Pre-Calculus

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Writing Assignments

1. GOAL:

The goal of these assignments is to help you think and write about the mathematics you are learning in class. This in turn will improve your overall writing skills.

2. LOW STAKES WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:

You will be given short (low stakes) weekly writing assignments that will be drawn from the work you would have finished for the week. A first draft will be collected every Monday. They will be checked and returned to you during the same week with suggestions on how to improve your work. The final report must then be handed in no later than Friday of the same week. These assignments are usually less then two pages long.

3. HIGH STAKES WRITING PROJECTS:

In addition to the low stakes writing described above, a mid-term report and a final report is required. The high stakes writing assignments will be designed around the low stakes writing projects you have already completed. For the mid-term report, you will be writing about the concepts you would have already studied by the middle of the term. The mid-term report is expected to be at least six (6) pages long. The final report will be at least ten (10) pages long, and will be based on the topics we cover during the semester. A draft of the final report is expected two (2) weeks before the end of the semester. The corrected final report must be turned in during the week of finals.

4. PROCEDURES AND TOOLS:

• It is recommended that your papers be typed, using double spacing. It is also recommended that you use MAPLE because it allows you to use graphs to illustrate your ideas when needed.
• Your work is expected to be done neatly and turned in on time.
• Check your spelling before you hand in your work.
• When giving examples, do not use the same problems done in class.
• Write in your own style. Do not hand in the notes that I give in class.

5. EVALUATION OF WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:

• Low Stakes Assignments: 5%

• High Stakes (Mid-Term): 10%

• High Stakes (Final Report): 15%

Weekly Assignments:

Week1:

a) Introduce yourself to me. In particular, write about your math background.

b) Describe a topic you had difficulty with in a previous math class, and why.

c) Explain in words how you would compute the following:

Week 2:

1) Describe what (-2, y) represents graphically.

2) Consider the points P(2,-4) and Q(-3, -4)

a) Explain how you would find the slope of the line segment joining the two points.

b) Explain how you would determine if the point (1, -2) lies on the line segment joining the two

given points above.

Note: You are not asked to compute any thing. You are simply asked to explain how you would do the computations.