Mathematics Department Faculty Responses
to Proposed Georgia Performance Standards
- Only the above/advanced level students should start algebra in grade 8. If they start algebra
in grade 8, then they should plan to take geometry, algebra II, advan Alg and Trig, and AP Calculus
and take the AP Calculus exam. If a student gets on this track and find that she/he is on a
track that is too advanced, then after passing advan algebra and trig he/she should come to
SPSU as a JET student. As a jet student she/he should be able to start with Precalculus or
maybe Calculus I.
Most students who plan to come to SPSU should take Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Advanced
Algebra and Trigonometry (sometimes called analysis.). If a student finds he/she is not up to
a course in Advan Algebra and Trig, then the high school should offer a course in Algebra III,
and this Algebra III course should be between an average Algebra II and College Algebra.
Algebra III could use Algebra and Geometry and do problem solving. But, the most important
idea is that student should learn (understand and be able to do) Algebra I, Geometry, and
Algebra II. Then if at all possible they should have a good course in Advanced Algebra and
Trig. It should be on the level of our Math 1111 & 1113.
If students take AP Probablity and Statistics and stay away from algebra, geometry, and trig,
for a year or say they can expect to not be prepared for SPSU. AP Prob & Stat is fine if a
student plans to go to Kennesaw State Univ. and major in sociology, psychology, elem education,
business, history, English, etc.
- For students wanting to go to college in science or technology the proposed math
curriculum is a mistake. It will also be a mistake for those students who decide later
to go into a science or technology field. The emphasis on statistics is misplaced.
If Georgia wants to become home to a center of technology, this proposal is in the wrong
direction. Currently, a large fraction of students in state universities take a math
modeling course as their only math course. This curriculum will foster this trend.
The following data is from USG report: Number of Students by Grade in Core Courses Summer
1999 - Spring 2000 by Learning Support and Transfer Status. The data below is for State
Universities.
| Courses | SPSU | State Univ.
|
| Math 1101 Modeling | 0 | 5136
|
| Math 1111 College Algebra | 624 | 9026
|
| Math 1113 Precalculus | 639 | 6124
|
| Engl 1101 Composition | 527 | 13417
|
Although it is hard to measure precisely from this data, between a quarter and a third of
State University students may not be taking College Algebra or anything dependent on it.
Does Georgia want to remain close to the bottom of the nation in mathematics preparation?
- Squeezing out basic algebraic skills while adding non-trivial amounts of Probability and
Statistics is a great error. Most students have difficulty with their college mathematics
because their algebra is weak or the motivation and study skills are weak. Adding Prob./Stat.
doesn't help either of these.