David Love

In class today we had a bit of trouble with problem #16 on the second study guide, and I gave some information that wasn't quite correct. So I wrote a short solution to the problem, which can be found here.

I've posted the solutions to the last in-class test, in the Exam Announcements section. I put a couple different solutions to one of the problems, so be sure to see how that all works.

I have some questions for you all to look over in anticipation of the final quiz, they are from the Test Review (TR) section on pages 225-230 in the workbook, or they are on given Workbook Pages (WBP):

• Switching between exponential and logarithmic notation: TR 145. WBP 149-150
• Rules of logs: TR 147, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168. WBP 155-156
• Change of base for logs: TR 168, 169.iv
• Solving exponential and logarithmic equations: TR 155, 157, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 177, 178, 181, 183. WBP 171-176
• Applications: TR 156, 162, 176, 182. WBP 179-182.

The extra review meeting for the final is scheduled for Thursday, May 7th, 1:00-3:00 in Math East 246. This is listed in the Important Dates section.

Three final exam study aides are now available on the main algebra webpage. Solutions to these study aides will be posted by the end of the day on May 1st. Each study aide contains questions that will be like those on the exam, and each one contains material from the entire course content. It is recommended that you use the first two to identify what you do and do not remember, and the third one can be used as a "practice midterm," so that you can get some idea of how you will perform on the test.

The exam will be held in CESL, room 102.

The 50 point "mini-test" will be on Friday, May 1st. It will cover sections 4.4 and 4.5, as well as some exponential and logarithm applications. This, and the solutions to Test 3 are posted in the Exam Announcements section.

I have posted the homework for section 4.4 in the Homework section.

Below is a list of some study material for the test. Some suggested problems are provided from the text (T) or the workbook review pages (WBR).

• Sigma Notation. There are 10 practice problems on the worksheet. One of them is on the test.
• Chapter 3
• Identify a polynomial equation from a graph (WBR 86)
• Identify a polynomial equation from the zeros (WBR 83, 84)
• Distinguish polynomials from non-polynomials from a graph (WBR 78)
• End behavior of polynomails (WBR 87)
• Polynomial division and synthetic division, its relationship to factors and roots of polynomials (WBR 90, 93, 95, 96, 97, 100)
• Section 4.1
• Compound Interest (WBR 117-120)
• Find equation of exponential from a graph (T 31-36)
• Half-Life models (WBR 124, 126)
• Section 4.2
• Continuously compounding interest (T 19-24)
• General exponential models (WBR 121, 125)
• Newton's Law of Cooling (T 43-50)
• Section 4.3
• Determine whether a table, graph or algebraic expression are one-to-one functions (WBR 132-136).
• Finding inverse functions (WBR 133-135, 143-144)
• Verify that two functions are inverses (WBR 142)

I've posted the homework for 4.3 and the solutions to 3.1, 3.2 and 4.1 homeworks. They are in the Homework section.

I found a website called Better Explained that has a few good explanations of topics that we cover in class. In particular, take a look at the article A Visual Guide to Simple, Compound and Continuous Interest Rates". For section 4.1, you can stop at "Continuous Growth." That section covers the function e^x, which starts in section 4.2.

The article An Intuitive Guide to Exponential Functions & e. It contains a little bit of calculas notation, so just ignore anything with the "lim" symbol in it. It presents a slightly different picture of growth, but one that is also good.

The third midterm is scheduled for Wednesday, April 15th. It will cover sections 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3.

The next homework and workbook assignments are posted in the homework section.

The second midterm is scheduled for Friday, March 6th. It will cover sections 1.5, 1.6, 2.1 and 2.2.

I have posted the homeworks for sections 2.1 and 2.2. I may add a workbook page or two to homework 2.2. See the Homewwork section.

New homework for Section 1.6 has been posted in the Homework section. I have also put the workbook assignments for section 2.1.

New homework for Section 1.5 has been posted in the Homework section.

The solutions to the midterms have been posted in the Exam Announcements section.

If you would like to discuss any grading that you have recieved, you can bring it to my office.

