Betty Hood - Department Chair
E-Mail:  bettyh@wcs.edu

The curriculum for all Standard and Honors classes includes the same required basic concepts.  Honors math courses move at a faster pace, thus addressing additional standards.  Students will explore and be expected to comprehend and apply concepts at a deeper level.  TN DOE honors standards require that students are challenged with integrated experiences such as complex problem solving, research involving reading/writing, investigations and explorations, advanced use of technology, and making connections within the discipline and to the workplace. 

Prerequisite for all honors math classes is by teacher recommendation or by completion of the previous honors class with a grade of at least 85.

Registration for ALL math classes requires recommendation from the current math teacher. 

Foundations II

Grade Level: 9

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite: None

Students will use problem solving situations, physical models, and appropriate technology to investigate concepts and topics that prepare them for higher level mathematics.  Problem solving situations will provide an environment that promotes communication and fosters connections within mathematics, to other disciplines, and to the real world.  Students will use physical models to represent, explore, and develop abstract concepts.  The use of appropriate technology will help students apply mathematics in an increasingly technological world.

This course is recommended for students who need more preparation before they are ready to take Algebra I.  

Algebra I

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite: Successful completion of 8^th grade mathematics or Foundations II.

Algebra I uses problem solving situations, physical models, and appropriate technology to extend algebraic thinking and engage student reasoning.  Problem solving promotes communication and fosters connections within mathematics, to other disciplines and to the real world.  At the end of the course, students will take the Gateway Algebra I Exam as 15% of the second semester grade.  Students are required to pass this exam in order to obtain a high school diploma.  Concepts emphasized: properties, operations with real numbers and polynomials, functions, solving equations and inequalities, graphing, slope as a rate of change, proportionality, factoring, and radicals.

Algebra I is offered ONLY at the standard level. 

Algebra IB

Grade Level: 9-12

Credit:    1 - Full Year (Algebra IA in the 8^th grade)

             ½ for Full Year (Algebra IA at High School Level)

Prerequisite:  Algebra IA

After completing Algebra I-A, a student will be required to also complete Algebra I-B in order to receive the credit that is required for graduation.  At the end of the course students will take the Gateway Algebra I Exam as 15% of the second semester grade.  Students are required to pass this exam in order to obtain a high school diploma.  This year long course includes the second half of the content from standard Algebra I, allowing time for students to develop skills and gain a better understanding of algebraic thinking.  Concepts emphasized:  linear systems of equations; factoring; quadratic equations; operations with rational expressions and radicals; rational equations.

Algebra IA + Algebra IB = 1 high school math credit. 

Geometry and Geometry Honors

Grade Level: 9-12

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite: Algebra I

In Geometry students will investigate and justify geometric concepts and relationships using both inductive and deductive reasoning.  The concepts emphasized: undefined terms, postulates, theorems, measurement, geometric patterns, coordinate geometry, two and three dimensional figures, transformational geometry, congruence, similarity, inductive and deductive reasoning, logic, and proof.  A geometry credit is a graduation requirement for students on the university path and for all students beginning with the freshmen of 2005.  Students on the technical path, who enter high school in 2005 or later must have at least one credit in Geometry or Algebra II.  

Algebra II and Algebra II Honors

Grade Level: 9-12

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite: Algebra I

Algebra II builds on the skills acquired in Algebra I.  The technology of the graphing calculator (required) will help students apply mathematics in problem solving analysis and justification.  Concepts emphasized: analysis of function families (linear and non-linear), solving systems of equations,  quadratics, complex number system, graphing, probability, data analysis, and logarithmic and exponential functions.  Algebra II is a required course for the university path.   Students on the technology path, who enter high school in 2005 or later must have at least one credit in Algebra II or Geometry.  

Advanced Algebra with Trigonometry

Grade Level: 11-12

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite: Algebra II and Geometry

 Advanced Algebra with Trigonometry is an advanced mathematics course that extends algebraic concepts and applications.  It introduces and develops the concepts of trigonometric functions and their applications.  A graphing calculator is required.  Concepts emphasized: a variety of relations, functions, graphs, and transformations; inequalities and equations; probability, counting procedures and data analysis; matrices and networks; sequences and series.

This class is designed for students with grades below 85 in Algebra II who need to develop better math skills to prepare for college math and for students who will not require a high level of mathematics in their chosen careers.  Students with grades of 85 or above in Algebra II should take Pre-Calculus or Statistics or Statistics AP. 

