Ma123: Fall 2002 Sections Dr. Paul Eakin:Instructor Kyle McCormick:Recitation Leader ( ) Zhiqiang Cai:Recitation Leader ( )

Principal Course Features 4 tests: 3 midterm and final –Each test 100 points 90 from uniform exam (curved) 10 from homework (not curved) –50 points instructor grade (See section leader syllabus) –Total 450 points in course Web-based homework Mathskeller

Web Based Homework System Requires WHS account –Already exists if pre-registered –Initial login and password are student number –Need to create your account if not pre-enrolled Easy People in Mathskeller will help you do it Individual homework –Similar to common set used for class discussion –Must be done by expiration date to get credit –Counts 10% of test grades

Mathskeller In basement of the classroom building –Double red doors near loading dock Access to and help with web homework Free printing of homework assignments Where instructors and section leaders have office hours Free tutoring for exams and homework General math study area

The WHS Homework System 1. Start by going to or both point to the same site. If registered your account already exists: initial login = student number initial password=student number

If you log in using your student number as login and password 1. Select Account Modification and enter your correct address Your is then your login 2. Select Password Modification and change your password Use at least 8 characters with at Least two letters of different cases, A number, and a punctuation mark or symbol

2. Select Register and follow instructions (People in Mathskeller will help you do this ) If you are not already Registered You will need to create your own account 1. Move mouse over Web Homework

Class syllabus/homepage: Organization of your recitation section, how your instructor grade will be determined Class Announcements: prepared and maintained by your section leader Course syllabus/homepage: Things that apply to all sections of MA123 Exam dates, rooms, grade computation, etc. Announcements Page

Homework 1. At the Assignments link select the class then select an assignment: The Personal Version is your homework for that assignment. This is the work you must do to get homework credit for the assignment The Common Version will be the same every time the bar is pressed. Thus “problem 3” on the common version is well defined. The system return the answer to a problem only after the expiration date for the assignment.

Recommended Approach to the Homework Start on an assignment as early as possible Print your personal assignments and the common assignments out (its free in Mathskeller) –Put them in a notebook –Collect solutions with the problems in the notebook Get together (e.g. in Mathskeller) with others in class to work on homework together Get homework assistance from teachers and tutors in Mathskeller Submit answers frequently – use the “comments” windows when you get results to ask teachers about specific problems

First Assignment Expires Tuesday, Sept. 3

Topics Quadratic Formula and Applications Polynomial multiplication Definition of Function Composition of Functions Piecewise defined functions (notation) Domain of Functions Graphs and their interpretation Text: Chapter 0, all sections

Functions If A and B are sets of numbers a function f: A -> B is a rule which assigns to each element of x in A a unique element f(x) in B. The set A is called the domain of f. When not given explicitly the domain of f is the largest set of numbers for which the rule makes sense Example: ( )

The Graph of a Function If f is a function then the graph of f is the set of all ordered pairs (x, f(x)) where x is in the domain of f. Since ordered pairs can be thought of as coordinates of points on a plane the graph can be thought of as a subset of the plane Any specific visualization is a sketch of the graph

Zeroes (roots) of Functions and Roots of Equations If f is a function the zeroes or roots of f are all of the elements r in its domain such that f ( r ) = 0 Alternatively the roots of f are all solutions to the equation f(x) = 0 Roots of Solutions to Places where graph crosses the x-axis

Functions whose Roots can be found exactly Linear functions –f(x) = ax + b –Graph = straight line –Root = -b/a if a not 0 Quadratic Functions – –Graph is parabola –Roots given by quadratic formula

Quadratic Equation

There are “quadratic equation-type” formulas for: Cubic Quartic Known over 500 years Complicated, Not commonly used There cannot be such a formula for any higher degree equation

Piecewise Defined Functions and their Graphs F(x) =

Lecture for Wed, Sept 4 Material from: 02 Review of Functional Models 03 Review of Lines and Linear Equations These expire Tuesday, Sept 10