The test review homework and some details about the work for the remainder of this will are posted in the homework section. We will be working out of the workbook in class for Wednesday and Friday. The pages should be almost complete by the time you leave class, so the homework shouldn't take much longer after that.

Since we didn't have quite enough time to discuss even and odd problems more fully, so I wrote up a couple pages about solving the problem that was on the board, using the same graphical method. See here.

Here is some information about the first midterm:

• There will be about 12 questions. A few questions have multiple parts.
• Multiple choice questions will be given no partial credit. These are all-or-nothing.
• You are required to show all work for other types of questions. Partial credit will be given for any correct work you show
• Most problems are similar to homework problems. Others are similar to problems that have been discussed in class
• If a question relies on the answer to part (a) to get the answer to part (b), part (b) will be graded according to whether you correctly applied your answer from part (a) to part (b)

Homework 3 solutions have been posted in the homework section.

The workbook has test review problems on pages 195-234. The solutions to these problems are posted on the general math 112 website here.

A short homework due Monday, February 2nd is posted in the Homework section.

The University of Arizona Math and Science Tutoring Resource (MASTR) is open to walk in tutoring for college algebra Sunday through Thursday nights from 5:30 to 9:30 (see the schedule).

Also, do not forget about the Math Department 112 Tutoring which is available Monday-Thursday at 1-4, Friday 11-2. Both tutoring websites are given in the sidebar

Here is a document that should help you tackle word problems. Please read before Friday's class.

I have posted assignment 2 in the Homework section.

I have posted my tentative daily schedule for the semester(including times that I will likely be in my office) above under the Schedule tab.

I have posted a complete solution guide for homework 0. There were some mistakes that many students made, so many of you would benefit from looking over the guide. In particular, if you:

• Have "see solutions online" written on your paper
• Got 48 or -48 for 1.b
• Got f(1) = 2 on problem 5
• Got 9.c wrong
• Got 5/2 or 9/2 for 10.a or 10.b

The first exam will be Friday, February 6th. It will cover text sections 1.1 - 1.4.

My hour in the tutoring room has been changed to Friday, 12:00-1:00. This change is reflected in the information on the sidebar.

You can see a full list of tutoring staff hours at Mathematics Tutoring.

The College of Science is holding a spring lecture series titled "Science that Transforms," presenting six lectures on "large-scale research projects now underway in astronomy, physics, biology, cybernetics and medicine [that] have the potential to reshape our understanding of the universe and ourselves." These lectures will be on Tuesday nights at 7:00 pm, starting on the 27th.

A similar lecture series was hosted last year. I attended several of them and they were quite good. I highly recommend seeing these if you are interested in science.

A calculator review assignment is also available in the Homework Assignments section.

Homework 1 was assigned. It can be seen in the Homework Assignments section.

On Homework 0, Problems 1-4, you are asked to "compare your answers in parts a & b." I would like to provide a little background to this.

In each of these four problems the expressions in part a and b are similar, and each represent a common algebra mistake that might be made by a student. Suppose that you were asked to simplify the expression in part a. If you got the expression in part b, you would have made a mistake. When comparing your answers for these four problems, try to identify what mistake was made in simplifying the expression in part a.

Although I am only grading this assignment for completion it is important that you try to find the correct answers for each of these problems. This is an "Algebra Skills Review" page of the work book, so this material should be fairly familiar to you. There will be a graded assignment on this same material soon.

There was an error on the university Dates and Deadlines calendar. The last day to drop a class with instructor signature is March 10, not March 9.

Welcome to Math 112-008, College Algebra. This is the course website, where I will be posting regular updates for homework assignments, exam dates and so forth. Important information can be found in the sidebar to the right.

The tutoring room for lower level math courses (including College Algebra) is in Math East 145 open Mon-Thurs 1:00-4:00 and Friday 11:00-2:00. The tutoring room opens for the semester on Tuesday, January 20th.

Assignment 14

Section 4.5. Pg 282-3. Due Wednesday, April 29. 2, 9, 13, 16, 20, 21, 27, 30, 34, 35, 38, 41, 44, 47, 49, 50, 54, 55, 57, 58, 60, 63

Section 4.2. Pg 246-248. 39 (a) and (c), 49. Do not use a graph to solve part (c) on either.

