Filling in the Gaps for Calculus

Westfield State College Mathematics Department is currently experimenting with creating a 1 credit hour support class for their Calculus I and II sequence to help students fill in gaps in their Precalculus and Algebra knowledge to help them succeed in Calculus. The department created a test which they will use in combination with observations from the first week of class to help them provide a recommendation to each student as to whether they should continue in Calculus I or II, move to the class before Calculus I or II (Precalculus or Calculus I respectively), or take a 1 credit hours support class in addition to the class they are in to help them fill in the gaps. Christine Von Renesse (Westfield State University) and Mairead Greene (Rockhurst University) are beginning to compile supports for this 1 credit hour course. Most are activities that already exist in one form or another and some are created specifically for this purpose.

Functions

Linear Functions

Polynomial Functions

Rational Functions

Exponential Functions

Logarithmic Functions

Trigonometric Functions

Compositions and Inverse Functions

A helpful resource for all the above topics is http://mathquest.carroll.edu/CarrollActiveCalculus/C_0.html.