Course on Elementary Algebra for High School (Semester)
Patterns, equations and lines
Broad goals for for this semester year are…
- to provide students with the knowledge to understand basic concepts of algebraic equations and their properties.
- to provide students with the skills to represent problems in algebraic equations.
- to provide students with the knowledge to understand the relationship between a linear equation and its graph.
- to provide students with the skills to represent points and lines in a plane.
- to learn and use algebra in context of its practical applications, including in the area of personal finances.
By the end of the semester, the students will be able to …
- gather, present and analyze data
- correlate two sets of data
- use linear regression capabilities of a graphical calculator
- master algebra of first degree equations
- master coordinate geometry of straight lines
A unit by unit semester plan
Unit 1: Turning Facts into Ideas – single variable Algebra
1 Data
2 Finding the Mean
3 Displaying Data by Grouping
4 Another Center: Median
5 Boxplot
6 Deviation
7 Standard Deviation
8 Projects
Unit 2: Hello, Algebra. Welcome.
1 Abbreviations All Around Us
2 Algebra is Abbreviations
3 Laws of Algebra
4 Solving Equations
5 A New Pattern
6 Growth and Scientific Notion
7 Working With Exponents
Unit 3: Algebra of Straight Lines.
1 Coordinate Systems
2 Plotting Sets of Points
3 Straightness
4 Exploring Lines With a Graphing Calculator
5 Lines That Do Not Go Through (0,0)
6 Two Points Determine a Line
Unit 4: Graphical Estimation.
1 Graphs Versus Tables
2 Least-Squares Lines: Lines Replacing Points
3 Least-Squares Lines on a Graphing Calculator
4 Forecasting