Algebra means "restoration" or "completion." Dating back to 2000 BC, traces of algebra have been tied to the ancient Babylonians who used math to attempt to understand the world. We, as humans, have evolved since then, and so has mathematics, but algebra continues to be used to make sense of the world. It is the foundation of all math courses you will take from here out, as well as the foundation of other disciplines like geography and chemistry. Additionally, variables in algebraic expressions and equations allow for generalizations, which makes algebra super useful in your everyday life. We will explore many applications of algebra in this course.
A preview of the topics we will study is listed below. This is an honors level, high school credit-bearing course, and it moves quickly and goes deep into algebra. We will cover all of the High School Algebra 1 South Carolina standards and study additional enrichment topics.Â
A cumulative End of Course Exam will constitute 20% of a student's overall grade. It is scheduled for May 15th.
Unit 1: Relationships Between Quantities and Expressions
Pre-Algebra Review
Literal Equations, Dimensional Analysis, Algebraic Proofs
Laws of Exponents
Polynomials
Unit 2: Representing Functional Relationships
Relations and Functions
Sequences
Comparing Functions
Unit 3: Linear Relationships
Linear Equations
Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
Transformations
Direct Variation
Linear Systems
Unit 4: Exponents and Polynomials
Radicals and Rational Exponents
Factoring
Unit 5: Quadratic Functions & Modeling
Graphing Quadratics
Vertex Form and Transformations
Solving Quadratics
By Square Root
By Factoring
By Completing the Square
By the Quadratic Formula
Quadratic Applications
Unit 6: Modeling with Exponential and other Functions
Graphing Exponentials
Exponential Growth and Decay
Exponential Applications
The sequence is subject to change when necessary and appropriate.