Key to Algebra

(two semester course)

Some of the topics and problems that are studied in this course include:

• Signed Numbers and Operations on Integers
  1. Factoring
  2. Prime Numbers
  3. Comparing Integers
  4. Adding Integers
  5. Opposites
  6. Subtracting Integers
  7. Multiplying and Dividing Integers
  8. Order of Operations
• Variables, Terms and Expressions
  1. Equivalent Expressions
  2. Exponents
  3. Multiplying Terms
  4. Like Terms and Unlike Terms, Combining Like Terms
  5. Using Distributive Principle
• Equations
  1. Equivalent Equations
  2. The Addition Principle for Equations
  3. The Division Principle for Equations
  4. The Multiplication Principle for Equations
  5. Translating Word Problems into Equations
  6. Using Equations to Solve Problems
• Polynomials
  1. Adding Polynomials
  2. Opposites of Polynomials. Subtracting Polynomials
  3. The Distributive Principle
  4. Factoring Out a Common Factor
  5. Monomials, Binomials, and Trinomials
  6. Quadratic Equations
• Rational Numbers
  1. Dividing Integers
  2. Equations with Rational Solutions
  3. Number Lines. Graphing Rational Numbers
  4. Inequalities. Graphing Inequalities
  5. Absolute Value
  6. Relations and Functions
• Graphs
  1. Ordered Pairs
  2. Plotting Graphs from Tables
  3. Graphing Equations
  4. Linear Equations. The Slope of a Line
  5. Finding the Equation of a Line
  6. Graphing Linear Inequalities
• Systems of Equations
  1. Solving Systems of Equations by Graphing
  2. Solving Systems of Equations by Addition or Subtraction
  3. Solving Systems of Equations by Substitution
  4. Using Systems of Equations to Solve Problems
  5. Solving Systems of Inequalities
  6. Graphing Linear Inequalities
• Square Roots and Quadratic Equations
  1. Squares and Square Roots
  2. Irrational Numbers
  3. Solving Quadratic Equations without Factoring
  4. The Pythagorean Theorem
  5. Square Roots of Monomials.
  6. The Product and Quotient Rules
  7. Completing the Square
  8. Quadratic Functions