MA 15900 - Precalculus

Algebra and trigonometry topics designed to prepare students for calculus. This course is equivalent to MA 15300 and MA 15400 together.

Preparation for Course
P: MA 11100 with grade of B- or better, or placement by departmental exam.

Cr. 5.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Understand the basic properties of linear functions, including their graphs and applications.
2. Model physical and economic situations using exponential functions and solve problems related to the model.
3. Have a computational facility and conceptual understanding of functions, including compositions of functions, inverse functions, and graphs of functions.
4 Use logarithms to solve exponential equations and to solve problems using exponential models.
5. Understand the basic properties of polynomial functions, including their graphs and applications, with a special emphasis on quadratic functions.
6. Understand the unit circle definition of sine and cosine and be able to generate formulas for general sinusoidal functions.
7. Solve trigonometric equations and applied problems using inverse trigonometric functions.
8. Understand the ways in which a trigonometric expression can be represented and have the facility converting between these representations.
9. Determine geometric and algebraic properties of conic sections.