Mathematical Problem Solving

Score Requirements: (Score Table 1)
Prerequisite: Algebra I

About the Course: Students will develop mathematical reasoning skills as they study a wide range of mathematical topics including binary numbers, logarithms, functions, and relations.  Instead of memorizing processes and formulas, students will learn and apply problem solving strategies such as working backwards, solving a simpler problem, and searching for a pattern.  The course will combine topics that students will encounter later in their mathematics careers with unique and novel applications of more familiar topics.  As students develop their reasoning abilities, they will discover and appreciate the interrelationships between mathematical concepts, and they will be able to apply sound principles to challenging problems.

About the Instructor: Blake Norris holds a B.A. in Mathematics and an M.A.T. in Secondary Math Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He has taught Algebra I, Geometry, Honors Geometry, and ESL Intro to Math during his tenure at Chapel Hill High School, where he is a co-sponsor of the school’s Geometry Team. Blake twice wrote and received the North Carolina Bright Ideas Grant for a geometry mini-golf project. He also serves as an SAT prep instructor and fulfills his competitive drive by serving as the head coach of the CHHS Varsity Softball team.  His love of math is derived from its concreteness and logically-based thinking coupled with its real-world applications and uses in our everyday lives.

Instructor(s) subject to change.