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LOVELADY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT LOVELADY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Steven Embrick's Classroom
College Prep

College Mathematics Readiness Syllabus (Accelerated Block)

 

Course Description

This intensive preparatory course accelerates mastery of intermediate and advanced algebra. Using Chapters 1–6 of the OpenStax College Algebra 2e textbook, students build the exact skills required to skip remedial courses and enter directly into credit-bearing college math.

 

Evaluation & Grading Metrics

  • 60% Major Grades (Chapter Tests, Unit Exams)
  • 40% Daily Grades (Homework Sets, Classwork, Online Homework Assignments)

Accelerated Six-Weeks Pacing Guide

 

1st Six Weeks: Prerequisites, Equations, & Inequalities

  • Textbook Unit Focus: Chapter 1 (Prerequisites) & Chapter 2 (Equations and Inequalities)
  • Key Concepts:
    • Simplifying expressions using exponent rules, rational exponents, radicals, and polynomial factoring.
    • Evaluating and simplifying complex rational expressions with common denominators.
    • Solving multi-step linear, absolute value, and literal equations.
    • Operating with complex numbers and the imaginary unit (i).
    • Solving quadratic equations using factoring, square roots, and the Quadratic Formula.
    • Solving and graphing compound and absolute value inequalities.

 

2nd Six Weeks: General Functions & Linear Modeling

  • Textbook Unit Focus: Chapter 3 (Functions) & Chapter 4 (Linear Functions)
  • Key Concepts:
    • Evaluating function notation, mapping, and determining algebraic domain and range.
    • Finding intervals of increase/decrease, local extrema, and average rates of change from graphs.
    • Graphing transformations and calculating analytic inverses of functions.
    • Writing linear equations to fit real-world contextual models.
    • Constructing scatter plots and calculating linear regressions from raw data sets.

3rd Six Weeks: Advanced Functions & Modeling

  • Textbook Unit Focus: Chapter 5 (Polynomial & Rational Functions) & Chapter 6 (Exponential & Logarithmic Functions)
  • Key Concepts:
    • Graphing quadratic functions to identify the vertex, axis of symmetry, and intercepts.
    • Using synthetic and long division to locate the real zeros of higher-degree polynomials.
    • Graphing rational functions and identifying vertical, horizontal, and slant asymptotes.
    • Evaluating, graphing, and modeling real-world problems with exponential functions.
    • Converting expressions between exponential and logarithmic forms using log properties.
    • Final Course Assessment: College Mathematics Placement Exam Prep.

Required Resources