Pre-Algebra Course Overview

Mathematics 800 is an introductory algebra course designed to prepare junior-high school students for Algebra I. The course focuses on strengthening needed skills in problem solving, integers, equations, and graphing. Students will begin to see the "big picture" of mathematics and learn how numeric, algebraic, and geometric concepts are woven together to build a foundation for higher mathematical thinking.

• The Real Number System: Student will explore different properties of numbers, and how to use them to simplify expressions and formulas to make computations easier.
• Modeling Problems in Integers: Student will translate and solve one-step equations, or two-step equations in context, and check solutions for reasonableness, using the order of operations, and by substituting values for variables.
• Modeling Problems with Rational Numbers: Student will add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals, fractions, and mixed numbers with variables, likes, and unlike denominators to solve one and two-step word problems.
• Proportional Reasoning: Student will convert between fractions, decimals, and percent’s, and compare them, and identify similar and congruent figures and their corresponding parts, and solve for missing measures.•More with Functions: Student will identify the parts of a line or quadratic equation and be able to graph it, and explore arithmetic and geometric sequences, as well as exponential growth and decay.
• Measurement: Student will explore relationships between sets of lines and the angles they create, understand and use the Pythagorean theorem, and identify characteristics of polygons.
• Plane Geometry: Student will determine how to calculate areas of common polygons, identify different transformations and how to determine the type and original image location.
• Measures of Solid Figures: Student will calculate surface area and volume of different objects, and solve for missing measures of 3 dimensional figures when given surface area or volume, and explain the relationship between surface area and volume.
• Data Analysis: Student will identify the mean, median, mode, range, lower quartile, and upper quartile of different data sets and construct the best display of the information.
• Probability: Student will identify all the possible outcomes of a given situation using combinations, permutations, and probability, and determine if events are dependent or independent.