Initially we had no plans to open up our content to the entire world (i.e., tell people that we existed.) However, we’re changing our mind on that. Humans are social creatures and we could benefit from your comments. We’d also be happy to hear it, if you found a few interesting appetizers.

If you are a new student to an area, we hope our entree “makes sense”. Go to Wikipedia for the entree.

Our web pages might be useful to someone who has learned these things before and wants to scan through our listings and “brush up” where necessary.

Discrete Math is the study of Mathematical Structures that are countable.

A college course on Discrete Math will include instruction in the following areas that we list below, and probably a few that we didn’t choose to list:

• Propositional Logic
• Predicate Logic
• Set Theory
• Probability
• Math Proofs

Parallel Addition[2,3]=1.2

In a physics class, you will learn that there are two forms of addition.

2+3=?

The type of Addition that you learned, probably even before getting to grade school, is called Serial Addition, and it is shown below:

The other type of Addition is Parallel Addition:

We can use algebra to solve for c. First we work to bring the two terms on the left side together. We need for them to have the same denominator:

We can now use the trick of moving a factor from one side of the equation to the other–a denominator jumps to the numerator and a numerator jumps to the denominator:

If we use this with the numbers 2 and 3 for a and b then we get the following:

Sometimes less is more.

We want to write only the barest amount, providing just enough for you to catch a main idea–or at least catch enough sense of interest that you are willing to Google it to learn more–or even just go to Wikipedia to eat an entree on the subject.

Occasionally you will find our quirky sense of humor present on a page–you won’t be charged extra for that, we give it away for free.

I am the one student at Mockingbird Academy who is not a part of the homeschooling; I still go to the local public school. I participate in Mockingbird Academy activities in the evening, three or four nights a week. I have two reasons to do this:

• I am learning a lot and it’s helping me to become the best student in all my classes.
• Clinton, the Principal of Mockingbird Academy, pays me for some of the work that I do for him, and the pay is quite lucrative.

I am the official student writer for Mockingbird Academy. I am in charge of writing essays. I review all the written materials prepared by Clinton to make certain they are complete and understandable to a student wishing to use them to learn about the topic.

Algebra is the calculation of math expressions that include both values and variables.

Topics in Algebra include the following:

• Equality
• Binary Operations
• Addition
• Multiplication
• Identity Elements
• Inverse Elements
• Zero
• Unity
• Binomial Multiplication

The study of Algebra invariable leads the student into other topics such as Set Theory.

Algebra as it is taught today includes content that in prior years was introduced in later courses:

• Functions
• Trigonometry Functions
• More to be listed here as time permits…

Algebra is followed by Geometry.

Geometry is the study of shapes. We limit our definition to this, because for hundreds of years Geometry was a field of mathematics with only one author, Euclid. Much of what is taught in Modern Geometry is the result of the work of Descartes.

We wish for the student to have some time experiencing Geometry as it was seen by Euclid, because once the ideas of Descartes are added to the story, it is difficult to think about Geometry with a “Euclid only” mindset.

Anything that can be done or made using a Straightedge and a Compass is a part of Euclidean Geometry. This includes concepts for length and angle, half, and concepts of multiples such as double, triple, etc.

Work by Descartes is considered an advancement to Geometry and it is also considered to be the uniting of Algebra and Geometry. We don’t want to say too much about what Descartes brings, but we will mention Graph Paper.

Calculus is the study of math with infinitesimals.

Calculus is divided into two areas, Differentiation and Integration. Both of these areas make use of the idea of a Limit.

• Differentiation is the calculation of the point-slope for a point in function.
• Integration is the calculation of an area under a function.

The basic ideas of Calculus, Differentiation and Integration, are needed for problems in Physics that involve Position, Velocity and Acceleration. We could argue that Physics motivated the discovery of Calculus.

Calculus makes extensive use of Algebra, but Calculus is not a natural extension of Algebra. Said another way, the Algebra student will not have a sense of deja vu when learning Calculus.

This web site is being developed to support a fictionalized story. No such homeschool exists–but look how much fun we had thinking up a basic structure for it…

Mockingbird Academy is a homeschool for superior students.

Prospective students are rated on five Categories:

• Cognitive Skills,
• Academic Knowledge,
• Social Abilities,
• Reading,
• Writing.

Students must achieve a rating of Excellent or Superior for the categories of Cognitive Skills and Academic Knowledge. Students must achieve a rating of Excellent for each of the remaining three Categories.

You need to be among the best.

The Cognitive Skills test is believed to be the best measure of what previously was called Intelligence, something necessary for a student to survive the challenges at Mockingbird Academy. A high score on the Cognitive Skills test answers the question “Can I be a good student?”

Extreme academic ability is prerequisite.

The Academic Knowledge test allows us to judge if the student has a history of being a voracious learner. It is not enough to have a yes answer to “can you do it?” question. We want to know, “have you done it?”

Voracious means “exceedingly eager or avid“. Have you been a voracious student?

The Social Abilities test is the most vague of the tests. It covers a variety of topics and even includes physical fitness. A student who declines to participate in physical activities, both play and work, would not pass the Social Abilities test. We believe the Social Abilities test is a measure of a students spiritual development. We believe strong social abilities are the result of a life lived in closer harmony to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Let your Light shine.

The Reading test confirms an ability to read at the late High School, early College level. Mockingbird Academy uses textbooks intended for High School and College students. We applaud our students. Students in grades 5-8 don’t get to this high reading level level without being voracious learners.

It would be far easier and more honest to construct the dogmatic system by logical principles and leave the Bible to itself.

Strider Boots

Tradition is the bastard of history and should be resorted to only when we have no history, and then with caution and suspicion as to its origin.

The supernatural comes into play only when the natural is incapable of accomplishing the divine purpose; so it is to be sought when it alone is capable of affording explanation of the phenomena. The the supernatural displays itself with convincing, assuring force. We are hesitant here, some things might be thought of as supernatural as we don’t understand the technology but they are natural to person who developed and implemented the technology.

Your vocabulary is a toolbox.

The Writing test helps us see into your mind. Good Thinking and Good Writing go hand-in-hand.

Good writing skills give, you, to the world.