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General Mathematics (GE-109): Course outline (GE-109)

Course contents

Unit I:  Numbers and Terminology

  • Number line and 1-to-1 correspondence
  • Real numbers
  • Irrational numbers
  • Rational numbers
    • Integers – positive numbers, zero, negative numbers
    • Counting numbers and whole numbers
    • Even and odd numbers
  • Factors
  • Variables
  • Place value
  • Equivalence and the reflexive axiom, symmetric axiom, and transitive axiom

Unit II: Addition

  • Movement on a number line
  • Grouping of objects
  • Terms – sum, plus, addend
  • Addition table
  • Simple addition
  • Addition necessitating carrying

Unit III: Subtraction

  • Movement on a number line
  • Grouping of objects
  • Terms - minus, minuend, difference, less, take away
 
  • Identity element and additive inverse; additive axiom
  • Simple subtraction
  • Subtraction necessitating borrowing

Unit IV: Multiplication

  • Multiplication by zero; multiplication by one (identity element); multiplicative axiom; multiplicative inverse
  • Grouping of objects
  • Terms – factor, product, multiplier
  • Multiplication with a single digit multiplier
  • Multiplication with a multiple digit multiplier

Unit V: Division

  • Division by one, division by zero
  • Grouping of objects
  • Terms – divisor, dividend, quotient
  • Division with a single digit divisor
  • Division with a multiple digit divisor

Unit VI: Signs used in Operations – Positive and Negative Numbers

  • Adding a positive and a negative number and adding two negative numbers
  • Subtracting a positive number from a negative number and subtracting a negative number from a positive number
  • Multiplying a positive and a negative number and multiplying two negative numbers
  • Dividing a positive number by a negative number and dividing a negative number by a positive number and dividing a negative number by a negative number
  • Greater than and less than and sets of numbers

Unit VII: Operations and Properties

  • Reciprocals
  • Commutative property
  • Associative property
  • Distributive property
  • Order of operations - including parenthesis, bracket, brace

Unit VIII: Fractions

  • Division and fractions
  • Proper and improper fractions; mixed numbers and whole numbers and how they relate to fractions
  • Find the GCF (greatest common factor)
  • Finding the LCD (lowest common denominator)
  • How to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions
  • How to convert fractions to decimals.
  • Comparing fractions: Ratio and Proportions

Unit IX: Decimals/The Decimal Number System –

  • Base ten - Multiples of ten and their names
 
  • Moving a decimal point to multiply or divide by ten
  • Adding and subtracting decimals
  • Multiplying and dividing decimals

Unit X: Percents

  • What is percent?
  • Converting decimals to percents and vice versa
  • Converting fractions to percents and vice versa
  • Terms – percentage, base, rate
  • Uses of percent and how to do them – interest rate, sale percentage off

Course description

The General Mathematics course introduces fundamental math concepts. The topics include whole numbers, operations on whole numbers, fractions, decimals, ratios, rates, and proportions. The focus is on learning the computational procedures and then applying the skills to problem solving in applications. These topics set the stage for the study of percents, measurement conversions, finding dimensions in geometry, computing statistics, and solving algebraic equations.

Course objectives

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to

  • Understand what a fraction represents and how to add, subtract, multiply, divide and convert fractions.
  • Understand what a decimal number represents and how to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and convert decimal numbers.
  • Understand how to use ratios, rates, and proportions.
  • Understand the size, shape, and properties of objects. These properties include the length of sides, angles between sides, perimeter, area, and volume.
  • Construct a histogram and find the mean, median, and mode of a data set.

Teaching-learning Strategies

Teaching will be done through lecture method with a combination of tasks/projects and presentations.

Assessment and Examinations

Assessment will be done as per university/department policy.

Textbooks

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