Grading Finals Update

I hope to have the Math IV finals graded by the time I leave today ... but, I won't have the scores all added up yet.  Check Power School around 9 ish tomorrow morning.  That's probably when I'll be done with 1st and 2nd grades.  Sorry.  There's a lot of exams to grade!

Stats Formulas

UPDATE:  Thanks to Mrs. Sarver, I think you can link to the formula sheet.  Click on the "here" in the next sentence.  I am attempting to attach a statistics formula sheet that I was requested to make here.  I would refer to the post below about Georgia Virtual School for more study aids for the Stats Test in Math IV Thursday.

I can't figure it out because of all the subscripts and special notation.  I told you I would have the formulas on the board, but if you'd like this formula sheet, send me an email and I'll email the sheet to you.

mlewis@oconeeschools.org

GA Virtual School

In Math IV today we discussed the resources available at Georgia Virtual School.

This link will take you to the GVS page pertaining to Math IV.

This link will take you to the Data and Statistics Unit videos we were looking at today.

Let me know if the links don't work.

Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

In Accelerated III today we did a crash course review of exponential and logarithmic functions.  We then spent an hour in class working on several worksheets covering these topics.  The link to the page where I find the worksheets is here: http://www.korpisworld.com/Mathematics/Precal%20Matters/Precal%20Matters%20Home.htm . If we spend an hour in class working on something, it seems we should be accountable for it at some time, shouldn't we...???

Links for Sequences and Series for Tuesday's Math IV Test

Like I've said all along, the internet is full of great resources for extra help with the math we're studying.  Type in "sequences and series" into Google and have your choice.

Here are a couple of links that look good in preparation for tomorrow's test:

• http://www.purplemath.com/modules/series.htm - Purplemath is a great site in general for math help
• http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/math/algtrig/ATP2/GeoSeq.htm
• http://hotmath.com/help/gt/genericalg2/section_9_3.html
• http://www.education.com/study-help/article/pre-calculus-help-pre-calculus-final/
• http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/math/algtrig/ATP2/Sequencepractice.htm
• http://www.algebralab.org/lessons/lesson.aspx?file=Algebra_ArithSeries.xml

Math League Contest

The next test for the Math League Contest is Tuesday, November 13, during homeroom in Mr. Lewis's classroom, # 2209.  We finished in the top 25 of Georgia high schools after the first test, but we'd love to do better.  We send in our 5 best scores, so the more people that come in and participate, the better chance we have of sending in a good score (We scored a 16; our friends down 53 scored a 19...).

We get 30 copies of the test, but we can make copies if more show up (that would be great).  Talk to Mrs. Phillips or Mr. Lewis if you want more info.  Please let us know if you plan to be here.  We will let your teachers know of your absence that day.

Georgia or Bust!

The Math Team is sending two teams to the University of Georgia this Saturday to compete at the UGA Math Tournament. 

See the following link for more info.  http://www.math.uga.edu/mathmeet.html/

Please plan to meet me in front of the Miller Building by 8:15 at the latest so we can register and get going.

Math League Contest Test # 1

If you plan to take the Math League Contest Test # 1, please plan to be in Room # 2209 by 7:30 Tuesday morning (10/16/2012).  The test is 30 minutes, so if we can start right away we can finish in time for everyone to get to 1st period.

If you want to participate in Math Team this year, now is a great time to get started.  Come on in and take the test.  We have about 15 slots open.

If you are signed up, I expect to see you bright and early!

Midterm Review

I was noticing on the Mobi page that last semester we worked several of the midterm review problems for Accelerated III on the Mobi, which I then saved to my blog.  Since the midterms for Math IV and Accelerated III are similar, I thought I would point this out, so that you have one more resource in your preparation for the midterm, which is Friday, 10/5/2012, for Math IV, and Wednesday, 10/10/2012, for Accelerated III.

Here's a direct link.

Important Math Team Announcement!

Please see the Math Team page for an important announcement regarding the UGA Math Tournament!

October Meetings

The Math Team and Computer Science Club pages have been updated with the meetings for October.

The Chess Board continues to meet on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.  We haven't had too many coming in to Room # 2209 lately for chess, so we may have to cut back to just one day.  A request has been made to bring in a board game this week.  I will try to do that if someone reminds me.

***BONUS*** There is an intentional error that is not really an error, just not something that conforms to normal American behavior, on one of the aforementioned pages.  5 points on a quiz will go to the first person in each of my current classes who emails me with what the error is.  Another 5 points will be rewarded if you can explain what I meant by it.  You can Tweet me, too, but make sure the Tweet gets to me!

