Week 1 Discussion: Introduction to Algebra

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Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

Read the following instructions in order to complete this discussion, and review the example of how to complete the math required for this assignment:

1. Write your birth date or the birth date of someone in your family as mm/dd/yy. (Example: March 13, 1981 is written 3/13/81, and November 7, 1967 is written 11/7/67).

2. • Now let a = the one- or two-digit month number,

   • b = the negative of the one- or two-digit day number, and

   • c = the two-digit year number.

   • (Our example: a = 3, b = -13, and c = 81 or a = 11, b = -7, and c = 67)

3. Use the following algebraic expressions for parts 3-5 of the discussion:

5. 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.

7. After you have your math worked out on scratch paper, go back and verbally describe the steps you took to evaluate the expressions. Make sure to use each of the vocabulary words at least once in your writing.

   • Did you notice anything interesting about the results of and ? Was this coincidence or do you think there is a reason for this?

8. Incorporate the following five math vocabulary words into your discussion. Use bold font to emphasize the words in your writing (Do not write definitions for the words; use them appropriately in sentences describing your math work.):

9. • Exponent

   • Integer

   • Variable

   • Lowest terms

   • Divisor

Your initial post should be 150-250 words in length. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Do you agree with how your classmates used the vocabulary? Did the student handle the negatives in the formulas accurately?