Information for Math Xa Midterm 1, Fall 2002
The first midterm in Math Xa will be held on Wednesday
October 30. The exam will start at 7pm and end at 9pm.
The location of the first midterm is Science Center Lecture
Hall D.
There will be a course-wide review on Tuesday October 29 from
5-7pm in Science Center Lecture Hall D.
You are allowed to use your calculator on the exam, and may
bring one standard size (8.5 by 11 inch) sheet of notes into
the exam with you. (Yes, you are allowed to use both sides.)
The test will include eight problems, each with multiple
parts. The problems will be very reflective of what we have
emphasized in the course - the idea of this test is to see
what you have learned (or already knew). We will not be
putting anything on the test that is completely foreign,
although you should not expect all of the problems on the
test to closely resemble calculations that you have already
done. You will have to explain your reasoning in words, so
be ready to do that.
The bottom line is that we are not
going to pull any "dirty tricks" on the exam. As long as you
have been going to class, working out all of the parts of the
labs, doing a thorough and conscientious job on the homework,
make a decent effort to review your class notes, and complete
as many review problems as you have time for then you will be
well prepared for the test.
Finally, remember when you are deciding what sort of function
would do a good job of representing the trend in a set of
data, use the shape of the STATPLOT of the data as your main
guide. Only use the correlation coefficient (r or r^2) as a
tie-breaker if several types of function would each do a
reasonable job.
The specific topics that will be tested on the midterm
include:
- The definition of a function
- Representations of functions (graphs, tables,
equations, written descriptions
- Interpreting graphs, tables, words and
equations
- Modeling relationships using simple functions
(linear, exponential and power functions)
- Interpreting the parameters of linear and
exponential functions
- Calculating and interpreting rates of change
- Solving exponential equations using
logarithms
- Rates of change and concavity
- Approximating functions that are defined by a
rate of change (Euler's method)
- Transformations of functions
- Recognizing the shapes of simple functions
- Recognizing the shapes of polynomial
functions
- Finding equations for polynomial functions
- Compositions of functions
- The concept of the inverse of a function
- Completing the square and quadratic
functions
- Functions defined in pieces
Practice Problems for Midterm 1
Sets of review problems (and solutions) will be posted here
over the next few days. Check back when you finish one
problem set, and there will probably be a new one waiting for
you.