WELCOME TO MATH S-Ar

SUMMER 2010

Math S-Ar covers the algebra, graphing, and functions

needed for the study of calculus, chemistry, economics, and
many other subjects. The course is taught in small sections
and we are available for any amount of extra help you might
require. Our office is in Science Center 235.

HOMEWORK: Mathematics cannot be absorbed passively, hence

problem sets are assigned daily. Take the homework
seriously and keep up with it on a daily basis. An honest
effort (not necessarily perfection!!) on the homework
together with regular class attendance usually results in a
good understanding of the material. Homework solutions can
be downloaded from
http://www.math.harvard.edu/~divac/Zkrk10.html
as they become available.

EXAMS: There will be three two-hour exams and a three-

hour final on the following dates:

Thursday, July 1 7:30 p.m., Science Center D

Thursday, July 15 7:30 p.m., Science Center D
Thursday, July 29 7:30 p.m., Science Center D
Thursday, August 5 6:30 p.m. room T.B.A.

PRACTICE FINALS: There will be two practice finals on the

last weekend of the course. These are essential since they
introduce you to the 3-hour test, and since they provide
excellent feedback as to what areas you might want to focus
on while reviewing for the final. These will be held on

Sunday, August 1 6:30-9:30 p.m., Science Center A

Monday, August 2 6:30-9:30 p.m., Science Center A

GRADES: The final grade will be calculated based on the

homework (20%), the three short tests (15% each or 0%), and
the final exam (35% if the grade on the final is lower than
the average of the three short tests, 80% otherwise).

TEXT: The text is called Precalculus: Functions

Modeling Change, Third Edition, by Eric Connally, Deborah
Hughes Hallett, et al., and is available at the Harvard
COOP.

(over)
CALCULATOR: A graphing calculator (such as TI-82, TI-83,
TI-85, TI-89, etc.) will be extensively used and is
required. It can be bought at the Harvard Coop. If you
already own a graphing calculator, you are welcome to use
it but we won’t necessarily be able to tell you how to use
it since most of us are familiar with the TI’s.

The head of the course is Srdjan Divac and his office

is in Science Center 235. Questions concerning section
changes, time conflicts, etc. should be addressed to him.
 Math S-Ar Rough Syllabus

WEEK 1 FUNCTIONS, FUNCTIONAL NOTATION

RATES OF CHANGE
LINES
INEQUALITIES
INPUT/OUTPUT OF FUNCTIONS, DOMAIN, RANGE

WEEK 2 PIECEWISE-DEFINED AND INVERSE FUNCTIONS

CONCAVITY AND QUADRATIC FUNCTIONSNS
EXPONENT ALGEBRA AND EXP. FUNCTIONS

LINEAR Vs. EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS

GRAPHS OF EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS
THE NUMBER e AND CONTINUOUS MODELS (test 2 Thu)

WEEK 3 LOGS AND THEIR PROPERTIES

LOG AND EXPONENTIAL MODELS
THE LOGARITHMIC FUNCTION
SHIFTS, FLIPS, STRETCHES OF GRAPHS
MORE OF THE ABOVE

WEEK 4 QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS

INTRO TO PERIODIC FUNCTIONS
SINE AND COSINE FUNCTIONS
TRIANGLE DEFINITIONS
RADIANS, GRAPHS OF SINE, COSINE (test 2 Thu)

WEEK 5 SINUSOIDAL FUNCTIONS

OTHER TRIG FUNCTIONS
INVERSE TRIG FUNCTIONS
LAW OF SINES AND COSINES
TRIG IDENTITIES

WEEK 6 COMPOSITION OF FUNCTIONS

INVERSE FUNCTIONS
POWER FUNCTIONS
POLYNOMIALS
RATIONAL FUNCTIONS
MORE RATIONAL FUNCTIONS (test 3 Thu)

Thursday, August 5 (Final Exam)

ABOUT THE MATH QUESTION CENTER

WHAT? It is a place where you can get extra help.

WHERE? In Science Center 222.

WHEN? Starting on Tuesday, June 22, Sundays through

Thursdays, between 7:00 and 10:30 p.m. (in other
words, every day except Fridays and Saturdays
EXCEPT ON SUNDAY JULY 4.)