11/30/2007 Algebra 1 - Chapter 5 Test

Students took the Chapter 5 Test

11/30/2007 Algebra 2 - FOILing & unFOILing

Today we will review the FOIL technique we learned on Wednesday and begin factoring (unFOILing). I put some more example problems on the board, gave the students the process for factoring (unFOILing) and then they worked on the assignment.

Homework:
p. 937 #'s 1-21 & p. 938 # 1-30

11/29/2007 Algebra 1 - Chapter 5 Review (Test Monday)

Today we will review for Monday's Chapter 5 Test. Students will complete the worksheet in class today.

11/29/2007 Pre Algebra - Mulitplication and Division Rules for Exponents

Today we studied the multiplication and division rules for exponents. Students took notes explaining where the rules come from and over some examples. They did a worksheet in class for a grade and then worked on the assignment due for Monday.

Homework:
p. 197 16-35 all, 46-56 even

11/29/2007 Applied Geometry - Parallelograms

Today's lesson continues with our study of polygons, parallelograms in particular. Our main focus is solving problems that use the five properties of parallelograms.

1) Opposite sides of parallelograms are parallel
2) Opposite sides of parallelograms are congruent
3) Consecutive angles are supplementary
4) Opposite angles are congruent
5) Diagonals bisect one another

Some examples of the problems we will be doing can be viewed here. We will do some example problems together in class on a worksheet.

Homework:
page 395-396 #'s 3-12, 15-25, 32-43

11/28/2007 Algebra 1 - Chapter 5 Review (Test Friday)

Today we will review for Friday's Chapter 5 Test. Students will complete the worksheet in class today.

11/28/2007 Algebra 2 - Quadratic Equations

We are turning our focus to quadratic equations in this Chapter. They have graphs that are the above shape, a parabola and equations that are of the form y=ax^2+bx+c. Our objectives are to:

1) Find the vertex of the graph of a quadratic function
2) Graph a quadratic function in standard form, vertex form or intercept form
3) Use the FOIL method to write a quadratic function in standard form

I did some examples on the board for the class, then they worked on a worksheet, they turned in during class, and finally the students worked on the graded assignment. You can look at the website we used in class to demonstrate here.

Homework:
p. 253-254 #'s 17-19, 20-35 every 3rd, 38-48 all

11/27/2007 Applied Geometry - Polygons

Today we started Chapter 6, focusing on polygons. The definitions for this section are regular polygon, concave & convex polygons, the sum of the interior angles of a polygon, the sum of the exterior angles of a polygon, and each interior and exterior angle measure in a regular polygon. We did a worksheet together in class and then students worked on the graded assignment.

Homework:
p. 386 #'s 6-26, 29-32, 35-42

11/27/2007 Algebra 1 - Chapter 5 Assessment

Today, students will be doing a packet assessing where their strengths and weaknesses are in Chapter 5. (We did not do very well as a group on the quiz.) We will go over it together in class and tell which sections the problems come from so that students can focus their review work.

Homework:
page 801 #'s 1-20 all

11/27/2007 Pre Algebra - Least Common Multiple

Today we will be reviewing least common multiple and its application to comparing fractions with unlike denominators. Students took notes of some example problems explaining the process and then we did some more examples on a worksheet.

Homework:
p. 190 #'s 16-35, 39-46

11/26/2007 Algebra 1 - Chapter 5 Assessment

Today, students will be doing a packet assessing where their strengths and weaknesses are in Chapter 5. (We did not do very well as a group on the quiz.) We will go over it together in class and tell which sections the problems come from so that students can focus their review work.

Homework:
page 801 #'s 1-20 all

11/26/2007 Algebra 2 - 'A Beautiful Mind' finale

Today students finished watching the Movie 'A Beautiful Mind'. For Wednesday, they will need to to do 2 things.

1) Write a biography of the main character, John Nash
2) Write a personal review of the movie

Both assignments are to be typed (double spaced, 12 point font, 1 page minimum)

Do not copy/paste from websites. You may gather information from them, but the writing must be your own.

11/21/2007 Algebra 1-Chapter 5 Quiz

Students took a quiz over the two days (3 sections) of notes so far.

10/21/2007 Pre Algebra-Chapter 4 Quiz

Today students will take a quiz over the first 3 sections of Chapter 4.

