Tuesday, 9/29/15: Lesson 7-3, Inverse Functions

No homework was assigned tonight.  Our next assignment is p.239 (8-10), due Friday, 10/2.

Monday, 9/29/15: Lesson 7.2, Operations with Linear Functions

Tonight's homework is p.224 (17, 18) and p.226 (23).

Thursday, 9/24/15: Lesson 7.2, Operations with Linear Functions

Tonight's homework is p.224 (8-16).

Wednesday, 9/23/15: Thinking Maps & Housekeeping

This week's thinking map roll-out was the sequencing map (flow map), and the math department had the responsibility this week to introduce it to the school's students.  We did that today.  We also handled parent conference reminder slips and several other housekeeping chores today.  No homework was assigned for tonight.

Tuesday, 9/22/15: Quiz on Linear Equations

Tonight's homework is from a photocopy I've distributed to students.  It says Section 5-1 on the top, and the problems I've assigned are #'s 59-70.  Students should expand these powers--that is to say, write all of the factors (numbers) in the factorizations (multiplication problems)--and simplify.

Monday, 9/21/15: Final Review for Quiz on Linear Equations

We have a quiz tomorrow, 9/21, on linear equations.  Today I distributed two copies of our practice quiz.  We went through the practice quiz today in class. Students should rework the problems, on their own, a second time for homework tonight.  They have the classwork from today that they can refer to.

Friday, 9/18/15: Lesson 6.7, Writing Linear Functions

The weekend's homework assignment is p.205 (5-10).

Thursday, 9/17/15: Reviewing Lesson 6.5 on Domain and Range

We spent the entire period reviewing last night's homework on domain and range, in that this is rich, critical material for students to master.  No homework was assigned tonight.

Wednesday, 9/16/15: Lesson 6.5, Comparing Linear Functions

Tonight's homework is p.191 (4,5).

Tuesday, 9/15/15: Lesson 6.4, on the Slope--Intercept Form of a Linear Equation

Tonight's homework is p.185 (7-15).

Monday, 9/14/15: Lesson 6.3 on Slope

Tonight's homework is p.177-8 (10-13).

Friday, 9/11/15: Reviewing Sequences Homework and Intercepts

Tonight's homework is p.168 (1-8) and p.169 (10-12).

Thursday, 9/10/15: Lesson 5.3, on Sequences

Tonight's homework is p.139 (22c,d; 24-29).

Wednesday, 9/9/15: Final Pass Through Lesson 5.2

We are now in a position to move through the textbook material quickly; the foundation has been laid.

PERIOD 5, I REALLY GOOFED ON ASSIGNING YOUR HOMEWORK!!!!!

I MEANT TO ASSIGN P. 131 (8-13), BUT FOR YOUR CLASS I THINK THAT I PUT P.130 (1-13) ON YOUR ASSIGNMENT SHEET (OR SAID "1-30")!

TO BE CLEAR, TONIGHT'S HOMEWORK IS P.131 (8-13).

IF ANYONE DOES P.130 (1-7), I'LL COUNT THAT AS EXTRA CREDIT SINCE IT WAS WORK DONE ABOVE & BEYOND.  I APOLOGIZE!!!

9/8/15: Last Day of Foundational Work: Relations & Functions

Today we reviewed functional notation, how to tell the difference between a relation & function, and the vertical line test for graphs of relations.  Tomorrow we are ready to begin blitzing through the book, beginning with Lesson 5.2.

Tonight's homework is review in nature (the 8th graders have been working on the topic, simplifying powers).  The assignment tonight is from the photocopy I distributed to the class today.  Find the side with Section 5.1; the assigned problems are 1-38.

In particular with my Per.6 class, I was short a few minutes I could have used to clarify what I'm looking for.  Some students looked me up after school.  I had said that I wanted the powers written in expanded form, but didn't have a lot of time to elaborate.

Students, what I want is this:  I want to force you to write the expanded notation (within reason, as long as the exponents aren't too big), so that the image of what the powers represent is crystal-clear in your mind.  Only then do I want you using the shortcut properties (rules) where you add / subtract exponents with the same base.  Knowledge of only the shortcuts is very fragile!!

Example:

2^4 * 2^3
(2*2*2*2)*(2*2*2)
2^7

[since I don't have an equation editor available as I type, "2^4" represents the base 2 raised to the fourth power]

HOWEVER, students, you don't need to multiply out the final product.  You can leave it as a simplified power, as with the 2^7 above.

Friday, 9/4/15: Reviewing Relations Homework and Distributing Math Log-In Information

We distributed the log-in information for the math online resources associated with our text, at my.hrw.com .

There is no assigned homework for the Labor Day weekend.  We will resume Lesson 5.2, representing functions, on Tuesday, 9/8.

Best wishes for a great Labor Day holiday!

Thursday, 9/5/15: Basic Definitions for Relations & Functions

Tonight's homework is p.126 (1,2) and p.130 (1-3).

Wednesday, 9/2/15: Revisiting a Challenging Proof

Today we revisited a challenging proof, in which students had to prove that the sum of an irrational number plus a rational number is an irrational number.  (This is from Lesson 2.2.)  The thing that made this proof the most challenging is that it is virtually the first proof students have ever seen.  They will eventually transition into a mindset that is used to thinking logically and creatively, using prior definitions and knowledge, in order to prove various conjectures.

Tonight's homework is p.90 (1-4).

Tuesday, 9/1/15: In the Wake of a Very Challenging Proof: Proper Mindset

Tonight's homework is p.91 (problems 5-8 at the bottom of the page).  Please do NOT rip out this page.  You do not need to bring it to school; only the lined paper with the homework problems done.