Thursday, 9/19/13

Today in class, we started off with a daily problem like usual. This daily problem was was about integrals, more specifically Riemann Sum. You needed to use right sided rectangles to solve this problem. After going over that, we worked on the "Trapezoid and Midpoint Approximations" packet, using the Ti-nSpires. In the packet, we looked at a couple different types of graphs, using right, left, and midpoint triangles to estimate under the  curve of the function. When we finished the packet we handed it in and did concept tests 2 & 18 - estimating area with a curve and Riemann Sums.

Mobile Blogging

You can now make your posts to the Calculus blog using a smartphone. If you can send email from your phone, simply type the post you want to make into the body of an email. Send the email to Laura.Sommariva.Calculus@blogger.com and your post will automatically go to the blog!

Friday 09/13/13

We started class with a POD, which involved exponent properties. The class was interrupted by the clear the halls drill, but afterwards we took the concept quiz. We then moved on to a homework check, which concerned mostly the same things we've been working on: finding the area of trapezoids, estimating instantaneous rate of change, counting boxes ect. Then we took notes on the Trapezoidal Rule, which is an equation that lets you quickly add up all the components of multiple trapezoids to estimate the area under a curve. We finished class up by getting a new calculator program that does the traprule equation for you. The Homework for next class (1.4) requires this program, so make sure to talk to Ms. Sommariva if you don't have it.

TO USE THE PROGRAM: Hit the PRGM button on your calculator. Find the TRAPRULE option and hit enter, and then enter again. A= the lower bound, B= the upper bound and n= the number of trapezoids.

Trap Rule Program

If you are trying to use the trap rule program at home with the TI-83 or TI-84 calculator, make sure that you have the equation for which you are estimating the integral typed into the Y= screen. The program will automatically use the function in Y1. If anyone is having any problems with it, please create a comment here to my post.

Wednesday 09-11-13

First, we completed the POD which was finding the center of a circle. We then quickly went over the homework(MAKE SURE TO HAVE CALCULATOR IN RADIANS FOR CALCULUS) and moved on to notes 1.3 on the first type of integral, definite integral-area between the curve and the x-axis or value of the area over a specific interval. We learned how to graph definite integrals on both the NSpire and our TI-83/84's. Then we worked on Exploration 1-3a and counted boxes to estimate the integrals.

Homework: pg. 16 Q1-10, #2a, 3a, 7, 12-14.........also to be ready for a concept test on Tuesday on instantaneous rate of change.

Monday 9/9/10

We began with an entrance card, where we put down what the word limit brings to mind. After, we went over a homework problem that was a slightly troublesome (17), figuring out that the book wanted us to use the terms above and below the indicated term to find its rate of change. We watched a video on limits (intended heights of functions) that gave a brief overview of what limits were.

Then, we finished up Notes 1.2, writing what made a rate of change positive (increasing) and negative (decreasing), and then reviewed asymptotes. We began a worksheet on a Limiting Sequence, using the NSpire calculators, finding the approximate limit of the system, to finish for homework.

9-5-2013

During class today we wrapped up the 1.1 notes with the Inspire Calculators, learning again how to put the function in and find the derivative. After that we moved back to the calculators most of us have, the TI-83 and 84's. We learned how to plug in the function and find the derivative on those. 

Then we had some fun time and played a couple of games of pictionary, ending the class with this.

For homework we had to take 1.2 notes online(just the definitions) and the problems for the 1.2 homework on the front of the notes packet!

Make sure you are thorough with your explanation of what we did in class so that those who weren't there can understand. Also, don't be shy to share your knowledge if someone asks a question. The whole purpose of the blog is to help one another out and even if you aren't 100% certain, your ideas are still valuable.

Tuesday 9/2

• Went over the Concept Quiz system and a brief overview of the year's concepts.
• Notes 1.1 - Instantaneous Change
• Limit: The anticipated height of a function
• Average rate: amount of change over time, such as mph
• Instantaneous rate of change: the slope of a function at a particular moment in time, the amount a function changes in one instant
• Derivative: Instantaneous rate of change (slope) at a specific moment
• Used the fancy new NSpire calculators
• HW: exploration 1-1a; pg5 #1,2