details+on+the+semester+exam

=2008 Finite Semester Exam Details=

This exam will not be hard if you study and review well. It will be very difficult if you don't, though, because you will find that 75 minutes will disappear in no time.

To review:

 * Skim through the text and/or the online revision material (the linked chapter summaries, the true/false quizzes).
 * Do the homework problems assigned on the revision day to get your mind back into that old unit.
 * Take a look at your Supercorrections from your old unit tests: [|Unit 1], [|Unit 2], [|Unit 3], and [|Unit 4]
 * Rework those tests if possible.
 * As you review, ask yourself what problems you should expect to see on the exam.
 * Since you will have free access to a computer and calculator, ask yourself how that technology can help you answer questions more easily.
 * Take notes on your cheat sheet.

On test day:

 * Make sure you're well rested- don't stay up late the night before and then try to compensate with an energy drink. Energy drinks do not focus your mind- studies show they make it more difficult to think and concentrate.
 * Get to the exam early if possible.
 * Don't forget your cheat sheet!
 * Bring a ruler, pencil, eraser, graph paper.

During the test:

 * Don't panic.
 * The points allocated next to each question will be indicated.
 * There will be some scaling of scores, so you don't need to earn every point.
 * Focus on the problems you know how to do.
 * Don't skip entire problems- at least do something like identify the variables before moving on.

As I look over the semester myself, this is generally how I see the exam shaping up:

Unit 1

 * Make a linear model (either with point-slope or regression on the calculator) and use it to find another value
 * Evaluate a function either from a table, graph or equation

Unit 2

 * Break-even or supply/demand question
 * Perform row operations
 * Solve a system using augmented matrices

Unit 3

 * Perform matrix operations (add/subtract, multiply, transpose)
 * Solve a system using matrix inverse

Unit 4

 * Solve a linear programming word problem with graphing
 * Solve a linear programming word problem with the simplex method