Read the following instructions in order to complete this discussion, and review the
example
( SEE ATTACHMENT) of how to complete the math required for this assignment:
Your initial post should be 150-250 words in length.
INSTRUCTOR GUIDANCE EXAMPLE: Week One Discussion
1. I will use the following five vocabulary words in my discussion demonstrating my understanding of their meaning as relating to the math work.
exponent
integer
variable
lowest terms
divisor
2. I will be using my sister’s birth date for this exercise, and it is 21 October 1961. This means I have the following integers to work with:
Let a = 10
b = –21 (notice I made the day number negative)
c = 61
I will be using the algebraic expressions in A – C given in the assignment for parts 3 – 5 of the discussion.
A) a3 – b3 This is the given expression with variables a and b and
exponents of 3 on each of them
103 – (-21)3 I have plugged in 10 for variable a and -21 for variable b.
1000 – (-9261) The integers were raised to the given exponents.
1000 + 9261 Minus a negative becomes a plus.
10,261 Here is the final answer.
B) (a – b)(a2 + ab + b2) This is the given express which also uses variables a and b.
[10 – (-21)][102 + 10(-21) + (-21)2]
I have plugged in 10 for a and -21 for b in each case.
[10 + 21][100 + (-210) + 441]
In the first part the two negatives became a plus, and in the
second part the squaring and the multiplication was done.
31(100 – 210 + 441) The first addition was done and the signs were simplified.
31(331) The second quantity was simplified.
10,261 Here is the final answer.
C) b – c This expression uses all three variables: a, b, and c.
2b – a It is a rational expression with a divisor of 2b – a.
– 21 – 61 The integers have been plugged in for the variables.
2(-21) – 10
– 82 Both numerator and denominator have been evaluated.
– 52 Both are negative which means the answer will be positive.
41 This is our answer in lowest terms, and I will leave the
26 answer as an improper fraction.
6. [Student answers will vary on this question depending upon math background and memory.]
Evaluating Algebraic Expressions.
Read the instructions below to complete this discussion, and review the example of how to complete the math required for the assignment.
a. Write your birth date or the birth date of someone in your family as mm/dd/yy. (Example January 3, 1985 is written as 1/3/85, and October 12, 1962 is written as 10/12/62)
i. Now let a = the one- or tow digit month number
ii. b = the negative of the one-or two digit day number
iii. c = the two digit year number.
1. (From the example: a = 1, b = -3, c = 85 or a = 10, b = -12, c = 62)
b. Use the following algebraic expressions for parts c – d of the discussion. Examples using 1/3/85 are highlighted in red.
i. a3 – b3 = 13 – (-3)3 = 28
ii. (a – b)(a2 + ab +b2) = (1 – (-3))(12 + 1(-3) +(-3)2) = (4)(1 – 3 + 9) = 28
iii.
c. Evaluate the three given expressions using the a, b, and c from your birth date. Make sure that b is negative when you plug in the values
d. After you have your math worked out on scratch paper, post your results as well as a description of the steps you took to evaluate the expressions.
e. Incorporate the following five math vocabulary words at least once into your discussion. Use bold font to emphasize the words in your writing (Do not write the definitions for the words; use them appropriately in sentences describing your math work)
i. Exponent
ii. Integer
iii. Variable
iv. Lowest terms
v. Divisor
