The Cherokee County Secondary Mathematics curriculum reflects national mathematics goals, Georgia Department of Education’s Performance Standards and Cherokee County’s Student Performance Standards. The study of mathematics in Cherokee County is approached from the fundamental view that mathematics is a dynamic discipline. The mathematics program consists of problem solving, communication, reasoning and making connections. It includes the study of numbers and operations, algebra, functions, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, probability, discrete mathematics, analysis and calculus. Technology and graphing calculators are an integral component of the mathematics program. All students are required to take 4 years of high school mathematics courses.
Courses Offered:
GSE Foundations of Algebra
Foundations of Algebra provides many opportunities to revisit and expand the understanding of foundational algebra concepts, will employ diagnostic means to offer focused interventions, and will incorporate varied instructional strategies to prepare students for required high school mathematics courses. The course will emphasize both algebra and numeracy in a variety of contexts including number sense, proportional reasoning, quantitative reasoning with functions, and solving equations and inequalities.
GSE Algebra I
Algebra I is the first course in a sequence of three required high school courses designed to ensure career and college readiness. The course represents a discrete study of algebra with correlated statistics applications. The standards in the three-course high school sequence specify the mathematics that all students should study in order to be college and career ready. Additional mathematics content is provided in fourth credit courses and advanced courses including pre-calculus, calculus, advanced statistics, discrete mathematics, and mathematics of finance courses. High school course content standards are listed by conceptual categories including Number and Quantity, Algebra, Functions, Geometry, and Statistics and Probability.
GSE Accelerated Algebra I/Geometry A
The fundamental purpose of Accelerated Algebra I/Geometry A is to formalize and extend the mathematics that students learned in the middle grades. The critical areas, organized into units, deepen and extend understanding of functions by comparing and contrasting linear, quadratic, and exponential phenomena. Students will learn all concepts covered in GSE Algebra I and the first half of GSE Algebra I
GSE Geometry
The focus of Analytic Geometry on the coordinate plane is organized into 6 critical areas. Transformations on the coordinate plane provide opportunities for the formal study of congruence and similarity. The study of similarity leads to an understanding of right triangle trigonometry and connects to quadratics through Pythagorean relationships. The study of circles uses similarity and congruence to develop basic theorems relating circles and lines. The need for extending the set of rational numbers arises and real and complex numbers are introduced so that all quadratic equations can be solved. Quadratic expressions, equations, and functions are developed; comparing their characteristics and behavior to those of linear and exponential relationships from Coordinate Algebra. Circles return with their quadratic algebraic representations on the coordinate plane. The link between probability and data is explored through conditional probability. The Mathematical Practice Standards apply throughout each course and, together with the content standards, prescribe that students experience mathematics as a coherent, useful, and logical subject that makes use of their ability to make sense of problem situations.
GSE Accelerated Geometry B/Algebra II
The focus of Accelerated Analytic Geometry B/Advanced Algebra is organized into nine critical areas, organized into units. Quadratic expressions, equations, and functions are developed; comparing their characteristics and behavior to those of linear and exponential relationships from Accelerated Algebra I /Geometry A. Circles return with their quadratic algebraic representations on the coordinate plane. The link between probability and data is explored through conditional probability. Students expand their repertoire of functions to include quadratic (with complex solutions), polynomial, rational, and radical functions. And, finally, students bring together all of their experience with functions to create models and solve contextual problems. Students will cover all concepts in the second half of GSE Geometry and the first half of GSE Algebra II.
GSE Algebra II
It is in Advanced Algebra that students pull together and apply the accumulation of learning that they have from their previous courses, with content grouped into six critical areas, organized into units. They apply methods from probability and statistics to draw inferences and conclusions from data. Students expand their repertoire of functions to include polynomial, rational, and radical functions. They expand their study of right triangle trigonometry to model periodic phenomena. And, finally, students bring together all of their experience with functions and geometry to create models and solve contextual problems. The Mathematical Practice Standards apply throughout each course and, together with the content standards, prescribe that students experience mathematics as a coherent, useful, and logical subject that makes use of their ability to make sense of problem situations.
GSE Pre-Calculus
Pre-Calculus focuses on standards to prepare students for a more intense study of mathematics. The critical areas organized in seven units delve deeper into content from previous courses. The study of circles and parabolas is extended to include other conics such as ellipses and hyperbolas. Trigonometric functions are further developed to include inverses, general triangles and identities. Matrices provide an organizational structure in which to represent and solve complex problems. Students expand the concepts of complex numbers and the coordinate plane to represent and operate upon vectors. Probability rounds out the course using counting methods, including their use in making and evaluating decisions. The Mathematical Practice Standards apply throughout each course and, together with the content standards, prescribe that students experience mathematics as a coherent, useful, and logical subject that makes use of their ability to make sense of problem situations.
GSE Accelerated Pre-Calculus
Pre-Calculus focuses on standards to prepare students for a more intense study of mathematics. The critical areas organized in seven units delve deeper into content from previous courses. The study of circles and parabolas is extended to include other conics such as ellipses and hyperbolas. Trigonometric functions are further developed to include inverses, general triangles and identities. Matrices provide an organizational structure in which to represent and solve complex problems. Students expand the concepts of complex numbers and the coordinate plane to represent and operate upon vectors. Probability rounds out the course using counting methods, including their use in making and evaluating decisions. The Mathematical Practice Standards apply throughout each course and, together with the content standards, prescribe that students experience mathematics as a coherent, useful, and logical subject that makes use of their ability to make sense of problem situations.
Advanced Mathematical Decision Making
This is a course designed to follow the completion of Mathematics III or Accelerated Mathematics II. The course will give students further experiences with statistical information and summaries, methods of designing and conducting statistical studies, an opportunity to analyze various voting processes, modeling of data, basic financial decisions, and use network models for making informed decisions.
Statistical Reasoning
This is a two-semester fourth-year course option for students who have completed CCGPS Advanced Algebra or Accelerated CCGPS Analytic Geometry B/Advanced Algebra. The course provides experiences in statistics beyond the CCGPS sequence of courses, offering students opportunities to strengthen their understanding of the statistical method of inquiry and statistical simulations. Students will formulate statistical questions to be answered using data, will design and implement a plan to collect the appropriate data, will select appropriate graphical and numerical methods for data analysis, and will interpret their results to make connections with the initial question.
Calculus
This is a two-semester fourth-year course option for students who have completed CCGPS Pre-Calculus, GPS Pre-Calculus, Mathematics IV or its equivalent. It includes problem solving, reasoning and estimation, functions, derivatives, applications of the derivative, integrals, and application of the integral.
Advanced Placement Statistics
Follows the College Board syllabus for the Advanced Placement Statistics Examination. Covers four major themes: exploratory analysis, planning a study, probability, and statistical inference. Prerequisite: Either Euclidean Geometry or Informal Geometry, and Algebra II.
Advanced Placement Calculus AB
Follows the College Board syllabus for the Advanced Placement Calculus AB Examination. Includes properties of functions and graphs, limits and continuity, differential and integral calculus. Prerequisite: Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry or analysis.
Advanced Placement Calculus BC
Conforms to College Board topics for the Advanced Placement Calculus BC Examination. Covers Advanced Placement Calculus AB topics and includes vector functions, parametric equations, conversions, parametrically defined curves, tangent lines, and sequence and series. Prerequisite: Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry or Analysis.