Mathematics Department

Essential Knowledge and Skills

Students in Advanced Algebra II Honors will study mathematical symbols, number systems and mathematical concepts in a variety of ways. Students will study real and complex numbers, direct and indirect variation, as well as the relationship between data and mathematical correlation. In addition, students will study and explore functions and relations in general, with specific focus on quadratic, absolute value, piecewise, rational and basic trigonometric functions. In addition, students will study and explore how to use matrices, systems of equations and systems of inequalities to apply mathematical skills and knowledge to meaningful life experiences.

Indicators of Student Learning

Upon completion of the course students will:

• Describe and explain the concepts they have learned using appropriate symbols and terminology.

• Identify how and/or when the mathematical concepts they have studied can be used to model real world phenomena.

• Apply skills and knowledge they have gained to determine a reasonable outcome for a question or problem they are asked to solve. These indicators will be apparent in the following ways:

Problem Solving

• Choose from and employ a variety of problem solving strategies including: diagrams lists and tables, looking for and identifying patterns, eliminating possibilities, solving a similar problem, guessing and checking.

• Choose appropriate operations

• Learn to estimate solutions to problems and determine the reasonableness of answers by relating their answers to their estimates.

• Solve a variety of multi-step problems and extended problem-solving projects

Reasoning and Proof

• Explain and justify problem-solving procedures.

• Make and investigate mathematical conjectures.

• Recognize that a mathematical conjecture does not constitute a proof.

• Evaluate and analyze functions

Communication

• Express mathematical concepts to others correctly and clearly in both written and oral form.

• Utilize mathematical symbols, notation and terminology in an appropriate manner.

• Establish and describe connections between mathematical expressions, physical models and real-world situations.

Technology

• Use a graphing calculator efficiently and accurately for computation, graphing and modeling a variety of mathematical concepts

Assessment

Upon completion of this course students will:

• Demonstrate competency in problem solving by using appropriate methods and techniques, generating a solution and checking the reasonableness of the solution.

• Demonstrate competency in communication by expressing mathematical concepts and results, in a clear manner using correct terminology.

• Demonstrate competency in technology by using a graphing calculator to obtain correct solutions to problems in diverse topics that would not be easily solvable manually.