Work for Friday 12/23

In class we worked on a problem sheet "Exponent practice (continued)". If
you've finished that sheet, there's no homework over the vacation.
If you have some problems left over, do those before our next class on
Wednesday 1/4/06.

Hope you all enjoy the holidays and vacation. See you in January!

Homework due Friday 12/23

"Exponent practice" problem sheet, problems 1-18 and 19-45 odd.

Homework due Wednesday 12/21

Lesson 2.2 exercises 19-69 odd, 77, 78, 80.

No homework due Tuesday 12/20

Since we're between chapters, there's no homework tonight.

Test Monday 12/19

We will have a test Monday on quadratic functions (most of Chapter 5, with
some extensions and deletions as detailed on the review sheet from today's
class).

Two good sources of review problems: review sheet from today's class; pp.
340-343 in textbook.

Homework due Friday 12/16

Lesson 5.7 exercises 1, 4, 5, 13, 15, 17, 21-30.



For some of these problems you will need to solve linear systems. One of several options here would be to use the Matrix Row Operations Tool with RREF button.

Homework due Wednesday 12/14

Do the set of 6 vertex application problems on today's class handout.
(You'll need the textbook also for some of these problems.)

Homework due Tuesday 12/13

• 5.5 # 29-45 alternating odds by averaging the zeros.
• 5.5 # 31-47 alternating odds by using the -b/(2a) formula.
• 5.4 # 41-46 by completing the square.

Homework due Monday 12/12

Lesson 5.6 exercises 19-35 odd, 49-57 odd, 65, 67, 71, 75.

(If you weren't in class Friday, you'll need to read Lesson 5.6 up through
Example 6. It's about the complex number system and quadratic zeros in
that system.)

Homework due Friday 12/9

Do the 9 problems on today's handout sheet, "Several ways to solve a
quadratic equation."

Homework due Wednesday 12/8

Lesson 5.4 exercises 13-37 ALL.

Homework due 12/7

Do the problems listed on page 5 of today's packet ("Finding zeros of
quadratic functions using factoring"). Some of these are exercises from
Lesson 5.3 of the textbook.

Homework due Monday 12/5

Lesson 5.2 problems 19-37 odd, 44, 45, 49-53, 57, 58, 70-72.

Homework due Friday 12/2

Lesson 5.1 exercises 15-45 odd (OK to do alternating problems on these if they're already very familiar to you from last year), 47-50, and 55.

Homework due Wednesday 11/30

Finish the problem packet "Zeros and solutions (continued)" (problems 6-11).

Homework due Tuesday 11/29

Finish the problem packet "Zeros and solutions" (problems 1-5).

Thanksgiving weekend -- no homework

There's no homework over the holiday weekend. Happy Thanksgiving!

Test Tuesday 11/22

We will have a test Tuesday covering:

• adjacency matrices of networks
  
• transformations done by matrix multiplication
  
• transformations expressed as a pair of equations x'=..., y'=...
  
• transformations of function graphs
  

In the textbook, this material is found in sections 4.1, 4.2, and 2.7.

Homework due Monday 11/21

Finish the packet of transformation problems from Friday's class. Also, do Lesson 2.7 exercises 58, 60-65.

Homework due Friday 11/18

Complete page 4 of today's class packet, "Transformations of function
graphs."

Then, in textbook section 2.7, do problems 11-57 odd (OK to skip over a
few of the problems if you're finding them easy -- different people need
different amounts of practice on these).

Homework due Wednesday 11/16

Do the problems in today's class packet, "Transformations using pairs of
equations."

Homework due Tuesday 11/15

Homework problems from Monday's class packet, "Matrix multiplications that do transformations."

Homework due Monday 11/14

The topic of this homework assignment is: the adjacency matrix of a network.

• Do page 224 problem 1-6.
  
• Read page 228 (except orange box at top).
  
• Do page 229 problem 6.
  
• Do page 232 problems 28-29.
  
• Do page 233 problems 1-5.
  

