TOP - Mathematics TAs

Due to the highly abstract nature of the subject, "basic topics" in mathematics are a little more difficult to find than in other disciplines such as chemistry or history. Additionally, test takers should assume that their audience only understands mathematics through high school algebra and geometry (and in many cases has forgotten much of it).

Therefore we recommend that TOP test takers from the Mathematics department choose a topic appropriate for high school mathematics such as:

• basic counting and probability
• the graph of a function
• solving a linear or quadratic equation
• factoring
• word problems

We recommend these topics because we expect the questioners to be able to ask questions regarding these kinds of topics.  If the questioners are unable to understand the presentation, they will have a difficult time asking questions.  This then makes it difficult to give the test taker a question handling score.

Please avoid choosing or discussing topics such as

• set theory
• abstract or linear algebra
• calculus: differentiation and integration