Algebra II

Professor Sellers explains the topics covered in the series; the importance of algebra and how one can get the most out of these episodes; the fundamentals of algebra; reviewing the order of operations and trying a hand at several problems.

Exploring linear equations; studying one-step equations and then advancing to those requiring two or more steps to solve; applying the distributive property to simplify certain problems; learning about the three categories of linear equations.

Taking knowledge of linear equations a step ahead; examples involving absolute values, which can be thought of as a distance on a number line, always expressed as a positive value; recognizing absolute value problems that have limited or no answers.

Moving into the visual realm; how linear equations are represented as straight lines on graphs using either the slope-intercept or point-slope forms of the function; parallel and perpendicular lines; identifying them by the value of their slopes.

Reversing the procedure from the previous episode; starting with an equation and drawing the line that corresponds to it; matching four linear equations to their graphs; how to rewrite an equation to move its graph in different directions.

Functions are important not only for algebra, but for precalculus, calculus and higher mathematics; a function's definition; concepts such as domain and range; the vertical line test for determining whether a given curve is a graph of a function.