Ms. Chase's Blog

AP Calculus AB - Limits and Continuity

Thursday, 8/18:  We started our first real unit in calculus today and introduced limits of functions from a graphical approach.  Students should complete both sides of the "Finding Limits from Graphs" worksheet and attempt to sketch the first 4 graphs on the "Graphs from Limits" worksheet.  We will have our first homework quiz tomorrow!

Monday, 8/22: Complete the "Finding Limits Using Limit Laws" worksheet for homework.

Tuesday, 8/23: We discussed stategies of solving limits alebraically.  They included 1) substitution; 2) factoring and simplifying; 3) multiplying by the complex conjugate then simplifying; 4) use trig. identities to simplify the expression.  We will discuss a few more stategies tomorrow.  Students are to work on the "Finding Even More Limits Algebraically" worksheet and complete the problems that involve factoring and multiplying by the complex conjugate.  Problems included are 1,2,3,5,7,12,14,15,17,18,20,23,25,28,31,32. 

Wednesday, 8/24: We added a few more strategies today including expanding algebraic expressions, simplifying compound fractions, and using known trig limits.  Students should work very diligent to finish the remaining problems on the worksheet.

Thursday, 8/25: We looked at limits involving infinity and assigned the fron side of the worksheet for homework.

Tuesday, 8/30:  Students are now starting the review phase of this unit and received two worksheets with numerous and varied problems on them.  Spend some time tonight getting ready for the first test on Thursday.

Wednesday, 8/31: Test tomorrow! Answers to review worksheet. Download Solutions to review worksheet

Wednesday, 9/7: Students received their first test back today and the results were not as good as they would have liked.  Remember that they may take a retest and their original test score will be converted to a score out of 10 not 100.  For example if a student scored a 44 on the 1st test and then after making test corrections took a retest and scored a 85, the new average for both assessments would be (4.4+85)/110 or 81%.  81% is much better than 44% and the student hopefully mastered a few more of the concepts!  The 1st retest on Limits and Continuity is tentatively scheduled for next Thursday, Sept. 15th.  Students may take the restest before school at 7:15 am, any period except for their calculus period, or after school.  We will NOT take the retest during the class period as we need to continue learning new concepts on future units.

AP Calculus AB - Precalculus Review

Monday, 8/15: Students need to 1) read course outline online and complete information form and 2) thumb through the first chapter in the book and write down two examples of concepts at which they feel they are the weakest  

Tuesday, 8/16: I summarized all of the pre-calculus sections in one day and emphasized the important concepts regularly used in calculus.

Wednesday, 8/17: We discussed ~13 multiple choice questions from pre-calculus.  We will start Limits and Continuity tomorrow.

Accelerated Math II - Right Triangle Trigonometry

Here is what is currently planned for this unit.  Download AM2 Right Triangle Trigonometry Schedule 2011

Please return to this post during this unit as I keep a running blog.  Updates will be indicated by the date. 

Monday, 8/15: Students have three things to complete tonight... 1) Radical review worksheet odds 2)information form online 3) scatterplot of their data collected today

Wednesday, 8/17:  Today was very busy and some students might not have finished the task portion that helps them discover the relationship of the legs and hypotenuse of a 45-45-90 triangle.  You need to do your best to work through the task but if you get frustrated read page 151 in your book.  Either way, you should be able to finish the assigned worksheet for homework.

Thursday, 8/18: Students are working on another task to help them discover the relationship of the short leg, long leg, and hypotenuse of a 30-60-90 triangle.  I did not grade the 45-45-90 worksheet today for completion but it will be check tomorrow along with the 30-60-90 worksheet.  The 1st QUIZ scheduled for Monday so it is very important to keep up with homework and make sure you that you understand concepts.  If not, come in for extra help!

Friday, 8/19: We reviewed Pythagorean Triples today and all the different forms they may be presented.  The most common families we will use in AM2 are 3,4,5;  5,12,13;  8,15,17;  7,24,25 and 9,40,41.  It is helpful to memorize these triples and using them or any scale of them rather than the Pythagorean TH will help with your speed on timed problems.  Complete the 1st quiz review worksheet for homework.

