General Studies - Mathematics

Alabama General Studies in Mathematics

This document expands on and clarifies the AGSC Guidelines and Criteria for Courses Submitted in Mathematics

The courses described below have been designated by the Articulation/General Studies Academic Discipline Committee for Mathematics as being the mathematics core curriculum.

Courses submitted for approval as General Studies should conform to one of the descriptions below. If possible the title and course number should be used. Other titles and course numbers may be used, but the equivalent title and number from this list should be indicated.

Schools may offer coursework in other than the courses described in this package; however, the school must make it clear that such coursework may not transfer to another institute of higher learning in Alabama.
The Mathematics Discipline Committee will consider innovative mathematics courses that are proposed for General Studies designation but do not appear here. Schools submitting such courses must clearly indicate how transfer credit should be treated.
Honors courses in these topics may be submitted. It is assumed that these courses will have a greater emphasis on concepts, theory and proofs, but cover the same topics. They would transfer to schools without Honors programs as the non-honors equivalent.
Schools may offer remedial mathematics courses such as Introduction to Algebra, Elementary Algebra, or Intermediate Algebra. Such coursework will not be approved for General Studies. Others not considered acceptable are courses in
- statistics,
- mathematics courses designed primarily for Elementary Education majors.
- course that would be titled Consumer, Business, Basic, Technical Mathematics or Fun with Mathematics.
The prerequisite for some of these courses is referred to as the Alabama Minimum Mathematics Prerequisite and is the following.

Alabama Minimum Mathematics Prerequisite

High School Algebra I and II, Geometry and an appropriate mathematics placement score or a grade of C or higher (S if taken as Pass/Fail) Intermediate Algebra.

These descriptions give the minimum of topics to be covered, others may be included.

MA 110 -- Finite Mathematics (3 semester hours)

This course is intended to give an overview of topics in finite mathematics together with their applications. The course will draw on and significantly enhance the student's arithmetic and algebraic skills. The course includes sets, counting, permutations, combinations, basic probability (including Bayes' theorem), descriptive statistics, including work with the binomial and normal distribution, matrices and their applications to Markov chains and decision theory. Additional topics may include symbolic logic, linear models, linear programming, the simplex method and applications.
Prerequisite: Alabama Minimum Mathematics Prerequisite

MA 112 -- Precalculus Algebra (3 semester hours)

This course emphasizes the algebra of functions - including polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions. The course also covers systems of equations and inequalities, quadratic inequalities, and the binomial theorem.
Prerequisite: Alabama Minimum Mathematics Prerequisite.

MA 113 -- Precalculus Trigonometry (3 semester hours)

It includes the study of trigonometric (circular functions) and inverse trigonometric functions, and includes extensive work with trigonometric identities and trigonometric equations. The course also covers vectors, complex numbers, DeMoivres's theorem and polar coordinates.
Prerequisite: MA 112 Precalculus Algebra

MA 115 -- Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry (4 semester hours)

This course is a one semester combination of Precalculus Algebra and Precalculus Trigonometry intended for superior students. The course covers the following topics: the algebra of functions (including polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions), systems of equations and inequalities, quadratic inequalities, and the binomial theorem, as well as the study of trigonometric (circular functions) and inverse trigonometric functions, and includes extensive work with trigonometric identities and trigonometric equations, vectors, complex numbers, DeMoivre's Theorem, and polar coordinates.
Prerequisite: Alabama Minimum Mathematics

MA 120 -- Calculus and Its Applications (3 semester hours)

This course is intended to give a broad overview of calculus and is taken primarily by students majoring is Commerce and Business Administration. It includes differentiation and integration of algebraic, exponential, and logarithmic functions and applications to business and economics. The course should include functions of several variables, partial derivatives (including applications), Lagrange Multipliers, L'Hopital's Rule, multiple integration (including applications).
Prerequisite: MA 112 Precalculus Algebra

MA 125 -- Calculus I (4 semester hours)

This is the first of three courses in the basic calculus sequence taken primarily by students in science, engineering and mathematics. Topics include the limit of a function; the derivative of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions; and the definite integral and its basic applications to area problems. Applications of the derivative are covered in detail, including approximations of error using differentials, maximum and minimum problems, and curve sketching using calculus.
Prerequisite: MA 113 or MA 115 Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry

MA 126 -- Calculus II (4 semester hours)

This is the second of three courses in the basic calculus sequence. Topics include vectors in the plane and in space, lines and planes in space, applications of integration (such as volume, arc length, work and average value), techniques of integration, infinite series, polar coordinates, and parametric equations.
Prerequisite: MA 125 Calculus I

MA 227 -- Calculus III (4 semester hours)

This is the third of three courses in the basic calculus sequence. Topics include vector functions, functions of two or more variable, partial derivatives (including applications), quadratic surfaces, multiple integration, and vector calculus (including Green's Theorem, Curl and Divergence, surface integrals, and Stoke's Theorem).
Prerequisite: MA 126 Calculus II

MA 237 -- Linear Algebra I (3 semester hours)

This course introduces the basic theory of linear equations and matrices, real vector spaces, bases and dimension, linear transformations and matrices, determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, inner product spaces, and the diagonalization of symmetric matrices. Additional topics may include quadratic forms and the use of matrix methods to solve systems of linear differential equations.
Prerequisite: MA 126 Calculus II

MA 238 -- Applied Differential Equations I (3 semester hours)

An introduction to numerical methods, qualitative behavior of first order differential equations, techniques for solving separable and linear equations analytically, and applications to various models (e.g. populations, motion, chemical mixtures, etc.); techniques for solving higher order linear differential equations with constant coefficients (general theory, undetermined coefficients, reduction of order and the method or variation of parameters), with emphasis on interpreting the behavior of the solutions, and applications to physical models whose governing equations are of high order; the Laplace transform as a tool for the solution of initial value problems whose inhomogeneous terms are discontinuous.
Co-requisite: MA 227 Calculus III