UW Math 120 (Precalculus)
Viewpoint and Goals

• Goals A study of the mathematics needed to take a course in calculus. The emphasis will be on special classes of functions and multi-step problem solving. This multistep problem solving perspective is integrated throughout the course, from the first day. It is the main reason we use a locally produced text, so as to offer this clear unobstructed viewpoint.

• Background We assume a solid algebra background.

• Course Organization Students meet MWF in large size 160 lecture sections; on Tuesday and Thursday, they attend a smaller size problem session run by a teaching assistant.

• Advice we give to students in Math 120 "Most people learn mathematics by doing mathematics. That is, you learn it by active participation; it is very unusual for someone to learn the material by simply watching your professor perform on MWF. For this reason, the homework is THE heart of the course and more than anything else, study time is the key to success in Math 120. We advise 15 hours of study per week, OUTSIDE class. Also, during the first week, the number of study hours will probably be even higher as you adjust to the viewpoint of the course and brush up on algebra skills. In effect, this means that for most of you Math 120 will be a 20 hour per week effort; the equivalent of a half-time job!"

• Math Study Center One of the real assets available to Math 120/4/5/6 students is the Math Study Center. This is a place where students can work on homework and get help. I can't say enough about how useful this resource can be. It has extensive hours of operation.