MATH 101 – Spring 2014
Math Reasoning
Bary W Pollack
Computer Science
Sierra Nevada College
Copyright © 2014
Bary W Pollack
All rights reserved.
Start: 000
Last updated:
Jan. 18, 2014 - 0300
Latest additions: 000
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Agenda for today
 Administrivia
– Adds, drops, call roll, etc.
 Course overview
 Go through the Syllabus
– Homework, Tests, Final Exam
– Textbook: Bello, Kaul, Britton, 10th Ed.
(required)
– Slides:
http://Snow.SierraNevada.edu/~csci/
http://www.csci-snc.com/ (mirror)
http://sncmoodle.sierranevada.edu/
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Conventions
The course slides are available as
PowerPoint presentations
The most recent version always will
be at:
http://Snow.SierraNevada.edu/~csci/
http://www.csci-snc.com/ (mirror)
That web page always will tell you
the date of the most recent update
Words & phrases in RED are
IMPORTANT
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Conventions...
A slide like this one – a continuation
of a topic – always will have an
ellipsis ( … ) in the title line
Sometimes there are discrepancies
in “rules,” etc. So the priority is:
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Material presented in class
Material in the PowerPoint slides
Material in our textbook
Material from other sources
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Basic Assumptions
 You have some experience with high
school algebra – but it’s “rusty”
 I will NOT assume that you know or
remember lots of details (or many
details at all)
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What we’ll cover this semester
We will cover much of Intermediate
Algebra...
– Basic ideas, terminology,
understanding what it all means
– Linear equations and linear functions
– Systems of linear equations
– Exponential and logarithmic functions
– Polynomial functions
– Quadratic functions
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What we’ll cover this semester...
We will only cover Chapters 1-6, 8,
11-13, and 15 in the Bello, Kaul,
Britton textbook
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Doing the homework
Homework will be assigned
weekly…
Start out doing the homework on
your own…
You may discuss the solutions
among yourselves, if you run into
trouble…
But, you must submit your own,
individual work
Due at the end of the last class in
the week
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Jargon, background, speed,...
Algebra is loaded with jargon
– If you don’t know… ask…
If you’re missing some background
– Ask… you’re not alone
Frequently I speak too fast
– Ask me to slow down!
Sometimes things aren’t clear
– Ask me to review, clarify, repeat...
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Syllabus
Contains (almost) EVERYTHING
you need to know…
If you have a question – check the
Syllabus, it’s very likely already
answered
Let’s go thru it NOW in detail – it’s
a contract between you and me
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A Brief Review
Terminology and concepts
Coordinates, plotting points
Kinds of numbers – integers,
fractions/rationals, reals, irrationals
Absolute value
Operations: + - * / ^ sqrt; order
Distributive Law
Linear equations
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Starting the Course
Go to Bello, Kaul, Britton slides
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