Back to Homepage	Algebra Class	“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.”  ~Eric Hoffer Reflections On The Human Condition
Homework	Announcements	Parent Page

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Remember to work on the packets I gave you to prepare for the Algebra exemption exam or SOLs. Use the Pre-algebra website for review of basic concepts too.
Monday	5/19/08	p. 386 #3-30 (3s), 31, 33
Tuesday	5/20/08	· p. 419 #1-19 odds · E.C. project: message, written in code, to rising Algebra students. Provide me w/ the answer, in words and numbers, an the equations that make up the message on separate paper. Use equations from at least 5 chapters of the Algebra book.
Wednesday	5/21/08	No hw – due to Field Day
Thursday	5/22/08	p. 423 solve #3, 6,9 (from Oral Exercises) p. 427 #3-18 (3s)
Things to Remember: ° Standard form of a linear equation is: ax + by = c ° Slope = rise = vertical change run = horizontal change ° Slope = y2-y1 = ordinate x2-x1 abscissa ° The basic property of a straight line is that its slope is constant. ° The slope of every horizontal line is 0. ° A vertical line has no slope.		More Things to Remember: ° Slope-intercept form of an equation of a line: y = mx + b: m is the slope; b is the y intercept. ° Plot the y intercept point first, then plot the second point by using the slope. ° Different lines w/ the same slope are parallel ° Parallel lines that are not vertical have the same slope. ° The slopes of perpendicular lines are negative reciprocals of each other. ° The substitution method for solving a system of linear equations in two variables: 1.) solve one equation for a variable that has a 1 or -1 coefficient; 2.) substitute this expression in the other equation and solve for the other variable; 3.) substitute this value in the equation in Step 1 and solve; 4.) Check the values in both equations.

Announcements

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· REMEMBER: Use the link to the Pre-algebra textbook’s website for additional tutoring and practice! The link is highlighted below.

· Diocesan Algebra 1 Exemption Exam will be on May 31, 2008, at your high school.

° You must arrive 15 minutes early to your testing site!!!

° O’Connell’s test starts at 9:00 a.m.

° Paul VI’s test starts at 8:30.

° Test will be 90 minutes.

° Calculators are NOT permitted.

Parent Page
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Below, are some websites you and your child(ren) might find useful. On these sites, a student may practice and review previously learned concepts, or develop a better understanding of a new concept.
Web Links
Good Algebra Site: http://www.themathpage.com/alg/algebra.htm - several great lessons that provide immediate feedback and allow the student to progress to more challenging concepts http://www.themathpage.com/alg/radicals.htm. - same site as above: lesson on radicals (square roots).
Here is the link to the new Pre-Algebra textbook… A GREAT resource to introduce you to concepts you missed when you took Pre-Algebra, and reinforce concepts you haven’t used in a while: http://www.mcdougallittell.com/ml/math.htm Use this link to visit the website for our new Pre-algebra textbook. The following directions will get you to the portion of the site which allows the student to do vocabulary “flash cards.” 1.) Click the link, above 2.) When you get to the home page: 3.) under “Choose a Subject Area,” click on “Middle School” 4.) Scroll down and click on the link provided for the Pre Algebra Book Click on “ClassZone: Companion Website and look for tutorials, games, Power Point presentations, and e-Workbook pages to reinforce what we are learning in class. For chapter 6 practice: http://www.purplemath.com/modules/polydiv.htm This link takes you to a page that demonstrates how to simplify polynomial fractions. The second and third pages are devoted to long division of polynomials. For chapter 5 practice: http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.learn.factor.html This site introduces factoring and provides opportunities to practice at various levels. (ch. 5) http://www.mathplayground.com/games.html -- Fun and Challenging GAMES! http://www.faust.fr.bw.schule.de/mhb/eratclass.htm This site is great for finding all the prime numbers… it is an interactive version of Eratosthenes’ Sieve! Click on numbers until all the number with multiples are gone. When the boxes turn red, you are left with only prime numbers. It may not work with all computers; you need Java Script for it to run. http://www.algebralab.org/Word/Word.aspx?file=Algebra_DistanceRateTimeI.xml Good practice for D=rt word problems. http://regentsprep.org/regents/Math/math-topic.cfm?TopicCode=polymult Multiplying Polynomials… This site has instructional information about each topic along with “practice” pages that are interactive. The students can check their answers immediately, to see if they are on the right track. Practice polynomials with powers, powers of powers, and powers of products. POWERFUL stuff! -- yeesh-- www.mathtv.org Math TV: This site is designed to help middle school students develop problem skills. It features step-by-step instructional videos covering algebra, geometry, fractions, percentages, and probability.
www.funbrain.com http://www.funbrain.com/linejump/index.html Funbrain: This site allows children from pre-K to grade 8 to practice math skills by playing interactive games online. The second link connects you to Line Jump, one of the sites I recommended for working with integers.
http://mathforum.org/dr.math/ Ask Dr. Math: A site that allows students to ask questions. Students can search archives for questions that have been asked in the past.
http://www.thinkquest.org/library/site_sum.html?lib_id=1555&team_id=29292
http://www.purplemath.com/index.htm - this site has lessons covering numerous topics http://www.mathleague.com/help/algebra/algebra.htm
http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/anxiety/index.asp http://www.math.com/students/advice/anxiety.html These sites may help students to deal with math anxiety and developing math skills: http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/book7/book7int.htm This site was created by the Center for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching. It provides the student with interactive tutorials on many different mathematical concepts. Section 15.1 is one that I recommend for students who needed help with integers.