Wednesday,  Oct. 2, 2013 • Vol. 15--No. 79B • 12 of 65

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textbook integrates geometry, probability, and statistics together with algebra.  The use of technology appears throughout the course and proves to be a support for the students' work and understanding.  It is required that the textbook be carefully read, as excellent and complete examples are provided.
• The beginning chapters have included foundational concepts upon which the entire year depends:  properties, patterns, algebraic expressions, careful use of the scientific and graphing calculators, and number facts.  Students have been using graphing calculators to enter equations, store lists, verify the mean, access a table, graph, determine the mean absolute deviation of a set of data, and test the equivalency of expressions. 

• Informal Geometry - Mrs. Johnson
• This geometry course is designed to help students discover, learn, and apply geometry in real life.  They began with the basics:  points, lines, and planes, some work with conditional statements and their converses, simple constructions, and graphing on the coordinate plane.  Students will continue to review and use algebra concepts throughout the school year. 
• The next chapter will explore the different types of angles formed by the intersection of lines and found within triangles.  A computer drawing program will be used to display, measure, and compare diagrams.   Accelerated Math software will provide opportunity for review and diagnostic assessment.

• Pre-Algebra - Mrs. Johnson
• Mathematics has a language of its own, including vocabulary terms and symbols.  Students have been translating word phrases and following the order of operations in simplifying algebraic expressions.  They have also entered ordered pairs on the graphing calculator and graphed scatterplots.
• The students are just beginning to solve simple one-step addition and subtraction equations and will soon solve equations involving multiplication and division.  Their goal is to restore the value of the variable by showing the algebraic steps and required checks.  They will also present their work on the board for class discussion.  The chapter will extend their work into solving and graphing inequalities, both on graph paper and on the graphing calculator.

• Transition Mathematics - Mrs. Johnson
• The purpose of Transition Mathematics is to provide a smooth connection from arithmetic to algebra.  The course also includes the study of geometry, measurement, probability, and statistics.  Problems relate to real-world applications as well

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