Optional grade improvement re-test

After school on Thursday 11/10 there will be an optional re-test for students who wish to improve a lower grade on one or more tests this quarter. It is open to students with a test-and-quiz average below 2.8 or any single grade below 2.5. More detailed information on this re-test appears on the 11/8 class handout.

Short test Wednesday 11/9

Wednesday there will be a short test (35 mins., counting with 2/3 the weight of a regular test) on matrices. A topic outline for review was distributed in class today.

Homework due Tuesday 11/8

Finish the problems in the packet from class, "Matrix multiplications that
do row operations."

Homework due Monday 11/7

Homework is listed on the back of the class handout "The inverse of a
matrix." The assignment includes selected problems from Lessons 4.3-4.4
plus some additional problems given on the handout.



For certain problems you'll have the option of using the Matrix Row Operations Tool to do row operations.

Homework due Friday 11/4

Do Lesson 4.2 exercises 1, 2, 7-15 odd, 16, 19, 20, 24-26, 30.



This assignment covers the material in the Lesson 4.2 reading up through the example on page 227.

Homework due Wednesday 11/2

• Be ready for a one-problem quiz Wednesday on Linear Programming.
  
• Skim Lesson 4.1 through the middle of page 219.
  
• In Lesson 4.1 do exercises 12, 15, 19–29 odd, 35–45 odd, 55–62.
  
• Do the 3 extra problems on the class handout (solving matrix equations).
  

Homework due Tuesday 11/1

• On the handout "More Linear Programming Problems" from Friday's class, do problems 1-3.
  
• Also do Lesson 3.5 problems 33-37.
  

Keep using graph paper for all graphs.

Homework due Friday 10/28

• On the handout "Linear Programming" from Wednesday's class, do problems 1-3.
  
• Also do Lesson 3.5 problems 11, 15, 23, 27, 31, and 32.
  

Keep using graph paper for all graphs.

Homework due Wednesday 10/26

Lesson 3.4 exercises 8, 13, 17, 19, 21, 27, 33-36, 37, 41, 43, 45, 46, 48-52.



Also: The deadline for making up the homework due Wednesday 10/19 (post a linear system word problem to FirstClass) is Friday 10/28. If you're still having trouble completing that assignment, see me outside class.

Homework due Tuesday 10/25

If not already done, finish the class sheet on graphing inequalities.



Then do Lesson 3.3 exercises 15, 23, 27, 29, 30, 31, 37, 39, 43, 44, 45, 52, 53. Use graph paper for all graphs.

Homework due Monday 10/24

This assignment is a review of one-variable inequalities.

• Lesson 1.7 problems 13, 23, 29, 31, 43-51 odd, 59-65 odd.
  
• Lesson 1.8 problems 19-24, 25, 29, 33, 41, 43, 47, 58-60.
  

Test Friday 10/21

We will have a test Friday 10/21 on linear systems (graphical, algebraic, and matrix solving methods). The relevant textbook sections are 3.1, 3.2, and 4.5; we also had some work outside the textbook (such as 3-variable elimination problems).



Note: I'll be available for extra help after school Wednesday but not on Thursday, so plan ahead if you're expecting to seek help.

Alternate location to download FirstClass

I've heard from some of you about error messages when trying to download the FirstClass software from the school server. I suspect the system is getting overloaded from too many users trying at once.



Here's an alternate source that you can use instead:

http://www.firstclass.com/ClientDownloads/

It's the same software, just obtained directly from the publisher instead
of the school computer.

Homework due Wednesday 10/19

• If you had trouble last night, try again on Lesson 4.5 exercises 31-36.
  
• Do the set of application problems from today's handout (problems 2-7).
  
• Problem 7 asks you to log into FirstClass and post an answer. If you want to do this from home (recommended if you are able), download the software from here or
  here. (It's the same program from both places; the first address seems to be getting overloaded and having problems; the second link shouldn't have this problem.)
  

Homework due Tuesday 10/18

Here's the link to the applet for today's computer lab: Matrix Row Operations Tool.



The homework is:

• Complete the computer lab, if not finished during class. It will be collected on Tuesday.
  
