Ms. Washington

GPS Algebra

Today we practiced multiplying polynomials.  Which method did you prefer--the boxes or FOIL method?

Can you always use the FOIL method?  What property is really being used when you multiply two polynomials together?

Tuesday is the benchmark test.

M3 CS

Today you should have finished your task on the quadratic formula and the discriminant. 

What does the graph of a quadratic look like when the discriminant is 0?  How many unique solutions does the quadratic have?

What about when the discriminant is positive? 

When are the solutions complex (imaginary)?  How many imaginary solutions do you get?

M3 CS

Today we finished with factoring.  We were supposed to move on to solving polynomials using the quadratic formula but the best laid plans of mice and men...

Quiz results were mixed at best.  1st period is posted but I made a mechanical error so 4th will take another day. 

Next time...quadratic formula a QUICK look at the square root method and then it's on to solving absolute value functions where we will end the algebra portion of the course (sort of--there's always some algebra to be done in geometry and statistics).

 

Math 1 Support

You all did an AMAZING job on your puzzles.  I hope you carry those skills of adding/subtracting polynomials and multiplying monomials back to your algebra classes.

Don't forget--finding the perimeter is the same as adding/subtracting.  You are combining like terms.  Area problems can be more complex.  The warm up problem was just a monomial x a monomial.

What do you think happens when you multiply a binomial x a binomial?

M3 CS

Today we finished factoring when a <> 1 

You should be able to factor 6x^2+23x+20 without too much difficulty.  If you are having trouble then I should see you in tutoring.

Finish your quadratic formula/discriminant task for homework.  This is a major grade so DON'T lose it please!  Due on 10/26

GPS Algebra

The class meeting fractured our class time, but we still managed to get some work done.  We continued to practice adding and subtracting polynomials.

Many of you are still making the same mistake with subtraction.

Example  (9x + 5) - ( 7x +1)

Most of you will correctly do 9x -7x (= 2x) but you will forget that the subtraction in front of parentheses changes all of the signs within the parentheses.

You should rewrite the problem as 9x + 5 - 7x - 1, then, combine like terms

(9x - 7x) + (5 - 1)  to get 2x + 4 as your final response. 

Next time we will multiply a binomial times another binomial.  Do you prefer FOIL or the box?

M3 CS Announcement

9 week assessment Thursday and Friday--please bring a pencil!!!!!!!!

GPS Algebra

This has been a strange few days.  We've had the 9 week assessment--I've got a little compiling to do but you should be able to see your scores on Monday.  

If you haven't yet registered for the SAT online course please make sure you do so by Friday.  I will be sending around cards for your registration information.

At some point we will be back on track adding and subtracting polynomials and multiplying polynomials.

M3 CS

In 3rd period we started with the quadratic formula to solve quadratics.  I was very surprised by how many of you had no recall of this topic from your Math 2 class.  We will revisit this topic after the 9 week assessment on Friday.

4th period was a bit different.  After realizing from the warm up how many of you were struggling with solving by factoring when a <> 1, we changed plans and spent time practicing this concept.  Kudos to Sequoyah and DeNeque (and others) who tutored their fellow students.  You were a great help!!

Next class is the 9 week assessment.  Tuesday we will get to the quadratic formula and possibly the square root method.

It's really time for a quiz and/or test, but we're not really at a good place for that, yet.  I would be practicing factoring!

 

Algebra Support

Today we multiplied monomials.  

Remember the rules for multiplying monomials--multiply the same base you ADD the exponents.

Think about how this will apply as you begin to multiply polynomials!