MATH 143 008 First-Day Activities

Here's what we need to do for our first day of class.:

Section 1.1 and the Graphing-Calculator Manual's preface will not be covered in class, so you can get an early jump on 1.1.

1. The odd-numbered 1.1 problems mentioned here are not to be turned in. Friday's end-of-class quiz will cover some of them.
2. Read the preface to the Graphing Calculator Manual (click here).
3. Interval notation: start in the middle of page 7 and read up through Example 5, then odd-numbered problems 1.1: 41-53 (for more about set builders and intervals, click here).
4. Absolute Value and Distance: start with the last paragraph of page 8 and read up through Example 8, then odd-numbered problems 1.1: 61-69. Also problem 1.1: 76, which we will do in class on Friday (check "Lesson" and "Practice" at this link).

Material in section 1.2 will be covered in the first class meeting on Wednesday.

1. The odd-numbered 1.2 problems mentioned here are also not to be turned in. They are listed here as study recommendations.
2. Radicals and Rational Exponents: read from the bottom of page 17 through Example 13, page 21. In calculus (MATH 160 and MATH 170), you will find that radicals must largely be abandoned in favor of rational exponents. Problems:
   • 1.2: 1-8. Translating between radicals and rational exponents. Note that 3 and 7 each have two possible correct answers. Sometimes absolute values show up in such problems; here is a nice link which treats this as well as the basic rational-exponent stuff.
   • 1.2: odds 9-25. The algebra of evaluating radicals and rational exponents. Check this link.
   • 1.2: 27, 33, 39. Integer-exponent review. A basic-stuff link.
   • 1.2: 45,47,49, 51. Using rational exponents and the laws of exponents to simplify radicals. Do you see why absolute values show up in some of these? Check the link here.
   • 1.2: odds 53-69. Using the laws of exponents to simplify. Fluency in these problems puts you into an upper quartile. A helpful link?
   • 1.2: 83, 85. Rationalizing the denominator (Example 13 and the first three examples at this link.).
   • 1.2: 87
   • To hand in Friday, 1/25/08, at the start of class:
     Assignment #1 consisting of
     • Page 131: 6, 8, 10, 14, 22, 26.
     • GCM Page 191: 14, 16 (GCM means Graphing Calculator Manual)
     and the Website Quiz (click here for a copy).