• Read the textbook from p. 254 to the middle of p. 255. Use your calculator to do all three examples. (For calculator key hints: p. 268 example 3 for how to type in a matrix; p. 271 for the rref command that gives the reduced matrix.)
  
• Use your calculator to do Lesson 4.5 exercises 31-36.
  

Homework due Monday 10/17

Lesson 4.5 exercises 1, 3, 4, 9, 11, 12, 19-29 odd.

No homework due Friday 10/14

Holiday - no homework.

Homework due Wednesday 10/12

From today's class handout "Systems of Linear Equations with Three or More Variables" do problems 1-13 odd.

Homework due Tuesday 10/11

Lesson 3.1 Exercises

• Using graphing method on graph paper: 15, 19, 23
  
• Using substitution method: 27, 31, 37, 41, 43
  
• Using graphing method on calculator: 47, 49
  

Lesson 3.2 Exercises

• Using elimination method: 11, 15, 19, 21, 23, 25
  
• Using your choice of method: 27, 31, 35, 40, 43–46
  

Finally, do this: Did you find any problems where the solution method did not lead to a single solution? Write an explanation in your own words of what happened differently in those problems. (Why did the methods that worked in other problems not work? What happened instead?)

Optional extra on LinReg and crickets

As a follow-up to Wednesday's linear regression problem about cricket chirp rates, I think the following extra activity will interest some of you. And even if you only have a few minutes to spend, I think you'll get something out of it.



On this web page read at least the first two sections about crickets and linear modeling.



You'll see a linear model similar to the class problem, but note these changes: the x and y variables are reversed; the chirp rates are per-minute rather than per-second; and the data is different enough that it's probably from a different species of cricket from the class problem.



A few cool things about the story on the linked web page:

• One researcher (Dolbert) had proposed a certain linear equation as the model, but then other researchers (Bessey) used recorded data and linear regression to get a more accurate equation.
  
• The page includes an applet where you can control the slope and intercept using sliders, to make your own best guess of the best fit line. This is pretty fun to play with -- try it yourself! (If it's not working on your computer, make sure your browser has Java applets enabled. Also, if you have a slow connection, it might take some time to load.)
  
• The page asks good questions about the domain: for what temperatures does the equation provide a realistic model? Identifying the realistic domain is always an important part of doing linear modeling and regression.
  

If you try this activity, please let me know what you think of it, OK? That will help decide whether to have the whole class try it next year.

Homework due Friday 10/7

In class we started these problems; the homework is to finish them:

• two problems on this handout: "More modeling using best-fit lines"
  
• Lesson 1.5 problems 24 and 25
  

Books are not needed for class on Friday.

No homework for Wednesday 10/5

We did these problems during class on Monday 10/3: Lesson 1.5 exercises 15-20 and 22b.



Due to the holiday, there's no homework due Wednesday.

Homework due Monday 10/3

Three parts to this assignment:

• Lesson 1.6 exercises 41, 43, 45
  
• Solve these three equations graphically:
  
  
  
  1. x^2=3-x
     
  2. 2^x=-x
     
  3. x^2=5
     
  
  
• Lesson 1.5 exercises 9, 11, 14, 22 (parts acd) [Ignore the part of the directions saying "Describe the correlation."]
  

IMPORTANT: Bring your book and your calculator on Monday.

Homework due Friday 9/30

Read Lesson 1.6 on equation solving. (Just skim the part that mentions
graphing calculators; we'll come back to it after the calculator shipment
arrives.) Do these 1.6 exercises: 13-37 alternating odds, 47-59 all.

Test Wednesday 9/28

This first test will cover linear functions and general function concepts. The relevant sections in your textbook are 1.1–1.3 and 2.3–2.6. Also look at your notes and the sheets of extra problems. Here’s a more detailed topic outline:

• Linear functions (1.1–1.3), especially point-slope form (see 9/13 handout or textbook p. 22).
  
• Function concept and its various representations — input/output, f(x) formula, table, graph (2.3).
  
• Functions defined using piecewise formulas (part of 2.6).
  
• Function operations (2.4; 9/20 extra problem handout).
  
