Course Description
This course presents basic mathematical principles, laws and formulas which relate to alternating (AC) and direct current (DC) circuit applications in electricity. These applications are presented in real work scenarios using residential, commercial and industrial electrical circuits. Topics include application of alternative number systems, proportions, linear and nonlinear graphs, trigonometric functions, vectors and complex numbers. AAS: Mathematics elective.
Prerequisite(s)
MATH 1103 with a grade of C or better; or appropriate assessment score; or High School transitional math: Technical Math/quantitative literacy (QL) or STEM Pathway; or consent of instructor - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Use engineering notation to express electrical quantities and convert between scientific and engineering notation.
- Use vectors to represent sinusoidal waves and perform operations to determine electrical quantities.
- Represent a complex number written in rectangular form as a phasor diagram.
- Convert complex numbers between rectangular form and polar form.
- Perform basic operations with complex numbers.
- Convert between decimal numbers and numbers in alternative number systems including binary, octal, and hexadecimal systems.
- Evaluate electrical formulas.
- Apply Ohm’s Law and Watt’s Law to solve electrical problems.
- Solve percent problems using proportions and determine percent of increase and decrease.
- Solve direct and inverse variation problems using proportions.
- Graph linear and nonlinear equations in two variables.
- Find the frequency and period of a sine wave and determine the phase shift between sine waves.
- Use sine waves to find instantaneous and maximum current and voltage values.
Topical Outline
1. Calculations with Electrical Fields
a. Whole Numbers, Integers, and Decimals
b. Fractions and Mixed Numbers
c. Notations and Numbering Systems
2. Electrical Measurement Systems and Conversions
3. Electrical Formulas, Equations, and Graphs
4. Electrical Applications
a. Percentages and Ratios
b. Right Triangle Trigonometry
c. Sinusoidal Trigonometry
d. Complex Numbers and Phasors
5. Trigonometric Ratios
6. Common AC Amplitudes
7. Electrical Predictions Using Vectors
8. Law of Sines and Cosines