Getting to know you

1.     What is your full name? Paula Amanda Gallardo Vasquez

2.     Do you have a nickname that you prefer to go by? Paula

3.     What is your height IN INCHES (not feet)? 66.5 Inches

4.     What is your age in years? I am 18 years old

5.     What time do you generally wake up on any given day? I generally wake up at 8 or 9 AM

6.     What is your favorite candy? Ferrero Rocher chocolate

7.     What is your favorite snack food? Gapes or berries.

8.     Who is your favorite musical artist/band? Marron 5

9.     Do you have any hobbies/things you like to do for fun? I like to watch videos on YouTube. I also like to play tennis and read fiction books

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

I have studied all the topics that are bolded.

Basic math algebra1 algebra2 statistics probability trigonometry 

High school Precalculus high school calculus

Precalculus (taken at a college/university)

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?

Somewhat in between comfortable and unconformable.

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?

I feel more comfortable computing numbers and solving equations than solving problems.

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 uncomfortable

Instantaneous rate of change uncomfortable

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

Difference quotient uncomfortable

Limits uncomfortable

Continuity uncomfortable

Chain rule (an application of composition of functions) comfortable

Product and quotient rules for derivatives uncomfortable

Finding local and global maximums and minimums comfortable

Determining inflection points uncomfortable

Area under a curve uncomfortable

Anti-derivatives uncomfortable

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

Integration by parts uncomfortable

Integration by substitution uncomfortable

More than feeling comfortable or uncomfortable is that I haven’t studied many of these topics since I graduated high school (2012), so I feel I have forgotten a lot.

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  Very comfortable (V)

Factoring  Very comfortable (V)

Adding/subtracting/multiplying/dividing fractions/rational expressions Very comfortable (V)

Simplifying expressions Very comfortable (V)

Simplifying rational expressions (fractions and fractional polynomials) Very comfortable (V)

Operations on roots and fractional exponent expressions Comfortable (C)

Operations involving whole number exponent expressions Comfortable (C)

Finding common denominators Comfortable (C)

Inequalities Comfortable (C)

Functions Comfortable (C)

Absolute value Comfortable (C)

Linear functions Comfortable (C)

Systems of equations

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 Somewhat Comfortable (C)

Logarithmic functions Somewhat Comfortable (C)

Base e Somewhat Comfortable (C)

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

Trigonometric concepts Somewhat Comfortable (C)

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

No, I took precalculus mathematics. 

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?

No.

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

Yes, I got a B+

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?

No.

19.  Which social media formats are you familiar with?

Texting, facebook, pinterest, Instagram, snapchat   

The ones that are bolded.

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

 Instagram       snapchat       

21.  What is your major? Business (undecided. But I am thinking about Accounting or Finance, and I might minor in Economics.)

22.  Why are you taking this math class? It is required for my major

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? I want to learn how to apply math in the real world.

25.  Is there anything else you would like me to know about you?