Getting Started

After the pretest, we start by discussing Function Vocabulary. After a brief foray into chapter 10 for an explanation of limits, we continue looking at function details.

(The dates below are for the E-Block class. All the Wednesday dates are Thursdays for G-Block.  After Rosh Hashanah, the dates and assignments may change a bit.)

8/29 Domain and Range (with some new notation)

        HW finish handout for the next class after the pretest

9/03 Labor Day

9/04 Pretest (based on summer work - see the previous post for the assignment)

9/05 Extrema, Increasing/Decreasing, Odd/Even Symmetry CW p.97/79

        HW p.94-95/1-4, 9-19 odd, 25-33 odd, 47-53 odd

9/06 Half Day C B A G

9/07 Limits: definition, notation, evaluation

        HW p.763-764/1-23 odd, 26, 31, 37, 49, 61, 71

9/10 Asymptotes, Holes, and Continuity

        HW p.95-98/35, 37, 39, 55-61 odd, 67, 68, 81, 86

9/11 Twelve Basic Functions (section 1.3)

The twelve basic functions are the ones we will come back to over and over during the course of the year. Several of them are related to each other in a variety of ways. You need to be completely familiar with their graphs and properties. We start with an exploration.

        Exploration and CW; HW p.106-109/13-28, 45-55 odd, 64, 65, 68, 69

        (Hint: use a and b instead of x and y for problem 69 - it is easier to understand that way.)

9/12 Functions operations (section 1.4): addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and (perhaps most importantly) composition. The big issue is the change of the domain for the new function. Try the Exploration on page 112 (if we don't finish it in class - it is good for you to think about what composed functions can turn into). There is also the issue of non-function relations and the functions implied by their equations. Ask again if the explanation in class and homework doesn't clarify the issue for you.

         HW pp.116-118/5, 7, 12-42 by 3's, 51-55
9/14 More Problems on Composition
         HW finish worksheet

9/17 Rosh Hashanah - no school

9/18 Function Descriptions and Combinations HW finish worksheet

9/19 Inverses   HW p.126-128/13-21 odd,23-26,29,31,33-36,45-47,50,51

9/21 Big Review Packet (Day 1)

9/24 Big Review Packet (Day 2)
9/25 Test of Function description and manipulation

9/26 Yom Kippur - no school

Welcome!

This blog is intended to provide a syllabus, homework, and any hints or requests that I may have of you.  We cover a lot of very interesting math this year - and it goes fast.  Make sure that you keep up.  As one of my previous students in the class said, when asked for advice to new Honors Advanced Math students, "For G-d's sake, do you homework!"  I concur.

The first week of school we meet only once, a 70 minute block where we will get acquainted and then jump right in to an activity to remind you about different kinds of functions and their domain and ranges.  The intention of the teachers of the course is to have a pre-test on the summer material on Tuesday, September 4th during class.  If you have not done your summer work, lost the sheet listing the problems, or never got a book before vacation, I am listing the problems below.  See me to get a book.

I hope you are as ready for an exciting year as I am!


Summer Work:

P.2  p.17 – 19   problems 12 – 18 by 3’s, 41 – 55 odd

P.3  p.26 – 27   problems 25 – 28, 61

P.4  p.36           problems 7 – 23 odd (do them all with point-slope form – see p. 29 if necessary)

P.5  p.46 – 47   problems 3 – 24 by 3’s, 39, 43, 47, 51, 55, 57, 58

P.6  p.52 – 53   problems 3– 42 by 3’s

Sections 1.4 (function arithmetic and composition), 1.6 (graphical transformations), and 2.6 (rational functions) are aimed at students coming from Algebra 2, level 1. These topics are covered in a high level of detail in Honors Algebra 2, but students who had Algebra 2, level 1 may have significantly less familiarity with these topics. If you are in this situation, we encourage you to read these sections and do the problems listed below. Students who had Algebra 2 Honors are also encouraged to look at these sections and to do these problems as necessary.

1.4  p.116-118  problems 1, 5, 11, 15, 19, 45-50 all, 52-54

1.6  p. 136-137 problems 3-30 by 3’s

2.6  p. 225-226 problems 23-29 odd, 31-35 odd