Ma 080 Liberal Arts Math Modules

These are the modules that you will have to demonstrate proficiency in:

Ma 081 - Basic Mathematics - Including arithmetic, fractions/decimals, percents, and basic properties of real numbers (such as transitivity)

These are your basic arithmetic skills, without which we have nothing to build on!

Ma 082 - Geometry - including logical arguments, perimeter, area, volume, and basic triangular relationships

How much will this container hold? Do I have enough fencing to go around my yard? Will the furniture fit in this room? What is the distance from this point to that point? All of these questions and more can be answered by studying geometry--seeing how God designed the world to fit together. Besides the obvious real-life applications in this area (pun intended), your Essential Science teachers will expect you to have a basic understanding here as a starting point to what you will be learning with them.

Ma 083 - Measurement - including length/mass/weight and conversion between English and metric units

The English system grew up gradually over centuries and is mostly based on measurements of various body parts or containers that have no relationship to each other. The metric system came out of the French Revolution and all of the measurements fit together logically, but we Americans stubbornly cling to our miles and pounds. So converting from one measurement to another whether within the English system or from English to metric is a challenge for us. Should I multiply or divide to change pounds to kilograms? What about miles to kilometers? Suppose I am cooking for a crowd and quadrupling a recipe--do I really have to measure 12 Tablespoons or is there an easier way? Culinary Arts students especially need what is offered here, and it is essential for Essential Science as well.

Ma 084 - Descriptive Statistics - including mean, median, mode, and creating and interpreting graphical data

You can't watch the news for five minutes without being hit with some kind of statistic and/or a pretty graph to illustrate it. What should we do with all of the mountain of data that is put before us every day? What kind is the most reliable? Mark Twain said over a hundred years ago that "there are three types of lies - lies, [really bad] lies, and statistics." He also said that "figures don't lie, but liars do figure." So how are you to discern the good from the bad? Start with an understanding of where the numbers are supposed to come from! This knowledge will also stand you in good stead in courses like Economics and Apologetics.

Ma 085 - Linear Equations and Graphs - creating and interpreting linear relationships

Math and Science are often about recognizing patterns--when this goes up, that goes up as well, and when this goes down, that goes down by the same amount. If you can show that there is a linear relationship, you can predict outcomes at various input levels. This is useful in Economics as well.

Ma 086 - Mathematical Reasoning - creating valid, logical arguments in context, including the consequences of negating statements, biconditional statements, etc.

In practically every paper that you write in college (and there will be a lot of them!), you are either constructing an argument of your own or evaluating an argument that someone else has proposed. Is the logic valid? Have you come to the correct conclusion based on the facts at hand? There is a lot more to it than just whether your gut reaction is a yes or a no. You will find this especially useful for what you have to do in English 102, Hermeneutics, Themes of Western Thought, and Apologetics.

All modules offered for 0 credits. Ma 081 is a prerequisite for all of the other five modules. The remaining five modules should be taken in the recommended sequence.