Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year! I am Abigail Bowman and I look forward to teaching you this year. I attend(ed) Covenant College and Augusta University where I received a B.A. in Middle School Education and am getting a M.A.T in Curriculum and Instruction. I am certified to teach grades 6-12 mathematics in Georgia. This is my twelfth year teaching. In order for us to have a successful year, you should consider the following information.

Pre-Calculus Syllabus

Resources: Pre-Calculus Textbook and the GaDOE Frameworks for Pre-Calculus

Course Description and Goals: Pre-Calculus is a fourth mathematics course designed to prepare students for calculus and other college level mathematics courses. Pre-Calculus focuses on standards to prepare students for a more intense study of mathematics. The critical areas organized in eight units delve deeper into content from previous courses. More information can be found on the reverse side of this syllabus or at https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Frameworks/Pre-Calculus-Comprehensive-Course-Overview.pdf.

Instruction: A typical day of instruction will begin with an opener consisting of a few problems to check for prior understanding or to extend learning opportunities. Next, homework will be checked and/or collected. This will be followed by work and instruction which may include problem-solving, questioning, real-world connection tasks, and/or small group projects. A “ticket-out” problem or summarizing activity will often conclude the lesson.

Homework: 3-4 assignments per week are typical.

Materials: You will need a three-ring notebook, lined paper, composition notebook, and pencils. A TI-84 Plus calculator is recommended.

Assessment and Grading: Tests, Quizzes, Tasks, and Classwork will account for 90% of each nine week’s average (tests will count twice). Homework will account for the remaining 10%.

Important Information:

·  Tutoring will be held one morning a week (usually preceding a test or quiz) (unless otherwise noted)

·  A Quiz or Test will be given almost every week

·  Assignments and links to resources are always posted at http://www.rcboe.org/Domain/2819

·  My email address is

·  I encourage you to sign up for PIV to view grades!

Rules:

ü  Be on time (in seat when the bell rings).

ü  Be prepared (have appropriate materials for class).

ü  Be respectful of teacher and students.

ü  Be on task (appropriately participate in all classroom activities).

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Pre-Calculus Syllabus Parent Signature Form

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Georgia Standards of Excellence:

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Frameworks/Pre-Calculus-Standards.pdf

UNIT 1: Introduction to Trigonometric Functions
Students will use the unit circle to extend the domain of trigonometric functions to include all real numbers. Students will develop understanding of the radian measure of an angle, graph trigonometric functions, and derive and apply the Pythagorean identity.
UNIT 2: Trigonometric Functions
Building on standards from Unit 1, students extend their study of the unit circle and trigonometric functions. Students will create inverses of trigonometric functions and use the inverse functions to solve trigonometric equations that arise in real-world problems.
UNIT 3: Trigonometry of General Triangles
Building on standards from Unit 1 and Unit 2, students will apply trigonometry to general triangles. Students will derive the trigonometric formula for the area of a triangle and prove and use the Laws of Sines and Cosines to solve problems.
UNIT 4: Trigonometric Identities
Building on standards from the first three units, students will prove and use addition, subtraction, double, and half-angle formulas to solve problems / UNIT 5: Matrices
Students will perform operations on matrices, use matrices in applications, and use matrices to represent and solve systems of equations.
UNIT 6: Conics
Building on standards from previous courses, students will derive the equations of conic sections (parabolas, ellipses, and hyperbolas). Students will solve systems of a linear and quadratic equation in two variables.
UNIT 7: Vectors
Students will extend their understanding of complex numbers and their operations through graphical representations. Students will perform operations on vectors and use the operations to represent various quantities.
UNIT 8: Probability
Students will extend their study of probability by computing and interpreting probabilities of compound events. Students will calculate expected values and use them to solve problems and make informed decisions.