10/21/2007 Applied Geometry-Chapter 5 Test

Today students will take the Chapter 5 Test.

11/20/2007 Algebra 1-Chapter 5 Quiz

Students took a quiz over the two days (3 sections) of notes so far.

11/20/2007 Algebra 2-'A Beautiful Mind' movie

Students watched the movie "A Beautiful Mind" today in class, after seeing the test results for Chapter 4.

11/19/2007 Algebra 1-Writing Equations of Lines Given 2 Points

We will be writing equations of lines again today, but this time, we will be writing equations given two points or given a perpendicular line and a point.

Homework:
worksheet (done in class)
pages 288-289 18-38 even

11/19/2007 Pre Algebra-Equivalent Fractions

Today we used greatest common factors to write fractions in simplest form and write equivalent fractions. Students took some notes over some examples, then did a worksheet in class.

Homework:
page 185, #'s 12-26 even, 30-36 even, 42-46 even
page 192 #'s 1-21 all (skip # 13), this assignment is to review for the quiz over sections 1-3 that we will take on Wednesday

11/19/2007 Applied Geometry-Chapter 5 Review

Students will Review for the Chapter 5 Test, which will betaken on Wednesday.

11/16/207 Algebra 1-Writing Equations of Lines Given 2 Points

We will be writing equations of lines again today, but this time, we will be writing equations given two points or given a perpendicular line and a point.

Homework:
worksheet (done in class)
pages 288-289 18-38 even

11/16/2007 Algebra 2-Chapter 4 Test

Today students will be taking the Chapter 4 Test.

11/15/2007 Algebra 1-Writing Equations of Lines(Given Slope & Y-Intercept and Slope & Point)

Today we begin Chapter 5, shifting our focus from graphing equations to writing equations given certain information. Our objectives our:

1) Write the equation of a line given the slope and y-intercept
2) Write the equation of a line given the graph
3) Write the equation of a line given the slope and a point
4) Write the equation of a line given the slope and x-intercept
5) Write the equation of a line parallel to a given line thru a given point

Examples of these problems can be found here (click on Example 2) and here (click on Example 2). I did some example problems on the board in the notes, then students practiced on a worksheet and some problems from the book,

Homework:
p. 276 12-20 even & p. 282-3 20,24,30,32 & worksheet

11/15/2007 Pre Algebra-Greatest Common Factor

Students will be reviewing greatest common factor today. They will take some notes over some example problems on the board and then practice on a worksheet. They will be finding the greatest common factor of 2 numbers, deciding if 2 numbers are relatively prime and finding the greatest common factor of monomials (example: 3x and 27x).

Homework:
page 179 #'s 12-31 all

11/15/2007 Applied Geometry-Pythagorean Theorem & Special Right Triangles

Today we worked the study of right triangles, specifically the Pythagorean Theorem and special right triangles. To see some sample homework problems worked out, click here or here. Students took notes from the board, then we worked through some example problems on the board.

Homework:
page 353 #'s 15-17, 19-27, 30-35 & page 360 #'s 1-3, 5-7, 9-11, 13-15

11/14/2007 Algebra 1-Writing Equations of Lines(Given Slope & Y-Intercept and Slope & Point)

Today we begin Chapter 5, shifting our focus from graphing equations to writing equations given certain information. Our objectives our:

1) Write the equation of a line given the slope and y-intercept
2) Write the equation of a line given the graph
3) Write the equation of a line given the slope and a point
4) Write the equation of a line given the slope and x-intercept
5) Write the equation of a line parallel to a given line thru a given point

Examples of these problems can be found here (click on Example 2) and here (click on Example 2). I did some example problems on the board in the notes, then students practiced on a worksheet and some problems from the book,

Homework:
p. 276 12-20 even & p. 282-3 20,24,30,32 & worksheet

11/14/2007 Algebra 2-Chapter 4 Review

We will be reviewing for the Chapter 4 Test today, we will take the test on Friday. Please visit the poll question on the right to help guide our review Friday before we take the test.

Test Friday

11/13/2007 Algebra 1 - Graphing Review

We will be reviewing the graphing section from Chapter 4 today. As a group, the 3 classes did not perform very well on that section of the test, so we need to spend some class time reviewing. We will do some examples on the board together and then students will practice on a worksheet. We will grade it in class today when everyone is finished.

