Non-science majors who stress out at even the thought of taking a college algebra course can relax a bit.
In the past, all undergraduates were required to successfully complete Math 105, “Applied College Algebra.” According to a course description, it covers functions and graphs, “including linear functions, quadratic and other polynomial functions, exponential and logarithmic functions.”
Now there’s an alternative for non-science majors.
MATH 102, “Quantitative Reasoning,” is designed for students in non-technical fields. It emphasizes practical, everyday uses for math. Think of it as “algebra lite.”
Three faculty members created the course: Dr. Kathleen Lopez, an associate professor of mathematics; Melissa Myers, a master instructor; and Christy Sue Langley, a mathematics instructor.
Myers, director of freshman mathematics at UL Lafayette, said the new course will likely appeal to many students enrolled in the College of the Arts and the College of Liberal Arts.
Topics in MATH 102 include traditional concepts, such as linear and exponential functions, as well as subjects designed to increase students’ ability to reason quantitatively.
Nationally, universities are moving away from formula-based teaching and toward concept-oriented, practical applications of mathematics, said Myers. “Creating a college algebra alternative designed specifically for non-science majors will enable us to better serve these two different populations.”