This guidebook on minimum course content for beginning algebra covers graphing, the distance formula, slope, the slope-intercept form of the equation of a straight line, algebraic and graphic solutions to systems of equations, functions, and variation. Overall goals for the course are stated; performance objectives for each unit, a course outline, references to state-adopted texts, and teaching suggestions are given. A pretest and posttest are included, plus an annotated list of seven references. (DT)