Precalculus
The Fine Print

Course Goals​

• Describe characteristics and properties of complex functions both graphically and algebraically 

• Recognize and evaluate the behavior of trigonometric functions using the unit circle 

• Learn and manipulate trigonometric identities to solve complex equations

• Understand the relationship between linear equations and matrices in order to solve systems of linear equations

• Explore topics of analytical geometry graphically 

• Use standard equations to graphically represent the 4 types of conic sections

• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate limits of sequences, series and functions 

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The courses will cover the following topics:

• Characteristics of complex functions such as domain/range, increasing/decreasing, minimums/maximums and asymptotes

• Factoring polynomials using synthetic division

• Properties of complex numbers

• Modeling logarithmic and exponential functions to study topics such as earthquake magnitudes, compound interest and population growth

• Trigonometry topics such as trigonometric functions, the Unit Circle, right angles, and trigonometric identities to study topics such as linear speed and harmonic motion

• Properties of vectors such as finding the dot product, cross product and triple scalar product

• Solving systems of linear equations algebraically and by use of matrices to study topics such as cryptography

• Proofs by mathematical induction

• Introduction to probability including use of the Binomial Theorem, Pascal’s triangle and permutations

• Exploration of conic sections including circles, parabolas, ellipses, and hyperbolas,

• Graphing and exploring properties of parametric and polar equations

• An introduction to Calculus through the evaluation of limits  

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