Solutions are posted.

Section 4.5 Workbook Assignments

Due dates for workbook exercises started in class

• Pages 173: Friday, April 24
• Pages 175: Monday, April 27

Assignment 13

Section 4.4. Pg 280-272. Due Friday, April 24. 4, 6, 7, 9, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 27, 34, 36, 39, 42, 49, 53

Solutions are posted.

Section 4.4 Workbook Assignments

Due dates for workbook exercises started in class

• Pages 151-2: Monday, April 20
• Pages 153: Wednesday, April 22

Assignment 12

Section 4.3. Pg 259-260. Due Monday or Wednesday, April 13 or 15 4, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 18, 21, 24, 26, 29, 31, 34, 38, 45, 50, 51.

Also complete workbook page 147.

If you want the homework back on Tuesday, April 14 between 11:00 and 5:00, you can turn it in on Monday. If you won't be able to pick it up during those times, you can turn it in on Wednesday.

Solutions are posted.

Section 4.3 Workbook Assignments

Due dates for workbook exercises started in class

• Pages 141-2: Friday, April 10
• Pages 143-4: Monday, April 13

Assignment 11

Section 4.2. Pg 245-248. Due Friday, April 10. 2, 3, 7, 12, 17, 20, 25, 28, 33, 38, 43, 46, 49.

Solutions are posted.

Section 4.2 Workbook Assignments

Due dates for workbook exercises started in class

• Pages 137-8: Wednesday, April 8

Assignment 10

Section 4.1. Pg 232-234. Due Monday, April 6. 4, 8, 11, 14, 19, 22, 26, 29, 31, 34, 37, 38, 41, 49

Solutions are posted.

Section 4.1 Workbook Assignments

Due dates for workbook exercises started in class

• Pages 131-2: Wednesday, April 1
• Pages 133-4: Friday, April 3

Assignment 9

Section 3.2. Pg 188-190. Due Wednesday, April 1. 7, 10, 12, 17, 20, 24, 25, 28, 32, 40, 43, 48, 53, 54, 56, 60, 61

Solutions are posted.

Section 3.2 Workbook Assignments

Due dates for workbook exercises started in class

• Pages 107-8, #3,5,7: Monday, March 30
• Pages 115-6, #3,4,5: Monday, March 30

Assignment 8

Section 3.1. Pg 176-178. Due Wednesday, March 25. 3, 10, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 29, 30, 36, 37, 41, 50, 51, 52.

Solutions are posted.

Section 3.1 Workbook Assignments

Due dates for workbook exercises started in class

• Pages 105-106: Monday, March 23
• Pages 113-114: Monday, March 23

Assignment 7

Section 2.2. Pg 136-140. Due Wednesday, March 4. 3, 10, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 29, 30, 36, 37, 41, 50, 51, 52.

Section 2.2 Workbook Assignments

Due dates for workbook exercises started in class

• Pages 93-94: Friday, February 27
• Pages 97-98: Monday, March 2
• Pages 99: Wednesday, March 4

Assignment 6

Section 2.1. Pg 120-124. Due Friday, February 28. 2, 5, 7, 8, 17, 18, 20, 32, 35, 43, 44, 56, 57, 58, 74, 76

Workbook Pages 73,87,88.

Assignment 5

Section 1.6. Pg 91-94. Due Wednesday, February 25. 6, 10, 18, 20, 22, 26, 33, 39, 42, 45, 48, 54, 62, 67.

Section 2.1 Workbook Assignments

Due dates for workbook exercises started in class

• Pages 69,71: Monday, February 23
• Pages 75-76: Wednesday, February 25

New 1.5 Homework

Section 1.5. Pg 75-78. Due Wednesday, February 18. 12, 14, 15, 26, 31, 36, 37, 40, 41, 54, 58, 59, 67, 68.