Survey

https://docs.google.com/a/oconeeschools.org/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dHB1WmhpeVlMNkRBVFdfTlFfUlVRYkE6MQ

I went to this training the school held for us on Thursday covering all kinds of things about Google, and it was pretty cool.  One thing they showed us was how easy it is to create forms or surveys like this.  It was suggested that homework could be administered or checked this way ... not a bad idea.

So, I wanted to give it a test run.  I hope clicking on the above link will work.  Please do so and answer the very easy questions.  If you did, there is incentive at the end.  The incentive is only good through Tuesday morning, i.e., when I get to work on Tuesday, October 2, I will look at the final answers and only those people will have a chance for the incentive.  {Makes you want to look, doesn't it?}

Trig Identities

Math 4 students have a test on Tuesday, September 25, over trigonometric identities and the Sum and Difference formulas.

I'm compiling a list of websites that might be helpful in getting extra practice for verifying identities.

As always, if you type in the name of the subject we are studying, the internet is full of incredible resources of all different types to help you in your mathematical journey!

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/proving.htm
This is a great site with several good examples and explanations into each step of the problem (Purplemath.com is a fantastic web site for looking up math stuff in general!)

http://www.intmath.com/analytic-trigonometry/1-trigonometric-identities.php
Scroll to the bottom to see a few exercises and examples with buttons to press to see how the authors solved them (remember: you may do it a different way than someone else, but both solutions may be legitimate)

http://www.math.siu.edu/previews/109/109_Topic8.pdf
There are some good explanations, but scroll to pages 4 and 9 (especially 9) and you'll find some problems to work (along with solutions on another page)

http://worksheets.tutorvista.com/proving-trigonometric-identities-worksheet.html
This page has lots of multiple choice problems where you can check your answers.

With any of these, if you are stumped or don't understand the solution, email me (mlewis@oconeeschools.org) or send me a Tweet (@MrLewisNOHS) and I will be glad to help you.  I will be at the football game Friday night and in and out most of the day Saturday, but I will try to get back to you as soon as I can (Twitter may be the best way to get me!).

New Schedule for Computer Science Club

We decided this morning to move the Computer Science Club to every other Thursday afternoon.  The Chess Board is also meeting in Room # 2209 Thursdays after school, so there should be a fun group of people to work together.

Details and the next meeting date can be found on the Computer Science Club page.

Math League

Check out the Math Team page for details about the first Math League Contest Test.

Math Team Meetings 9/12-13

Check the Math Team page for a summary of what happened in this week's meetings.  Next meetings are September 26 & 27.

Old Blog Posts

With help from the Oconee Technology people, I got most of my old posts from last year's blog on to this one, so there will be less recreating of the wheel (so to speak).  You may find something from last year interesting, or not.  Anyway, I will work on cleaning this page up and make several pages dedicated specifically to the club or class you are interested in.

Let me know what you think or suggestions you'd like to make.  Thanks!

Math 4 Test # 2 Review Questions

We discussed the "Why?" questions that will be on the test.  Think about what they are, then search for them.  Google and Wolfram Alpha are good places to search from.

For example, type "domain of arcsin" into Google and a lot of great pages with a wide range of explanations, from very simple to very complex, come up.

Math IV Test # 2

Tomorrow (Thursday, September 5) is when we will have our second test in Math IV.  Since this is our second test, the weight of this test will affect our grade a good bit, so I know most of us would like to see some improvement.  We did a pretty extensive review in class today and students made some great-looking review booklets Tuesday.

Here are a couple of websites with some extra problems and some more explanation for review.  Check the previous post about Helpful Math Websites for a trig function grapher.

Trigonometric Function Graphing
http://hotmath.com/help/gt/genericalg2/section_11_3.html

http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/math/algtrig/ATT7/graphpractice2.htm

Inverse Trig Functions

http://www.math.siu.edu/previews/109/109_Topic9.pdf 
(Page 6, Problem 9.4)

http://www.slideshare.net/jessicagarcia62/inverse-trig-functions
(This is a nice presentation of inverse trig functions.  There's some great problems all the way at the end, so stay with it)

Math Team 1st Meeting

I will make pages for each of my classes and for the different clubs I'm working with.  This morning was the first meeting for the Math Team ... and only one student was there.  However, we are meeting this afternoon, too.  If you are unable to attend either meeting, please see more or send me an email or other form of communication and let me get so info to you and from you.

