Student Guide and Syllabus for MAT100 Introductory Algebra

Transcription

1 Course Information: MAT100 Introductory Algebra Section: 05C Section: 06C Section: 07C* Classroom: 341 Main Building Classroom: 341 Main Building Classroom: 341 Main Building Meeting Dates: Monday Thursday Meeting Dates: Monday - Thursday Meeting Dates: Monday & Wed Meeting Times: 11:00-11:50am Meeting Times: 1:15-2:05pm Meeting Times: 2:15-4:05pm * Section 07C will follow the course calendar days: M and Tu (on Mon); W and Th (on Wed.) College Breaks: There will be no classes held October and November Credit and Contact Hours: 4 credit hours (free-elective only) and 4 contact hours Course Prerequisite: MAT098 Prealgebra, equivalent or placement; matriculated students who do not meet the course prerequisite will not be allowed to take this course Course Description: This course covers basic algebraic skills essential to the study mathematics. Course topics include linear expressions, equations and inequalities; systems of equations and inequalities; polynomial, rational and radical expressions and equations; and graphing on the coordinate plane. Applications to various fields of study will be explored. This course counts as free elective credit only. Instructor Information: Angela Barnaby See me for help or call me during my office hours: Monday-Thursday noon-1:15pm. Office Number: 549 main building Phone Number: (518) with voic angela.barnaby@clinton.edu Web Resources: Required Text and Materials: Students will be required to bring the following materials to class each day: Introductory Algebra with WebAssign access code, 4 rd edition; Alan S. Tussy and R. David Gustafson. Brooks/Cole. ISBN # A scientific calculator with square and square root functions A large three-ring binder will be preferred as a course notebook A package of loose leaf paper and of graph paper (for your three-ring binder) A highlighter for guided notes A ruler or straight edge Pencils; assignments that are not completed in pencil will lose 20% of the earned value Fall 2013 A. Barnaby at Clinton Community College Page 1 of 6

2 Methods of Instruction and Evaluation: This course will be presented by a series of lectures, example problem solving, demonstrations and group discussions/assignments. Assignments, quizzes, and exams will constitute the final grade; the specific grading scheme is as follows: Learning Activities: Points toward Final Grade: Quizzes and Class Assignments 10% My Math Lab Homework 10% Unit Exams 10% each) 60% Cumulative Final Exam 20% or 30% (see Chapter Exams next page) Grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number value before being assigned a letter grade. A % B % D % A % C % D 60-65% B % C 73-75% F 0-59% B 83-85% C % Academic Integrity: Conduct which undermines the professional standards of CCC shall be subject to college action. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, and stealing. Action against the student may include, but is not limited to: receiving an "Fgrade" on the assignment, receiving an "F-grade" for the course, or college dismissal. In such offenses, the instructor will act at her discretion, based on the procedure outlined in the CCC catalogue. Course Assignments and Learning Activities: Please note the following policies and procedures will be in effect the duration of the course and will be applied equally to all students; ignorance of course policies and procedures will not excuse students from their consequences. Class Preparation and Attendance All students are expected to attend each class on time and prepared. Active class participation means that each student is taking notes, participating in class discussions, independently completing problems in their notebook and asking questions when necessary. Students who come in after or who leave prior to roll being called will not be recorded as in attendance unless they inform the instructor of their presence (during a break or after class). It is the student s responsibility to ensure that they are recorded as in attendance. Attendance policy conforms to the policy found on page 24 of the CCC catalogue; 15% or more absences will make you eligible to be involuntary withdrawn by the instructor. Students will be expected to work in groups and be assigned group work regularly; assignments that are not completed in groups will not earn credit. Working with a motivated group of your peers can be an invaluable learning experience. I strongly encourage students to form study groups outside of class. Fall 2013 A. Barnaby at Clinton Community College Page 2 of 6

