Carol Fisher's Homepage
Precalculus Homepage

DAILY SYLLABUS:
PRECALCULUS and PRECALCULUS HONORS
Miss Hall's School

Both sections of Precalculus (regular and honors) will proceed at approximately the same pace, and have the same test/quiz days. However, Precalculus Honors students will explore the concepts in greater depth, have additional homework, and be held to a much higher level of rigor. Precalculus Honors is particularly geared to students who will be progressing to AP Calculus AB.

Both Precalculus and Precalculus Honors meet four days per week, MTWF, with 50 minutes per class.

There are 121 MTWF class meetings in the 2007–2008 academic year:
65 in the Fall term; and 56 in the Spring term.

ALL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS ON INDEX CARDS
ARE AUTOMATICALLY ASSIGNED AS THE CARDS ARE COVERED.
The assignments are NOT repeated here.
    WEEK #1, FALL TERM
  1. Monday, September 10, 2007
    - 35-minute classes; modified schedule
    - get text as you come in—sign sheet
    - check if info is correct on "official" section sheet; sign name
    - Sign the CHOOSE YOUR NUMBER sheet while I'm introducing myself!
    - Practice "coming into class" routine (pick up Quick Quiz paper, check folder for returned papers, write homework questions on side board, update your Grade Sheet)
    - Quick Quiz: What is YOUR NUMBER for this class?
    - Update Grade Sheet: fill in first row—you're starting the year with a 100% average!
    - talk about tomorrow's timed addition/multiplication quiz (give samples, with web links)
    - talk about supplies: 3-ring binder, dividers (syllabus, index cards, grade sheet), 4"x6" index cards (blank both sides)
    - REVIEW INDEX CARD (Functions)
    - NOTE: TOMORROW'S QUICK QUIZ will be to have your NOTEBOOK WITH DIVIDERS and all papers passed out today in place!
  2. Tuesday, September 11
    - QUICK QUIZ: Show me your notebook with dividers, with papers from yesterday in place!
    - go around the room; quick introductions!
    - TIMED QUIZZES, addition and multiplication
    - Go over syllabus (now that you have your notebooks, to put all papers in place)
    - Go over Algebra/Geometry year-long web exercise schedule (including sample quiz for Friday)
    - begin INDEX CARD #1a (solving linear inequalities)
    HOMEWORK:
    - Hand-write each index card as it is covered in class.
    - As each index card is completed, the homework on the top of the card is automatically assigned; these assignments are NOT repeated in this daily schedule.
    - EVERY DAY you should work on the review assignment; follow the separate schedule. If you leave it all until Thursday night, you definitely won't be ready for Friday's quiz!
  3. Wednesday/Thursday, September 12/13
    - finish INDEX CARD #1a (solving linear inequalities)
  4. Friday, September 14
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - begin INDEX CARDS #1b, #2, #3 (solving nonlinear inequalities; the Test Point Method)
    - STUDY FOR MONDAY'S QUIZ over all index cards covered THROUGH WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK (not today's material)!

    5. WEEK #2 FALL TERM
  5. Monday, September 17
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARDS #1b, #2, #3 (solving nonlinear inequalities; the Test Point Method)
  6. Tuesday, September 18
    - INDEX CARDS #1b, #2, #3 (solving nonlinear inequalities; the Test Point Method)
  7. Wednesday/Thursday, September 19/20
    - INDEX CARD #4ab (absolute value as distance from zero; absolute value as distance between two numbers)
  8. Friday, September 21
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #4cd (circles; completing the square technique)
    - STUDY FOR MONDAY'S QUIZ

    9. WEEK #3, FALL TERM
  9. Monday, September 24
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #4ef (slopes of lines; lines)
  10. Tuesday, September 25
    - INDEX CARD #5 (distance between two points; midpoint of line segment; sketching regions in a plane)
  11. Wednesday/Thursday, September 26/27
    - INDEX CARD #6 (symmetry; testing equations for symmetry)
  12. Friday, September 28
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #7 (evaluating difference quotients)
    - next week's major quiz is postponed to Wednesday/Thursday due to NEASC accreditation

    13. WEEK #4, FALL TERM
  13. Monday, October 1
    - INDEX CARD #8 (finding the domain and range of a function)
    - INDEX CARD #8.5 (working with linear functions)
  14. Tuesday, October 2
    - INDEX CARD #9 (reading information from a graph; increasing/decreasing functions)
  15. Wednesday/Thursday, October 3/4
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #10 (basic models; piecewise-defined functions)
  16. Friday, October 5
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #11 (direct variation; inverse variation)
    - INDEX CARD #12 (proportionality problems)
    - STUDY FOR MONDAY'S QUIZ

