MAC 1140 – PRECALCULUS ALGEBRA
Catalog Description: MAC 1140 Precalculus Algebra (3) (A.A.). Three hours lecture per
week. Prerequisite: MAC 1105 or equivalent. Topics include the study of the following
functions: Polynomial, rational, radical, absolute value, exponential and logarithmic. An
emphasis will be placed on solving applications by mathematical modeling. Other topics include
matrices, systems of equations and inequalities and conic sections. This course is intended for
students whose major requires the calculus sequence. Use of a graphing calculator is integrated
throughout this course.
Performance Standards:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Identify the solutions of a higher degree polynomial equation by graphing the equation using
a graphing calculator.
2. Solve application problems that involve quadratic equations.
3. Solve inequalities that involve absolute value.
4. Solve higher-order inequalities algebraically and graphically.
5. Identify graphs that are symmetric about the x-axis, y-axis, and origin.
6. Graph a piece-wise function.
7. List the transformations that can be used to obtain a complete graph of a given function.
8. Find the equation and graph of a composite function.
9. Use the role of inverse functions to decide if two functions are inverses of each other.
10. Identify functions that are one-to-one.
11. Determine the minimum and maximum values of a given function.
12. Find the increasing and decreasing intervals of a given function.
13. Determine points of discontinuity of a given function.
14. Find all real and complex zeros of a polynomial function.
15. Identify the upper and lower bounds for the real number zeros of a polynomial function.
16. Solve application problems involving polynomial functions.
17. Identify the domain, end-behavior asymptote(s), horizontal asymptote(s), vertical
asymptote(s), and translations, and use these to graph a rational function.
18. Find the end behavior model for a rational function.
19. Solve application problems requiring the graphing of a rational inequality.
20. Find the value of the investment for the given initial amount, invested at the given rate, after
the stated elapsed time.
21. Compute simple interest and compound interest.
22. Sketch the graph of a logarithmic equation and exponential equation using transformations.
23. Use the Properties of Logarithms to write the logarithmic expression as a sum, difference, or
product of simple logarithms.
24. Write an exponential equation as a logarithmic equation.
25. Write a logarithmic equation as an exponential equation.
