CLEP College Mathematics: Real & Complex Numbers and Basic Algebra

Mathematics is an exciting and varied degree that can open up a lot of opportunities for students. The basic arithmetic operations for real numbers are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Addition is the most basic operation of arithmetic. In its simplest form, addition combines two quantities into a single quantity or sum. This is a free online course about real, rational and irrational numbers. You will learn about sets of numbers and their operations. It outlines the methods used to calculate the sum, difference, product, and quotient of negative whole numbers. This module teaches you the steps in converting rational numbers from and to decimals. In math, we usually deal with two types of quantities: variable quantities (or variables) and constant quantities (or constants). You will discover the different types of variation according to the pattern of changing or relationships of variables. Other names for exponents are ‘index’ or ‘power’, and the material explains how to solve exponents and powers.

A monomial is an algebraic expression that contains only one term. A monomial can be a constant real number, a variable, or an expression written as the product of a real number and variables. You are introduced to the basic rules of exponentiation. Learn how to calculate the power of power as well as the quotient rule for monomials. Equations in which a variable expression is raised to a rational exponent can be solved by raising both sides of the equation to the reciprocal of the exponent. The reason the expression is raised to the reciprocal of its exponent is that the product of a number and its reciprocal is one. This course explains how to solve an equation with rational exponents. Learn how to solve radical equations having one radical term. It discusses the relationship between logarithms and exponents, and explains the algebraic rules for multiplication of two binomials using the acronym FOIL.

Finally, there are many real-world situations that deal with quadratics and parabolas. Throwing an object, diving from a platform, and kicking a ball are all examples of situations that can be modeled by quadratic functions. This course examines the graphical solution of quadratic equations in more detail as well as other methods of solving quadratic equations. It outlines the properties of inequalities, solving inequalities using addition and subtraction. Learn how to solve inequalities using multiplication and division. You will discover imaginary numbers, their properties, and the powers of i. This course analyzes complex numbers and their properties basics. You will learn the method of completing the square to establish a general formula for solving any quadratic equation.