    17. WEEK #5, FALL TERM
  17. Monday, October 9
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #13 (geometric transformations overview/worksheet; transformations involving  y )
  18. Tuesday, October 9
    - INDEX CARD #14 (transformations involving  x ; horizontal/vertical translations web exercise)
  19. Wednesday/Thursday, October 10/11
    - INDEX CARD #15 (horizontal elongations and compressions; horizontal/vertical scaling web exercise)
  20. Friday, October 12
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - more practice with cards #14 and #15
    - STUDY FOR MONDAY'S QUIZ

    21. WEEK #6, FALL TERM
  21. Monday, October 15
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - geometric transformations chart (back of card #13); rows y-3, y-6, and x-3
    - web exercise: reflecting about the  x  and  y  axes and the absolute value transformation
  22. Tuesday, October 16
    - more practice on reflecting about the  x  and  y  axes and the absolute value transformation
    - begin geometric transformations web exercise, all mixed up
  23. Wednesday/Thursday, October 17/18
    - more practice on geometric transformations web exercise, all mixed up
    - (honors only) geometric transformations worksheets #1, #2, and #3
  24. Friday, October 19
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #16 (even and odd functions)
    - INDEX CARD #17ab (extreme values of functions; using your calculator to find max/min)

    25. WEEK #7, FALL TERM
  25. Monday, October 22
    - short quiz over Geometric Transformations web exercise, all mixed up
    - INDEX CARD #17cd (max/min for quadratic functions) (NOT on midterm)
  26. Tuesday, October 23
    - INDEX CARD #17ef (intercepts of quadratic function; putting a quadratic function in standard form) (NOT on midterm)
    - REVIEW FOR MIDTERM EXAM
  27. Wednesday/Thursday, October 24/25
    - MIDTERM EXAM
    - GRADE INDEX CARDS
    - HAVE A WONDERFUL LONG WEEKEND!

    28. WEEK #8, FALL TERM
  28. Tuesday, October 30
    - INDEX CARD #18 (max/min problems)
  29. Wednesday/Thursday, October 31/November 1
    - INDEX CARD #19 (combining functions to get new functions; composition of functions)
    - INDEX CARD #20 (practice with function composition; writing a function as a composition)

  30. Friday, November 2
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - catch-up day
    - STUDY FOR MONDAY'S QUIZ

    31. WEEK #9, FALL TERM
  31. Monday, November 5
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - finish card 20
    - INDEX CARD #21 (using a function box backwards; one-to-one functions)
  32. Tuesday, November 6
    - INDEX CARD #22 (undoing a 1-1 function; properties of inverse functions)
    - INDEX CARD #23 (finding inverse functions)
  33. Wednesday/Thursday, November 7/8
    - INDEX CARD #24 (graph of an inverse function; graphing a function and its inverse on your calculator)
    - INDEX CARD #25a (polynomials, terminology)
  34. Friday, November 9
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #25b (zeros/roots of polynomials)
    - worksheet for card #25
    - STUDY FOR MONDAY'S MAJOR QUIZ

    35. WEEK #10, FALL TERM
  35. Monday, November 12
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #26 (end behavior of polynomials; turning points of polynomials)
  36. Tuesday, November 13
    - INDEX CARD #27 (long division of polynomials; the division algorithm)
    - INDEX CARD #28 (Honors only: the confinement theorem; approximating solutions to polynomial equations on your calculator)
  37. Wednesday/Thursday, November 14/15 (Friday schedule)
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #29 (complex numbers; arithmetic with complex numbers)
    - INDEX CARD #30 (square roots of negative numbers; the complex plane)
  38. Friday, November 16 (Wednesday schedule)
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #31 (revisiting the quadratic formula)
    - INDEX CARD #32 (multiplicity of a zero; graphical consequences)
    - worksheet for card #32
    - HAPPY VACATION!!

    39. WEEK #11, FALL TERM

  39. Tuesday, November 27
    - INDEX CARD #33 (the fundamental theorem of algebra; polynomials with real number coefficients)
    - worksheet for card #33
  40. Wednesday/Thursday, November 28/29
    - INDEX CARD #34 (solving polynomial equations; honors only)
    - INDEX CARD #35 (rational functions)
  41. Friday, November 30
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #36 (vertical asymptotes; puncture points of graphs)
    - INDEX CARD #37 (horizontal and slant asymptotes)
    - STUDY FOR MONDAY'S MAJOR QUIZ

    42. WEEK #12, FALL TERM
  42. Monday, December 3
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - Begin INDEX CARD #38 (exponential functions)
  43. Tuesday, December 4
    - INDEX CARD #38 (exponential functions; graphs of exponential functions)
    - begin INDEX CARD #39 (properties of exponential functions)
    - web exercise:  introduction to exponential functions
  44. Wednesday/Thursday, December 5/6
    - finish CARDS #38 and #39 (properties of exponential functions)
  45. Friday, December 7
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #40 (linear versus exponential functions)
    - STUDY FOR MONDAY'S MAJOR QUIZ

