem using integers

• Set 1.2 Fractions
  Students will be able to:
  • Change expressions to a reduced fraction
  • Change expressions to mixed numbers.
  • Reduce fractions
  • Divide two fractions
  • Take a textual description of a fraction, and write it as a decimal.

• Set 1.3 Integer exponents
• Set 1.4 Percentages
  Students will be able to:
  • Write a decimal as a percent
  • Write a fraction as a percent
  • Given a data set, compute the percentage for a given data characteristic
  • Compute percentage change

• Set 1.5 Square roots
• Set 1.6 Decimals
• Set 1.7 Order of operations
• Set 1.8 Variables and variable expressions
• Set 1.9 Sets

Additional

• Set 1.10 fractional exponents and radicals
• Set 1.11 radical operations
• Set 1.12 radical equations
• Set 1.13 complex numbers

Linear Equations

• Set 2.1 Introduction to linear equations
• Set 2.2 From sentences into equations
• Set 2.3 Applications of linear equations
• Set 2.4 Linear inequalities
• Set 2.5 Absolute value equations
• Set 2.6 Absolute value inequalities

Geometry

• Set 3.1 Points, lines, and angles
• Set 3.2 Plane figures
• Set 3.3 Solids

Graphing linear equations

• Set 4.1 The Cartesian Plane
• Set 4.2 Equations of lines in slope-intercept form
• Set 4.3 The slope of a line
• Set 4.4 Equations of lines in point-slope form
• Set 4.5 Linear inequalities in two variables

Systems of linear equations

• Set 5.1 2x2 linear systems: introduction and graphing
• Set 5.2 Solving linear systems by substitution
• Set 5.3 Solving 2x2 linear systems by elimination
• Set 5.4 Determinants and Cramer's rule
• Set 5.5 Applications of linear systems
• Set 5.5 Systems of linear inequalities

Polynomials

• Set 6.1 Exponents and simplifying polynomials
• Set 6.2 Evaluation of polynomials
• Set 6.3 Multiplication of polynomials
• Set 6.4 Polynomial division
• Set 6.5 Factoring out the greatest common factor
• Set 6.6 Factoring polynomials of the type [math]ax^2 + bx + x[/math]
• Set 6.7 Special products and factoring
• Set 6.8 Polynomial equations ([math] p(x) = 0 [/math])

Rational expressions

• Set 7.1 Multiplication and division
• Set 7.2 Addition and subtraction
• Set 7.3 Complex fractions (complicated)
• Set 7.4 Rational equations
• Set 7.5 Variation

Quadratic equations

• Set 8.1 Solving by factoring
• Set 8.2 Solving by taking roots
• Set 8.3 Completing the square
• Set 8.4 Quadratic formula
• Set 8.5 Equations that are quadratic in form
• Set 8.6 Quadratic inequalities
• Set 8.7 Applications of quadratic functions

Functions

• Set 9.1 Quadratic functions
• Set 9.2 Graphs of functions
• Set 9.3 Algebra of functions
• Set 9.4 1-1 functions
• Set 9.5 Inverse functions

exponents and logarithms

• Set 10.1 Exponential functions
• Set 10.2 Logarithms
• Set 10.3 Rules of logarithms
• Set 10.4 Exponential and logarithmic equations
• Set 10.5 Applications of exponential and logarithmic functions

Notes

Some Higher/Intermediate Algebra textbooks include conic sections, series and sequences, probability, and statistics. These topics are in the College Algebra model course.

Geometry problems are usually mixed among algebra sections as application problems. The geometry section here covers basic plane geometry along with common formulas and applications with area and volume.

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Below is a link to some WebWork problem sets for a Beginning Algebra course. Login as guest.

http://webwork.fdltcc.edu/webwork2/Math0020_Beginning_Algebra/

- Wetherbee @ Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College, 8/1/2012