Mathematics

The WUHS Mathematics Department strives to provide rich mathematical learning experiences, and the skills that underpin them, for a wide variety of students. All courses integrate technology with pencil-and-paper calculations so that students may be proficient problem solvers. We view algebra as the critical tool for secondary mathematics, thus the curriculum of all introductory courses includes algebraic concepts. Further, our Algebra 1 class meets on a unique daily basis so that students will be firmly grounded. Computer Science courses prepare students for careers in technological fields, while Math for Life and Statistics courses provide business and life skills. College credit may be earned through Advanced Placement courses such as AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and/or AP Computer Science.

 

SAMPLE MATH COURSE SEQUENCES
Sample Sequence I: Accelerated Sequence:
7th Math 7
8th Accelerated Algebra I
9th Accelerated Geometry/Computer Programming
10th Accelerated Algebra II/Computer Programming
11th Pre-Calculus/ Computer Programming /AP Statistics
12th AP Calculus/ Computer Programming /AP Computer Science/AP Statistics

 

Sample Sequence II:
7th Math 7
8th Math 8
9th Algebra I
10th Geometry/Computer Programming
11th Algebra II/Computer Programming/AP Computer Science
12th Trigonometry/AP Statistics/AP Computer Science

 

Sample Sequence III:
7th Math 7
8th Math 8
9th Pre-Algebra 9
10th Algebra I
11th Geometry/Computer Programming
12th Algebra II/Personal Finance

 

Sample Sequence: IV
7th Math 7
8th Math 8
9th Pre-Algebra
10th Math for Life
11th Personal Finance
12th Algebra I

 

With the exception of Computer Programming, taking 2 or more math courses during any school year requires a recommendation of the student’s math teacher and/or the Math Department Chair. The accelerated math program is recommended for students who have demonstrated high achievement and are prepared for a rigorous pace.

 

Graphing calculators are recommended or required in many courses. The TI-83 is recommended for AP Calculus and other accelerated courses. Please check with a Math Department teacher or your math teacher if you have questions.

 

108/ MATH FOR LIFE (formerly Math for Life I)
Grades 9-11                                            Level III
Prerequisite: teacher recommendation                       1 credit
This course will prepare the students to be competent consumers in today’s world. The course approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work and appropriate use of technology. Math for Life includes a review of computational skills from arithmetic and algebra, and includes the topic of probability and statistics in a consumer context. Students who succeed in this course are prepared for Personal Finance.

 

109/Personal Finance (formerly MATH FOR LIFE II)
Grades 10-12                                          Level III
Prerequisites: teacher recommendation          1 credit
This course will prepare students to be competent consumers in today’s world. The instructional approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and appropriate use of technology. Personal Finance includes topics that will be of practical use beyond the classroom such as budgeting, taxes, and banking. Students who succeed in this course will be prepared mathematically for life after high school.

 

125/ PRE-ALGEBRA
Grades 9-12                                            Level III
1 credit
Students who have succeeded in Pre-Algebra have passed Math 8.
In this course students will focus on reinforcing calculation with signed numbers, fractions and decimals; learn to solve simple linear equations by algebraic methods and apply those equations to problems; learn the slope of a line and graph linear equations; work with variables and formulas; operate with monomials. Classroom approach will include lecture and discussion, guided group practice, demonstration and lab. Students will be able to solve equations in one variable, graph lines, evaluate expressions and use calculators to assist themselves. Students will be prepared for Algebra I upon successful completion of this course.

 

1010/ ALGEBRA I (meets daily*)
Grades 9-12                                            Level III
1 credit
Students who have succeeded in Algebra I have earned a final grade of at least 75 in high school Pre-Algebra or middle school Math 8.
This course is designed to introduce students to the concepts and terminology of algebra. The course approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and appropriate use of technology. The course will cover the relationship of real numbers, problem-solving, graphing on the Cartesian plane, solving equations in one or two variables, the study of radicals and exponents, simplifying polynomials, solving equations using factoring and the quadratic formula, and the study of sets. Students who succeed in this course are prepared for Geometry. At the end of this course, students who have obtained grades from 60 to 79 will be subsequently enrolled in Intermediate Algebra.

*half of daily block is a study period

 

134/ INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA
Grades 10-12                                          Level III
1 credit
Students, who have earned 60 to 79 in Algebra I and successfully completed this course, have been successful in Algebra II.
This course is designed to review and strengthen Algebra I skills and concepts through problem solving and portfolio problems. The course approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and appropriate use of technology. Along with strengthening algebra skills, if time permits, students will also be introduced to basic geometry. Students in Intermediate Algebra may take Geometry concurrently if they wish.

 

140/ GEOMETRY
Grades 9-12                                            Level III
1 credit
Students who have succeeded in Geometry have earned a final grade of at least 80 in Algebra I; have concurrent enrollment in Intermediate Algebra; or have had successful completion of Intermediate Algebra.
This course is designed to provide specific knowledge in mathematical and deductive reasoning skills. The course approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and appropriate use of technology. The course content includes line, plane, and angle relationships, a study of the properties as well as the area and volume of geometric figures, geometric constructions, coordinate geometry, geometry of circles, and basic trigonometry. Students who succeed in this course are prepared for Algebra II.

 

155/ ACCELERATED GEOMETRY
Grades 9-12                                            Level II
1 credit
Students who have been successful in Accelerated Geometry have earned a final grade of at least 90 in high school or 85 in middle school Algebra I.
This course is designed to provide specific knowledge in mathematical and deductive reasoning skills. The course approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and appropriate use of technology. The course content includes line, plane, and angle relationships, a study of the properties as well as the area and volume of geometric figures, geometric constructions, coordinate geometry, geometry of circles, basic trigonometry, and the writing of formal proofs. Students who succeed in this course are prepared for Accelerated Algebra II.