    46. WEEK #13, FALL TERM
  46. Monday, December 10
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #41 (the natural exponential function; special property of the natural exponential function)
  47. Tuesday, December 11
    - INDEX CARD #42 (compound interest; continuous compounding)
    - web exercise:  the compound interest formula
  48. Wednesday/Thursday, December 12/13
    - INDEX CARD #43 (exponential growth; a typical exponential growth problem)
  49. Friday, December 14
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - begin INDEX CARD #44 (logarithmic functions)

    50. WEEK #14, FALL TERM
  50. Monday, December 17
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #45 (laws of logarithms; sample proof)
    - web exercise:  properties of logarithms
  51. Tuesday, December 18
    - INDEX CARD #46 (change of base formula; derivation)
  52. Wednesday/Thursday, December 19/20
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - Have a wonderful HOLIDAY BREAK!

    53. WEEK #15, FALL TERM
  53. Thursday, January 3, 2007
    - WELCOME BACK!
    - INDEX CARD #47 (solving exponential equations; examples)
  54. Friday, January 4
    - ALGEBRA/GEOMETRY REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #48 (solving logarithmic equations; examples)

    55. WEEK #16, FALL TERM
  55. Monday, January 7
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #49 (using graphical methods to approximate solutions to equations)
  56. Tuesday, January 8
    - finish INDEX CARD #49
    - INDEX CARD #50 (doubling time and half-life for exponential functions)
  57. Wednesday/Thursday, January 9/10
    - INDEX CARD #51 (introduction to trigonometry; two approaches)
  58. Friday, January 11
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #52 (the unit circle approach to trigonometry)

    59. WEEK #17, FALL TERM
  59. Monday, January 14
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #53 (terminal points; special triangles)
  60. Tuesday, January 15
    - INDEX CARD #54 (reference numbers)
  61. Wednesday/Thursday, January 16/17
    - INDEX CARD #55 (radian measure; the two most important trignometric functions)
  62. Friday, January 18
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #56 (the other trig functions; finding trig values on your calculator)

    63. WEEK #18, FALL TERM
  63. Monday, January 21
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #57 (signs—plus or minus—of the trig functions; finding trig values of special angles)
  64. Tuesday, January 22
    - INDEX CARD #58 (fundamental identities: the Pythagorean Identity; cosine is even; sine is odd)
  65. Wednesday/Thursday, January 23/24
    - REVIEW (quickly go over all index cards for final exam)
  66. Friday, January 25 (Fall term ends)
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - GOOD LUCK ON FINAL EXAMS!

    67. END OF FALL TERM
    FINAL EXAM IS ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 10:00 AM to 12:00 NOON

    WELCOME TO THE SPRING TERM!!


    WEEK #1, SPRING TERM
  67. Monday, February 4 (Spring term begins)
    - INDEX CARD #59 (periodic functions; period of a periodic function)
  68. Tuesday, February 5
    - INDEX CARD #60 (graph of sine and cosine)
  69. Wednesday/Thursday, February 6/7
    - INDEX CARD #61 (graphing more complicated sine and cosine functions; amplitude, period, phase shift)
  70. Friday, February 8
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #62 (graph of tangent and secant functions)

    71. WEEK #2, SPRING TERM
  71. Monday, February 11
    - MAJOR QUIZ
  72. Tuesday, February 12
    - INDEX CARD #63 (length of a circular arc; why the name RADIAN?)
  73. Wednesday/Thursday, February 13/14
    - INDEX CARD #64 (area of a circular sector)
  74. Friday, February 15
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #65 (right triangle trigonometry)

    75. WEEK #3, SPRING TERM
  75. Monday, February 18
    - MAJOR QUIZ
    - begin INDEX CARD #66 (area of a triangle)
  76. Tuesday, February 19
    - finish INDEX CARD #66
    - INDEX CARD #67 (Law of Sines)
  77. Wednesday/Thursday, February 20/21
    - INDEX CARD #68 (How many triangles? Using the Law of Sines to solve for all possible triangles)
  78. Friday, February 22
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - continue with INDEX CARD #68

    79. WEEK #4, SPRING TERM
  79. Monday, February 25
    - MAJOR QUIZ
  80. Tuesday, February 26
    - INDEX CARD #69 (the Law of Cosines)
  81. Wednesday/Thursday, February 27/28
    - begin INDEX CARD #70 (the arccosine function)
  82. Friday, February 29
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - finish INDEX CARD #70

