Essentials of Mathematics

Essentials of Mathematics is a semester-length review of the fundamentals taught in Pre-Algebra, Algebra I and Geometry courses and is useful at the high school level for basic skill remediation and/or practice necessary to prepare for a state exam. The course highlights basic mathematical skills through multiple review, practice and sample exam questions. 

Upon successfully completing the course, the student should have mastered the following concepts:

• Understand and know how to compute and define rational numbers
• Perform basic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with fractions, decimals, and percent’s
• Apply basic fundamental rules of exponents as well as scientific notation
• Be able to construct basic and complex geometric shapes; solve for perimeter, area, surface area, and volume
• Use inductive and deductive reasoning, conjectures, and estimation necessary to construct a picture, formula or equation needed for analyzing and solving algebraic and geometric word problems involving basic probability and statistical reasoning, scale factor, graphic representation of quantities, and linear systems of equations
• Solve single variable, absolute value, and linear systems of equations
• Evaluate, solve, and graph linear functions as well as conceptualize the relationship between the independent and dependent variable of a function
• Simplify and perform operations with radical expressions and polynomials
• Understand and know how to apply the slope-intercept form of a line, slope formula, and Pythagorean theorem