COURSE SYLLABUS The North Central Texas College (NCTC) Course Syllabus provides the following as required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB): (1) a brief description of the course including each major course requirement, assignment and examination; (2) the learning objectives for the course; (3) a general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion; and (4) any required or recommended readings. Contact information for the instructor is also provided. The Course Syllabus also provides institutional information to indicate how this course supports NCTC s purpose and mission. Information specific to a particular section of the course will be included in the Class Syllabus and distributed to enrolled students. Course Title: Intermediate Algebra Course Prefix & Number: MATH Section Number:341 Term Code: 111s 0310 Semester Credit Hours: 3 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Course Description (NCTC Catalog): Concepts instructed in this course are algebraic including polynomials and rational expressions, linear expressions and inequalities, exponents and radicals, absolute value equations and inequalities, factoring, and quadratic equations and graphs. This course does not count toward graduation at NCTC. Course Prerequisite(s): Pass Math 0305 with a C or better or THEA score placement. Course Type: - Academic General Education Course (from Academic Course Guide Manual but not in NCTC Core) - AcademicNCTC Core Curriculum Course - WECM Course Name of Instructor: Marla Owens Campus/Office Location: Corinth Campus, Rm 309 Telephone Number: 940-498-6226 E-mail Address: mowens@nctc.edu Office Hours: MW 8:30 am - 9:00 am MW 11:00 1:00 pm TR 9:30 am 11:00 am
Virtual Hours: by appointment Name of Chair/Coordinator: Elizabeth Howell Office Location: Corinth Campus - 324 Telephone Number: 940.498.6209 E-mail Address: ehowell@nctc.edu REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED COURSE MATERIALS Required MyLabsPlus Access code NCTC email address Non-graphing scientific calculator (*No graphing or cell phone calculators allowed) Recommended: John Tobey, Jeffrey Slater, & Jamie Blair: Beginning and Intermediate Algebra, Prentice Hall, Inc., 2010, 3 rd ed. (**e-textbook is included with the MyLabsPlus Access Code) COURSE REQUIREMENTS, EVALUATION METHODS AND GRADING CRITERIA # of Graded Percentage or Points Graded Course Elements Course Elements Value 26 Homework 10% 12 Quizzes 15% 4 Regular Exams 55% 1 Final Exam 20%
Grade Scale: 90 100% = A; 80 89% = B; 70 79% = C; Below 70% = F HOMEWORK, QUIZZES, AND TESTS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES All homework, quizzes, and tests are completed online in MyLabPlus (MLP). You will need an access code to register at http://nctc.mylabsplus.com. Read the announcements in Angel for further information. You will also find the Attendance Policy Notification that you must sign and submit no later than August 28, 2011. Plug-ins: You will need to download some plug-ins before viewing assignments. There are several places in MLP for you to run the Installation Wizard. These plug-ins do not take very long to download. They are required for you to view the assignments and to generate new problems. Please call MML Technical Support at 1-800-677-6337 if you have issues downloading the plug-ins. I cannot answer technical computer problems. Homework: All due dates are listed in MLP. Complete the assignments by 11:59 pm of the due date listed. The homework may be attempted multiple times in order to increase your homework grade. Please do not ask me to give you more time to complete an assignment. Quizzes: Weekly quizzes will be due. All due dates are listed in MLP. Quizzes may be attempted three times, and each quiz attempt has a time limit. Only the highest score will be counted. Students should attempt the quiz multiple times in order to be prepared for the unit test. Do not ask me to extend the due date. Tests: Four unit tests are scheduled during the semester and a comprehensive final exam. Make sure to follow the deadline dates listed in MLP. The tests will be given on MLP. You will have only one attempt. Each test will have a time limit of 1 hour. Students will be allowed
to use a non-graphing calculator on the tests. No make-up exams will be given, but the final exam will replace your lowest test grade. Do not ask me to extend the due date. The final exam will be comprehensive and is required of all students. The final exam will also be given on MLP. The final exam may be used to replace your lowest regular exam grade. The final exam must be completed the week of December 5, 2011. The last day for the final exam will be December 6th by 5pm. No exceptions. Gradebook : The grade book in MLP keeps a running average of your grade. I go over all quizzes and tests. I look for answers that are technically correct, but have not been submitted in good form. An example would be an answer of 14/16 that has not been simplified to 7/8. Your answers will be more complicated than this example, but you get the idea that I will be looking for answers that are technically correct. ATTENDANCE POLICY Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all College Prep classes for which they have registered. There are NO excused absences. The Department of College Preparatory Studies will notify students of absences reported by instructors and one courtesy warning e-mail notification will be sent to the students current NCTC student e-mail address when the student accrues 3 hours absence in a course. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mail is no excuse for not complying with the Attendance Policy. It is the student's responsibility to maintain correct and current e-mail and local and permanent addresses with the college. After a student has been absent from class 6 hours, the student may be dropped. If the student is dropped from the only College Prep class in which he/she is enrolled and is TSI liable, the student will be DROPPED from all remaining courses for that semester. Inform the instructor in writing during the first week of class of any religious holidays observed this semester. Documentation must be given to the instructor at the class following the holiday. Also, since punctuality has become a problem in recent semesters, three tardies will be considered one absence. Coming in late disrupts the class. Occasions do occur that you will need to be tardy, but not on a consistent basis. CLASS RULES
