[MATHEDCC] Geometry

Beth Hentges (bhentges@uswest.net)
Thu, 25 Mar 1999 19:31:01 -0600

At Century community and Technical College, White Bear Lake, MN, we
teach an informal geometry course. It's a two semester-credit course.
We use two books.
The first text is by Patricia Juelg, published by Delmar. It's decent
at explanations, and the homework problems address basic concepts. The
second text is the geometry supplement to the Goodman/Hirsch Elementary
and Intermediate Algebra texts. The development of concepts is not
explained in as easily understandable manner as the Juelg text, but the
problems are more significant. To solve most of the problems students
must understand and use a geometric concept to set up an algebraic
equation.
Example
Juelg text: Two angles of a triangle measure 34 degrees and 127
degrees, what's the measure of the third angle?
Goodman text: One angle of a triangle measures 3x+4 degrees, a second
angle measures 13x - 3 degrees, and the third angle measures 2x - 1
degrees. What are the measures of the three angles?

The Juelg book discusses the triangle congruence postulates. The
Goodman book does not.

Most of the other CC's in this state teach geometry within their
intermediate algebra courses. I'm not sure how much is covered or how
well. Our course is a prerequisite for all of our college-level
transfer courses, except statistics. Students can take it before,
concurrently, or after intermediate algebra. We also have a development
trig course that is a prereq for our precalculus course.

Beth Hentges
Century College
b.hentges@cctc.cc.mn.us

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