Exercise Set 1

This week is all about preparing for the course, about understanding how it will work, and getting your systems in place so you can begin the course itself next week without distraction.

So what does that mean you need to be able to do? Get online, log in to Moodle, get to the course material on timtopper.com, post messages to the Moodle discussion forum, and send and receive emails to/from Tim.

We should also start to get to know each other. It seems only fair that I go first, so here is more than you probably wanted to know about me. Don't worry I respect your privacy, and won't require you to tell me much about you (though I am very interested in who you are!), but there are a few things it would be helpful to know to teach you. And the more I know about you the better I can support you.

Oh and maybe buying a scientific calculator.

Here are this week's exercises aiming at getting those things done.

1. Post a message in our Moodle Course Discussion Forum to the discussion called "Exercise 1: Check in and say hi!…". Include an image.

2. Send me an email message from the address you want me to use for the weekly course email.

   1. Answer these questions (you can copy and paste them into the email message and then type your answers right there):

      What program are you in?

      How many courses are you taking?

      What was the last math course you took?

      When did you take it?

      How did it go? (I don't care what mark you got, just where it falls on the spectrum from good experience to horrible one.)

      Is there anything you'd like me to know about you as you begin this course?

      What's one great feature from another online course you've taken? Why did it work for you?

   2. Include a stick figure drawing drawn by you with a thought bubble of your internal monologue about this course at this moment. Here's mine:

      

      Here are a couple others for inspiration:

      

      

   3. And now one bit of arithmetic practice. It is a math course after all! 😏

      If someone does all the course Exercises (and so gets full marks for them), and averages 80% on the Assignments, but just scrapes by on the final exam getting 50%, what mark would they get in the course? Followup: Did they even have to write the exam if all they wanted to do was pass the course? (Show your calculations.)

3. Buy a scientific calculator if you don't have one already. (Not sure? Check this page to see the features you need.)

Due Date: Post your message to the forum, and send your email message to me by 4 pm Monday January 11th.