Monday, 822: Students took their first quiz today and finished with plenty of time.  Homework is to read pages 163-164 in their Math II book, review examples 1-3, and work problems 1-14 on page 166. 

Tuesday, 8/23: Students are to complete the "Introduction to Trigonometry" worksheet WITHOUT using their calculator.  Rememeber SohCahToa can be helpful when learnig the ratios.

Wednesday, 8/24: Students learned how to find the sides of a right triangle when given one angle measure and the length of one side.  They were reminded that when sollving for the sides and trig ratios of  "special triangles" and they should resist using their calculator to evaluate sinA, cosA, and tanA.  Homework tonight in out of the book as listed for August 23 on the homework schedule.  Yes we are a day behind but will most likely make time up next week.   

Thursday, 8/25: Students learned how to find the angles of a right triangle when given the length of two sides using inverse trig. ratios.  For example, if sin A = 4/5 then sin ^-1 (4/5) = A  ; where A represents the measure of an angle and 4/5 represents the ratio of the side opposite to the hypotenuse.  Homework is in the book on page 174; 1-15, 23-27.  The next quiz is now scheduled for Monday.

Monday, 8/29: Students took a timed quiz over right triangle trignometry (no 3D figures).  After the quiz, we reviewed the answers to the rectangular prism and square pyramid from the 3D figure worksheets.  Students received a similar worksheet and should work the rectangular prism and square pyramid for homework as well as the hexagonal pyramid from the first worksheet.  Drawing and labeling 2d right triangles on another piece of paper helps to solve many of the questions on the worksheet.

Tuesday, 8/30: Students received their quizzes back today and a majority of the results were very good.  We reviewed the answeres to the homework and decided that a good strategy to solving the hexagonal pyramid would be to solve all the triangles in the base first.  Student should work on the hexagonal pyramid on the 2nd worksheet for homework as well as the word problem worksheet.  Remember that the angle of elevation and angle of depression always have one ray that is horizontal!  Make sure that you draw the pictures and find the right triangle. 

Tuesday, 8/31: We will be working on word problems for the remaining days of the unit.  A quiz over 3D figures and word problems will be given on Friday.  Homework for this evening is to complete the new word problem worksheet handed out in class and if you didn't finish last nights homework, you should finish that as well.

Wednesday, 9/7: Unit test TOMORROW!  Students took a 15 problem IRespond Test today for review only.  The score will not be counted as a grade, however, many of the problems could be similar to those on the test tomorrow and even on a SAT that students will take in the future.  The answers to the IRespond Test are as follows: 1) A; 2) C; 3) B; 4) C; 5) A; 6) C; 7) C; 8) E; 9) B; 10) E; 11) C; 12) C; 13) D; 14) B; 15)E

Answers to worksheet #3 are attached.  Download Right Triangle Trig Worksheet #3 Answers  It is important that students know how to solve problems involving two right triangles similar to the "steeple" problem on the worksheet.  No homework tonight except to study.

Welcome Back!

I'm glad to have you in my class.  Parents and students, please read the appropriate course guide, standard, and/or student contracts.  Then open the link to the information form below to verify that you have read the guides, standards, or contracts and answer a short questionaire.

For Accelerated Math II:  Download Accelerated Math II Course Guide 2011-2012 and Download Accelerated Mathematics 2 Standards

For AP Calculus AB:  Download AP Calculus AB Course Guide Fall 11 and Download AP Calc AB Standards and Units

I create one post per unit and then keep a running blog by adding updates as indicated by the date.  Although the students will have an assignment sheet at the beginning of the unit, it is important to check the blog for changes or additional comments. 

Link to information form  "http://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dDA0NWNjLTFHV0owclo3cGJVUHBScFE6MQ"  Filling out this form counts as a homework assignment for the students and will be checked!