Algebra

In order to overcome inertia and make progress towards your mastery of College algebra,  I have put together the following:

Each Day I will send you a Algebra tidbit that you should memorize, both in email, text message and on my website. Print a hard copy of the Tidbit, fold it, and carry it with you.  Make sure you are safe, not near traffic or trains, take it out when you have a spare moment and memorize it.

Cross out a checkoff number (1 through 10) each time you view and memorize,  no more that once every 15 minutes.

Uncle Mike reminded me that Khan Academy (KA) was a great learning platform,  and indeed it is,  Iink to the KA topic follows the tidbit.

Learning  Algebra , seems to me,  is memorizing about 20 abstract rules, cementing them into your neurons,  then calling on those 20 rules to work through a problem.  The trick is to have them cemented into your memory,

I am only tid-bitting things that slip my memory.


Tuesday 12/19/17
Basic Exponents

A number to zero power is one.
2^0 = 1,   3^0=1,   x^0= 1   and (0^0 = 1 or =0 (it’s undefined))

A number to the 1 power is the number.
2^1= 2,    3^1= 3,  x^1= x   and 0^1 = 0 and 0^(any   power) = 0

Decimal exponents
.2^3 = .2*.2*.2 = .008 and  .9^2 = .9*.9 = .81 (9/10 of 9/10)

KA: Basic Exponents  |  Checkoff: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0


From CLEP Website

Algebraic operations (25%)

  • Operations with exponents
  • Factoring and expanding polynomials
  • Operations with algebraic expressions
  • Absolute value
  • Properties of logarithms

Equations and inequalities (25%)

  • Linear equations and inequalities
  • Quadratic equations and inequalities
  • Absolute value equations and inequalities
  • Systems of equations and inequalities
  • Exponential and logarithmic equations

Functions and their properties* (30%)

  • Definition and interpretation
  • Representation/modeling (graphical, numerical, symbolic, and verbal representations of functions)
  • Domain and range
  • Algebra of functions
  • Graphs and their properties (including intercepts, symmetry, and transformations)
  • Inverse functions

Number systems and operations (20%)

  • Real numbers
  • Complex numbers
  • Sequences and series
  • Factorials and Binomial Theorem

*Each test may contain a variety of functions, including linear, polynomial (degree ≤ 5), rational, absolute value, power, exponential, logarithmic, and piecewise-defined.