Brushing up course Mathematics J. Deprez – G. Dierckx – A. Maes Welcome! Monday 6 – Friday 10 September – 13.00

Goal Mathematics in general: Learn the mathematical knowledge, skills, personal attitudes needed to handle the quantitative side of life around us adequately.

Handle the quantitative side of life around us ? Why mathematics ? Banks and stock exchanges ECTS: “uses mathematical and statistical concepts and methods to model and analyse phenomena” The guardian, May it will turn up in other courses

Why mathematics ? Principles of law Times, February 3, 2004 Everyone agrees that education should make sure people are ‘literate’ but what about ‘numeracy’, the the ability to recognize, understand and use maths ? Handle the quantitative side of life around us ? it will turn up in other courses

Why brushing up course? -Guarantee a good start of Math I at an appropriate level different background of students -Prepare you for the assessment testing your mathematical ability… (re)teaching + testing what was taught rather than testing your memory

Why assessment? Advise you about the most appropriatecourse package for you -STANDARD : 2h/week + tutorial (optional) -SLOW : 4h/week (same material/exam) -PREPARATORY MATH instead of MATH

Assessment : Who ? Inside Council of Europe -assessment test: obligatory -brushing up course: in your advantage Outside Council of Europe (already did SAT) -If 450 < SAT < 500 (or 17<ACT<20): assessment + course obligatory -If SAT > 500: assessment voluntarily

Assessment and Feedback Session Monday 14 September: Assessment –one group enters at 8:30 –another group enters at 10:30 Tuesday 15 September: Feedback Session appointment with the lecturers who discuss your result and give advice about the most appropriate mathematics package for you

Assessment : What ? oral with written preparation May take up to 3 or 4 hours You need to bring pen, ruler, scientific calculator

Brushing up : Study Contents Class handouts & notes For each class, handouts, exercises and notes will be available on HUB-website of brushing up course: –either by following the links from –direct address: –all practical information is OK –however, files are those of last year Supplementary material: Introductory Mathematical Analysis for Business, Economics, and the life and social sciences (E.F. Haeussler, R.S. Paul, R.J. Wood)

Brushing up : Study Contents Linear equations/inequalities, linear functions, systems of linear equations Quadratic equations and inequalities, quadratic functions Derivative as slope, derivative of polynomial functions Algebra practice Exponents and logarithms, simple exponential equations

Lecturers Math I –Standard: G. Dierckx –Slow 1st semester: J. Deprez 2nd semester: A. Maes Brushing up course: –Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: J. Deprez –Thursday, Friday, A. Maes Assessment J. Deprez, G. Dierckx, A. Maes

Studying mathematics work hard if you want to pass Math I mathematics is cumulative: make sure that you don’t loose track; working hard during the semester on a regular basis is more important than studying just before the exam mathematics is not a spectator sport: engage actively with mathematics –attend classes, pay attention and ask questions while in class –review the material studied and make a summary –do homework exercises, may be in a study group persevere: you will not understand everything at once

Studying for the assessment work hard if you want to pass the assessment apart from the sessions, –this week: work at least 2 hours a day –weekend: rehearse, do exercises, do the example test mathematics is not a spectator sport –attend classes, pay attention and ask questions while in class –review the material studied and make a summary –do homework exercises, may be in a study group persevere: you will not understand everything at once