 

135/ ALGEBRA II
Grades 10-12                                          Level III
1 credit
Students who have been successful in Algebra II have passed Geometry or have concurrent enrollment in Geometry.
Algebra II is designed to further the preparation of students for advanced mathematical study. Students will strengthen their reasoning abilities and extend their Algebra I skills through a series of units that cover functions, solution of equalities and inequalities, the complex number system, exponents and logarithms, radicals, conic sections, sequences and series, and regression lines. If time permits, topics from discrete mathematics such as matrices and combinations will be covered. The appropriate use of technology and applications from science and other areas is emphasized. A graphing calculator is recommended.

 

138/ ACCELERATED ALGEBRA II
Grades 10-12                                          Level II
1 credit
Students who have been successful in Accelerated Algebra II have earned a final grade of at least 90 in high school or 85 in middle school Algebra I.
In this course students will focus on algebraic approaches to problem solving, reinforcement of Algebra 1 concepts, operations with polynomials, solutions to higher order polynomials, conic sections, exponents and logarithms, probability, and sequences and series. The classroom approach is primarily lecture and discussion, but will be interspersed with discovery labs, small group work and modeling. Students will be able to interpret a variety of problems in algebra and solve them, use a TI-83 or TI84 for assorted topics, and manipulate algebraic quantities. This course will prepare the student for further study in areas such as Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus or
AP Statistics

 

170/ TRIGONOMETRY
Grades 11-12                                          Level II
1 credit
Students who have been successful in Trigonometry have passed Algebra II.
This course will first provide a thorough grounding in the fundamental concepts of trigonometry. The course approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and appropriate use of technology. These concepts will be used to study the more general topics of functions, radian measure, functions graphing, inverse functions vectors, complex numbers, and logarithms.
Students who succeed in this course are prepared for Pre-Calculus or college level math classes.

 

160/ PRE-CALCULUS
Grades 11-12                                          Level II
1 credit
Students who have been successful in Pre-Calculus have earned a final grade of at least 85 in Accelerated Algebra II.
This course prepares the student for Calculus through applications and investigations. The course approach combines, lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and appropriate use of technology. A strong emphasis is placed on the process and interpretation of the problems. Students can expect to coordinate geometry, solving equations and functions, the relation between exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometric functions, triangle trigonometry, advanced graphing, polar graphs and complex numbers, and series and sequences. A TI-83 is recommended. Students who succeed in this course are prepared for AP Calculus.

 

175/ ADVANCED PLACEMENT CALCULUS
Grades 11-12                                          Level I
1 credit
Students who have been successful in AP Calculus have earned a final grade of at least 85 in Pre-Calculus.
In this course, students will study (at least) all topics from the College Board’s Calculus AB course description. The course approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and appropriate use of technology. The course includes a variety of approaches of varying degrees of formality: theory is balanced with concrete examples. Students can expect to learn topics ranging from limits through derivatives, simple differential equations, antiderivatives, and integrals. Polynomial, rational, and transcendental functions are also studied. A graphing calculator, preferably with the capabilities of a TI-83, is required for this course. The Advanced Placement exam, given in May, is a course focus and requirement.

 

161/ AP STATISTICS
Grades 11-12                                          Level I
1 credit
Students who have been successful in AP Statistics have earned a final grade of at least 85 Algebra II and English II or III.
The focus of this course includes the following: frequency and distribution, measures of central tendency and variation, random variables, discrete and continuous probability distributions, sampling, estimation and hypothesis testing, regression, correlation analysis, and experimental design. The classroom approach will be lecture and discussion and will use student gathered data either from sampling or the Internet in small group or individual work. Students will employ the TI-83 or TI-84 calculator to be able to analyze statistical studies in one or two variables. The Advanced Placement exam, given in May, is a course focus and requirement.

 

145/ COMPUTER PROGRAMMING I
Grade 9-12                                             Level III
½ credit in math or technology
Students who have been successful in Computer Programming I have earned a final grade of at least 80 in Algebra I.
This course is not a course about using computer software such as word processing or spreadsheets. Instead, it is the course to take in order to learn how to be the person who designs such software. The course approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and extensive time programming. The course covers the basic structures and algorithms of computer programming using True BASIC, a modern, structured (i.e. using no line numbers) programming language. Structures discussed include loops, conditional structures, subprograms, functions, strings, arrays (1 and 2-dimensional), libraries, and external files. This course, when taken in combination with Computer Programming II, provides the background to insure a smooth transition into a college-level computer science course. Students who complete this course are eligible to elect Computer Programming II in the second semester. This course is also available for ½ technology credit under course #585.

 

150/ COMPUTER PROGRAMMING II
Grade 9-12                                             Level III
½ credit in math or technology
Students who have been successful in Computer Programming II have passed Computer Programming I.
This course is a continuation of Computer Programming I, covering increasingly sophisticated algorithms and structures and an introduction to the Java programming language. By the end of Computer Programming II, students will have designed and written an extensive piece of software as the final project. The design and implementation of their projects are generally larger in scale than those in Computer Programming I. This course is also available for ½ technology credit under course #586.

144/ AP COMPUTER SCIENCE
Grade 12                                               Level I
1 credit in math or technology
Students who have been successful in AP Computer Science have successfully completed Computer Programming II.
This course covers the curriculum described in the College Board’s Advanced Placement Course Description for Computer Science, which is roughly equivalent to a 1st semester college course in computer science. The course approach combines lecture, large and small group work, projects, individual work, and extensive time programming. Students will use the Java programming language to learn important programming structures, algorithms, and the principles of object-oriented programming. They will use many of Java’s GUI features. The Advanced Placement exam, given in May, is a course focus and requirement. .