Course Description
A deep examination of mathematical topics designed for future elementary school teachers. Numbers, the decimal system, number lines. Fractions. Number theory: factors, multiples, greatest common factor, least common multiple, prime numbers. Algebra, expressions and solving equations. Basic descriptive statistics.
Athena Title
Number Algebra Stat Elem Teach
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
To strengthen and deepen knowledge and understanding of numbers and the decimal system, fractions, decimals, and percents, elementary number theory and algebra, and elementary data analysis, and how they are used to solve a wide variety of problems. In particular, to strengthen the understanding of and the ability to explain why various procedures and formulas in mathematics work. To strengthen the ability to communicate clearly about mathematics, both orally and in writing. To promote the exploration and explanation of mathematical phenomena. To show that many problems can be solved in a variety of ways. To learn to pose and modify mathematical problems.
Topical Outline
ALL CHAPTER REFERENCES ARE TO THE TEXTBOOK, Mathematics for Elementary Teachers, 3rd edition, by Sybilla Beckmann, Pearson. 1. Numbers and the decimal system: counting numbers, decimal system, and place value, negative numbers. (Chapter 1) 2. Fractions: parts of the whole, numbers on the number line, improper fractions, comparing fractions, solving fraction problems with the aid of pictures, percents as fractions, solving percentage problems. (Chapter 2) 3. Number Theory: greatest common factor and least common multiple and concrete applications, prime numbers, factoring counting numbers into products of prime numbers, divisibility tests. (Chapter 8) 4. Algebra: formulating expressions and equations, solving an equation (various models, including algebra), sequences, arithmetic and geometric sequences, functions and their graphs, interpreting arithmetic sequences as linear functions. (Chapter 9) 5. Basic descriptive statistics: formulating questions, designing investigations, and gathering data, displaying data and interpreting and misinterpreting data displays, mean, median, and mode of a numerical set of data, percentile. (Chapter 15)
Syllabus