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Mathematics

Faculty	(Fort Steilacoom): Kelly Brooks, Sharon Camner, Diane Downie, Randy Leifson, David Lippman, Tom Phelps, Melonie Rasmussen, Vauhn Wittman-Grahler
	(Puyallup):Michael Coffey, Deb Falcioni, Tony Granata, Marlene Ignacio, Mike Lamka, Larry Wiseman
Degree:	Associate in Arts & Sciences

The Mathematics department offers a sequence of introductory courses that build the basic quantitative and symbolic reasoning skills needed in almost all fields of study and professional/technical programs. Pierce College also provides a sequence of college-level math courses for students transferring to four-year colleges or pursuing technical vocational programs. These courses satisfy the math requirements for majors in mathematics and in such disciplines as business, accounting, economics, statistics, actuarial science, math education, engineering and all of the sciences. These college-level courses include the math needed for the Associate in Science degree from Pierce College.

Mathematics is sometimes viewed as the science of patterns. Math helps us to make sense of phenomena observed in the world from many disciplines by analyzing the data, finding patterns and developing theories. Math also can help us develop critical thinking and reasoning skills that can be used to solve problems in a variety of applications. Our mathematics courses emphasize aspects of Pierce College's five core abilities (critical thinking, effective communication, information competency, multiculturalism, and responsibility) in ways appropriate to the particular course.

Pierce College offers a full sequence of pre-college mathematics classes to accommodate students entering the college with a variety of math backgrounds. (See below for the sequence of pre-college level courses.) These courses are offered in the Math lab and as distance learning courses as well as in self-contained classes.

College-level mathematics courses at Pierce College include the study of contemporary math, finite math, statistics, precalculus, differential and integral calculus, and more advanced courses in multivariate calculus, linear algebra and differential equations. Each course includes examples of applications taken from many fields of study. Most of these courses require the use of graphing calculators which may be rented for a nominal fee through the library.

Students completing MATH 098 (Intermediate Algebra) have a wide range of choices to satisfy the quantitative skills requirement for the AAS degree. Options for math classes include MATH 107, MATH 281, MATH 156, MATH 121 and MATH 114 (see chart below). The appropriate choice depends on a student's major and intended transfer institution. Additional math courses may be required depending on a student's program of study. Each transfer student should carefully plan a program of study with the help of a faculty advisor to ensure that transfer requirements are met.

Resources: The Math Center offers free drop-in math tutoring in coordination with the tutoring center. The Graphing Calculator Rental program rents TI-82 and TI-83 calculators for a nominal fee through the library.

List of all Mathematics (MATH) courses.

See Catalog pg. 58-59

Pierce College Math Course Sequence - Getting Started

Mathematics Major

• A
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  • Adult Basic Education (see Developmental Education)
  • Accounting
  • Administrative Assistant (see Office Technology)
  • Alcoholism & Drug Abuse
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Art
  • Astronomy
• B
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  • Biology
  • Business
  • Business Management (See Business)
  • Business – University Transfer
• C
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  • Chemistry
  • Computer Information Systems
  • Computer Network Engineering
  • Criminal Justice
  • Customer Service (see Business – Professional/Technical)
• D
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  • Database Management (see Computer Information Systems)
  • Dental Hygiene
  • Developmental Disablities Technology
  • Developmental Education
  • Digital Design
  • Digital Film (see Theatre)
• E
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  • Early Childhood Education
  • Earth Sciences (see Astronomy, Geology or Oceanography)
  • Economics
  • Electronic Engineering Technology
  • Emergency Medical Technician (see Health Sciences)
  • Engineering
  • English
  • English as a Second Language (see Developmental Education)
  • Entrepreneurship (see Business – Professional/Techincal)
  • Environmental Science
  • Extended Learning
• F
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  • Fashion Merchandising (see Business – Professional/Technical)
  • Finance (see Business – University Transfer)
  • Fire Command
  • Foreign Language
  • Foster Parent Education
• G
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  • GED Preparation (see Developmental Education)
  • Geography
  • Geology
• H
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  • Health Education/Wellness
  • Health Science
  • High School Completion (see Developmental Education)
  • History
  • Humanities
• I
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  • Intensive English Program
  • International Business (see Business – Professional/Technical or Business – University Transfer)
  • International Business Secretary (See Office Technology)
  • International Education (IE) (see Intensive English Program)
• J
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  • Journalism
• L
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  • Legal Office Technology (see See Office Technology and Legal Studies)
  • Legal & Paralegal Studies
• M
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  • Marketing (see Business – Professional/Technical)
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Billing Specialist (see Office Technology)
  • Medical Lab Technician (see Health Science)
  • Medical Receptionist/Secretary/Transcriptionist (see Office Technology)
  • Microbiology
  • Military Science
  • Music
• N
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  • Nursing (Pre-), Nursing Asst., Occupational Therapy (Pre-) (see Health Science)
• O
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  • Oceanography
  • Office Technology
• P
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  • Paraeducation
  • Paralegal Studies
  • Parenting (see Early Childhood Education and/or Foster Parent Education)
  • Philosophy
  • Physical Education
  • Physical Therapy (Pre-) (see Health Science)
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Programming (see Computer Information Systems)
  • Psychology
• R
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  • Real Estate (see course descriptions for Real Estate offerings and/or contact Extended Learning, (253) 964-6529)
  • Retail Management, Sales (see Business)
• S
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  • Secretarial (see Office Technology)
  • Social Service – Mental Health
  • Sociology
  • Speech
  • Supervision & Management (see Business)
• T
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  • Technical Support (see Computer Information Systems)
  • Telecommunications Specialist (see Criminal Justice Emergency Dispatch)
  • Theater
• V
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  • Veterinary Technology
• W
  • Word Processing (see Office Technology)