3 Electronic devices must be turned off or turned to vibrate. Answering a cell phone or texting while in class is disruptive and therefore is prohibited. Students who are disruptive in class will be asked to leave and marked as absent for the day. Homework Assignments My WebAssign homework will be assigned for each text section; students should schedule a minimum of one hour per day to work on course assignments. Satisfactory completion of all homework assignments will produce higher scores on tests as compared to students who choose not to complete the assignments. I encourage students to work in groups, fully utilize the WebAssign features, see me for help during office hours, and visit our Tutoring Center for help. I allow students to try individual homework problems numerous times, utilizing the help features. One homework assignment score will be dropped at the end of the semester. Absences do not excuse you from the homework assigned during the absence or from learning the concept taught during the absence. If you are absent from class on a day that an assignment is due, it is your responsibility to refer to the course calendar, read the assigned textbook section for the missed class and complete the assigned class work and homework on time. Course Continuity Plan In the case that the college officially closes, class is cancelled or you miss a class meeting, we will utilize our course website and WebAssign to continue this course and follow the official class calendar. Specifically: (1) read the assigned textbook section for the missed class and (2) complete the section s guided notes (located in lecture note slides) and (3) complete the assigned homework on time. Course Exams: Unit Exams and Weekly Quizzes This course will have scheduled concept quizzes and six unit-exams. Students are responsible for knowing when each quiz/exam will be given and for being present on those days; see course calendar for exam dates. If you miss an exam, your grade will be recorded as a zero: I DO NOT GIVE MAKE-UP EXAMS. After final exams are given I will replace your lowest test score with the percentage on your final exam provided it will help your grade. If you miss two exams I will expect verifiable proof of very good reasons (my call on what is very good) for both exams. If you provide such proof we will take care of the second missed exam at that point. To date no one has convinced me they had a good reason for missing two exams. If you miss a quiz, it will be recorded as a zero but your lowest quiz score will be dropped at the end of the semester. Unit Exam Extra Credit Any student who meets the following criteria during an exam period will earn 10 extra credit points on that exam: (1) no absences during the exam period*, (2) completion of unit practice exam and (3) perfect scores (100%) on all WebAssign homework assignments. * The unit exam period runs from the first day unit material is covered until the day of the exam. Departmental Final Exam This course will have a cumulative final examination. It is important to understand and retain the material to a satisfactory level to be successful in your next math course. Fall 2013 A. Barnaby at Clinton Community College Page 3 of 6

4 Exam Policies and Procedures: Students are expected to come to every quiz and exam prepared (i.e. supplied with sufficient pencils, their own calculator and a straight edge). Supplies (such as a calculator and pencils) will not be provided for the student during a quiz or exam. Desks must be cleared for all quizzes and exams, except for pencils, a calculator, and a straight edge. Students are not allowed to share supplies (such as a calculator) during a quiz or exam. I will assume you are exchanging answers and BOTH students will receive zeros for the quiz/exam. All course exams are cumulative; it is the nature of mathematics. You should clearly show all steps involved in solving a problem. If I cannot see your work, you will receive zero credit. In addition, I cannot give partial credit for answers if all of your work is not properly detailed (if the TI graphing calculator was used, include a sketch of the view-screen or entered data to show work). If I can't understand what you have written, or it is illegible, you will receive zero credit for your response. If you work a problem more than once be sure to X out the incorrect response; you will receive minimal credit for a problem if more than one response is provided (even if one of the responses is correct). Scrap paper will be supplied at each exam; be sure that problems worked on scrap paper are properly numbered and labeled in order to earn credit for your work. To make each response clear, be sure to underline, box, or circle your final answer. Do not speak with other students during a quiz or exam or I will assume you are exchanging answers. If supplies are needed, or you need a question answered, please ask me. Students found communicating during an exam will BOTH receive zeros for the quiz/exam. Students are not allowed to answer or reference cell phones, pagers, or other electronic devices during a quiz or exam; students found accessing such devices during a quiz or exam will receive a zero for the quiz/exam. Students are not allowed to leave the room and return to complete a quiz or exam after said quiz/exam has been distributed. If a student leaves the room during a quiz or exam, the quiz/exam will be collected at the time the student leaves the classroom and graded as-is. Students are allowed to leave once the quiz/exam has been completed and turned in. All test materials need to be turned in with the exam (including scrap paper). Extra Help and Accomodations: There are qualified and very supportive math tutors available to help you, free of charge, five days a week, in the Math Lab located on the fourth floor of our main building (room 412). A schedule of tutoring staff/times is usually available the first week of the semester and will be posted on my website and on the web at If you have, or suspect you may have, any type of disability or learning problem that may require extra assistance or special accommodations, please speak to me privately after class or during my office hours as soon as possible so I can help you obtain any assistance you may need to successfully complete this course. You should also contact Laurie Bethka, Room 420M in the Academic Assistance Center, for further assistance. I highly recommend that you utilize any accommodations you are eligible for during the first exam. Fall 2013 A. Barnaby at Clinton Community College Page 4 of 6

