Mat 181 Mathematics with Technology - 2008
Assignments:
August 27
Introduction to TI-83/84. Discussed the following: MODE,
Cursors, INS,
*Volume of a frustum of right circular cone *Law of Cosines
Homework was to practice Symbolic representation on the Home screen 
September 3 Class discussion included the following KEYS and examples.
Y= CALC MODE MATH/TEST TABLE
Value & zero function roots, absolute value,
connected/dot Greatest integer
*Evaluating
functions/piecewise/trig
When typing in j(x) please ignore the second brace and what looks like an underline.
Homework was to practice using the keys mentioned and email Dr. Floyd any questions.
September 10 quiz each student graphed a different function in a window that was appropriate for the function. Discussions included:
y
= 
Other examples used to clarify were used during class.
September 17 - Class cancelled.
September 24 - During class the following menus were reviewed:
Y= Discussed how to graph an inequality and get a number line solution
Discussed how to split the screen, graph sim/seq, turn grid on, etc. using MODE and FORMAT
MODE
ZOOM (FORMAT)
TRACE (CALC) - Discussed in the CALC mode use Intersect to solve an equation and an inequality, find max, find min, find slope of a tangent line, etc.
MATH - mentioned functions in the initial menu
Homework:
Students should practice how to solve equations and inequalities in multiple ways.
Students should adjust WINDOW, split screen, turn grid on, find zeros, evaluate functions, find maximum, find minima of functions, find the slope of a line
tangent to a curve at a point.using more than one method.
October 1 Quiz. Discussion included: how to determine the range of a function, how to CALC the max and min., how to graph the inverse trig functions, and using the graphing calculator to solve equations involving transcendental functions..
Examples included:
Find the range of: 
Solve: 
How to graph the inverse trig functions: 
may be graphed using 
Homework: Students should practice finding range of functions, and graphing inverse functions.
October 8 Matrix operations and solving systems of linear equations using matrices was discussed.
Use the following matrices to demonstrate matrix operations of scalar multiplication, multiplication, addition, subtraction, and inverse matrices.
A+ B E + F 3B 2A AXB BXA CXD DXC EXB BXC 
Solve the following systems of equations using properties of
matrices: 
October 15 Quiz on solving equations using matrices. Began a discussion of descriptive statistics. Students used a data sheet to calculate the following values from lists in the STAT menu.
Descriptive
Statistics -
Measures of the Middle (central
tendency) - histogram
a) Arithmetic mean (
) sum divided by n
b)
Median (
) - sorted data
middle value or middle two averaged
c)
Midrange - 
d)
Mode most common
HOMEWORK: Students should review matrix manipulations discussed Oct 8, using matrices to solve equations, and practice entering data to calculate mean, median, mode and midrange. Data sheets are outside Dr. Floyds office door.
October 22 Quiz
on solving a system using matrices and descriptive statistics. Discussed
Measures of Dispersion: standard
deviation (s or 
, variance 
or
and range (High
Low). Discussed creation of a histogram
and a box-plot. Students should use data
from the data sheet to create histograms and box-plots.
October 29 Students used data to compute descriptive statistics for an in-class quiz. Then the discussion of statistical computation continued. Dr. Floyd answered questions then discussed measures of position. Students were asked to use the data from their data sheet to find several specific percentiles.
November 5 Answered questions about statistics. Then the discussion began about the topic of the day: Complex Number computation with the graphing calculator
MODE a+bi - then complex numbers may be entered with parenthesis around them and any computation may be completed using the operation keys as one would normally.
MATH CPX - also provides for interesting information about complex numbers.
Examples included:
=
=
then MATH Frac
Use angle from the CPX menu to determine the measure of the angle from the Gaussian plane for the complex number (3 2i).
Change the MODE to DEGREE for angle measure and redo the Angle command from the CPX Menu.
Compute powers of i on the home screen and using the power key.
On the HOME screen type in (3 - 5i) then use MATH CPX and change to POLAR coordinates .
Homework: Students should keystroke the above problems to be sure they remember how to do computation of complex numbers.
November 12 Dr. Leavelle demonstrated Statdisk. He told students how to download the software from www.Statdisk.org
Students entered data, retrieve date from existing data sets and used the data to calculate descriptive statistics with it. Box plots were demonstrated to compare different spreads of date (ie: ages of academy award winners).
Students produced scatter plots and calculated the regression equation for bivariant data (two columns of data required).
Students generated random sets of normally distributed data.
November 19 Dr. Travis demonstrated . . .