Precalculus - What's New

Enhancements

This year, over 140 new question types have been added, 40 of which incorporate user-directed graphing. This includes completely new graphing mechanisms for parabolas, polynomials, and rational functions.
Questions that test basic concepts have been added in conjunction with existing question types that test the same concepts at a higher level.
The format of answer boxes has been changed in some questions to avoid leading the user to the correct answer.
Also, more question types have been split into separate questions to allow instructors greater control of the content and the level of difficulty that their students will see.

Lesson 1.3: Polynomials and Factoring

Added the choice “Not Factorable” to factoring questions.
Added question types where the given expression is not factorable.
Added a question type similar to existing question type 39, but the denominator contains a variable.
Added a factoring question where the given expression can be factored further after the GCF is factored out.

Lesson 1.5a: Linear Equations in One Variable

Added a question type that has no solution and a question type that has one solution.
Added a question type that has a linear equation with decimals that requires the distributive property.
Added a more efficient solution screen for question type 9 and made the previous solution method an alternate method hotword.

Lesson 1.6: Linear Inequalities in One Variable

Added a question type similar to existing question type 6, but the endpoints do not reduce.

Lesson 1.8a: Rational Expressions and Equations

Added a question type of adding rational expressions using two simple expressions.

Lesson 2.3: Forms of Linear Equations

Added question types that have the user move points on the graph instead of typing in values.

Lesson 2.4: Parallel and Perpendicular Lines

Added a question type like existing question type 2 but asking for a perpendicular line instead of a parallel line.

Lesson 2.5: Linear Inequalities in Two Variables

Added linear inequality question types that have the user click on the graph to shade.

Lesson 3.1: Relations and Functions

Added a question type asking for domain and range where only one answer box is provided for each answer so as to not give away how many values are in each answer.
Added two question types and instruct screens covering the difference quotient.

Lesson 3.2a: Linear and Quadratic Functions

Lesson 3.2b: Max/Min Applications of Quadratic Functions

Added simpler question types that ask if a given equation has a maximum or a minimum and, if so, where it occurs.

Lesson 3.3a: Other Common Functions

Added question types where the user is given fewer graphs to choose from when asked to identify the graph of a given piecewise function.

Lesson 3.5: Transformations of Functions

Added simpler question types that display the graph of a given function and ask where the function is increasing and decreasing.

Lesson 3.7: Inverses of Functions

Added the choice “Does not have an inverse” to certain questions.
Added a question type in which a function with a restriction is given and Part 1 asks for the inverse and Part 2 asks for the domain of the inverse.

Lesson 4.1: Introduction to Polynomial Equations and Graphs

Added question types with full-scale graphing of polynomials.
Added question types that only use strict inequalities and question types that only use non-strict question types so that instructors can select one or the other.
Added the leading coefficient test to instruct screens.
Added question types and instruct screens that cover sign interval testing to solve polynomial inequalities.

Lesson 4.5a: Rational Functions

Added question types with full-scale graphing of rational functions.
Added question types that ask for only vertical asymptotes, only horizontal asymptotes, and only oblique asymptotes.

Lesson 5.2: Applications of Exponential Functions

Added question types like existing question types 6, 7, 15, 17, and 18 that include hotwords for interest formulas.

Lesson 7.4: Trigonometric Equations

Added question types that ask for a trigonometric equation to be solved only on the interval from (0,2Π).

Lesson 10.1: Solving Systems by Substitution and Elimination

Updated instruct screens to emphasize the geometric meaning of inconsistent systems of equations.
Added a question type that asks whether the given system of equations is consistent, inconsistent, or dependent; but doesn’t ask for the solution.

Lesson 10.4: The Algebra of Matrices

Redesigned the answer input for matrix questions to require the user to determine answer dimensions instead of giving away that part of the answer.

Lesson 11.1: Sequences and Series

Lesson 11.3: Geometric Sequences and Series

Lesson 11.5b: An Introduction to Combinatorics – Counting, Permutations, and Combinations