Mathematics Site for Secondary Students

Inmath is a site where you can view tutorials on almost any secondary math topic. Check it out and let me know what you think. I haven't used it in my classroom yet, but it came highly recommended from an Education World newsletter.

Factoring Help

If you are needing help with factoring, visit the sites below.

Simple factoring by GCF

Factoring Quadratics (simple)

Factoring Quadratics (when leading coefficient is not 1 as in the simple)

Factoring Weird Cases (when the exponent on the variable is not 2)

Factoring by grouping (or in pairs)

Special Factoring (difference of squares)

This should help you with any issues that you are still having questions about on factoring. Be sure to work some examples to be sure that you have the concept.

Graphing Piecewise Functions

Here are two websites that I have found that do a wonderful job of explaining how to graph piecewise functions.

The first shows boundaries and explains really well why the graph can't extend past the "fence."

The second uses Flash to show how part of each graph is removed.

Check them out if you are still confused!

Interactive Slope Activities for Mrs. Osterberg's Classes

1. Use rise over run to pass this quiz. http://www.algebrahelp.com/worksheets/check/graphing/slope.quiz

2. Find the slope of the line that goes through the following sets of points. Then check your answers here.

(0, 0) (1, 4)

(-3, 1) (5, 5)

(-1, 5) (6, 5)

(-1, 5) (7, 1)

(-3, 3) (1, -1)

(-4, 1) (2, -1)

(0, 1) (5, 2)

(0, 2) (5, 2)

3. Practice x and y intercepts as well as see examples worked here.

Solving Systems of Equations Using Gauss-Jordan Elimination

See this website for step by step direction and answers. Try it if you are stuck or if you have finished the problem to check your answer.

Polynomial Division: Long and Synthetic

Rather than explaining in lots of detail how to divide polynomials either using the long method or the synthetic method, I am sending my students to the following site. This PowerPoint is very brief, but it is very informative and shows every step of each process. Once the presentation is open, just press F5 to begin the slide show. A space bar or enter will move the slide show forward. The backspace key will back up if you need to see something again.

Simplifying Radical Expressions

My Algebra I students are having lots of problems with simplifying radical expressions. It seems that they have run across a concept that eludes them. I am posting about this topic to provide several more examples.

√18

First, we find the prime factorization of 18. If you need help with this concept, go here.

√18 = √(2•3•3)

Since the 3 is repeated twice, we can pull it out from under the square root symbol. Therefore,

√18 = 3√2

Now my students would be asking what happens if you have variables?

√24x³y²

√24x³y² = √(2•2•2•3•x•x•x•y•y)

Pull out everything that is repeated twice - 2, x, y. Leave everything else under the radical symbol.

2xy√(6x)

Some other places to visit for more details on this concept are here and here and here.

If you are one of my students and would like some extra credit, please visit those sites and comment here on whether or not they were helpful.