Math 140: Unit 1

Target Date: Monday Sept. 7
Deadline: Friday Oct. 2

Note: The information on this page is for the 8th edition of the textbook.
Click here for the 7th edition information.
Click here for the 6th edition information.

Table of Contents:

Topics
Study Guidelines
Unit Pretest and Exam Description
Checklist

Topics
Units 1 begins with a review of the properties of sets and a review of the real numbers and some basic geometry. The next topics are addition, multiplication, and division of polynomials (including synthetic division), and then addition, multiplication, and division of rational expressions.

• Algebra Essentials (A.1)
• Geometry Essentials (A.2)
• Polynomials (A. 3)
• Synthetic Division (A.4)
• Rational Expressions (A.5)

Study Guidelines for the 8th edition of Sullivan's Precalculus

These reading and problem assignments are designed to help you learn the course material. You should complete all of these problems, check your answers in the back of the textbook, and get help with the problems that you missed. Most of the problems are odd-numbered, so you can check the solutions in the Solutions Manual.

The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics, so while these problems will not be collected or graded, you will probably not do well in the course if you do not complete these and check your work as described above. After completing these problems, go on to the Unit Exam Description below and follow directions.

• Section A.1 of Appendix A: Algebra Essentials
  • Reading: appendix section A.1
  • Practice Problems: A.1 #9, 11, 13, 21, 23-47 odds, 49, 53, 57, 59, 61, 67-103 odds, 105, 111, 117, 119, 121, 127, 129, 131, 133, 135, 137, 141, 143
    
    
• Section A.2 of Appendix A: Geometry Essentials
  • Reading: appendix section A.2
  • Practice Problems: A.2 #11, 13, 21, 23, 27, 31, 37, 41, 43, 45, 47, 55
    
    
• Section A.3 of Appendix A: Polynomials
  • Reading: appendix section A.3
  • Practice Problems: A.3 #11, 13, 15, 21, 23, 29, 31, 41, 43, 45, 49, 57, 61, 63, 67, 73, 79, 87, 95, 99, 103
    
    
• Section A.4: Synthetic Division
  • Reading: appendix section A.4
  • Practice Problems: A.4 #5, 11, 15, 17, 23, 25
    
    
• Section A.5: Rational Expressions
  • Reading: appendix section A.5
  • Practice Problems: A.5 #5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 21, 23, 25, 31, 33, 41
    
    
• Supplementary material (optional):
  • Student Solutions Manual
  • Algebra Review booklet
  • CD lecture series (step-by-step video examples on CD)
  • For tutoring help, visit the Prentice Hall Tutor Center. Tutors can be contacted by phone, fax, or e-mail. To register, you will need the access code that came with your textbook.
  • Graphing Calculator Help

Unit 1 Pretest and Exam Description
After completing the above work, do the following:

1. Before taking the Unit 1 Exam, you should have completed the Online Testing Practice. If not, then do so now.
2. Read the exam description:
   • This exam has 15 questions, and will count 15 points toward your grade. 
   • The exam has a one hour time limit.
   • Calculators may be used on this exam.
   • Some questions in this unit are multiple choice. For the other questions, be sure to look under the entry box for the expected format of the answer.
     • The answer to some questions is a list of values in a specified order, separated by commas. This type of answer will always be explained in detail in the problem.
     • Some of the questions on this exam (and on subsequent exams) ask for an approximation instead of an exact answer. These problems will ask you to give an answer that is "accurate to at least two decimal places" (or possibly one decimal, or three decimals, etc.). In this case, you would have to enter at least two digits after the decimal point. For example, if you calculate your answer to be 1.41421356237, then you could enter 1.41, 1.414, 1.4142, etc. When you view your corrected exam, you will see that the "correct" answer is given in the form 1.4142  0.01. The symbol means "plus or minus", so anything within 0.01 of the first number counts as correct.
     • If a question does not ask for an approximation, then your answer should be exact.
     • Questions that ask you to factor a polynomial require a special non-standard format for the answer: you must separate each factor with a semicolon. For example, the answer for x²-3x+2 should be written as x-1;x-2 or x-2;x-1, the answer for x²-2x+1 should be written as (x-1)^2, and the answer for x³-2x²+x should be written as x;(x-1)^2 or (x-1)^2;x.
     • There are a couple of application questions on this exam. Remember you should not add any units such as "miles" or "meters" or "seconds" to your answers.
3. Complete the online Unit 1 Pretest assignment. You may use your book and notes if you wish.
   • Directions: Click on the link above, then choose the Unit 1 Pretest.
   • The pretest must be completed by the deadline date listed at the top of this page.
     However, you may redo the pretest as many times as you like before the due date.
     Your best score counts, and it will be rescaled to 5 points maximum.
4. If you are having trouble with any of the problems listed above or on the pretest, make use of the help resources listed on the Help page.
5. Arrange with your proctor to take the online proctored Unit 1 Exam. Remember to bring identification, and remember that you will not be able to take the unit exam after the deadline date given at the top of this page. You may NOT use your book or notes on this exam.
   • Directions: Click on the link above, then choose Unit 1 Exam.
   • The proctored unit exam must be completed by the deadline date listed at the top of this page, and may be repeated under certain conditions. See the Detailed Schedule page for specific rules.

   Note: Remember that you can always go back and take practice exams on this unit after the deadline has passed. In particular, this will help you prepare for the midterm and final exams.

   • Directions: Click on the link above, then choose Unit 1 Practice Exam. After the deadline has passed, this exam will be available in practice mode.

Unit 1 Checklist

Make sure that you have finished the following items to complete Unit 1:

• Read the material listed in the Study Guidelines.
• Practice the problems listed in the Study Guidelines, and use any of the listed supplementary material to help you understand the concepts.
• Complete the online Unit Pretest (read the exam description first).
• Complete the online proctored Unit Exam.

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