Normal West High School

This course is designed to assist students in acquiring a more thorough knowledge and proficiency in Algebra.  It should be valuable to those who wish to review fundamental principles and applications in anticipation of college placement tests.  Topics covered are:  graphing and analyzing linear, quadratic, rational, logarithmic, and exponential functions.  Additional topics include systems of linear equations, inequalities, matrices, trigonometric functions/identities, and conics.  This course is intended for the student who has experienced difficulty in Algebra 2 or has had success in Elementary Algebra 2.  A graphing calculator is recommended. 

This course is designed to prepare and transition students directly into college and career pathways, requiring general education college level math competencies in quantitative literacy and statistics. The competencies within each domain should include but are not limited to: numeracy (operation sense, estimation, measurement, quantitative reasoning, basic statistics, and mathematical summaries), application based algebraic topics, and functions and modeling. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate proficiency and understanding in basic numeracy competencies in whole numbers, integers, fractions, and decimals, use estimation and explain/justify estimates, apply quantitative reasoning to solve problems involving quantities or rates, use mathematical summaries of data such as mean, median, and mode, use and apply algebraic reasoning as one of multiple problem-solving tools, and use functions and modeling processes. The course is delivered through authentic application, problem-based instruction designed to build mathematical conceptual understanding and critical thinking skills. A student earning a C or better in this course will guarantee enrollment into a credit-bearing math course at any community college in Illinois.