Pre-Calculus and Pre-Calculus Honors

Grade Level: 11-12

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite:  Algebra II with a grade of at least an 85.

Pre-calculus is an advanced mathematics course using meaningful problems and appropriate technologies to build upon the study of functions and algebraic concepts in order to develop the underpinnings of calculus.  Concepts emphasized:  trigonometric functions and trigonometric problem solving; vectors; complex numbers; limits;  algebraic functions, their characteristics,  graphs, transformations; data analysis, modeling, and predicting; exponential and logarithmic functions; applications of conic sections; recursive and explicit sequences; series and sums.  A graphing calculator is required. 

Calculus Honors

Grade Level: 12

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus with a grade of at least 85.

Calculus is an advanced mathematics course that prepares students for majors in which calculus is a requirement.  Beginning with a thorough study of functions, the course allows students to use meaningful problems and appropriate technology to investigate, develop, and apply concepts of limits, differentiation, and integration.  A graphing calculator is required. Calculus develops a good background for any student planning a career in engineering, science, space travel, and mathematics.  The student will be prepared for college level calculus, but will not take the Calculus AP exam. 

Statistics

Grade Level:  11-12

Credit:  ½ - One Semester

Recommended Prerequisite:  Algebra II

Statistics students use appropriate technology to study probability, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics.  This course prepares students for a major/career involving research, such as history, psychology, economics, journalism, statistics or education.  Concepts emphasized:  collecting, displaying, interpreting and analyzing data; surveys and experimental design; drawing conclusions about a population from a sample and predicting with data.  Students will be prepared for college level economics and statistics, but will not take the AP exam. 

Statistics AP

Grade Level: 11-12

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite: Algebra II with a grade of at least 85    

The AP Statistics course introduces students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, interpreting, analyzing and drawing conclusions from data.   Concepts emphasized:  data exploration; sampling and experimentation; probability, probability distributions, and simulation; statistical inference.  This course prepares students for a major/career involving research, such as history, psychology, economics, journalism, statistics or education. 

Students may be granted credit or advanced placement or both for introductory college statistics based on the AP Exam score. A graphing calculator with a statistical package is required for study during the course as well as on the AP Exam.  This course is equivalent to a one-semester non-calculus based college statistics course.  

Calculus AP (AB)

Grade Level: 12

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus Honors with a grade of at least 85

AP Calculus AB is primarily concerned with developing the concepts of limit, differential and integral calculus.  Through theory and problem solving, students gain experience with methods and applications.  The course emphasizes a multi-representational approach to calculus with concepts, results, and problems being expressed graphically, numerically, analytically, and verbally.  Concepts emphasized:  the derivative as a limit, as a rate of change; applications; function analysis and curve sketching; Fundamental Theorem of calculus; the definite integral and its applications; differential equations.  A graphing calculator is required for this course.   In May, students will take the College Board AP Calculus AB examination.  Many universities grant credit based on the score attained. 

Calculus AP (BC)

Grade Level: 12

Credit: 1-Full Year

Recommended Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus Honors with a grade of A

AP Calculus BC is an extension of Calculus AB rather than an enhancement.  Common topics require a similar depth of understanding.  Calculus BC includes the concepts of the AB course as well as additional concepts beyond those of the AB course.  Additional concepts emphasized:  further applications of integrals, parametric, polar, and vector functions; sequences, series, and polynomial approximations; advanced techniques of integration.  A graphing calculator is required for this course.  In May, students will take the College Board AP Calculus BC examination.  Many universities give credit for both AB and BC upon passing the BC Advanced Placement exam.

Calculus AP (BC) may be offered depending on student enrollment.

Discrete Math

Grade Level: 11, 12

Credit: ½ - One semester

Recommended Prerequisite: Algebra II

Discrete Math is an advanced course in which students explore sets and systems with a countable number of elements in order to represent and determine solutions.  Students will also collect, represent and process data using technology.  The concepts and procedures of this course will allow students to develop different perspectives on problem solving and will prepare them for college statistics and computer science courses.  Concepts emphasized include applications of inductive/deductive reasoning and logic; cryptography, set theory; finite graphs, matrices, and sequences; induction, iteration, and recurrence relations; number theory; game theory; probability and distributions; data analysis; Boolean algebra.  The course is intended for students who are considering majoring in mathematics or computer science.

*Williamson County Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age.