Welcome to MA008: Geometry

Specific information about this course and its requirements can be found below. For more general information about taking Saylor Academy courses, including information about Community and Academic Codes of Conduct, please read the Student Handbook.

Course Description

Study the relationships between lines and angles, learn to calculate how much space an object covers, determine how much space is inside of a three-dimensional object, and explore other relationships between shapes, objects, and the mathematics that govern them.

Course Introduction

In geometry, we study the rules of the spaces and objects in our world. Geometry allows us to make accurate predictions about the sizes of triangles, circles, and rectangles, which lets us calculate, design, and build. Geometry helps architects design studios, farmers buy the right amount of seeds for their land, engineers build houses, and pilots calculate the amount of time they need to fly to reach another city. We use geometry to calculate how much paint we need to buy to cover a wall and the exact angle we should use to launch a rocket to hit a distant target. In this course, we also study the relationships that exist between lines and angles. Urban planners study lines and angles to efficiently arrange houses, buildings, roads, and highways. Our street maps, water supply, and electrical connections all depend on these precise geometric calculations. How much space is inside a three-dimensional object? You may not realize you are using principles of geometry when you are getting ready for a trip, and you need to calculate how to fit two adults, three kids, four suitcases, and a dog into your car.

This course includes the following units:

Unit 1: The Basics of Geometry. Unit 2: Parallel Lines. Unit 3: Triangles, Congruence, and Other Relationships. Unit 4: Triangle Relationships. Unit 5: Polygons and Quadrilaterals. Unit 6: Similarity. Unit 7: Right Triangle Trigonometry. Unit 8: Circles. Unit 9: Perimeter and Area. Unit 10: Surface Area and Volume

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

[1] identify angles, rays, line segments, and points, based on the undefined notions of point, line, distance along a line, and distance around a circular arc; [2] determine if figures are congruent; [3] calculate angles created by parallel lines; [4] determine if two given figures are similar; [5] use trigonometric ratios and the Pythagorean theorem to solve right triangles; [6] use relationships among inscribed angles, radii, and chords to find missing angle measurements; [7] find the volume of cylinders, pyramids, cones, and spheres; [8] describe objects using geometric shapes, their measures, and their properties; [9] use the formulas for the area and circumference of a circle to solve problems; [10] solve simple equations for an unknown angle in a figure using facts about supplementary, complementary, vertical, and adjacent angles; [11] solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, volume, and surface area of two- and three-dimensional objects composed of triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, cubes, and right prisms

Throughout this course, you will also see learning outcomes in each unit. You can use those learning outcomes to help organize your studies and gauge your progress.

Course Materials

The primary learning materials for this course are articles, lectures, and videos.

All course materials are free to access and can be found in each unit of the course. Pay close attention to the notes that accompany these course materials, as they will tell you what to focus on in each resource and will help you understand how the learning materials fit into the course as a whole. You can also see a list of all the learning materials in this course by clicking on Resources in the navigation bar.

Evaluation and Minimum Passing Score

Only the final examination is considered when awarding you a grade for this course. To pass this course, you will need to earn 70% or higher on the final exam. The exam will be password-protected and requires a proctor.

Your score on the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. There is a 14 days waiting period between each attempt. You may only attempt the final exam a maximum of 3 times. Be sure to study in between each attempt! If you do not pass the exam after 3 attempts, you will not complete this course.

There is also a practice exam that you may take as many times as you want to help you prepare for the final exam. The course also contains end-of-unit assessments in this course. The end-of-unit assessments are designed to help you study and do not factor into your final course grade. You can take these as many times as you want to until you understand the concepts and material covered. You can see all of these assessments by clicking on Quizzes in the course's navigation bar.

Tips for Success

MA008: Geometry is a self-paced course, meaning you can decide when to start and complete the course. We estimate the "average" student will take 48 hours to complete. We recommend studying at a comfortable pace and scheduling your study time in advance.

Learning new material can be challenging, so here are a few study strategies to help you succeed:

  • Take notes on terms, practices, and theories. This helps you understand each concept in context and provides a refresher for later study.
  • Test yourself on what you remember and how well you understand the concepts. Reflecting on what you've learned improves long-term memory retention.

Technical Requirements

This course is delivered entirely online. You will need access to a computer or web-capable mobile device and consistent internet access to view or download resources and complete auto-graded assessments and the final exam.

To access the full course, including assessments and the final exam, log into your Saylor Academy account and enroll in the course. If you don’t have an account, you can create one for free here. Note that tracking progress and taking assessments require login.

For more details and guidance, please review our complete Technical Requirements and our student Help Center.

Optional Saylor Academy Mobile App

You can access all course features directly from your mobile browser, but if you have limited internet connectivity, the Saylor Academy mobile app provides an option to download course content for offline use. The app is available for iOS and Android devices.

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Fees

This course is entirely free to enroll in and access. All course materials, including textbooks, videos, webpages, and activities, are available at no charge. This course also contains a free final exam and course completion certificate.