PRECALCULUS FOR MID-LEVEL MATHEMATICS TEACHERS.

Catalog description

This course serves to bridge the gap between algebra and calculus for middle level teachers. It will develop a firm understanding of the concept of function, how to graphically represent various functions, analyze their behavior and create new functions from old. Functions will be used to model real-life situations. The course will focus on the essential elements of precalculus, as given by the TEKS. It will develop the foundations for functions and explore functions as a unifying theme. This includes transformations, inverses, and solving equations. These foundational ideas will be explored and applied to specific functions, including exponential, logarithmic, power, polynomial, rational, and trigonometric functions. There will be an emphasis on multiple representations of mathematical ideas: verbal, concrete, pictorial, tabular, symbolic and graphical. Throughout, the mathematical connections between precalculus and school mathematics will be highlighted. Prerequisite: C or better in MATH 1302 /1402, MATH 1308 , MATH 1330 , MATH 1331 and MATH 1332 . This course does not count toward a degree in mathematics.