If you are concerned about your math course or just want to review some of your math skills, you may find the following information helpful. All students are encouraged to spend time looking over math course pre-requisite skills listed in this document. It will pay off when you begin your math course!

Math Course Pre-requisite Skills:

Below are lists of topics that should be reviewed prior to beginning your math course. Each review enumerates topics you should be familiar with before beginning your math course.

Basic Algebra Review for Students enrolling in Math 010 or Math 113:

Any text entitled "Elementary Mathematics", "Basic Algebra" or "Arithmetic" will probably cover the skills you will need.

Topics to review:

1. Operations with Whole Numbers
2. Operations with Fractions
3. Operations with Decimals, Working with Percents
4. Ratios and Proportions
5. Operations with Signed Numbers
6. Basic Algebra - Using variables
7. Solving simple linear equations
8. Word Problems using basic algebra
9. Polynomials and Factoring
10. Introduction to Graphing.
11. Basic Geometry

Algebra Review for Students enrolling in Math 114, Math 115 or Math 117:

Any textbook entitled "Intermediate Algebra" would be appropriate. Possible texts is Intermediate Algebra Concepts and Applications by Bittinger, M., Ellenbogen, 2001 (ISBN 0201708485), Addison-Wesley Longman Inc.

Topics to review:

1. Fundamental Operations with Numbers
2. Simple Linear Equations and their Solutions
3. Linear Functions and their Graphs
4. Systems of Equations and Problem Solving
5. Inequalities and Problem Solving
6. Polynomials and Factoring
7. Rational Expressions and Equations
8. Exponents and Radicals
9. Quadratic Equations and Graphing Quadratic Functions.

(If you purchase the Math 010 text by Bittinger, you should cover Chapters 1, 2, 3.1 - 3.3, 4.1 - 4.4, chapters 5 , 6, 7, 8, 10.1, 11.1.)

Students are also encouraged to carefully look over some basic geometry topics such as area and perimeter formulas of basic geometric forms such as rectangles. It is assumed students will know basic geometry.

Precalculus Review Program for Calculus (Math 221 and 241) Students

Most books that focus a review of precalculus skills will cover the appropriate topics. Some suggestions are:

A Companion to Calculus by D. Ebersole,1996, (ISBN 0534265928), Brooks Cole Publishing

Just-in-Time Algebra and Trigonometry for Students of Calculus by G. Mueller and R. Brent, 2000, ISBN: 0201669749, Prentice Hall

(If these titles are out of print, please look for a book that reviews precalculus skills)

The textbook currently used for Math 115 that prepares students for Math 221 is A Graphical Approach to Precacalculus by Hornsby, Lial, second edition, published by Addison Wesley Publishing (ISBN 0-321-02848-1). The chapters covered are Chapters 1 - 5, 8 and 9.

The textbook currently used for Math 117 that prepares students for Math 241 is Precalculus Understanding Functions A Graphing Approach by Goodman and Hirsch, 2004, ISBN 053438635-0), Brooks Cole Publishing Company The chapters covered are Chapters 1 - 7, 8.1 - 8.3, 9.1, 10.7, 11.1, 11.2.

The topics to review:

1. Sets, Number Systems, the Number Line, Exponents, Algebraic Expressions, Factoring, Rational Expressions
2. Linear and Non-linear Equations and Inequalities, Absolute Value
3. The Cartesian Coordinate System, Relations and Functions, Graphing,
4. Composition of Functions,
5. Linear and Quadratic Functions,
6. Polynomial and Rational Functions
7. Solving Polynomial, Radical and Rational Equations.
8. Logarithms and Exponential Functions
9. Angles and Arcs, Trigonometric Functions and their Graphs, Evaluating Trigonometric Functions, Right Triangle Trigonometry, Inverse Trigonometric Functions, Trigonometric Identities (Elementary, Addition-Subtraction, Double and Half-angle), Trigonometric Equations, Law of Sines and Law of Cosines
10. Systems of Linear and Nonlinear Equations and Inequalities
11. Sequences and series

Students are also encouraged to carefully look over some basic geometry topics such as area and perimeter formulas of geometric forms such as rectangles. It is assumed students will know basic geometry.

©2004, Department of Mathematical Sciences
Last Modified: October 13, 2004
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