An Interdisciplinary Course to Replace College Algebra

 Benny Evans
 Department of Mathematics
 Oklahoma State University 
 Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078
 (405) 744-5698
 
 With the aid of the National Science Foundation, Oklahoma State University 
 is expiramenting with a new course designed to replace college algebra for 
 students whose major does not require calculus.  The Course Design Committee 
 includes representatives from Mathematics, Business, Engineering, Chemistry, 
 Physics, Biology, Agriculture, and Political Science.  Graphical and tabular 
 analysis (with the aid of the TI-82) are heavily emphasized as tools to 
 solve applied problems.  The course is being taught for the first time in 
 the fall of 1995, and this talk will provide both a brief description of the 
 course and a preliminary evaluation of its effectiveness.