MAT1275 College Algebra and Trigonometry, FA2018

Today’s topics:

• Properties of exponents (review from previous math courses)
• Defining 0 exponent and negative exponent
• Simplifying expressions involving exponents, using those properties and definitions
In the textbook, see Examples 1-4 of section 4.1
• Adding rational expressions when the denominators are the same
• Adding rational expressions: finding Lowest Common Multiple of denominators

Here is a copy of the Course Outline with links to video resources for each topic.

My notes on the properties of exponents are linked on the Documents page here. (So far we have only discussed the first two pages of this.) It’s important to make sure that you familiarize yourself with these properties and that you use them correctly. Have these notes at hand when you work the problems.

Homework:
• Find and deal with your City Tech email.

• Review the examples we discussed in class. Make sure that you see how the properties of exponents are being used at each step. Pay attention to parentheses and what they are telling you about the order of operations.

• Log in to WeBWorK following the instructions here and start working on the assignments.

• Do the assigned problems from the Course Outline from p.321 up to #47 only. (the first set of exercises, from section 4.1) Please note: if a problem has no work to show and the answer is in the back of the textbook, it may not be put on the board, unless you disagree with the answer. In general, only problems that have work that you can show may be put on the board.

• If you have questions about the homework problems or anything else related to this material you can post them as questions on Piazza. Please check your email (whatever email address is in CUNYfirst for you) for the invitation to join Piazza.

Signing on to WeBWorK:

• Go to the course blog in OpenLab and look for today’s post. There will be a link on each day’s post when there is WeBWorK homework due.

Here is a link so you can log in for the first time.

• In the login screen, enter your login name and password. Your user name is your first initial followed by your last name, all lower-case. [For example, my login is sshaver.] If you have a hyphenated last name or two last names, put them together with no hyphen nor space in between. Your password is your CUNYFirst ID.

• Once you are logged in, you can go to the Password/Email link on the left side of the page under “Main Menu”’ and change your password if you wish.

Once you have completed the steps above, you can start working on the assignments.

The due dates for the first assignments are midnight of the 11th of September. However, usually, the assignments will be due midnight the night before the next class meeting after they are assigned. Start working well in advance of the due date and time so that you can have time to redo problems whose answers are incorrect, and so that you will not have to rush. (Please consult this page for policy on extensions.)

You may usually resubmit a new answer to a problem if you get it wrong. If you need to redo any problem, you can and should consult your notes, the textbook, discuss with another student, post questions to Piazza, etc. before you submit a new answer. Note that usually each student will receive a different version of the problem, although they will be similar.

At the bottom of each assignment is a “Help” button you can use to post a question to Piazza if you encounter any difficulties using WeBWorK or if you believe that your answers are correct but they are being marked wrong.