Brushing up courseMathematics

J. Deprez – G. Dierckx – A. Maes

Welcome!

Monday 6 – Friday 10 September 2010 9.00 – 13.00

Goal

Mathematics in general: Learn the mathematical knowledge, skills, personal attitudes needed to handle the quantitative side of life around us adequately.

Handle the quantitative side of life around us ?

Why mathematics ?

Banks and stock exchanges

ECTS: “uses mathematical and statistical concepts and methods to model and analyse phenomena”

The guardian, May 1 2009 it will turn up in other courses

Why mathematics ?

Principles

of law

Times, February 3, 2004

Everyone agrees that education should make surepeople are ‘literate’ but what about ‘numeracy’, thethe ability to recognize, understand and use maths ?

Handle the quantitative side of life around us ?

it will turn up in other courses

Why brushing up course?

- Guarantee a good start of Math I at an appropriate level

different background of students- Prepare you for the assessment• testing your mathematical ability…

(re)teaching + testing what was taught• rather than testing your memory

Why assessment?

Advise you about the most appropriatecourse

package for you- STANDARD : 2h/week + tutorial (optional)- SLOW : 4h/week (same material/exam)- PREPARATORY MATH instead of MATH

Assessment : Who ?

• Inside Council of Europe- assessment test: obligatory- brushing up course: in your advantage

• Outside Council of Europe (already did SAT)- If 450 < SAT < 500 (or 17<ACT<20): assessment + course obligatory- If SAT > 500: assessment voluntarily

Assessment and Feedback Session

• Monday 14 September: Assessment– one group enters at 8:30– another group enters at 10:30

• Tuesday 15 September: Feedback Sessionappointment with the lecturers who discuss your

result and give advice about the most appropriate mathematics package for you

Assessment : What ?

• oral with written preparation

• May take up to 3 or 4 hours

• You need to bring pen, ruler, scientific calculator

Brushing up : Study Contents

• Class handouts & notes• For each class, handouts, exercises and notes will be

available on http://home.scarlet.be/deprez.johan/2010brushingup

• HUB-website of brushing up course:– either by following the links from www.hubrussel.be– direct address:

http://www.hubrussel.be/eCache/IEE/28/355.html– all practical information is OK– however, files are those of last year

• Supplementary material: Introductory Mathematical Analysis for Business, Economics, and the life and social sciences (E.F. Haeussler, R.S. Paul, R.J. Wood)

Brushing up : Study Contents

• Linear equations/inequalities, linear functions, systems of linear equations

• Quadratic equations and inequalities, quadratic functions

• Derivative as slope, derivative of polynomial functions

• Algebra practice• Exponents and logarithms, simple

exponential equations

Lecturers

• Math I– Standard: G. Dierckx– Slow

• 1st semester: J. Deprez• 2nd semester: A. Maes

• Brushing up course:– Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: J. Deprez– Thursday, Friday, A. Maes

• AssessmentJ. Deprez, G. Dierckx, A. Maes

Studying mathematics• work hard if you want to pass Math I

• mathematics is cumulative: make sure that you don’t loose track; working hard during the semester on a regular basis is more important than studying just before the exam

• mathematics is not a spectator sport: engage actively with mathematics– attend classes, pay attention and ask questions while in class

– review the material studied and make a summary

– do homework exercises, may be in a study group

• persevere: you will not understand everything at once

Studying for the assessment• work hard if you want to pass the assessment

• apart from the sessions,– this week: work at least 2 hours a day

– weekend: rehearse, do exercises, do the example test

• mathematics is not a spectator sport– attend classes, pay attention and ask questions while in class

– review the material studied and make a summary

– do homework exercises, may be in a study group

• persevere: you will not understand everything at once