Test #2 graded

Test grades and curves have been posted online.  More details will be shared during class tomorrow, but here are some stats you might be interested in:

• 90 students took the test today and 5 students were absent (3 students on Yellowstone field trip)
• > 70% earned a raw score of 80 or higher
• > 50% earned a curved score of 90 or higher
• 9 students earned 100 or more points (including up to 3 point bonus)
• the curve is 20% of the points lost (average curve was ~3 points)
• mean was 85 before the curve and 88 with the curve

I am very pleased that many of you did well on this test.  You cannot fake understanding the topics on this test - if you did well, you understand the concepts and techniques.  Many of you did what was necessary to perform well on this test - I understand that this might have been many, many hours of homework and studying.  Thank you!

Your test will be returned tomorrow and test corrections should be started this weekend.  You will also receive your final progress report for the first grading period tomorrow.

Test #2 progress

Just an update ... I have 15 more tests to grade.  I will keep working on these and post grades sometime tonight.  With relatively few exceptions, the tests are looking good including some outstanding scores of 100+.

Chain rule, etc.

Group solutions from sections 2.3-2.5 and ~8 minute video about finding the derivative of inverse functions:

http://home.comcast.net/~mazzoni_bhs/apcalc/notes/index.htm

Reminders...

There's a lot going on in BC during the next few days, so I thought I would summarize:

• Complete 2.1 homework from last Monday if you need to catch-up
• be sure to use the limit on p. 149 to find the slope or velocity 
• we did 2.1 #49 on Tuesday in section 2.2 on slide 10
• Complete 2.2 homework from last Tuesday if you need to catch-up
• be sure to use the limit definition of a derivative (not the power rule from section 2.3)
• Prepare your group solutions from 2.1 or 2.2 to share on Tuesday, September 18
• we will also discuss the last few slides from section 2.2
• Work on 2.3 homework
• you'll need to rewrite many of these problems before differentiating using the power rule ... for example
• #5 - move the x up to the numerator and express with a negative exponent
• #11 - express the root in exponential form
• #13 - distribute the x first
• #15 - divide each term by 2x first
• Watch the 2.4 video lecture before class on Wednesday, September 19
• http://bit.ly/pGQshy (~40 minutes)
• start the 2.4 homework
• A short quiz on sections 2.1 and 2.2 is tentatively planned for Thursday, September 20
• details will be provided later
• Complete Test #1 corrections by the end of lunch Thursday, September 20
• please stop by during lunch Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday for help
• at least one visit required if test score is less than 80 with the curve

Test #1

Grades have been updated for Test #1.  There was a curve of 15% of the points you lost that you will see in gradespeed.  This was a small curve with an average of 3.2 points/student added.  You should always check you scores in gradespeed and alert me to any potential errors.

We will have one more test this grading period worth 100 points on October 4 as well as about 50 points for quizzes, group solutions, etc.  This is in addition to the 145 point you have had the opportunity to earn so far.

If your average is below ~80 currently or at the end of the grading period, it will be best in most cases to move to AB.  If you struggled on this first test, please see me to discuss your progress and strategies for learning current topics leading up to the second test.

Dividing polynomials

You will need to use long division of polynomials to find slant asymptotes.

Khan Academy has math videos on nearly any math topic, including dividing polynomials:

http://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra/polynomials/v/dividing-polynomials-with-remainders

Test #1 sample solutions

http://home.comcast.net/~mazzoni_bhs/apcalc/notes/test1_sample_answers_2012.pdf

Tue: lunch tutorials
Wed: review during class and lunch tutorials
Thu: Test #1