2024-2025 Catalog 
    
    Nov 23, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog

MAT 171 Precalculus Algebra

Lecture: 3 Lab: 2 Clinic: 0 Credits: 4
This course is designed to develop topics which are fundamental to the study of Calculus. Emphasis is placed on solving equations and inequalities, solving systems of equations and inequalities, and analysis of functions (absolute value, radical, polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic) in multiple representations. Upon completion, students should be able to select and use appropriate models and techniques for finding solutions to algebra-related problems with and without technology.

This course has been approved for transfer under the CAA as a general education course in Mathematics. This is a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course.

Pre-requisite(s): Take One Set:  Set 1: DMA-010, DMA-020, DMA-030, DMA-040, DMA-050 Set 2: DMA-010, DMA-020, DMA-030, DMA-045 Set 3: DMA-025 and DMA-045 Set 4: DMA-025, DMA-040 and DMA-050 Set 5: MAT 003  (Grade P2) Set 6: BSP-4003 (Grade P2) Set 7: C or better in MAT 121 . 
Co-requisite(s): MAT 071  if needed.
Course is typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Course has transfer restrictions - 20 years

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
At the completion of the course, the students should be able to do the following:

  1. Use analytical, graphical, and numerical representations to solve absolute value, radical, polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic equations with both real and complex solutions.
  2. Use analytical, graphical, and numerical representations to solve absolute value, polynomial and rational inequalities with real solutions.
  3. Use analytical, graphical, and numerical representations to analyze absolute value, radical, polynomial, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions with both real and complex zeros.
  4. Use multiple methods to solve problems involving systems of equations and apply to decomposing partial fractions.
  5. Construct the composition and inverse of functions.
  6. Use polynomial, exponential and logarithmic functions to model various real world situations in order to analyze, draw conclusions, and make predictions.