| Date Posted | Announcement |
| 1/16 | There are many opportunities for "extra
credit" throughout the semester. If you attend any Lynchburg College event
just send me an email describing the event in a short paragraph. Anything on campus qualifies:
lectures, performances, exhibits, sporting events, or any other student activity. Anything off
campus should be something more legitimate, like a lecture, performance, or community service
activity. There will be no formal extra credit grade assigned. This is just an excuse
for me to bump your grade up at the end of the semester if you are borderline. |
| 1/25 | Quiz Friday 1/27 covering sections 1.1, 1.2 |
| 1/25 | Math Lab in Centennial 370. Hours:
Sunday - 3-5pm
Monday- Thursday - 1-5pm
No appointment necessary. Most tutors can handle up to Calculus II. |
| 1/27 | PASS Sessions will be Wednesday 7pm and Thursday 8pm in Hobbs 119 |
| 2/1 | Test Friday 2/3 covering sections 1.1-1.4 |
| 2/15 | Quiz Friday 2/17 covering section 2.1 |
| 2/22 | Quiz Friday 2/24 covering section 2.3 |
| 2/27 | Test Friday 3/3 covering sections 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2 |
| 4/10 | Test Wednesday 4/12 covering sections 5.1-5.3 |
| Due on |
Question |
| 1/20 |
Describe what a function is using your own words. Give an
example of a real-life function and indicate which quantity depends on the
other. |
| 1/27 | The graph below represents your distance (in miles) from
home as a function
of time (minutes since you left). That is, time is on the input axis and distance is on the output
axis.
- During which time interval are you driving away from your home?
Why?
- During which time interval are you driving towards your home? Why?
- What is your maximum distance from home?
- Describe what is happening between t=2min and t=3min.
- Do you return home? If so, how long were you away from home?
- When do you appear to be driving the fastest? Why?
|
| 2/3 | Give an example of a real-life situation that can be modeled using a linear function
. Describe the dependence of one variable on the other. Would the graph of this linear function be
increasing or decreasing? Why? What would the slope of this line tell you about the situation it is
modeling? What does the y-intercept represent in terms of this application?
Do you think it is reasonable to represent most things in real-life using linear functions? Why
or why not? Can you think of an example that would be better represented by a function whose graph is
more "curvy" than a line? |
| 2/10 | Give an example of a real-life situation in which a set of data points you might
collect would not be linear (i.e. fit perfectly on a line). Be as specific as possible about which
quantity is the independent variable and which is the dependent variable. If you found the regression
line for this data, what would the slope tell you? |
| 2/17 | A system of linear equations can be thought of as a list of conditions that a point
must satisfy in order to qualify as a solution to the system. In other words, the point must satisfy
each of the two equations in the system. In class we talked about systems of two equations in two
variables and determined that a solution represents a point of intersection of the two lines. Suppose we
have a system of three equations in two variables. (For example, look at p.113 #11)
- Describe how such a system would be represented graphically and what a solution to the system
would represent.
- Describe how these lines might be positioned if the system has a unique solution.
- Describe at least two ways in which the lines might be positioned if the system has no solutions.
(It might help to draw yourself several pictures.)
- Do you think it is more likely that a system of three equations has a unique solution or no
solution? Explain.
- Do you think it would be easier to find a system of three equations with a unique solution
or to find a system of two equations with a unique solution? Explain. (Think about how many
conditions are imposed on the solution in each case.)
|
| 2/24 | Suppose the following are questions at the end of long confusing word problems. In each
case tell what the variables for each problem should represent.
- How many empty seats did each of these three airlines (American, USAir, Southwest) have on its last
flight?
- How much did Mr. Johnson donate to each of these three charities (Ronald McDonald House, UNICEF, American
Cancer Foundation)?
- How many ounces of each of the two chemicals, A and B, is contained in the mixture?
- How many voters from each state voted for the candidate? (Don't write them all down, just tell me
how many variables there are and what each one represents.)
|
| 3/3 | Suppose you solve a linear programming problem and realize that the objective function
is maximized at two adjacent corner points of the feasible region. That is, two of the corner points
that are next to each other give the same maximum value. What can you say about the solution(s) to the
problem? (Hint: Think about the line joining these two corner points.) |
| 3/24 | Suppose you invest a certain amount of money in a bank account earning
simple interest. Sketch a graph of the total value of the investment (Not necessarily the amount of
money in the account) with respect to time. Now suppose the money is invested in an account earning
compound interest and sketch a graph of the total value of the investment with respect to time. (Hint:
Look at the fomulas for simple and compound interest and compare them to the different kinds of functions
we saw in section 1.2) |
| 3/31 | Suppose you are making monthly payments into an annuity. Your investment advisor
tells you that you will earn more interest by making smaller monthly deposits into the account over a long time than you will by making
larger payments over a shorter time. Is he correct? Explain. Give examples to support your answer. |