Course Descriptions by Subject Area

The courses we offer can be grouped into three main areas (with some overlap)

• I. Core Mathematics
• II. Business & Career Support Mathematics
• III.Statistics

I. CORE MATHEMATICS

A. Precalculus
B. Calculus
C. Finite Math and Fundamentals for Elementary School Teachers
D. Second Year Courses

A. PRECALCULUS

Our precalculus courses are designed to prepare students for a successful approach to the calculus, or to other university level material such as "finite math" or statistics.  Choosing a course which is appropriate for your level of preparation is done on the basis of high school grades if you have recently (ie within 3 years) completed your schooling in B.C., and/or the Langara Math Diagnostic Test if your schooling was completed more than 3 years ago and/or elsewhere.

Students who have not done high school mathematics at all, or who feel math disabled, should take Math 1100. Upon completion of Math 1100, students will be competent in arithmetic skills up to and including the Grade 9 level.

Students who have completed the material in Math 1100, or who have been advised by the Math Diagnostic Test Process that they are ready for Math 10 algebra, may take Math 1101.

Students who have successfully completed Math 11 but are not likely to succeed right away in our beginning calculus courses should complete or refresh their high school mathematics by taking Math 1150 and/or Math 1152, or Math 1170. These courses cover the algebra and trigonometry needed for success in beginning calculus. Alternatively, if you have never studied any math 12 before, then you should consider Math 1150, then Math 1152, then learn calculus 1 by taking Math 1153 then Math 1253. 

B. CALCULUS

Calculus is the mathematics of growth and change. Wherever there is motion or growth, or where forces are at work producing acceleration, calculus is the right mathematical tool. Differential calculus (Calculus I) is the study of how quantities change and is largely concerned with the rate at which they change. Integral calculus (Calculus II) is the study of how quantities accumulate. 

There are slightly different calculus course sequences for students with different preparation and objectives.

Unless a student has a firm grasp of Grade 12 Mathematics, he or she should choose one of the alternative sequences listed below and/or take a precalculus course rather than jump straight into Math 1171 or 1174. These sequences either take an extra term to review relevant background material, or include laboratory activities to enhance traditional presentation. They are offered in an attempt to offset the high failure rate in Math 1171. Even students who have the necessary prerequisites for Math 1171 have trouble coping with this course. Please consider the results from your diagnostic test and the advice of the instructor in making your decision.

     CALCULUS I

• for science
  • Math 1171 is the very demanding high speed traditional first semester calculus course.
  • Math 1173 & Math 1183(which must both be taken at the same time) cover in one semester the same material as Math 1171, but with a more applied approach, and with 2 hours per week of additional instructional time in the lab component (Math 1183) - which also includes an introduction to the use of a graphical Computer Algebra System to perform many routine operations.
  • The Math 1153/1253sequence takes two semesters to cover the same material as Math 1171 with a substantial amount of precalculus review blended in.
• for business, economics, and social science
  •   Math 1174 is the appropriate first semester calculus course for these areas,
    (and can be followed by Math 1274).

     CALCULUS II

• Either Math 1271, or the Math 1273 & 1283 combination is a sequel to any of Math 1171,Math 1173 & 1183, or Math 1253. These courses deal with the integral calculus with emphasis on physical science and engineering applications.
• Math 1274 is the appropriate second semester calculus course for business and social science students (following Math 1174).

     FINITE MATHEMATICS -- NOT CURRENTLY OFFERED AT LANGARA

Math 1162 and Math 1262 are the university level courses alternative to calculus for students in the social, biological, and business sciences. It introduces students to a wide variety of techniques for dealing with real-life situations. For this reason, non-science students desiring a general mathematics course find it especially relevant and attractive. Prospective teachers of both elementary school and mathematics will also find it very useful. In general terms, it includes an introduction to logic, counting techniques, statistics and probability, techniques for handling any number of variables, and the selection of strategies for optimizing outcomes. Langara's Finite Mathematics courses are Math 1162 and Math 1262

     FUNDAMENTALS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Math 1190 is a course in the fundamental concepts and practices of mathematics, designed for current and prospective elementary school teachers

     LINEAR ALGEBRA AND LINEAR ALGEBRA LABORATORIES

Algebra evolved from the rules and operations of arithmetic. It has become more abstract in that the objects dealt with need not be numbers (they could be vectors or matrices or functions or even unspecified), and the operations of these objects could be anything which combines them in any way to form a new object of the same type (operations also can be unspecified, so long as they obey certain rules). Math 2362 (previously known as Math 2461)deals with an essentially useful structure called a vector space, and also includes a study of matrices. This branch of algebra is called Linear Algebra, and has many practical applications.

