Converse College, located in Spartanburg, SC and established in 1889 (www.converse.edu) is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, and educational specialist degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Converse College.

GRAPHING CALCULATOR:

The use of a graphing calculator is required. While participants may use any graphing calculator, the instruction on the DVDs uses the TI-73.
Knowledge and competence for use of other graphing calculators will be the sole responsibility of the participant.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

This course will be offered through Distance Education. Participating teachers will receive DVDs to view at their convenience, taking up to nine months to complete all requirements. There are no scheduled class sessions or meetings. There is an Internet web site that contains practice problems, quizzes, and a cumulative Final Examination.

1. The participant must view the DVDs and supply a written statement that this has been accomplished. (Evaluation - Statement must be included with the End of Course packet - without it no credit is to be awarded.)

2. Participants must complete the Practice Problem sets that are provided on the course web site. (Evaluation - The Practice Sets showing student work are submitted in the End of Course packet - without them, no credit will be awarded.)

3. The participant must complete each of the Quizzes online and also submit printed copies of each quiz that shows their work in the end of course packet.

4. There will be a cumulative final examination. The participants will complete the final exam in the presence of a school or district administrator, have the administrator validate it, and then the participant submits it in the End of Course packet. The participants will also enter their answers to the exam online.

GRADING:

Each question, whether a quiz question or a final exam question, will count as one point. Based on these questions, the grading scale is listed below. No other grade is given to this course. If you do not complete the course a grade of F is awarded.

A = 50-47 correct          C+ = 38-37 correct
A- = 46-45 correct         C = 36-35 correct
B+ = 44-43 correct        C- = 34-33 correct
B = 42-41 correct          F = 32 or less correct
B- = 40-39 correct

COURSE TOPICS

I. Number and Operations
A. Solve problems using fractions, decimals and percents
B. Compare and Order fractions
C. Locate fractions on the number line
D. Use ratios and proportions to represent quantitative relationships
E. Solve problems involving factors, multiples, prime factorization and relatively prime numbers
F. Understand, represent and compare integers
G. Understand the meaning and effects of arithmetic operations with fractions, decimals and integers.
H. Use properties (associative, commutative…) with integers, fractions, and decimals.
I. Solve problems using inverse operations (+/-; x/divide, square/sq root)
J. Choose an appropriate approach to a problem (mental arithmetic, pencil and paper, calculator…)
K. Analyze and develop fluency in the use of algorithms for computing with fractions, decimals and integers
L. Develop and use strategies to estimate the results of rational-number computations and judge the reasonableness of the results.

II. Algebra
A. Represent, analyze, and generalize a variety of patterns with tables, graphs, words, and, when possible, symbolic rules.
B. Relate and compare relationships in different forms
C. Determine whether a function is linear or nonlinear and contrast their properties from tables, graphs, or equations
D. Begin to develop a conceptual understanding of different uses of variables
E. Explore relationships between symbolic expressions and graphs of lines
F. Investigate slope and y-intercept of lines
G. Solve problems using symbolic algebra concentrating on linear relationships
H. Simplify and solve linear equations
I. Solve problems using various representations, graphs, tables and equations
J. Use graphs to analyze the nature of changes in quantities in linear relationships.

III. Geometry
A. Use the defining properties of two- and three-dimensional objects to describe and classify them
B. Create and critique inductive and deductive arguments concerning geometric ideas and relationships, such as congruence, similarity, and the Pythagorean relationship
C. Use coordinate geometry to represent and examine the properties of geometric shapes
D. Use coordinate geometry to examine special geometric shapes, such as regular polygons or those with pairs of parallel or perpendicular sides
E. Describe sizes, positions, and orientations of shapes under informal transformations such as flips, turns, slides, and scaling
F. Examine the congruence, similarity, and line or rotational symmetry of objects using transformations.
G. Use two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects to visualize and solve problems such as those involving surface area and volume
H. Use visual tools such as networks to represent and solve problems
I. Recognize and apply geometric ideas and relationships in areas outside the mathematics classroom, such as art, science, and everyday life.

IV. Measurement
A. Understand both metric and customary systems of measurement
B. Understand relationships among units and convert from one unit to another within the same system
C. Understand, select, and use units of appropriate size and type to measure angles, perimeter, area, surface area, and volume
D. Estimate measurements
E. Select and apply techniques and tools to accurately find length, area, volume, and angle measures to appropriate levels of precision
F. Develop and use formulas to determine the circumference of circles and the area of triangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, and circles and develop strategies to find the area of more complex shapes
G. Develop strategies to determine the surface area and volume of selected prisms, pyramids, and cylinders
H. Solve problems involving scale factors, using ratio and proportion
I. Solve simple problems involving rates and derived measurements for such attributes as velocity and density.

V. Data Analysis and Probability
A. Create graphical representations of data including histograms, box plots, and Scatterplots
B. Find, use, and interpret measures of center and spread, including mean and interquartile range
C. Use observations about differences between two or more samples to make conjectures about the populations
D. Use conjectures to formulate new questions and plan new studies to answer them
E. Understand and use appropriate terminology to describe complementary and mutually exclusive events
F. Use proportionality and a basic understanding of probability to make and test conjectures about the results of experiments and simulations
G. Compute probabilities for simple compound events, using such methods as organized lists, tree diagrams and area models