Need help preparing for Uni Enterance Exam

[mooeypoo]

Hi guys

 

My math is rusty as heck, I haven't touched practically anything for at least 4 years.

I just recieved notice that I was accepted to university, and they've invited me for a placement exam. I have to go over the basic and bit more advanced math so that i wont waste time remembering things at the exam time itself..

 

I've been looking for some basic algebra questions, but didn't really have a lot of luck. Anyone knows of sites that allow for algebra training?

 

Furthermore, I'm new to the USA.. can anyone explain, briefly, what does "Math I", "Math II" and "Math III" means? What type of "difficulties" are we talking about between these?

 

And just a last note; I am rusty, but I used to deal with relatively difficult math in high school, so all I need is a few questions in each subject in order to remember, and I do believe I'll do just fine.. used to solve Physics equasions.. so.. I should be okay after I get my head back into the action.

 

I hope

 

thanks

 

 

~moo

[Genecks]

Depending on the amount of days, I would set 10 days aside for review on each mathematic course level.

 

Ten days for geometry; ten days for algebra; ten days for _____; you get the point. You will have to study hardcore if you are going through a book in ten days. I don't know if you can do that or not.

 

Have you thought about going to a local college or university library? These libraries often have textbooks with problems in them. I found the college library to be a goldmine when it came to mathematical texts; however, I once found a few glitches in a book, but they were not too serious.

 

I would check out a local post-secondary educational library and see if they have any college-level mathematics books around.

 

Look through them for questions. Typically the odd questions have answers in the back of the book.

 

Update Edit:

 

I don't know what to say about the courses: Math I, II, and III.

 

I can say these courses may be described in the course catalog of the university. The course catalog is often found on the university's website. Typically the search of "catalog" will suffice for the search engine most university websites have.

[mooeypoo]

woa woa.. no no, this type of test you're not even supposed to practice for. I just want to review basic math to make sure I get rid of my rustiness.

 

I have a week to remember the basics...

 

in particular I cant seem to find refferences on the 'main formulas' - like the

a^2 + 2ab + b^2 = 0

which I completely forgot how to seperate each one.. c'mon guys, there's GOT TO BE some worksheets / review material for those things online... help?

 

~moo

[Genecks]

You could still tab through a few books and solve some problems. You don't have to read through them.

 

The problem you gave seems like introductory algebra, but I can not remember what type of problem it relates to.

 

The reason I gave you the advice was because I took a placement exam. My performance was not good. I didn't collect books, tabbing through them, practicing for it. I was kicked down to a lower math course.

 

Update Edit:

 

There it is:

- http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Algebra/Quadratic_functions#Completing_the_Square

 

People typically don't use "a" and "b" integers; most use "a" and "x" integers.

[Bignose]

Wikibooks has a great deal of math textbooks online:

 

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks:Mathematics_bookshelf

[matt grime]

in particular I cant seem to find refferences on the 'main formulas' - like the

a^2 + 2ab + b^2 = 0

 

that is not a formula, it is an equation. (a+b)^2 expanded might be what you want.

 

try doing multiplying out: it's long multiplication and nothing more scary (and, no, before you say something, that is not belittling you it is trying to point out that you're thinking this is more complicated than it is. If you can multiply 37 by 23 be thinking of it is (20+3)*(30+7) which is 20*30 +3*30+20*7+3*21 like we were doing in our first years at school you can do this kind of expansion too).

[matt grime]

Furthermore, I'm new to the USA.. can anyone explain, briefly, what does "Math I", "Math II" and "Math III" means? What type of "difficulties" are we talking about between these?

 

 

they mean nothing: names are not universal, the syllabi are not universal. Beyond the presumption that Math I is done before Math II there is nothing more that anyone can possibly say. The syllabi should be available for you to look at. Questions beyond that should be directed at the person at the college responsible for answering these questions (and there will be someone to do that).

[ecoli]

actually, you shouldn't really study for the exams. You already got into the university, so they just want to find out what math class you belong in. If you do worse on the exam, you'll get put into an easier math class. So, the amount you study now will determine the level of difficulty for your classes next year.

 

What uni is it, btw?