Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Finishing up the Polynomials

The schedule announced in class has changed a bit because of storm.

10/29  Hurricane - no school
10/30  Hurricane damage - no school
10/31  Recap of complex numbers
           HW work through packet, answer key for 1-10 are here
11/02  Go over Complex Conjugates Proof; More Polynomial Problems
           HW finish packet, answer key is here

11/05  Finding Equations of Polynomials
           HW finish handout
11/06  Professional Development Day - no school
11/07  Test of Polynomials (E-Block)
11/08  Test of Polynomials (G-Block)

Looking forward:
The rest of the chapter is on Rational Functions (fractions with polynomial numerators and denominators) which will end in a quiz or test.
11/12  Veterans' Day
11/22  Thanksgiving
11/26  we start a full week of school!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Polynomials

Chapter 2 begins with Polynomials. The beginning of the polynomial chapter is mostly review - and then it gets complex (literally!).  The chapter includes how complex numbers relate to polynomial functions.  We will be spending a couple of weeks on polynomials and complex numbers.  Quick, skill-based check-in quizzes could happen at any time after the first three days of basic instruction so stay on top of your homework.

The homework problems on complex zeros are from the old edition of the book which used to take two sections to cover the material.  I liked some of the problems that were deleted in the new edition so you will be given copies of the pages.

10/15  2.1  Review Linear and Quadratic facts
           HW p.77/48,50,52 and p.169,173/11-17 odd, 33-41 odd, 81-84
10/16  2.3  Higher Degree Polynomials
           HW p.193-195/3,5,13,18,21,24, 33-41 odd, 47-55 odd, 75
10/17  2.4  Real Zeros of Polynomial Functions
           HW p.205-209/13-31 odd, 49, 53, 76-79
10/19  More problems from 2.3 and 2.4
           HW Finish handout plus p.195-196/77 - 83 odd, 84

10/20  2.4  GCF for Polynomials
           HW Euclid's Algorithm Worksheet
10/21  2.5  Complex Numbers
           HW 2.5/Quick Review 8,10 and Exercises 6-8,14-16,23,24,26,27,31,32,33-39 odd
10/22  2.5  More with Complex Numbers
           HW 2.5/Exercises 41-44, 45-53 odd, 59, 60, 62
10/24  2.5  Complex Zeros of Polynomials
           HW 2.6/Exercises 3-39 by 3's, 46, 51, 53, 57

10/29  Extra Complex Problems

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Transformations

This is section 1.6 in the text but we will spend a week on it because the topic is so important for everything else we do.  Dates are for G-Block up to the Transformation Quiz.  

09/27  Review Basic 6 Transformations, plus more!
               HW finish Day 1 handout plus p.136-138/3-24 by 3's, 25-28, 29, 31   09/28  More Graphical Transformations (incl. domain & range, inverse, absolute value)
                HW finish Day 2 handout

10/01  Describing Transformation with Coordinates
               HW finish Day 3 handout
10/02  Reciprocal and Involution
               HW finish Day 4 handout
10/04  One Giant Review Problem (G-Block only)  
10/05  Transformation Quiz
               (I will give out the One Giant Review Problem to E-Block for the long weekend.)
10/08  Columbus Day - no school
10/09  Review Day 1
10/11   Review Day 2
10/12   Chapter 1 Test

Friday, September 21, 2012

The practice test

First of all, the One Giant Review packet does not seem to have the small circles that represent composition.  Everywhere you see "g   f" you should interpret as "g(f(x))".

Secondly, the sections and topics covered by the test are:

1.2    Descriptive Vocab for functions
10.3  Limits (useful in defining end behavior and continuity!)
1.3    The 12 Basic Functions (get used to them, they will all be back)
1.4    Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, Dividing, and Composing Functions (what happens to the domain?)
1.5    Inverses (algebraically, graphically, numerically) - skip the parametric stuff, we'll do it later

The downloads: the Practice Test and, (thanks Mr. Verner!) the Solutions.
I am also posting an answer key to the One Giant Review (all done!)

 Remember that you can email me with your questions over the weekend.  Enjoy!

Friday, August 31, 2012

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






Saturday, August 25, 2012

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