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This info can also be downloaded in PDF format: Algebra 2 Course Description PDF
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Description
This course will cover the topics normally covered in a second year course in high school algebra. This course is normally taken by students in grade ten or eleven, after Algebra 1 and Geometry and before Pre-calculus. Students should have completed Algebra 1 before enrolling in Algebra 2. A detailed course syllabus is shown below.
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Fees
The cost of the course is $74 per month for nine months. Text, lecture notes, computer discs and any other instructional materials will be provided and will not cost extra. Lilburn Alliance Church charges a small fee ($25 per student per year) for use of the facility. Tutoring is also available on a limited basis for Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-calculus and Physics. Tutoring costs $30 per hour for students enrolled in a class, $45 per hour for others.
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Lecture Notes and Class Time
Class time will primarily be spent on instruction. The lecture notes are a key part of the class. These notes are prepared in advance and given to the students, but with much of the material deleted and replaced by blank space on the page. During the lecture, the students fill in the gaps, solve the example problems, and add any notes they need to. By the end of the year, the students will have what amounts to their own complete text made from the lectures delivered and the problems worked in class. A sample of these lecture notes is in the PDF course description and under "Lecture Notes" on the menu of this web site.
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Textbook
Algebra 2 by Larson, Boswell, Kanold and Stiff, published by McDougal Littell, 2001 edition. This is a popular text used by many schools. The topics covered in this course will correspond closely to the topics covered in this book, although the explanations in the lectures are expanded over those in the book, at times significantly. The textbook serves mainly as a reference and as a source of homework and practice problems.
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Homework, Tests and Grades
After each class, students will be given specific assignments to do on their own during the rest of the week. Assignments may consist of additional instructional material provided on CD or DVD and will almost always involve problems to practice. Some of the homework for each chapter will be graded. To allow for the maximum amount of instructional time in class, tests will be given at home. One final exam for each semester will be taken in class at the end of each semester. Students will receive a numerical grade for each semester and for the year. The grade is calculated based on tests, graded homework and the final exams.
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Difficulty Level
Not all students require the same pace and difficulty level. Some may need or prefer a class that is more challenging and at a faster pace, while some may desire a class that is not accelerated. This class is offered simultaneously on two difficulty levels, regular and honors. The lectures are the same for both. The honors students will have additional homework that is more difficult, and will have more challenging tests. Note that the honors class is not an AP class. It is simply a more challenging version of the same course. The goal is for the classes to closely correspond to “Standard Algebra 2" and “Honors Algebra 2" classes at a good private school. Students will decide whether they would prefer the regular or honors version of the course about a month into the course, after having had a chance to look at some tests and assignments.
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Computer Access
Access to a computer (Windows or Macintosh) with a CD-ROM or DVD drive will be extremely helpful for this course. In addition to the lecture notes, students will be given instructional material on CD or DVD that will play on a home computer (not on a home DVD player). On the discs will be lectures (audio and video) that correspond to the lecture notes covered in class. These videos allow students to review the material, to hear the explanations again if needed, and to see example problems being worked out with detailed explanations. They also insure that the students receive all of the instruction, even if they miss a class. While a computer is not required for the class it will certainly be extremely helpful.
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The Instructor
Derek Owens taught physics, honors physics, AP Physics, and AP computer science at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, GA from 1988-2000. He currently teaches Physics in the summer school program at Westminster. He graduated from Duke University in 1988 with a degree in mechanical engineering and physics. He worked as a software developer for five years before returning to teaching. This will be his fourth school year teaching homeschoolers in the Atlanta area. He and his wife Amor and their two children Claire and David attend Grace Fellowship Church, a non-denominational church near their home in Lawrenceville.
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Course Syllabus
These topics comprise the material normally taught in a high school Algebra 2 course.
- Chapter 1: Equations and Inequalities
Real Numbers and Operations; Algebraic Models and Expressions; Linear Equations; Rewriting Equations and Formulas; Problem Solving with Algebraic Models; Linear Inequalities; Absolute Value
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Chapter 2: Linear Functions and Equations
Functions and Graphs; Slope and Rate of Change; Graphs of Linear Equations; Writing Linear Equations; Best Fit Lines; Linear Inequalities in Two Variables; Piecewise Functions; Absolute Value
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Chapter 3: Systems of Equations
Solving Systems by Graphing; Solving Systems Algebraically; Systems of Linear Inequalities; Linear Programming; Linear Equations in Three Variables; Systems of Equations in Three Variables
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Chapter 4: Matrices and Determinants
Matrix Operations; Multiplying Matrices; Determinants and Cramer’s Rule; Identity and Inverse Matrices; Solving Systems Using Matrices
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Chapter 5: Quadratic Functions
Graphing Quadratic Functions; Solving Quadratic Equations with Square Roots; Complex Numbers; Completing the Square; The Quadratic Formula; Graphing and Solving Quadratic Inequalities
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Chapter 6: Polynomials and Polynomial Functions
Properties of Exponents; Graphing Polynomial Functions; Adding, Subtracting, and Multiplying Polynomials; Factoring and Solving Polynomial Equations; The Remainder and Factor Theorems; Finding Rational Zeros; The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra; Graphs of Polynomial Functions
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Chapter 7: Powers, Roots, and Radicals
Roots and Rational Exponents; Power Functions; Inverse Functions; Square Root and Cube Root Functions; Solving Radical Equations; Statistics
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Chapter 8: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
Exponential Growth; Exponential Decay; The Number e; Logarithmic Functions; Properties of Logarithms; Solving Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
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Chapter 9: Rational Equations and Functions
Inverse and Joint Variation; Graphing Simple Rational Functions; Graphing General Rational Functions; Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions; Addition and Subtraction of Rational Expressions, Complex Fractions; Solving Rational Equations
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Chapter 10: Conic Sections
The Distance and Midpoint Formulas; Parabolas; Circles; Ellipses; Hyperbolas; Graphing and Classifying Conic Sections
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Chapter 11: Sequences and Series
Arithmetic Sequences and Series; Geometric Sequences and Series; Infinite Geometric Series; Recursive Rules for Sequences
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Chapter 12: Probability and Statistics
Permutations; Combinations; The Binomial Theorem; Probability; Compound Events; Independent and Dependent Events; Binomial Distributions; Normal Distributions
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Chapter 13: Trigonometric Ratios and Functions
Right Triangle Trigonometry; Angles and Radians; Trigonometric Functions; Inverse Trig Functions; The Law of Sines; The Law of Cosines; Parametric Equations
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Chapter 14: Trigonometric Graphs, Identities, and Equations
Graphing Trigonometric Functions; Translations and Reflections of Trigonometric Graphs; Trigonometric Identities; Solving Trigonometric Equations; Sum and Difference Formulas; Double Angle and Half Angle Formulas
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