Have you had a rocky relationship with science and math problems? Do your knees start to shake when you see a problem that’s longer than a single short sentence? In college, success in a science or math course depends, to a great extent, on your ability to solve complex problems. The exams that you will take and the homework you will complete contain a lot of tough problems.
In “The Problem With Problems,” you will begin to learn the skills that you need to tackle those tough problems. We will start by taking a look at why problem-solving plays such an important role in science and math learning. At the same time, we will work on improving your problem-solving skills and help you learn to leverage your problem-solving so that you can master the big concepts behind the problems.
Note: Spaces in this FIG will not be available until IntroDUCKtion. Each IntroDUCKtion session will have spaces available. You must see an academic advisor before adding a chemistry FIG.
Students explore the intersection of topics by taking the following course package:
UGST 109 First-Year Experience Seminar - 1-credit
CH 111 Introduction to Chemical Principles - CoreEd or major satisfying course, 4-credits
This course familiarizes students with the foundational concepts and models of modern chemistry while emphasizing problem solving and critical thinking skills that will support students' success as they continue their studies. Fundamental mathematical techniques and skills are incorporated to illustrate the quantitative aspects of chemistry and to develop student ability to model quantitative systems.
MATH 111 College Algebra - CoreEd or major satisfying course, 4-credits
This course begins by building familiarity with functions, including notation and the rate of change in a function. Linear functions, including lines of best fit, are discussed. Evaluation, identifying domain and range, and the basics of composition and inversion of functions follow. Quadratic and polynomial functions are introduced along with roots and extrema of quadratic functions. Exponential and logarithmic models are discussed with a focus on applications. Finally, transformations of functions are covered. College algebra is a calculus preparation course and as such has a strong algebraic focus.