Is this possible?

A Beautiful Mind · #1 $Old$ June 27th, 2009, 05:50 PM

Is it possible to learn and test well on everything if you devote maybe 4-5 hours a day to learning the listed material below in 20 days?

Quote:

Numerical Skills/Pre-Algebra

Basic operations with integers
Basic operations with fractions
Basic operations with decimals
Exponents
Ratios and proportions
Percentages
Conversions between fractions and decimals
Multiples and factors of integers
Absolute values of numbers
Averages (arithmetic means)
Order concepts (greater than; less than)
Estimation skills
Number theory
Counting problems and simple probability

Elementary Algebra

Substituting values in algebraic equations
Setting up equations in given situations
Basic operations with polynomials
Factoring polynomials
Solving polynomial equations by factoring
Formula manipulation and field axioms
Linear equations in one variable
Exponents
Linear inequalities in one variable

Intermediate Algebra

Rational expressions
Exponents
Systems of linear equations in 2 variables
Quadratic formulas
Absolute value equations and inequalities

Coordinate Geometry

Linear equations in 2 variables
Distance formulas in the plane
Graphing conics (circle, parabola, etc.)
Graphing relations in the plane
Graphing systems of equations & functions
Midpoint formulas

Trigonometry

Trigonometric functions and identities
Right-angle trigonometry
Trigonometric equations & inequalities
Graphs of trigonometric functions
Special angles (multiples of 30 and 45 degrees)
Polar coordinates

arbolis · #2 $Old$ June 27th, 2009, 06:08 PM

If you have absolutely no knowledge on any topic you gave, I'd say it's close to impossible to really learn the material within 20 days by devoting no more than 5 hours/day. However scoring well on a test may be possible. All depends of your learning faculty and the exigences of your teacher.
Since there are 5 topics, you could devote approximately 4 days to each topic. Hmm... you could learn how to solve problems mechanically, without understanding almost anything and this way you could do well on the test. However you won't really learn the material.

A Beautiful Mind · #3 $Old$ June 27th, 2009, 08:09 PM

I can devote more time.

I've taken up to Intermediate Algebra, but it's been two years since I've set foot in a classroom. I've been reviewing and watching a lot of math videos for a week or so from Khanacademy.com, doing problems in SAT practice books, and practicing some problems that are under the topic of some of these.

I normally don't have much to do during a typical day. Saying that, I wake up at around 9 AM and go to sleep about 2 AM the next day. Sure there's a couple hours to fit in with my girlfriend and social activities...

I've done Trigonometry off and on. I've got plenty of materials to use to learn the material, I just don't know exactly what to focus on. You see, this is what they say you'll need to review for a test. I heard the "for dummies" series was good, so I bought Trigonometry for Dummies. I've got a textbook that goes over College Algebra.

I am concerned somewhat of retaining the material, but I just need to do well on a test to be honest.

arbolis · #4 $Old$ June 27th, 2009, 08:42 PM

Oh ok! Well you're not in the worst position then!
Be sure to study everyday before the test. Do you know the difficulty of the test? Do you own previous similar tests so that you have an idea about what they'll ask you?
Do you have a set of problems for all the listed topics? A set of notes?
I suggest you to do the maximum number of problems you can and when you're stuck check out your notes or ask for help here.
If you don't give up then you can do well on the test. Keep up the effort!

A Beautiful Mind · #5 $Old$ June 27th, 2009, 09:34 PM

Well, it depends where you want to start off from. If you want to place in higher math, then you can have it kick off from the College Algebra section.

I was just reviewing the lower math because I might decide to start from the bottom and work my way up...although I'd really like to place high up.

I'm not exactly sure about all the topics covered in the college algebra content. I did do a search and I found these topics that it hits:

Functions
Exponents and Radicals
Complex Numbers
Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences and Series
Matrices (basic operations, equations, and determinants)
Factorials

Here's a study guide I found: http://www.jccc.edu/home/download/5016/8-1699-C.pdf

It doesn't look that hard to me if I could learn it, but I doubt I'd do well on it now if I took it.

After that it progresses into Trigonometry. Here's a post I found concerning it:

Quote:

Do remember you only need to worry about the trig portion of the exam if you are trying to place into calculus.

For trig, one of my favorites is this: YouTube - Graphing a Trig Function that covers which covers graphing trig functions very clearly. I read this in a book, my husband explained it to me, but it was this video that made it very abundantly clear to me. And you WILL want to understand this frontwards and backwards, as there were several questions that required you to be very familiar with this. How to draw/identify these functions including shifting them up, down, shift them, and extending or compressing them, and knowing where key points on the wave are in radians.

I don't remember the others I watched. Trig I also just read some overview pages. If you understand the six functions and how to get them from a right triangle (SOH CAH TOA, etc.), graphing the functions based on a unit circle and modified (2 sin(x) + 1 or whatever), basic properties of special angles (30%, 45%, 60%), how to convert degrees to radians and back, and how to apply that knowledge (along with the pythagoreum theorm) to simple word problems that make you calculate angles and/or distances between two points...if you know all this, then you're in good shape for placing into Calculus.

I'd like to know how hard learning this Trigonometry would be.