The Linear Algebra Laboratories course (Math 2382) consists of several computer labs that cover some of the "real world" applications of Linear Algebra. The labs are also designed to deepen the understanding of the material taught in Math 2362.

     CALCULUS III

Math 2371 deals with the ideas of calculus applied to functions of several variables.

     CALCULUS IV

Math 2471 applies and extends the concepts of CALCULUS III to deal with vector valued functions of a vector variable (VECTOR CALCULUS), with applications to fluid mechanics and electromagnetism.

     REAL ANALYSIS

Math 2373 develops the theoretical foundation for a fuller understanding of first year calculus and of the role of mathematical proof in providing firm foundation for clearly and unambiguously stated results.

     DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Math 2475 studies problems involving the determination of a function from information about its derivative and/or how the derivative is related to the function.

II. BUSINESS RELATED MATHEMATICS

The department offers several business and career related math courses which are specifically designed for students in various career programs, while others of more general appeal (such as microcomputer business maths) are available. At the moment these are Math 1118, 1119, 1120, and 1210. Students should take great care to choose the appropriate course. Consult the information on choosing a course and/or your career program coordinator if you are in any doubt.

Math 1118 is MATHEMATICS OF FINANCE for Students from the following careeer programs: Accounting, Finance and Investment, International Business,and Business Management, as well as any interested students when seats are available.
Math 1119 is MATHEMATICS OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS mainly for students from the Marketing and Sales program. However, anyone interested in a course in business and consumer mathematics can register in the course.
Math 1120 is MATHEMATICS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNICIANS
Math 1210 is BUSINESS ANALYSIS BY COMPUTER primarily for students from Finance and Investment and Business Management but also any other students interested in business applications of microcomputers.

Math 1174 and Math 1274 are university transfer calculus courses with emphasis on applications to business and the social sciences. Principally for students planning to study towards a degree in Economics or Commerce and Business Administration.

Math 2310 QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN BUSINESS is a course in what is often called "Management Science", and includes applications of various mathematical techniques - most notably LINEAR PROGRAMMING - to a number of management decision problems. It is a key component of the Commerce Transfer Program

III STATISTICS

STATS COURSES

Stat 1123- BASIC PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS FOR BUSINESS Primarily students in the Accounting Program, CIS and the Business Finance Investment Management Program at Langara. Students planning to transfer to SFU Business Administration program are urged to take Stat 1124 or Stat 1181, as you cannot obtain transfer credit for both Stat 1123 and Stat 1181.
Stat 1124- STATISTICAL METHODS I
Stat 1181- DESCRIPTIVE AND ELEMENTARY INFERENTIAL STATISTICS for Students in university-transfer programs in Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Commerce, Business Administration (requires calculus as a co-requisite).
Stat 1182- USING EXCEL IN FIRST TERM STATISTICS for students planning to transfer to SFU in Business Administration. This course together with STAT 1181 transfers to SFU BUEC 232.
Stat 1224- STATISTICAL METHODS II (sequel to Stats 1124)  -- for students in Social Sciences, or in the Langara BBA program
Stat 2225- INTERMEDIATE STATISTICAL INFERENCE (sequel to Stats 1181)
Stat 2281- PROBABILITY AND ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICAL STATISTICS
Stat 2290- ELEMENTARY STATISTICS FOR APPLICATIONS (a heavy course combining material from Stats 1181 and 2225) - NOT CURRENTLY OFFERED AT LANGARA

SEQUENCE OF STATS COURSES

If you get an A in Stat 1123, you may then take Stat 2225. To take Stat 3223, you should have at least a C+ in Stat 1123.
Stat 1124 "A" students may take Stat 2225
Stat 1181 may be followed by either Stat  2225 or 2281 or 3223. Commerce transfer students (UBC) will take Stat 1181 + Stat 2225. SFU Business Administration transfer students will take Stat 1181 + Stat 1182. Science students will take Stat 1181 + Stat 2281, or Stat 2290 if U.B.C. bound; Accounting students can take STAT (1123 or 1181) followed by STAT 3223; other Business Admin students can take STAT (1123 or 1181) followed by STAT 1224. If you need help deciding what to take, please contact the Math/Stat Student Advisor.

You may not receive College credit for more than one of the courses Stat 1224, 2225, 3223