Course title

Pre-requisite

Course description

This is a resubmission of MA44 which was deferred due to ‚Äúneed more information.‚Äù It is being submitted by Michael Drobitsky and Kathy English from the Mesa Public School district. If you have any questions or need any more information please contact Michael at 480-773-1506 or [email protected]
Thank you for your time and consideration.

This course will fulfill the fourth year math requirement for graduation; has an Algebra 2 prerequisite and will count as a math credit toward university admission and towards a scholastic diploma for Mesa Public Schools. It is designed around the structure of STEM practices to teach the practical application of math in our society. We will be using an innovative; non-traditional; “hands-on” methodology in our curriculum. The justification for the implementation of this course is to provide college bound students an opportunity to explore mathematics as it is utilized in real world situations.

Unit 1 – Two Weeks
Procedures; policies and the basics:
Team Building and Learning Profiles
Simplifying Expressions and Evaluating Formulas to isolate a discrete variable
Data Recording & Graphing
Conversion of Units between differing measurement systems
Scientific Notation and Engineering Notation
Convert between radical and exponential forms of expressions
Converting numbers between binary; base 10 and Hexadecimal
Solving Equations and Writing Algebraic Proofs

Unit 2 – Two weeks + additional 2 weeks distributed throughout the semester
Graphic Representations and formulaic calculations as they relate to Hydroponic Applications: Graphing growth (exponential; linear & scatter plots) as applied to:
• seed propagation
• plant growth
• intermodal distances
• quantity of fruit production
• consumption of nutrients and water.
Calculation of:
• nutrient densities in parts per million
• addition of dissolved salts to achieve a specific concentration
• quantities of acids and bases to adjust ph in a given solution
• prediction of expected growth and values
• cost per unit and profit per unit
• normal distribution of fruit production
• mean median and mode of fruit and seed production
• Standard deviation of intermodal lengths.

Unit 3 – 6 weeks
Propulsion & motion: Electric vehicle motion and acceleration (dragster; tractor and winch)
Graphing motion (exponential & linear) as applied to:
Quadratic motion vs. exponential motion
RPM vs linear motion.

Calculating:
• Predicted optimal final gear ratios for a desired output
• Solving single variable inequalities
• Estimating final mass based on standard values of materials
• Number of gear ratio changes
• Gear/pulley diameters
• Coefficient of friction
• Measuring acceleration through frame by frame video breakdown
• Force based on measured mass and acceleration
• Horsepower based on weight lifted vs. time and height
• Slope; vectors and rates of change of speed

Unit 4 – 3 weeks
Real world calculations using Trigonometry
Reading and using a protractor; inclinometer and theodolite
Constructing the unit circle
Calculating height using tangent functions
Calculating material usage to construct triangular objects (obtuse and oblique)
Calculating resultant vectors
Using Special Triangles and Pythagorean Triples to calculate square
Law of Sins and Cosines in finding unknown measures
Graphs of Trig Functions: Oscilloscope; Light and Sound

Unit 5 – 6 weeks
Physics of Flight and Ballistic Motion

Construction and launch of solid propellant rocket and the following calculations / graphs:
Estimate and measure mass; calculation of frontal area and wind resistance.
Estimate of altitude based on mass; wind resistance and thrust of engine
Acceptable error tolerance limits
Record data and graph results for statistical analysis; using normal distribution; estimate flight path and landing zone
Use a theodolite and trigonometry to calculate apogee of rocket.
Generate graphs and determine the key variables that affect force and acceleration
Describe how changing the size; shape; weight; or engine affects the results and graph data
Continuously evaluate test data for reasonableness and interpret if the result is valid to the context of the project

Unit 6 – 4 weeks
Electricity and electronics:
Ohm’s Law; Watts Law and RC time constant
Engineering notation and prefix conversions
Structure of Matter - periodic table of the elements and valence shells – conductor; insulator and semiconductor operations and theory
Building circuits on bread boards to measure and demonstrate series and parallel resistance; total resistance; impedance and frequency of signal sources.
Frequency vs. wavelength – Oscilloscope measurement of voltage sources and audible sources; calculation of period; frequency and wavelength.
Kilowatt hours and cost calculations for the operation of various plug in electrical devices.
Watt hours and load and cost calculation for the operation of various battery operated devices.

Unit 7 – 4 weeks
Trigonometry and geometry through light reflection - construct a solar water boiler
Calculate needed solar insolation per square meter and required collection area for boiler
Calculate parabolic curves base on required collection area
Use trigonometric functions to calculate angles for flat panel collectors
Perform computations using Pythagorean Theorem and Pythagorean identities
Record and graph data bases on time and temperature readings.
Identify patterns (linear or exponential) in a function’s rate of change
Analyze and explain the results and evaluate if the functions performed as predicted

Unit 8 – 4 weeks
Finance
Calculate the weight and volume of sugar in granular and in floss forms.
Analyze and scale recipes from batch to single unit and to bulk formats
Calculate the costs to produce and profit to sell concession items (cookies cotton candy; snow cones etc...)
Graph the data and find price points; break even and maximum profit points
Calculate start up costs for both small & large enterprise
Calculate loan amortizations and payoff date based on enterprise data
Produce item for sale; record; graph and run statistical analysis on all data.
Analyze and explain the results and evaluate if the functions performed as predicted

A need for this class was seen through the lens of the Mathematical Practices of the Common Core. Students in the traditional mathematics class are seldom given the time and opportunity to see the connections between math in action and the world in which they live.

School Country

School state

School city

School Address

School zip code

Requested competency code

Date submitted

Approved

Approved competency code

• MTH1
• 4 years of Math

Approved date

Deferred Reason

Online / Virtual