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2022-2023 General Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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FIR 161 - Mathematics and Problem Solving for Firefighters

Last Date of Approval: Spring of 2021

3 Credits
Total Lecture Hours: 45
Total Lab Hours: 0
Total Clinical Hours: 0
Total Work-Based Experience Hours: 0

Course Description:
Firefighters depend upon their mathematical skills to do their job effectively.  Throughout the country, most engine companies are dispatched to more medical emergencies that to fires.  Modern firefighters have become more involved in hazardous materials incidents where they must use their math skills to calculate the area and volume of hazardous material spills.  As they advance up the career ladder, they are continually called upon to use their mathematical skills in time management, budgetary considerations, fire company run statistics, and drug calculations.  Union leaders use their math skills in an effort to compete with their counterparts in management.  This class serves as both a review of basic mathematical concepts for entry-level firefighters, and as a foundation for fire flow and water supply calculations.

Prerequisites/Corequisites: None

Mode(s) of Instruction: Traditional/face-to-face

Credit for Prior Learning: There is no credit for prior learning for this course.

Course Fees: None

Student Learning Outcomes and Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: 

  • Understand the basic concepts of numbers. 

  • Define real numbers, integers, period, prime numbers, and composite numbers. 

  • Determine whether or not a number is a prime number of a composite number. 

  • Explain the divisibility roles for 2, 3, and 5. 

  • Solve addition problems involving positive and negative integers. 

  • Prove that the answer to an addition problem is correct. 

  • Mentally multiply any two single-digit numbers. 

  • Mentally multiply any single digit by nine. 

  • Mentally multiply any two-digit number by eleven. 

  • Mentally multiply two ‘teen numbers. 

  • Mentally square any two-digit number ending in five. 

  • Solve subtraction, division, and square root problems. 

  • Define dividend, divisor, quotient, minuend, subtrahend, and difference. 

  • Explain a radical symbol and an exponent. 

  • Define the words fraction, numerator, denominator, equivalent fractions, improper fractions, and mixed numbers. 

  • Solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems involving fractions. 

  • Determine the common denominator of an addition or subtraction problem. 

  • Reduce a fraction to its lowest term. 

  • Explain the three parts of a decimal fraction. 

  • Define the terms decimal number, terminating decimal, and repeating decimal. 

  • Explain the procedure for rounding a number. 

  • Convert a fraction to a decimal. 

  • Convert a decimal to a fraction. 

  • Explain the difference between adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers and adding decimals. 

  • Explain the procedure for locating a decimal point in an addition problem. 

  • Prove that the answers to addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division decimal problems are correct using the “excess of nines” method. 

  • Describe the procedure for setting up a subtraction of decimals problem. 

  • Describe the procedure for multiplying decimals. 

  • Solve problems involving more than a single type of operation. 

  • List standard prefixes for the metric system. 

  • List the standard units in the metric system for length, volume, and mass. 

  • Provide the formulas for determining the amount of water required for extinguishing and controlling a structure fire as provided by the National Fire Academy. 

  • Provide the formula for determining back pressure and forward pressure, and for determining the friction loss in hose lines. 

  • Provide the formulas for determining the required pump discharge pressure, and for determining the volume of both rectangular and cylindrical containers. 

  • Determine the weight of water in various storage units, and determine the number of gallons of water in a hose line. 

  • Convert Fahrenheit temperature to Centigrade temperature, and Centigrade temperature to Fahrenheit temperature. 

  • Demine force, static pressure, flow pressure, residual pressure, pressure as related to head, volume, fluid, and temperature. 

  • Define percent, percentage, ratio, and percentile. 

  • Convert a percent to a decimal, and a decimal to a percent. 

  • Solve problems associated with percentages. 

  • Define statistics, data, datum, central tendency, mode, median, mean, skewed, and graph. 

  • Determine the mode, median, and mean of a distribution. 

  • Describe a standard curve of distribution and explain the percentages of individuals who fall within one, two, and three standard deviations from the mean. 

  • Identify the parts of a graph. 

  • Construct a chart or graph. 

  • Interpret information on a chart of graph. 

  • Define the words formula and equation. 

  • Manipulate fire department hydraulic formulas. 

  • Solve fire department hydraulic formulas. 


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