College Algebra NEW

Animals, Architecture, and Innovation

How on earth are animals, architecture, and business related? You've heard it before, but we'll say it again: math is everywhere. In this class… San Jose State University

Class Summary

How on earth are animals, architecture, and business related? You’ve heard it before, but we’ll say it again: math is everywhere. In this class, you’ll gain an in-depth understanding of algebraic principles, many of which you may have seen before, and learn how to use them to solve problems that we encounter in everyday life. The online version of College Algebra will cover all of the topics that you would see in more traditional class formats, but it will present the material in a way that we hope you’ll find fresh and interesting. You will learn about functions, polynomials, graphing, complex numbers, exponential and logarithmic equations, and much more, all through exploring real-world scenarios.

What Should I Know?

Basic arithmetic - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of positive and negative numbers.

Important:Enrolling here will get you started in the free, open version of this class. If you want to take the class for credit, have access to the instructors, and additional support services, you'll need to enroll through our university partner portal.

If you are interested in taking this course for credit, please also fill out this quick interest form!

See our Udacity / SJSU Plus FAQ for more details on how this course works and how to get college credit.

What Will I Learn?

In this course, you will learn...

• To translate word problems into mathematical expressions or equations
• To manipulate algebraic expressions and solve equations
• To graph different types of functions and to understand the relationship between a function’s graph and its equation
• To be able to model growth and decay

Syllabus

The following topic will be covered. There will be two midterms and one final exam. There are no deadlines unless you are in the SJSU pilot. However, the material will be released on a weekly schedule on a Wednesday as far as is possible.

1. Numbers and Expressions
2. The Equation of a Line and Solving Linear Equations
3. Linear Equations and Inequalities
4. Quadratic Equations
5. More on Quadratics
6. Complex Numbers
7. Functions
8. Higher Order Polynomials
9. Graphing and Transforming Functions
10. Rational Functions and More Inequalities
11. Combining and Inverting Functions
12. Exponents and Logs
13. Algebra of Logs and Exponents
14. Solving and Graphing Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
15. Review

Course Instructors

Julie Sliva Spitzer is a Professor of Mathematics Education in the Mathematics Department at San Jose State University, where she primarily works with prospective mathematics teachers on pedagogy. Her primary area of interest is in teaching mathematics to special education students. She is excited to help increase access to further education through this course.

Miriam feels inspired by the inherent beauty of math and loves helping others develop confidence and excitement as they learn. Having the opportunity to do this with thousands of students all over the world through her work at Udacity is a dream come true. Outside of work, she enjoys singing, baking, teaching yoga, and tutoring high schoolers. Miriam attended Stanford University, where she earned a B.S. in Physics, a B.A. in Philosophy and Religious Studies, and an M.A. in Religious Studies.

Sarah Norell holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of London, UK. She has lectured at the London School of Economics, University of Umeå and Mid-Sweden University and tutored at all ages. These experiences give her invaluable insight into the misconceptions students have about maths at many levels. This insight, plus Udacity tech, have allowed her to effectively teach maths online, like she's always wanted to.