MTE 3 - Algebra Basics at Virginia Highlands Community College
Course Description
Effective: 2012-01-01
Includes basic operations with algebraic expressions and solving simple algebraic equations using signed numbers with emphasis on applications. Credit is not applicable toward graduation.
Lecture 1 hour per week.
1 credits
General Course Purpose
The purpose of this course is to develop competency necessary to succeed in 100-level math courses in operations and problem solving with algebraic expressions and simple algebraic equations using signed numbers.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
Prerequisites: MTE 2 or qualifying placement score
Course Objectives
- Determine the absolute value of a number.
- Demonstrate proper use of exponents.
- Express repeated factors using exponents.
- Evaluate powers of numbers.
- Find the principal square root of a perfect square.
- Simplify expressions involving signed numbers.
- Add and subtract signed numbers.
- Multiply and divide signed numbers.
- Use the proper order of operations to simplify expressions containing multiple operations on signed numbers, including powers and square roots.
- Write numbers in scientific notation.
- Convert between integer powers of 10 and equivalent decimal numbers.
- Convert numbers between scientific notation and standard notation.
- Simplify algebraic expressions.
- Identify the properties of real numbers (Commutative, Associative, Distributive, Identity and Inverse Properties).
- Simplify an algebraic expression by combining like terms.
- Simplify algebraic expressions using the order of operations.
- Evaluate a formula or algebraic expression for given values of the variables.
- Solve one-step equations using the addition and multiplication properties.
- Solve one-step equations using rational numbers.
- Solve one-step equations using percents.
- Solve problems using proportions.
- Solve application problems including finding perimeter, area and volume.
Major Topics to be Included
- Determining the absolute value of a number.
- Using exponents.
- Finding the principal square root of a perfect square.
- Simplifying expressions involving signed numbers.
- Writing numbers in scientific notation.
- Simplifying algebraic expressions.
- Evaluating formulas and algebraic expressions for given values of the variables.
- Solving one-step equations using the addition and multiplication properties.
- Solving problems using proportions.
- Solving application problems including finding perimeter, area and volume.