Mathematics is a fundamental "language" needed for working in sciences, economics and engineering – and of course in mathematics itself. The purpose of this course is to refresh some known background from school and to augment it to a base of skills and tools on the level of a standard college algebra course. To this end, we will closely follow the freely available textbook https://people.math.wisc.edu/~jwrobbin/112online/UWCABook.pdf and work on abstract concepts as well as concrete examples; the taught material will be complemented by assignments to be solved by the students.

This course focuses on core concepts like functions, equations, inequalities, polynomials, and systems of equations, designed to build skills for calculus and other advanced STEM subjects.

This course continues the development of foundational mathematical skills essential for further study in the sciences, economics, engineering, and mathematics itself. Building on the material from College Algebra I, this second part introduces new concepts while reinforcing previously studied topics. The primary focus will be on three key areas: exponents and exponential functions, trigonometry, and logarithms. We will combine abstract reasoning with concrete problem-solving. Students will engage with the material through lectures, discussions, and regular assignments.

Trigonometry is the study of triangles, and the study of "trignometric functions" like sine, cosine, and tangent. It is a building block of many other courses, and fun in its own right.

Discrete mathematics studies processes that move through a sequence of distinct, well-defined steps. This contrasts with calculus, which focuses on phenomena that change smoothly and continuously. While the ideas of calculus shaped much of the science and technology of the Industrial Revolution, discrete mathematics forms the foundation of the computer age. In this gentle introduction to discrete mathematics, we will focus on number systems, logic and proof, mathematical induction, and discrete structures. By the end of the course, you will have built a solid mathematical foundation for key areas of computer science such as algorithms and cryptography, as well as for further study in mathematics, including algebra and number theory.