• Inverses of functions (2.5; 9/23 notes handout; 9/26 extra problem handout).
  

Because the calculators ordered through school have not yet arrived, this will be a no-calculator test.

Homework due Tuesday 9/27

Tonight's homework is to finish the problem sheet from class, "More
problems on inverses." Also, start studying for Wednesday's test.

Homework due Monday 9/26

Lesson 2.5 Exercises 23, 25, 27, 28, 29-53 odd. Also review the sheet of
notes distributed in class.

Homework due Friday 9/23

See the homework assignment sheet "Finding pairs of inverse functions."

Homework due Wednesday 9/21

Sheet of problems distributed in class: "More problems on function operations."

Homework due Tuesday 9/20

Lesson 2.4 exercises 13, 21, 30-34, 37-59 odd, 60-63.

Homework due Monday 9/19

Lesson 2.3 Exercises 17, 21, 27, 31-36, 41, 47, 51-63 odd.


Lesson 2.6 Exercises 17, 19, 21, 25, 27.

Homework due Friday 9/16

The Algebra Pre-Test that you took yesterday will be returned today. Your homework due Friday is:

• For any pre-test problems where you didn't get full credit, write out a correct solution on separate paper.
  
• Do the pre-test "Follow Up Assignment" (handout distributed in class).
  

Homework due Wednesday 9/14

Do the problems on the handout "Linear equations in point-slope form."

Homework due Tuesday 9/13

Finish problems 7-10 from Monday's handout, "A few more review problems."

Tuesday we will have the pre-test on Algebra 1 content. See the previous post for details and links to optional review materials.

Homework due Monday 9/12

Finish "First problem set" begun in class.

Other things to do by Monday:

• Read the Course Guide.
  
• Cover your book, and bring it to class on Monday.
  
• If you're buying a calculator and want to order it through school, the order form is due Monday.
  
• If you're borrowing a calculator from school, pick up a borrowing form in office 711 (downstairs in the Math Building).
  

Pre-test on Tuesday 9/13

Early next week, all of the 9th grade Algebra 2 classes will have a pre‑test covering the Algebra 1 skills and concepts that are prerequisite for this course. The purpose of the pre-test is to see whether you know Algebra 1 well enough to be prepared for Honors Algebra 2.
For our class, the pre-test will be on Tuesday, September 13. For fairness, since some students may not have calculators yet, the pre-test will be a no-calculator test.
If you fully learned Algebra 1 last year, you might not have to study for this pre-test. However, for those who wish to do some reviewing, the following resources will be useful:

• Lexington Algebra 1 topic outline
  
• Questions and answers from the pre-tests we gave in 2003 and 2004 (find under Departmental exam archive)
  

The pre-test will not count toward your grade, but it will be a chance to see whether you have already learned the things you are supposed to have learned before taking this year’s course. If it turns out that you have a few gaps in your knowledge, the pre-test will help you identify where you need to fill in. If you have serious difficulty on the pre-test, it might mean that you’d be better off in a different level or a different course. It’s not too late to switch classes if you decide that you’re misplaced.

Autobiography assignment (due Fri. 9/9)

Your first assignment is to write me a letter or essay about yourself that will help me get to know you as a person and as a math student. It should have two parts:

1. Your personal autobiography. Tell about yourself and your interests. Describe a few of your activities and hobbies, talents and passions, values and commitments. What are the important things that you want me to know about you? [Note: If you’ve been given the same kind of assignment by another teacher, it’s OK to give me what you write for the other class.]

2. Your mathematical autobiography. Describe yourself as a math student in the past and in the present. What have been your best and worst experiences related to math? What kinds of math class activities are good or bad for you? When has learning math been easy, and when has it been hard? What do you like about math itself? And finally, what are your goals for this math class? [Note: If you’re new to the Lexington schools, be sure to identify your former school and describe your math classes there.]

Please write honestly and informally. This assignment is my first chance to learn about you, so it’s important to just be yourself. You will get credit just for handing in a paper, but I will not be grading your paper or judging your opinions in any way.

Welcome

Homework assignment reminders will be posted on this blog. You might want to bookmark it.