Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

Last Thursday in my Mathematical Methods 1 class we had more examples on how to get the solution set of a system of two variables (which I started discussing last Friday).

For the graphical method I had to assure them that the intersection would be all integers so that they would not have to determine if a point is at half or two thirds or whatever of two numbers.

For the elimination method they had to multiply one or both equations with a constant so that the coefficient of one of the variables would become zero, leaving them with one equation in one variable, which they could substitute in one of the equations to get the value of the second variable.

In the substitution method they had to reform one of the equations to isolate one of the variables, then replace this expression in the other equation, resulting again in one equation in one variable.

I also had to remind them that the quiz the next day would still include the computation of the medians and determination of parallel and perpendicular equations, and that they should pass graphing papers with their test booklet then.

All this was after I showed them how to compute for their midterm standing based on the five quizzes (but total of 300 points) we’ve had so far. For once they found the importance of having all their test booklets either in their group envelopes in the faculty room or in their bags. They’ll have to refer to them again during the week before finals when we compute for their pre-final standing.

In my Trigonometric Applications class I had the fifty point quiz on the trigonometric functions of angles greater than ninety degrees and less than zero. I was very close to getting irritated because of the students asking all these questions that I assumed they already knew.

I had to write the sides of the triangles for the special angles (30, 45, and 60 degrees) but drew the line at how to get the trigonometric functions from that. I even had to write down an example on how to multiply two radical numbers.

There were some items where they told me straight out that they did not know how to answer it despite the fact that it was part of the reviewer I gave them the week ago. I guess it’s too much to assume that they would study the samples on their own, which means I have to ensure that there are enough solved problems discussed in class.

The very least they could do is attend the lectures and try to listen and follow the lesson. They really have to learn to take advantage of asking their teacher questions during the lecture and not during the exam.

They may have been able to answer the exam because they asked the teacher right then and there about the method of solving, but what they don’t know (and that I should tell them next time) is that it really lowers the teacher’s impression of them when they ask during the exam because it shows that they did not prepare.

And that’s Thursday morning. I’ll discuss Thursday afternoon and Friday next time. For now, class dismissed.