Advanced Algebra & Trigonometry

 

Welcome to the AA&T course page, and I hope you find course documents and other resources below helpful!

Please let me know if there is anything I can add to make your course experience better.

 

Syllabus
Pacing Guide
Homework
Textbook
Advanced Grapher
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The Syllabus offers a brief overview of course, including grading and classroom policies, for the Advanced Algebra & Trigonometry course.  The current version is for the 2009-2010 school year.

 

The Pacing Guide is a year-long calendar for my combined "quarter plans" I use as a course pacing guide.  While it will inevitably change as the year goes on (and I try to update it here when it does), it might be a useful reference for the students as well.  The current file was last updated on 12/30.

 

My specific RHS faculty page can be found by clicking the Homework button.  It is updated daily with assignments and any upcoming quizzes or tests.

 

The Textbook button is a link to the website created by the textbook publisher Pearson / Prentice Hall.  There are links to several resources available, but most require registration and/or a fee.  Quite honestly, more practical resources are available below.

 

 

Other Information and Activities:

 

Student Assessment Records.

 

A major component of this course is the tracking of student understanding of specific "learning targets" throughout each unit.  Students are responsible for maintaining a record of this in each unit, which will also be used in preparation for the comprehensive exams.  The links below are copies of each student assessment record for each unit.

 

1st Quarter 2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

Equations and

Inequalities

Functions

Unit

Circle

Trigonometric

Functions

Systems of Equations

and Inequalities

Sequences

and Series

Equations and

Identities

Applications

 

 

Classroom Supplements and Enrichments.

 

As I am one of those teachers who doesn't follow the textbook page-by-page, I like to make available all additional resources and supplemental materials here.  To start off, I've included stuff here from previous course pages.  As the school year goes on, I'll adjust and "fine-tune" things.

 

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Solving Linear Equations Graphically - Here are the detailed notes from the introductory lesson on solving equations using the graphing calculator.  If a little review is needed for solving linear equations by hand, see the "Solving Linear Equations" document in the Resources for Help and Review.

 

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Solving Polynomial Equations - This is a brief review of a strategy for solving polynomial equations.  This does assume that the reader understands the Rational Root Theorem and synthetic division.

 

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Solving Systems with Matrices - There are many ways to solve systems of equations, but using the reduced row-echelon form in the calculator is most convenient for ones with more than two variables.  The notes here are a summary of the steps used in class. 

 

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Optimization with Linear Programming - Maximizing and/or minimizing functions under certain restrictions is an important concept not only in this course, but all of mathematics (and beyond).  This document provides an overview for the process of linear programming to solve such an application.  It includes one example.  Another example can be found on the Algebra 2 page (click here to go straight to that document).

 

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Common Parent Functions - There are several parent functions that are used in algebra.  This document highlights the more common ones, including some of their properties.

 

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Graph Analysis - This is a little summary of the basic graph analyses we have been doing in class lately.  It certainly doesn't cover every scenario, but it should help a little.

 

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Function Transformations - This site from Hofstra University provides information and practice on function transformations (don't let the Calculus Applied to the Real World title scare you... it's just algebra here). If you would like to try something a little more basic to start with, PurpleMath has this tutorial with practice.

 

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Trigonometry Vocabulary - The first several trigonometry lessons are packed with vocabulary, and this table provides a list of many of the terms used in class.  Also, here is a copy of the blank sheet used in class,

 

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Unit Circle - This is a completed unit circle for reference in class.  If you would like a blank one to practice with, I found this copy from another teacher.

 

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Evaluating Trigonometric Ratios - This is an overview of the techniques we have used in class when finding the trigonometric function values at any angle.  It also includes a few visual tips and shortcuts.  While we are at it, here is the completed table of the common trigonometric values.

 
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Solving Trigonometric Equations - Here is the strategy referenced in class for solving most of the "factorable" trigonometric equations presented in the course.

 
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Solving Triangles - Here is a little summary of the notes presented in class on the Laws of Sines and Cosines.

 

 

Resources for Help and Review.

 

As the needs arise, I'll try to add resources here that might offer a little additional support.

 

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Calculator Basics - Most students become familiar with the graphing calculator in Algebra 2.  If not - or you've simply forgotten a few things - this document is a step-by-step guide for a few of the functionalities that we use in class.  In particular, this document illustrates how to enter lists of data, create a scatter plot, and find the line of best fit.