1. You must log in and complete assignments on a weekly basis. Even if you are ahead you must still log in and complete assignments until you have completed the final. You are accountable for 3 hours each week. This is how I count each hour for attendance. First hour each week = 1st Homework assignment assigned for that week Second hour each week = 2 nd &/or 3 rd Homework assigned for that week Third hour each week = Quiz or Quizzes 2. Do not ask me to extend the due dates. Work ahead on the assignments instead (remember if something can go wrong it will). 3. Our week will run from Monday to Sunday every week beginning with the first day of class, which is August 22, 2011. All assignments open Monday, first homework section closes each Wednesday, other homework sections close on Saturday, and test and quizzes close on Sunday. 4. If you live by one of the NCTC campuses you may go to the Math Lab during their posted hours for additional help. 5. You are welcome to come to my office during my posted hours. We can talk by phone if necessary. If you can me after my office hours, your phone call will be returned within a 24 hour time frame. 6. I check my email daily, and sometimes more. Please email me with any questions, problems, or concerns you have. mowens@nctc.edu If you email me after my office hours, your email will be answered within a 24 hour time frame. If you email me over the weekend, your emails will not be answered until Monday. 7. Please use your NCTC email account for all email correspondence. TSI COMPLIANCE
At North Central Texas College, students who test but do not meet the passing scores in ALL sections of the THEA or any other THECB approved testing measurements are required by state law to obtain TSI advising and continuously enroll in a formal college preparatory studies (developmental) program every semester until all TSI requirements are satisfied. TSI program attendance is MANDATORY. Noncompliance with the rules of attendance will result in a student being WITHDRAWN from the college preparatory course and possibly from North Central Texas College. Withdrawals are subject to college policies as set forth in the college catalog. INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING GOALS A quality general education curriculum in all associate degree programs. Quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences which parallel the lower division offerings of four-year colleges and universities. Quality technical programs leading directly to careers in semi-skilled and skilled occupations, and quality technical education programs up to two years in length leading to certificates and associate degrees. Quality programs and services in support of adult literacy and basic skills development as a mean of workforce enhancement and expanding access to higher education. PROGRAM PURPOSE STATEMENT NCTC seeks to implement its goal of providing quality programs and services in support of adult literacy and basic skills development as a means of workforce enhancements and expanding access to higher education by preparing students for college level course work by strengthening reading, writing, and mathematical skills. DEPARTMENTAL PURPOSE STATEMENT The purpose of the College Preparatory Studies Department is to strengthen the academic skills of underprepared students in order to help them succeed in college level coursework. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES At the completion of the course the student should be able to: factor polynomials. solve equations and inequalities. perform operations with radicals and rational exponents.
solve and graph quadratic functions. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SUBJECT MATTER FOR EACH LECTURE/DISCUSSION Topic Factoring Rational Expressions & Equations Rational Exponents & Radicals Quadratic Equations & Inequalities General Description of Subject Matter Use the Greatest Common Factor to factor expressions; recognize and use factoring patters for various types of polynomials; solve quadratic equations by factoring Simplify rational expressions using factoring; combine rational expressions with addition, subtraction, multiplication, division; solve rational equations and application problems Simplify algebraic expressions using exponent rules, including rational exponents; convert between rational exponents and radical form; simplify radicals; solve radical equations; perform basic operations of radical expressions; solve variation problems Solve quadratic equations using various methods; graph quadratic functions by finding the vertex and intercepts; solve quadratic inequalities; solve absolute value equations MATH LAB Students who need help with any math class, from Math 0303 to Math 2414, can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance from our well-trained Math Tutors. No appointments are necessary to meet with a Math Tutor. The Math Lab is a walk-in lab on campus, where tutors circulate, helping students as they work through math problems. GAINESVILLE 114 CORINTH 182 Mon. thru Thurs. 9 am 6 pm Fri. 10 am 2 pm Mon. thru Thurs. 9 am 6 pm Fri. 9 am 3 pm FLOWER MOUND - 111 Mon. & Wed. 11 am 2 pm Tues. & Thurs. 12 3 pm Online 24/7 Tutoring - Offered by GradeResults Tutoring available for most college courses including mathematics, reading and writing, and science
Access GradeResults by Angel or going to www.graderesults.com. Use your ANGEL username and the password - studentsuccess - to login. Last day to Withdraw For the Fall 2011 semester, the last day to withdraw from a course with a W is November 11, 2011. Student Rights & Responsibilities NCTC Board policy FLB (Local) Student Rights and Responsibilities states that each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of the contents and provisions of the rules and regulations concerning student conduct. These rules and regulations are published in the Student Handbook published in conjunction with the College Catalog. All students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, and observe correct standards of conduct. Scholastic Integrity Scholastic dishonesty shall constitute a violation of college rules and regulations and is punishable as prescribed by Board policies. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES Disability Accommodations The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge, physical illness or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a non-distracting environment, note taker in class, etc. On the Corinth Campus go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus go to room 110 in the Administration (100) Building or call 940-668-7731 ext. 4321. North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112). Student Success The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals. This program also links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing
Center, a Math Lab, and free 24/7 online tutoring and helps new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students. All students are invited to visit the Student Success Center on the Corinth Campus go to rooms 170, 182, or 188; on the Gainesville Campus go to rooms 114 or 111; on the Flower Mound Campus go to room 111, on the Bowie Campus go to room 124. Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veterans Service The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering a variety of programs for students who need assistance in financing their education. The first step for financial aid is to complete a FAFSA. For more information, please visit your nearest Financial Aid Office.