11/13/2007 Pre Algebra - Factors & Prime Factorization

Today students worked on prime factorization. They identified prime and composite numbers and listed factors. They also gave the prime factorization of numbers by doing factor trees.

Homework:
page 175 #'s 16-22 even, 24-31 all, 34-45 all

11/13/2007 Applied Geomemtry-Triangle Inequality and the Hinge Theorem

We focused on two ideas today, the Triangle Inequality Theorem and the Hinge Theorem. Both will be used to give information about missing sides or angles in a triangle or triangles. Students copied some notes regarding these theorems from the board to start class, then I showed them some examples of how to apply them to some problems. See more examples here. You can play around with the Triangle Inequality Theorem here.

Homework:
p. 336-338 #'s 18-31, 42-53 & p. 343-344 #'s 9-14, 18-23

11/12/2007 Algebra 1-Graphing Equations Review

We will be reviewing the graphing section from Chapter 4 today. As a group, the 3 classes did not perform very well on that section of the test, so we need to spend some class time reviewing. We will do some examples on the board together and then students will practice on a worksheet. We will grade it in class today when everyone is finished.

11/12/2007 Algebra 2-Solving Systems With Inverse Matrices

We continued our use of inverse matrices today. We will be using them to solve systems of equations. The process is as follows:

1) Set up matrix equation similar to above
2) Find the inverse of the square matrix
3) Multiply on the left time the column matrix

See a video demonstration here.

Homework:
p. 233 #'s 24-32 even & worksheet

11/7/2007 Applied Geometry - Midsegements in Triangles

Today we continued with triangles, focusing on the midsegments. The midsegments of triangle are parallel to the opposite side & half as long as the opposite side. Students need to review the midpoint formula, distance formula & slope formula. We did a worksheet as a group in class to practice, then students worked on the homework.

Homework:
page 324 #'s 10-16, 18-19, 21-26, 39-41

11/7/2007 Pre Algebra - Chapter 3 Test

Students took the Chapter 3 Test

11/7/2007 Algebra 1 - Chapter 4 Test

Students took the Chapter 4 Test Today

11/6/2007 Algebra 1 - Chapter 4 Test

Today, students will take the Chapter 4 Test. We will begin Chapter 5 on Monday when we return.

11/6/2007 Algebra 2 - Matrix Cryptography

We did an activity to show a use of matrices today. Matrices can be used to encrypt messages and decode the messages. See video examples (#4 & #25) here. There is another website that explains it here as well. If this sort of thing sounds interesting to you, here is a scholarship opportunity offered by the NSA (National Security Agency) open to high school students. This page outlines some of the things that a cryptanalyst does for the NSA. If you have any questions I would be glad to speak with you about them. The presentation that we did in class today should be up on the web to be viewed shortly.



Homework:
page 228 #'s 40-44, 53b (use [1 -2 (first row) 1 -3 (second row)]

The worksheet packet given in class can be done for extra credit over the weekend

11/5/2007 Pre Algebra-Review

Students will be reviewing Chapter 3 today, and we will Test on Wednesday.

11/5/2007 Algebra 1-Review

Today we reviewed Chapter 4 and the Test will be Wednesday.

11/5/2007 Applied Geometry - Triangle Midsegment Theorem

Today we continued with our section from last time, doing some more practice problems.

11/2/2007 Algebra 1-Review

Today we reviewed Chapter 4 and the Test will be Tuesday.

11/2/2007 Algebra 2-Inverse Matrices

Today we learned about how to find an inverse matrix and how to use it to solve a matrix equation. A short explanation is shown above. To see some video demonstrations, click here.

Homework:
page 227,-8 14-28 even & worksheet

11/1/2007 Pre Algebra-Solving Multi Step Inequalities

Today we will be wrapping up Chapter 3, and we will be solving multi-step inequalities. The same rules for solving equations apply and we will still be flipping the inequality if we multiply or divide by a negative. The students will be doing a worksheet in class and an assignment out of book.

Homework:
page 151-152 10-21, 25-27

11/1/2007 Applied Geometry-Medians & Altitudes in Triangles

Today we continued our study of segments in triangles, specifically medians & altitudes. We learned that the medians of a triangle intersect at a point two-thirds of the way across the median, called the centroid. For some demonstrations of these problems, go here.

Homework:
p. 317-318 #'s 1-6,8,9,12,13,17,18,21-26,28-32