    83. WEEK #5, SPRING TERM
  83. Monday, March 3
    - MAJOR QUIZ
  84. Tuesday, March 4
    - INDEX CARD #71 (using the Law of Sines and Law of Cosines together)
  85. Wednesday/Thursday, March 5/6
    - INDEX CARD #72 (verifying trigonometric identities)
    - INDEX CARD #73 (more on verifying trigonometric identities)
  86. Friday, March 7
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #74 (addition and subtraction formulas)

    87. WEEK #6, SPRING TERM
  87. Monday, March 10
    - INDEX CARD #75 (double-angle formulas)
  88. Tuesday, March 11
    - INDEX CARD #76 ("undoing" trigonometric functions)
    - REVIEW FOR MIDTERM
  89. Wednesday, March 12 (Friday schedule)
    MIDTERM EXAM
  90. Thursday/Friday, March 13/14 (Wednesday schedule on Friday)
    - INDEX CARD #76 ("undoing" trigonometric functions)
    - Enjoy Spring Break!

    91. WEEK #7, SPRING TERM
  91. Monday, March 31
    - INDEX CARD #77 (the inverse sine function and properties)
    - INDEX CARD #78 (examples)
  92. Tuesday, April 1
    - INDEX CARD #78 (examples)
    - INDEX CARD #79 (precise definitions for arccosine and arctangent)
  93. Wednesday/Thursday, April 2/3
    - INDEX CARD #80 (solving trigonometric equations)
  94. Friday, April 4
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #81 (solving trigonometric equations by graphical methods)

    95. WEEK #8, SPRING TERM
  95. Monday, April 7
    MAJOR QUIZ
  96. Tuesday, April 8
    - INDEX CARD #82 (vectors; arrow representation for vectors)
    - INDEX CARD #83 (analytic representation for vectors)
  97. Wednesday/Thursday, April 9/10
    - INDEX CARD #83 (analytic representation for vectors)
    - INDEX CARD #84 (unit vectors; formula for length of a vector)
  98. Friday, April 11
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #85 (horizontal and vertical components of a vector; finding direction and magnitude)

    99. WEEK #9, SPRING TERM
  99. Monday, April 14
    MAJOR QUIZ
  100. Tuesday, April 15
    - INDEX CARD #86 (bearing; velocity vectors; true speed and direction)
  101. Wednesday/Thursday, April 16/17
    - INDEX CARD #87 (forces acting on an object)
  102. Friday, April 18
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #88 (partial fraction decomposition)

    103. WEEK #10, SPRING TERM
  103. Monday, April 21
    MAJOR QUIZ
  104. Tuesday, April 22
    - INDEX CARD #89 (different linear factors)
    - INDEX CARD #90 (repeated linear factors)
  105. Wednesday/Thursday, April 23/24
    - INDEX CARD #90 (repeated linear factors)

  106. Friday, April 25
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - INDEX CARD #91 (irreducible quadratic factors)

    107. WEEK #11, SPRING TERM
  107. Monday, April 28
    - MAJOR QUIZ
  108. Tuesday, April 29
    - finish Partial Fraction Expansion
  109. Wednesday/Thursday, April 20/May 1
    - INDEX CARD #92 (conic sections)
    - INDEX CARD #93 (parabolas)
  110. Friday, May 2
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - begin INDEX CARD #94 (equations of parabolas; sketching parabolas)

    111. WEEK #12, SPRING TERM
  111. Monday, May 5
    - MAJOR QUIZ
  112. Tuesday, May 6
    - finish INDEX CARD #94 (equations of parabolas; sketching parabolas)
  113. Wednesday/Thursday, May 7/8
    - INDEX CARD #95 (finding the equation of a parabola)
  114. Friday, May 9
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - start INDEX CARD #96 (ellipses)

    115. WEEK #13, SPRING TERM
  115. Monday, May 12
    - MAJOR QUIZ
  116. Tuesday, May 13
    - finish INDEX CARD #96
    - start INDEX CARD #97 (equations of ellipses; sketching ellipses)
  117. Wednesday/Thursday, May 14/15
    - finish INDEX CARD #97
    - INDEX CARD #98 (finding the equation of an ellipse)
  118. Friday, May 16
    - ALGEBRA REVIEW QUIZ
    - start INDEX CARD #99 (hyperbolas)

    119. WEEK #14, SPRING TERM
  119. Monday, May 19
    - MAJOR QUIZ
  120. Tuesday, May 20
    - finish INDEX CARD #99 (hyperbolas)
    - start INDEX CARD #100 (shifted conics)
  121. Wednesday/Thursday, May 21/22
    - finish INDEX CARD #100 (shifted conics)
  122. Friday, May 23 (last day of classes)
    - PASS IN INDEX CARDS!!
    - SCRAPBOOK!
END OF SPRING TERM
FINAL EXAM IS ON THURSDAY, MAY 29, 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!!