Fall 2001 MTH 111 Precalculus On-line supplements

FALL 2001

MTH 111 PRECALCULUS

LINKS TO SUPPLEMENTARY ON-LINE MATERIALS

This page contains links to a wide variety of quizzes, games, and demonstration programs that you may find useful in your study of precalculus. You can use them from any computer with an up-to-date browser. For many of the puzzle quizzes it is intended that you work out the answers with paper and pencil and then enter answers or slide formulas around with the mouse. You won't learn much if you just make wild guesses.

Some of these materials are from the University of Vienna, others were written by URI math department faculty.

Reciprocals

Functions

The latter item is a really interesting and entertaining Java applet that may help you greatly in mastering quadratic functions.

Inverse Functions--Quiz

Trigonometry

The first two quizzes concern converting degrees to radians and applications of right triangles.

The first applet explains the origin of the graphs of the basic trigonometric functions: sin, cos , tan. Click on the link below to access the applet and instructions.

The Origin of Graphs of Trigonometric Functions

The next applet allows you to play with the function a*sin(b*x) by changing coefficients a and b by sliding rulers. Here is what you should do:

Observe the effects that each of the coefficients has on the function. Which changes the amplitude and which the period?
Make the coefficient b really large and the coefficient a small, say about 0.3. (What does it mean in terms of the function a*sin(b*x)?) Click on the field where you see a*sin(b*x). Add the function sin(x) to a*sin(b*x); that is, type in +sin(x) next to a*sin(b*x). Graph the new fuction by clicking on the button "New Function". Can you explain the shape of the graph? Play with coefficients a and b and try to understand what you see.

Transformations Of Graphs of Trigonometric Functions: Amplitude and Period

If you understood the applets, you should have no problem with the next two quizzes.