Post-Test 1 Review Homework

Due Monday, February 16

This homework is designed to help develop some intuition for issues that had common mistakes on the test. If you did the relevant test problems correctly you do not have to do the assignment (for example, if you got all the domain problems correct you do not have to do the domain problems on this assignment), but it may help your understanding if you do the assignment. I have also had far too few students coming to office hours, so the questions on this are deliberately left slightly vague, in order to encourage some attendance. The homework questions are

• Domains and Zeros (Do both if you confused the two on the test. You need only do one if you only got wrong.)
  • What is the domain of a function? What are the zeros?
  • Why do we care about these? That is, what information does the domain tell us? Why is finding the zeros of a function a useful thing to do?
  • What are the "rules" for finding the domain and the zeros?
  • Why do these rules work? For the domain, think about what division means, and about what taking square roots means.
• Even and Odd Functions
• What do even and odd mean in terms of functions? Answer both algebraically and graphically
• How do we check if a function is even or odd? Answer both algebraically and graphically, i.e., answer as if you were given an expression f(x) = (something), and if you were given a graph. What is the connection between the two?
• How do use even and oddness to fill in the details about a function? Think of the homework problem on completing a graph based on whether it is even or odd, and the test problem on completing the table based on even or odd

Please think about these questions. My schedule is online and I should be in my office (Math 614) during almost all of the yellow hours.

Section 1.5 Workbook assignments

This week we will be doing workbook problems in class to get familiar with transformations of functions. We should nearly complete the work in class, so it should be simple to finish everything else by the next class period. Due dates are:

• Pages 47-48: Wednesday, February 11
• Pages 49-50: Friday, February 13
• Pages 51-52: Monday, February 16

Assignment 3

Section 1.4. Pg 58-59 Due Monday, February 2nd. 1,3,7

Solutions are posted

Assignment 2

Section 1.2. Pg 27-30 Due Friday, January 30th. 2, 3, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 22, 27, 30, 36, 40, 52

Workbook. Pg 15,16,17,19

Calculator Review

Workbook Calculator Review. Pg 237-238 Due Friday, January 30th. Complete this review of the functions of your particular calculator.

Assignment 1

Section 1.1. Pg 10-12. 3,4,7,8,9,13,16,26,29,32,38,39,41,44,46,47,48,49. Due Monday, January 26. Hint: On 46-49 n will always be positive.

Assignment 0

Workbook Algebra Skills Review. Pg 9-10. Due Wednesday, January 21st. (This homework assignment will count only for completion. Comments will be written but a full score will be given to every problem completed.) Important: "compare" means that you must explain your answers in full sentences. If you do not do this the problem will not be considered complete. See also the additional information at the top of the page.

Solution. The solution is posted here.

There will be three midterm exams, one exponential-log test and a final in this class. These tests are currently scheduled for (dates are subject to change):

• Midterm 1: Friday, February 6th. It will cover sections 1.1 - 1.4 in the text.

Solutions for the tests up. Blue Version and Green Version

• Midterm 2: Friday, March 6th. It will cover sections 1.5, 1.6, 2.1 and 2.2 in the text.

Solutions for the tests up. Blue Version and Green Version

• Midterm 3: Wednesday, April 15th

Solutions for the tests up. Blue Version and Green Version

• Exponential-Log Test: May 1st. It will cover sections 4.4 and 4.5, as well as exponential and logarithm applications.

Solutions for the tests up. Both Versions

• Final Exam: May 11, 8:00 - 10:00 am, CESL 102.
  • There will be 40 questions, 35 multiple choice (4 points each), 5 true-false (2 points each).
  • You should bring a #2 pencil and eraser, as well as your calculator.
  • Please arrive about 20 minutes early (7:40) so that you can be seated and ready to begin by 8:00. Anyone who arrives late will not be given extra time.
  • You are not allowed to leave the testing room until 9:30.

All midterm exams will be held in the class during normally scheduled hours. The location of the Final will be announced when it has been decided.

• January 20th: Last day to use WebReg to add a class
• February 10th: Last day to use WebReg to drop a class
• March 10th: Last day to drop class with instructor signature
• March 14-22: Spring Break
• May 6th: Last day of classes
• May 7th: Dead day, with review session at 1:00-3:00, Math East 246