Category : Science and Education
Archive   : AYRFCAL1.ZIP
Filename : INSTRBC.DOC

 
Output of file : INSTRBC.DOC contained in archive : AYRFCAL1.ZIP
R U Ready For Business Calculus ?

INSTRUCTIONS
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To browse through this document, use the following keys :

Home : takes you to the beginning of the document (here).
End : takes you to the end of the document.
PgUp : takes you up one page.
PgDn : takes you down one page.
Up Arrow : takes you up one line.
Dn Arrow : takes you down one line.
Ctrl P : prints this document (IBM graphics printing capability required).
Esc : takes you back to the main menu.

If you look at the bottom left hand side of the screen, you will see these
commands highlighted. The right hand side displays the length of the
document, together with the lines you are currently viewing.

You do not need to use the RETURN (or ENTER) key. Just press any key and it
will be accepted. Why don't you press the down-arrow key now? If nothing
happens, check that the Number Lock key is disabled.
Now that was easy, wasn't it! Now try PgDn, and you are on your own.

THE PROBLEM
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One of the problems we encounter while teaching business calculus is that
many students do not have the mathematical skills which are essential for
success. This is true even though the prerequisite course (College Algebra)
has been passed. Let me put it another way. I think the main reason that
students do poorly in business calculus has little to do with the course
itself. It has to do with poor or forgotten algebra skills.

Even students who have received an "A" in algebra have trouble with business
calculus. This is because some of the material which they did not master in
algebra is essential for success in calculus.

To address this problem, the Mathematics Department of the University of
Arizona decided to do the following. Write a computer program which a
student can use before starting calculus. This program would quiz the
student on all sections of algebra which are essential to calculus. In other
words, it would not review all of college algebra, but would concentrate on
those areas which are actually needed in calculus. The quiz would not be
part of the student's record. In fact the University would have no knowledge
of it.

The whole purpose of the program would be to hone the student's skills in
those parts of algebra which are essential for success in business calculus.

This program should be available at minimum cost and could be run anywhere
a student has access to an MS-DOS machine. We should supply the computer
labs on campus with copies of the program. We should also make it freely
available to high schools. Finally, we should upload it to bulletin boards
across the country so that students at universities, colleges, and high
schools throughout the USA can benefit from it.

For my sins, I was asked to write such a program, and this, together with a
corresponding program for regular Calculus I, is the result. We have also
created and released similar programs for other courses, viz. Calculus II,
Calculus III, and Ordinary Differential Equations.

This program is designed to be self-contained. All you have to know are the
keys used to browse through a document. There is nothing else to remember
(except algebra!).

If you find any mistakes, or if you have any suggestions, or have an
overwhelming desire to express an opinion, please feel free to contact me.
Please mention that this is Version 2.O5 of RURBC.

David Lovelock,
Department of Mathematics,
University of Arizona,
Tucson, AZ 85721.

Tel (602)-621-6855 (my office).
Tel (602)-621-6893 (departmental office).


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º º
º This program may be freely distributed by any means, including bulletin º
º boards, provided that there is no fee or charge or consideration of any º
º kind involved which is in excess of $8. However, I retain all the rights º
º to this program. º
º º
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After you exit from these instructions (by pressing the ESC key) you should
attempt the review quizzes. Each quiz has a help document which can be read
the same way you are reading this document. Each quiz consists of 10
questions. After you complete all 10 questions, the program will assess your
performance. If you know the material sufficiently well you will be so
advised. Otherwise the program will recommend that you work on specific
problem areas before re-attempting the same review.


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º Some advice so that you can get the most out of this review. º
º º
º 1) ALWAYS use paper and pencil. º
º 2) ALWAYS start from the question and work towards an answer. º
º DO NOT start from the answers and work towards the question - some º
º questions can be done this way, but that won't help you with calculus. º
º 3) DO NOT use a calculator - many instructors prohibit their use. º
º 4) Remember this review is for your benefit - take it seriously. If you º
º don't understand something fully, admit it, AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! º
º 5) If you don't know why you missed a question, copy it down, along with º
º all the answers, and take it to your instructor for help. Most º
º instructors are human and are quite happy to help a serious student! º
º º
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If you have a CGA graphics card, you may have seen flickering (snow) on this
and the initial screen. By selecting SNOW ON or SNOW OFF from the main menu,
this effect can usually be reduced.

In case you inadvertently go to this point, the end of the document, and have
already forgotten which keys to use, here they are again.

Home : takes you to the beginning of the document.
End : takes you to the end of the document (here).
PgUp : takes you up one page.
PgDn : takes you down one page.
Up Arrow : takes you up one line.
Dn Arrow : takes you down one line.
Ctrl P : prints this document (IBM graphics printing capability required).
Esc : takes you back to the main menu.

This is the end of the Instructions. Press the ESC key to return to the main
menu.


  3 Responses to “Category : Science and Education
Archive   : AYRFCAL1.ZIP
Filename : INSTRBC.DOC

  1. Very nice! Thank you for this wonderful archive. I wonder why I found it only now. Long live the BBS file archives!

  2. This is so awesome! 😀 I’d be cool if you could download an entire archive of this at once, though.

  3. But one thing that puzzles me is the “mtswslnkmcjklsdlsbdmMICROSOFT” string. There is an article about it here. It is definitely worth a read: http://www.os2museum.com/wp/mtswslnk/