Mathematics Department
A major focus of the mathematics program is to provide opportunities to develop problem solving and thinking skills. Studies have shown that students who do not take a mathematics course all four years of high school are more likely to drop out of their post-secondary school. The program is based on a sequential flow of courses. These courses are progressively challenging in order to provide learning experiences that will enable students to reach their full potential.
Students are expected to successfully complete prerequisites before proceeding forward through the sequence. The math department recommends that a student earning less than a C- in one of the sequential courses should consider repeating that course rather than attempting the next course.
It is recommended that all students attending post-high school education take a mathematics course all four years of high school. Students going into STEM fields should take Algebra II, Pre Calculus, and Statistics. Students not going into STEM fields should still take Algebra II, Probability and Statistics or ICC Statistics, and consider Topics of Math.
ALGEBRA I - 2 CREDITS - 9, 10, 11, 12 NCAA APPROVED - Algebra I teaches the skills and concepts necessary to complete all other math courses at the high school and college level. The course covers the Iowa Core set of essential skills and concepts. Units covered are: One-Variable Statistics; Linear Equations, Inequalities, & Systems; Two-Variable Statistics; Functions; Intro to Exponential Functions; Intro to Quadratic Functions; Quadratic Equations. A calculator is recommended.
GEOMETRY - 2 CREDITS - 9, 10, 11, 12 NCAA APPROVED Prerequisite: Algebra I - Topics covered relate to the Iowa Core Curriculum which include constructions, transformations, triangle congruence and similarity, right triangle trigonometry, solid geometry, area, volume, coordinate geometry, and circles as well as continued use of algebra skills. A compass and protractor will be used, and a calculator is required; a scientific calculator is preferred.
ALGEBRA II - 2 CREDITS - 9, 10, 11, 12 NCAA APPROVED Prerequisite: Geometry - Topics addressed are sequences and functions, polynomials and rational functions, complex numbers and rational exponents, exponential functions and equations, transformations of functions, trigonometric functions, and statistical inferences. Students are required to have their own scientific calculator.
TRIGONOMETRY - 1 CREDIT - 11, 12 Prerequisite: Geometry and Algebra II - This course covers right triangle trigonometry, law of sines, law of cosines, trigonometric identities, the unit circle, graphs and vectors. This course covers the Iowa Core Trigonometric Standards. This course is recommended for students going into a STEM Career. It will help students prepare for the increased rigor in Pre-Calculus. A scientific calculator is required.
COLLEGE MATH READINESS - 1 CREDIT - 12 Prerequisites: Algebra II, Teacher/Counselor approval, ALEKS score below 30. This class is for seniors who are not planning on going into a STEM program, or a program that requires Calculus. It is to help students study the areas identified as weak by the ALEKS exam. The students will work through the material and retake the ALEKS test. This class is not for students going into a STEM career, those students are better served by going on to Precalculus and Calculus.
TOPICS OF MATHEMATICS - 1 or 2 CREDITS - 11, 12 Prerequisite: Geometry - This course is intended for college-bound students that do not intend to take Pre-Calculus and students who are not college bound that need a sixth credit. Many of the Iowa Core Essential Concepts and Skills will be reinforced. Topics covered include discrete mathematics, matrix logic, problem-solving strategies, review of Algebra skills, organizing information, spatial visualization, basic trigonometry, and basic probability and statistics. A scientific calculator will be required.
PRE-CALCULUS MATHEMATICS - 2 CREDITS - 10, 11, 12 NCAA APPROVED Prerequisite: Algebra II - Pre-Calculus Mathematics will prepare students for college mathematics and science courses. The three main areas discussed are analytical geometry, functions, and trigonometry. A graphing calculator is required. This course is recommended for any student planning to go into one of the STEM fields.
PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS - 1 CREDIT - 9, 10, 11, 12 NCAA APPROVED Prerequisite: Algebra I - Probability and Statistics will emphasize methods for analyzing and making inferences about data. Other topics covered are: permutations, combinations, probability, sampling techniques, and correlations. The majority of the Iowa Core Curriculum statistics standards are addressed in this course. A calculator is required; a scientific calculator is preferred. It is recommended that all students attending post-high school education take Probability and Statistics or ICCC Statistics.
TECHNICAL MATHEMATICS - 1 CREDIT - 11, 12 Prerequisite: Geometry - Technical Mathematics is an applied mathematics course designed to prepare students for the technical courses in the Applied Sciences. Students will be taught and/or reinforced on basic mathematics skills. Students will apply these skills to real world problems. This course requires completion of multiple real-world projects. A calculator is required.
ICCC STATISTICS (MAT-157) - 1 HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AND 4 SEMESTER HOURS COLLEGE CREDIT - 11, 12 NCAA APPROVED Student must have scored at the minimum placement level on the ALEKS. This is the first course in basic probability and statistics which includes the study of frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion, elements of statistical inference, regression and correlation. A scientific calculator is required.
ICCC CALCULUS I (MAT-210) - 1 HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AND 4 SEMESTER HOURS COLLEGE CREDIT - 11, 12 NCAA APPROVED Student must have scored at the minimum placement level on the ALEKS - Calculus is for those students who have successfully completed the Pre-Calculus Mathematics course. Topics included in this course are limits, rate of change of a function, derivatives, and applications of derivatives, integration and applications of integration. A thorough study of the calculus that applies to trigonometry, logarithmic, and exponential functions is also included. A graphing calculator is required.
ICCC CALCULUS II (MAT-216) - 1 HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AND 4 SEMESTER HOURS COLLEGE CREDIT - 11, 12 NCAA APPROVED Prerequisite: Passed College Calculus I and scored at the minimum placement level on the ALEKS. This is the second course in the Calculus sequence. It includes the study of techniques and applications of integration, infinite series, polar equations and graphs, and vectors in two and three dimensions. A graphing calculator is required.
