Alessandro Ceccarelli Blog 1

1.     What is your full name? Alessandro Ceccarelli

2.     Do you have a nickname that you prefer to go by? No

3.     What is your height IN INCHES (not feet)? 73 inches

4.     What is your age in years? 18

5.     What time do you generally wake up on any given day? 9am

6.     What is your favorite candy? Snickers and watermelon sour patch kids

7.     What is your favorite snack food? cookies

8.     Who is your favorite musical artist/band? --

9.     Do you have any hobbies/things you like to do for fun? scuba diving, skiing, tennis and other sports

10.  What is your mathematical background? (Not limited to the list below…list other topics if needed)

Basic math      algebra1          algebra2          statistics           probability       trigonometry 

High school Precalculus                      high school calculus  

college algebra           (taken at a college/university)  AP stats

AP calculus     college level calculus (taken at a college/university)

11.  What is your comfort level with solving math word problems, math application problems, and conceptual math problems?

Very comfortable (V)    comfortable (C)                uncomfortable (U)    extremely uncomfortable (E)

12.  What is your comfort level with math computations and calculations/using formulas and following steps and procedures?

Very comfortable (V)    comfortable (C)                uncomfortable (U)    extremely uncomfortable (E)

13.  What is your comfort level with any of the following calculus concepts?

Write one of the following next to each topic:

Very comfortable (V)    comfortable (C)                uncomfortable (U)    extremely uncomfortable (E)

Curve sketching U

Instantaneous rate of change U

Derivatives (of constant, linear, polynomial, power, rational, exponential, trigonometric, logarithmic functions) U

Difference quotient U

Limits U

Continuity U

Chain rule (an application of composition of functions) U

Product and quotient rules for derivatives U

Finding local and global maximums and minimums U

Determining inflection points U

Area under a curve U

Anti-derivatives U

Integration (of constant, linear, polynomial, power, rational, trigonometric, exponential, logarithmic functions) U

Integration by parts U

Integration by substitution U

14.  The following are concepts from algebra and precalculus that students taking applied calculus should be comfortable with.

What is your comfort level with any of the following algebraic and precalculus concepts? (please note that weakness in any of these areas may make most aspects of this class more challenging than others)

Write one of the following next to each topic:

Very comfortable (V)    comfortable (C)                uncomfortable (U)    extremely uncomfortable (E)

Equations comfortable (C)

Factoring comfortable (C)

Adding/subtracting/multiplying/dividing fractions/rational expressionscomfortable (C)

Simplifying expressionscomfortable (C)

Simplifying rational expressions (fractions and fractional polynomials)comfortable (C)

Operations on roots and fractional exponent expressions uncomfortable (C)

Operations involving whole number exponent expressions uncomfortable (U)

Finding common denominators comfortable (C)

Inequalities comfortable (C)

Functions comfortable (C)

Absolute value comfortable (C)

Linear functions comfortable (C)

Systems of equations comfortable (C)

Domain and range comfortable (C)

Inverse functions comfortable (C)

Transformations (shifting, scaling, stretching, etc) comfortable (C)

Quadratic functions comfortable (C)

Completing the square comfortable (C)

Exponential functions comfortable (C)

Logarithmic functions uncomfortable (U)

Base e uncomfortable (U)

Graphing (trigonometric, quadratic, linear, exponential, and logarithmic functions)comfortable (C)

Trigonometric concepts comfortable (C)

15.  Have you taken American university’s math 160 (applied precalculus) class? If yes, was your grade a “b” or better? YES

16.  If you have not taken American university’s math 160 (applied precalculus) class, have you taken a college level (not a college equivalent high school class) equivalent?  If yes, was your grade a “b” or better? --

17.  Have you taken American university’s math 170 (precalculus mathematics) class? If yes, was your grade a “b” or better? --

18.  If you have not taken American university’s math 170 (precalculus mathematics) class, have you taken a college level (not a college equivalent high school class) equivalent?  If yes, was your grade a “b” or better? YES

19.  Which social media formats are you familiar with?

Texting            facebook          pinterest           flickr     wordpress         blogspot       tumblr  twitter

google plus      Instagram       snapchat       Yik Yak

20.  Which social media formats do you use most frequently?

Texting            facebook          pinterest           flickr     wordpress         blogspot           tumblr  twitter  

google plus      Instagram       snapchat       Yik Yak

21.  What is your major? Business Administration

22.  Why are you taking this math class? I completed the math-160 and want to continue

23.  Will you take other math classes in the future at American University or will this be your only math class? If yes, which classes do you anticipate taking? This will be my last math class (apart from Stats)

24.  What do you hope to learn in this class? The basics of calculus

25.  Is there anything else you would like me to know about you? Nothing new since last semester :)