Leeds Math Requirement
The Leeds math requirement is MATH 1112, Mathematical Analysis in Business. The class builds three interrelated skills:
- using Excel as a mathematical problem solving platform,
- recognizing which mathematical operations to apply in business contexts, and
- applying those mathematical operations correctly.
There are no automatic exemptions from the requirement based on previous coursework. Instead, we provide an exemption exam for students to demonstrate mastery of the three skills. This page contains information about that exam.
Leeds Math Requirement Exemption Exam
Read this whole page very carefully so you understand if you are eligible to take the exemption exam and what it means if you pass. Work with your Leeds academic advisor to understand how passing would change your course plan. If you don't know who your advisor is, you can contact Bree Orozco bree.orozco@colorado.edu.
To sign up to take the exemption exam, write to bree.orozco@colorado.edu. She will help you arrange a time to come in to the office to be proctored. New in 2021: There is no charge to you for the proctoring.
What you need to know about the exemption exam.
- Review this list of math and Excel learning objectives. It shows you what the course covers and therefore what we expect you to demonstrate on the exam. The exam is only 20 questions, so we can’t possibly ask you to demonstrate ALL of those skills the way we do over a 16 week semester. But the list shows you quite specifically what the course (and therefore the exam) is about.
- You will use Excel on the exam, so you need to bring a computer with Excel. You may use the Internet during the exam to look up information. However, you may not have contact with any people during the exam. Sharing any information about the exam with other people either during or after it is a violation of the Honor Code.
- The exam has 20 questions, and you need to get 15 or more correct to pass. You have 75 minutes.
- On this exam, you are expected to use Excel efficiently. For example, you need to be able to write a formula one time and drag or copy it to as many cells as necessary. Also, if you know how to look up information across sheets (e.g., using XLOOKUP), you will find that to be a useful and time-saving skill.
- We will grade the exams within a week.
- If you don't pass and then take the course, the fact that you attempted the exam is not reported to your math instructor. If you do pass, you are exempt, BUT you don't earn credit hours or get a grade. You simply have satisfied the requirement without taking the course. You should plan on 4 credits of non-business courses to earn those credits for your degree.
- If you are taking the exemption exam at the start of the semester when you are enrolled in MATH 1112, you should have another class to add in the event you pass the exam. Ideally you should attend that class until you learn the results of your exemption exam.
- You are only allowed a single attempt at the exemption exam, so if you don’t pass it, you will need to take the course to satisfy the Leeds requirement. In other words, if you take the exemption exam one semester and don’t pass, you cannot attempt the exemption exam again later, even the next semester.
- If you have already taken MATH 1112, or were enrolled in it past the first two weeks (of the 16 week semester, or an equivalent time in a shorter semester), you cannot satisfy the Leeds math requirement through the exemption exam.
- The best way to prepare is to work on the sample course materials posted on this site. (Follow link and scroll to the buttons for Sample Course Materials.)