Don't be nervous - your midterm will only take one class period to complete. There will only be one or two questions related to each concept. :) Remember, we'll also be reviewing in class for the next week. We'll be doing lots and lots of practice in class so you're ready for next Thursday.
What to expect:
- We'll be covering things we've been tested on so far this year (Chapters 1 - 3, excluding inequalities and sections 3-7 and 3-8)
- You may use your calculator on every part EXCEPT integers (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing with negative numbers) - you will take this portion of the test after you're finished with everything else
- Any formulas you'll need, such as A = lw, will be included on your test
- Pllllleeeeaaaase show work whenever possible
Resources to study:
- Previous blog posts
- Khan Academy videos
- Be sure to look back @ all 3 tests we've taken (I'll be handing back any old tests I have tomorrow)
- Quick Checks in your online textbook
- The Chapter Review @ the end of each chapter (we'll be using these a lot in class)
Things you'll need to know by chapter:
Chp. 1
Variable expressions: Knowing how to express a numerical value using a variable. For example, "twenty-five less than x" would be expressed by x - 25.
Order of Operations: PEMDAS
Evaluating a variable expression: Just substitute the variable. For example, 3x + 4 for x = 5 would look like this, after substituting 5 for x: 3(5) + 4. Then we'd use order of operations: 15 + 4 = 9.
Integers: Everyone's favorite! (hehe just kidding, I think?) Take a look at old blog posts to refresh your memory. There's lots of info on here about how to solve problems with negative numbers.
- Absolute value
- Comparing integers (for example, what's greater, -7 or -9?)
- Adding and subtracting integers
- Multiplying and dividing integers
Number patterns: Figuring out what the "rule" is for a pattern, and then finding the next few numbers. For example, for the set 0, 6, 12, 18... we can conclude that the rule is "start w/ zero and add 6", and that the next two numbers will be 24 and 30.
The coordinate plane: You'll need to know how to graph a set of coordnates, such as (3, 5)
Chp. 2
Distributive Property: Know how to distribute by multiplying what's on the outside of the parentheses to the items inside the parentheses separately. For example, 3(6 + 2) is distributed as 3(6) + 3(2), which gives us 18 + 6 = 24.
Simplifying variable expressions: Remember to:
1) Change any subtracting to adding a negative
2) Combine like terms
For example: To simplify 2x + 3y - 2y + 7, we first rewrite the expression without subtraction:
2x + 3y + -2y + 7
Then, combine like terms:
2x + y + 7
Solving Equations: This is the big one! Remember to do the opposite to both sides in order to get the variable by itself! Check out previous examples in the blog. I think most of you have a pretty good handle on solving equations, but we'll be practicing a lot in class too.
Chp. 3
Rounding: You will only be asked to solve one problem that has anything to do with rounding. For example, to round 73.57 to the nearest tenth, that means we can't have any numbers after the tenths place. Look to the right of the tenths place; "5 and above, give it a shove - 4 or below, let it go." So... would the 5 that is currently in the tenths place get a "shove", or would it stay the same? Since the number next to it is a 7 ("5 or above" category), we give the 5 a shove up to 6. Our new number is 73.6.
Measures of Central Tendency: This means mean, median, mode (and range)
Mean: Add 'em all up and then divide by however many numbers you have
Median: Line 'em up in order from least to greatest - then identify the middle number (OR, if there are two middle numbers, the median is the mean of those two middle numbers)
Mode: The number that appears most often
Range: The difference between the greatest and least values in the data set
Formulas: You don't need to memorize any formulas. You just need to be able to plug in the right numbers into a formula. For example, if a rectangle has a length of 5 inches and a width of 2 inches, and the formula for the Area is length x width, you'll need to plug 5 x 2 into the formula and solve (we'd get 10 inches squared).
Solving Equations w/ Decimals: Same exact method for solving equations, only a little more complex because we're using decimals instead of whole numbers. Just remember, that calculator is your friend. :)