5 Departmental Outline for MAT100: I. An Introduction to Algebra (textbook chapter 1): including describing numerical relationships, fractions and decimals, real numbers, operations with real numbers, solving equations, exponents and order of operations, algebraic expressions II. Equations, Inequalities, and Problem Solving (textbook chapter 2): including solving equations, problem solving, simplifying algebraic expressions, formulas, inequalities III. Graphs, Linear Equations, and Functions (textbook chapter 3): including graphing using the rectangular coordinate system, equations containing two variables, graphing linear equations, the slope of a line, describing linear relationships, writing linear equations, functions IV. Solving Systems of Equations and Inequalities (textbook chapter 4) V. Exponents and Polynomials (textbook chapter 5): including integer exponents, scientific notation, polynomials, operations involving polynomials VI. Roots and Radicals (textbook chapter 8): including evaluations square and higher order roots, operations with radicals, solving radical equations and rational exponents VII. Factoring and Quadratic Equations (textbook chapter 6): including factoring out the greatest common factor, factoring by grouping, factoring trinomials, solving quadratic equations by factoring VIII. Rational Expressions and Equations (textbook chapter 7): including simplifying rational expressions, operations with rational expressions, complex-fractions Departmental Objectives for MAT100: As the result of instructional activities, students will be able to: 1. Communicate using the appropriate mathematical vocabulary 2. Identify algebraic expressions and equations 3. Use appropriate mathematical notation 4. Translate word problems into mathematical expressions or equations and vice versa 5. Complete tables of values using provided equations 6. List the factors of a given number and give the prime factorization of a given number 7. Build up a given fraction to an equivalent fraction with the indicated denominator and simplify a given fraction 8. Convert an improper fraction to an equivalent mixed number and vice versa 9. Perform operations with real numbers 10. Convert between fractions, decimals and percentages 11. Order given real numbers and graph given real numbers on the number line 12. Use the order of operations to simplify algebraic expressions 13. Evaluate an expression by substituting in given values 14. Simplify a given expression by combining like terms and by using the distributive property 15. Solve a given equation, formula and inequality 16. Write clear, coherent solutions that demonstrate an understanding of the math concepts 17. Logically determine if solutions make sense 18. Solve word problems within the context of business, economics, entertainment, health, science, sports, and technology applications continued Fall 2013 A. Barnaby at Clinton Community College Page 5 of 6

6 19. Graph a given point on the coordinate plane and identify a point that has been graphed 20. Determine the slope and intercepts of a linear equation 21. Place a linear equation in each of the following forms: slope-intercept form, point-slope form, or general form 22. Write and graph linear relationships 23. Determine if given linear functions are parallel, perpendicular or neither 24. Evaluate functions at a point 25. Determine if a mathematical relationship is a function 26. Determine the domain and range of a function 27. Determine if a given ordered pair is a solution to a system of linear equations or inequalities 28. Solve a system of linear equation by the graphing method, the substitution method and the addition method 29. Solve linear inequalities and systems of linear inequalities and graph their solution set 30. Simplify expressions involving exponents 31. Convert numbers in standard notation to scientific notation and vice versa and use to simplify computations 32. Determine if a given expression is a polynomial and the degree of a given polynomial 33. Perform operations with polynomials 34. Use various factoring techniques to factor polynomials (including factoring out GCF, factoring difference of squares, factoring by grouping, and factoring trinomials). 35. Solve a quadratic equation by factoring and by using the quadratic formula 36. Simplify rational and radical expressions and complex fractions 37. Perform operations with rational and radical expressions 38. Solve simple radical and rational equations 39. Convert expressions with rational exponents to radical form Fall 2013 A. Barnaby at Clinton Community College Page 6 of 6