Background material for MATH1111

We are assuming that you have completed Year 10 Mathematics. So you should be able to rearrange and solve equations, substitute into a formula, find the equation of a line, factorize expressions, factorize and solve a quadratic equation either by inspection or by using the quadratic formula, and use the index laws.

The Maths Learning Centre should be the first place you go to get some assistance if you are unfamiliar with these concepts. There is plenty of material available there and times when people are available to help with these skills. The Maths Learning Centre also has material online on their publications page and their resources page.

If you would like to review year 10 material then you may find some of the links below useful.

Rearranging and Solving Equations

There are very simple explanations, examples and exercises on rearranging equations at http://www.adamzone.co.uk/formulae.htm and methods of solving linear equations at http://www.purplemath.com/modules/solvelin.htm.

If you are still looking for explanations then you could try http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/AllBrowsers/1314/1314.asp; it has detailed explanations on preliminary algebraic material. If you are still looking for more then try Maths for Morons Like Us at http://library.thinkquest.org/20991/intro.html.

There are some quizzes and web resources on manipulating equations at http://quiz.econ.usyd.edu.au/mathquiz/manipulation/index.php, and some further quizzes at http://www.mathguide.com/lessons/Equations.html.

Substituting into a Formula

There are quizzes and web resources at http://quiz.econ.usyd.edu.au/mathquiz/substitution/index.php.

If that is not enough then check http://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/Expressions-with-variables/.

Equations of Lines

There are quizzes and web resources at http://quiz.econ.usyd.edu.au/mathquiz/linear/index.php

Algebra

There is a booklet from Macquarie University Numeracy Centre which covers factorizing from any expressions to quadratic expressions, with plenty of exercises. The booklet has the answers in the back, but no worked solutions to the problems. The Maths Learning Centre has a booklet on Algebraic Skills which you can get help to work through. It also has exercises and answers at the back.

There are useful resources at http://library.thinkquest.org/20991/alg/factoring.html. It starts with factorizing expressions and moves on to factorizing quadratic expressions. The quiz only seems to test factorizing quadratic expressions.

There is an interesting applet at http://www.rfbarrow.btinternet.co.uk/htmgcse/FactorQuad1.htm which gets you to use a slide to fill in the possible factors for quadratic expressions. There also are practice problems at http://www.targeon.org.uk/jrw/factor.htm. There are plenty of lessons on a variety of algebra topics at Purple Maths, and they are consistently good.

Index Laws

There are several lessons at Purple Maths. Start at http://www.purplemaths.com/modules/exponent.htm and then follow the links to other lessons. There is material on logarithmic laws at http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/mikemath/alglogprops/, and there are quizzes and more resources at http://quiz.econ.usyd.edu.au/mathquiz/indices/index.php.