Math Homework Problem Sets

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BASIC MATHMATICS FOR TECHNICIANS

Math Homework Problem Set
     math skills needed for beginning biotechnology laboratory technicians.

Vocational Math Text and Workbook
     Basic math skills for the two year technical college student
     Compiled by Al Lehnen, Madison Area Technical College

Mathematics Applications-From Industry to the Classroom
     Wake Technical Community College
     Raleigh, NC 27603-5696
It is well worth the time to investigate the projects that are listed on this web-page. These sets of mathmetical scenerios are derived from observing technicians using math in the workplace. The projects then describe the job, profile some of the workers and then highlight the math that is required for the technician to perform at the job.

Math Homework Problem Set
Return to Instructional Materials Table of Contents

Compiled by Bio-Link Staff

This is a series of 10 problem sets (with answers) that relate to math skills needed by beginning biotechnology laboratory technicians. This material is not intended to be a textbook and it contains no explanatory text. (Introductory information relating to the problem sets can be found in the textbook "Basic Laboratory Methods for Biotechnology: Textbook and Laboratory Reference", by Lisa A. Seidman and Cynthia J. Moore.)

These problem sets have been used for several years at Madison Area Technical College in a course called "Applied Laboratory Math". This course serves first semester biotechnology students who enter our program with limited math skill. These problem sets give students practice solving certain types of problems that they will commonly confront in the laboratory.

The first problem sets emphasize manipulative skills (such as converting from microliters to milliliters, and using scientific notation). Interspersed within the problem sets are a number of "word problems" relating to making solutions and reagents, preparing dilutions, calculating cell numbers (as in microbiology and cell culture), calculating the concentration of solutes based on assay data, working with linear relationships, graphing data, and other basic math applications.

(The following files are MS Word files so they can be edited, for convenience you may download all files in one 1.8 meg .zip file)

Assignment 1 Scientific Notation

Answers 1

Assignment 2a Measurements and Magnifications

Answers 2a

Assignment 2b Calculating the size of Organelles

Answers 2b

Assignment 3 Logs and Antilogs

Answers 3

Assignment 4 Algebraic Expressions

Answers 4

Assignment 5a Ratios and Proportions