Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students should be able to

• Use a graphing calculator and an Excel style spreadsheet system to perform calculations and create graphical displays.

• Make reasonable conclusions based upon data or situations modeled by a normal distribution.

• Construct, model and problem solve with linear and non-linear functions.

• Apply an understanding of functions and function notation.

• Recognize the difference between direct and indirect variation.

Activities in class will be centered on group work and discussion of reality based problems and situations from which formal definitions and procedures will arise.  Skill based assignments will generally utilize an online software tool.  Additionally students will complete a portfolio throughout the term consisting of application based assignments, technology components and written reflections.
 

Assessment shall include:

• At least two proctored, closed-book, no-note examinations must be given.  The proctored exams should be at least 40% on the overall grade.   These exams must consist of primarily free response questions.

• Group work and class participation

• Homework including each of the following:

  • Technology assignments

  • Online skills assignments

  • Reflections

  • Applications

• At least one group project culminating in a written report and/or oral presentation.

• Portfolio of work done throughout the class

• Additional forms of assessment may be included, such as:

  • Individual student conference

  • Community based learning

  • Quizzes

1.  Linear Equations in Two Variables

• Determine and interpret horizontal and vertical intercepts of linear equations and graphs

• Determine and interpret the slope of a line

• Solve and represent linear equations graphically, numerically, symbolically, and verbally.

• Write an equation of a line based on data from a description, table, or graph

• Write a linear function to model an application

• Use systems of equations to model a situation; solve the systems

2.  Polynomials

• Combine expressions using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

• Use exponent rules

• Use scientific notation

3. Quadratic and Exponential Functions

• Factor to solve quadratic equations

• Use the quadratic formula to solve quadratic equations

• Determine and interpret the parts of a parabola

• Solve and represent quadratic equations graphically, numerically, symbolically, and verbally

• Use linear and exponential curve fitting to model and analyze relationships

• Use direct and inverse variation to model and analyze a relationship

4.   Statistics

• Compute and interpret standard deviation

• Use the empirical rule to find probabilities

• Recognize misuses of graphical representation and measures of spread in statistics

5.   Applications of right triangles

• Solve application problems with the Pythagorean theorem

• Develop and apply the distance formula

• Use the sine, cosine, and tangent functions to find missing measurements of right triangles