Thanks!

Helpful Math Websites

I will try to share some of the nice websites that I use and come across in this blog.  I will make a page called “Helpful Math Websites” and it will be an ongoing list of pages that I think are neat.  Feel free to email me if any links are busted or if you want help navigating the sites.

Lewis Math Class Blog 2.0

New school year, new blog format!

I had a blog last year, but the district is not supporting the format anymore, so I am trying to move on.  I've spent some time looking at Moodle, but I just have not made it work in my head.  So... here comes the blog on Blogger (from Google).

I hope you will find this useful, and I plan to put a lot of stuff on here.  Your comments will be very helpful.
Thanks!

CLT Project

Here is the description for the Accelerated III survey project.

Unit1project

Rational Equations

We have spent the majority of our time yesterday and today working on rational equations in class and for homework.  The worksheet we worked from is here (http://www.kutasoftware.com/FreeWorksheets/Alg2Worksheets/Solving%20Rational%20Equations.pdf).

We did a lot of work on the Mobi, but it was closed, unfortunately, before we could save.  There is some work on the Mobi page that we did in 4th period that can be helpful.

Graphing Rational Functions

I have posted on the Mobi page some of the work we did in Accelerated III and Math IV today.

Also, see under the Helpful Website page a link to some graph paper that you can print at home.

Midterm Review

The midterm exam for both Accelerated III and Math IV is tomorrow, Thursday, March 8.

I have posted on the Mobi page the worked out solutions to the review problems we had on the board for the Accelerated classes.  For the most part, this problems are just like what the Math 4 students will see as well, so feel free to look at them and study as well.

Do a great job tomorrow!

DOE Website

On the helpful math websites page is a link to the State of Georgia Standards, where you can find the Frameworks for each unit we are studying for Accelerated III and Mathematics IV.

The alternate portfolio assignments for Accelerated III can be found there.

Sum Rule Video

A student yesterday gave the Khan Academy on-line videos a ringing endorsement yesterday.  I have been looking for a good proof for the sum and difference formulas for sine and cosine and have not been able to put my finger on one.  This morning I watched this video on YouTube and it was great.  Though not a formal proof, I think if you can stick with it it will make a lot of sense.

sin(a+b) = (cos a)(sin b) - YouTube

We may also look at a great example of logic and the importance to have the ability to communicate in the language of our field, whichever field that may be.

Who's on first? - YouTube

Trig Identities

Math IV students can look on the Mobi page and see a lot of worked out identity and equations that we did in Accelerated III the last couple of weeks.  These would be helpful in anticipation of the next quiz and test.

Accelerated III Test # 3

We have spent two weeks working with trig identities and equations in Accelerated III (this is the next topic for Math IV).  The last two days in class we have worked on three worksheets, practicing identities and equations.  The worked-out solutions to these worksheets are available on the Mobi page.  Feel free to check those out.

Remember: just because someone verified the identitiy a different way than you, that doesn't mean you did it wrong.  There are 10 ways to get from NOHS to Sanford Stadium: just because you take one way that is longer or shorter than I do doesn't mean either one of us is wrong, as long as we get there.

If you are on Twitter, feel free to send me a Tweet if you have any questions between now and the test tomorrow (Friday, February 17).  Also, sign up for the Class Parrot thing (see below) and you might be able to text me your questions.  I will try to keep an eye on my phone and the computer all night, and hopefully I can help you as you study for the test.

Acc 3 Test 1 Review

I just put together a summary of the work we did for the first test in Accelerated III, which is very similar to what we did in Math 4.  The pages and sections go along with the Accelerated 3 book (http://college.cengage.com/mathematics/larson/precalculus_limits_aga/3e/instructors/index.html).  This would be helpful in reviewing for the midterm or final.

I will try to make similar review pages in the near future.

Accel3Test1Sections

Characteristics of Trig Graphs

We made a chart in Accelerated III of the characteristics of the 6 trigonometric functions.  We have done something similar in Math IV.  At a suggestion, I have made a copy of the chart and put it here: CharTrigGraphs

The first table is blank, so you can print it off and try to fill it in from memory or from your own analysis on the graph.  The completed chart is on a second page, so you can check your answers.

Accelerated III test is Tuesday, 1/24, 2nd and 4th blocks.

Trig Graph Paper

It was requested today that I put some trig graph paper on-line.  Go to the website page for a handy link to a website with all kinds of graph paper templates.

I will also make a link to the handout I have in class of blank trig graphs.