 
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Excel Basics - Some of the activities in class require the use of Excel for graphing and/or finding model equations.  This document walks those unfamiliar with the software through a linear example.  Note:  this is currently assuming the 2003 version of Excel... I'll update it for 2007 eventually.

 
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Solving Linear Equations - This document outlines a strategy for solving practically any linear equation in one variable.  It includes several examples along with a few tips at the end.

 

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Graphing Linear Equations - This is a brief review of a strategy for graphing linear equations.

 
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Writing Linear Equations - Here is a graphic organizer to help with writing linear equations.

 
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Factoring Review - This document offers a strategy for factoring basic polynomials using the major techniques from Algebra 1.  If you would like something a little more in depth, check out this tutorial from West Texas A&M.

 
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Systems of Equations in Two Variables - Here is a review on solving basic systems of linear equations.  It includes one example of each type of system (one solution, infinitely many solutions, and no solution) solved three different ways (graphically, substitution, and elimination).

 
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Polynomial Function Behavior - Here are my solutions to the review problems given in class.

 
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Graph Behavior Review - Several students asked me to post these answers to review for the quiz, so here it is.  It is the assignment that reviewed the graph behavior of rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions.

 
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Special Right Triangles - Here is a page that provides quite a bit of practice with those six trigonometric ratios.

 
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Unit 1 Review - Here are the answers to the review problems on the unit for equations and inequalities.  If you would like a blank copy, click here.

 
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Unit 2 Review - Here are the answers to the review problems on the unit for systems of equations and inequalities.  If you would like a blank copy, click here.

 
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1st Quarter Review - This is a list of specific learning targets that will be revisited on the quarter test.  Each objective is followed by a list of similar questions from previous quizzes and tests.

 
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Unit 3 Review - Here are the review problems and solutions on the unit for functions.  This one is a single file with the blank handout on the first page and the answers on the following pages.

 
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Unit 4 Review - Here are the review problems and solutions on the unit for variation and data modeling.  The blank handout is the first page and the answers follow.

 
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1st Semester Exam Review - This is a set of review problems similar in concept to those on the midterm exam.

 
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Unit 5 Review - Here are the review problems and solutions on the unit for sequences and series.  The blank handout is the first page and the answers are on the second page.

 
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Unit 6 Review - The review problems for this unit were taken from the textbook, so all the answers can be found in the back of the book.  Attached are the same answers, but some problems have a few extra steps added for clarification,

 
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3rd Quarter Review - This is a list of specific learning targets that will be revisited on the quarter test.  Each objective is followed by a list of similar questions from previous quizzes and tests.

 
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2nd Semester Exam Review - To be posted.

 

 

Assessment Solutions.

 

This is where solutions to unit quizzes and tests will be posted once all make-ups are completed.  Students are encouraged to compare their individual test results to these in preparation for the comprehensive exams at the end of each quarter.

 

Please note that the assessments are posted in order given throughout the year, not the order of the textbook.  Also, make-up versions of any quiz or test will not posted.

 

1st Quarter 2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

Equations and

Inequalities

Quiz 1a

Quiz 1b

Test 1

Functions

Quiz 3a

Quiz 3b

Quiz 3c

Test 3

Sequences

and Series

Quiz 5a

Test 5

Trigonometric

Functions

Systems of Equations

and Inequalities

Quiz 2a

Test 2

Modeling and

Variation

Quiz 4a

Test 4

Trigonometric

Ratios and Equations

Quiz 6a

Quiz 6b

Quiz 6c

Test 6

Trigonometric

Applications

 

 

 

Additional Resources. 

 

Here are a few additional links that students can use for finding extra help (study guides, practice worksheets, etc).  I haven't used them much myself, but other students have and seem to find them useful.

 

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Algebrahelp.com - This site contains lessons, worksheets, and calculators listed by topic.  The calculators will work out problems step-by-step so that students can get an idea of not only the answer, but the solution to that answer.

 

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Purplemath - This site acts as a portal to other help sites, but there is a lesson index at the right that offers help by topic (most of the topics in Algebra 1 can be found under Beginning Algebra Topics and Intermediate Algebra Topics).

 

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Algebra.com - This site advertises free help with algebra homework and has tutorials and problem solving calculators.

 

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SparkNotes - This site offers more than just math help and can be a little overwhelming with everything it offers, so this just links you directly to the math help index.