Topics include quadratics, polynomial, rational, logarithmic, and exponential functions; systems of equations; matrices; and determinants. A departmental final examination will be given in this COURSE SYLLABUS Revised 10-27-09 MATH 0312-61378: Intermediate Algebra Spring, 2011 MoWed 7:00 am 9:00 am / Northline Campus, R223 INSTRUCTOR: VOICEMAILBOX: Irina Safina 832-246-0000 # (ext5552459) # CONFERENCE TIMES: N/A CONTACT INFORMATION: irina.safina@hccs.edu MYMATHLAB COURSE ID: safina54027, school zipcode: 77013 math department web page at http://swc2.hccs.edu/math/ Required Materials: 1. Textbook: Intermediate Algebra, 10 th Edition. Margaret Lial, John Hornsby, & Terry McGinnis. Pearson / Addison Wesley: Boston, 2008. The textbook is packaged together with the solutions manual and the MyMthLab access code at the bookstores at SW College. MyMathLab code can also be purchased separately online or at the bookstore. With MyMathLab you ll have an electronic version of the textbook to complete the assignments online. It is up to you what to prefer: the regular textbook or electronic version of it through MyMathLab, or both. With MyMathLab you ll be able to complete your assignments, to be graded straight away by the program. You can also get help and tips from the program, and even get help from a tutor online. 2. Graph Paper, a ruler. Catalog Description: Topics include factoring techniques, radicals, algebraic fractions, complex numbers, graphing linear equations and inequalities, quadratic equations, systems of equations, an introduction to functions, and graphing quadratic functions. Emphasis is placed on the algebraic techniques needed in order to successfully complete Math 1314 College Algebra. A departmental final examination must be passed with a score of 60% or higher in order to pass the course. Prerequisites: Math 0308 or Math 0108: Pass with "C" or better; Or Suitable placement test score. Credit: 3 hours credit (3 hours lecture and 1 hour lab). Course Intent & Audience: This course is intended for students who require state mandated remediation. It is the final course in the developmental mathematics sequence, and its purpose is to prepare students for College Algebra. Testing policy: 1
There will be 3 in-class exams and between 6 8 quizzes online or at class. The final exam, if it is higher than one of the other 3 exams, will automatically replace ONE low exam grade and ONE low quiz grade will be dropped. No cell phones on the exams and quizzes! Violators will be graded with F. All work, showing steps of the solution, should be neatly done in given time. Major Exams will be partially graded, but if the solution is unclear or messy, it won t get a full credit even if the answer is correct! 3 Notebook Quizzes will be given during the semester. They will typically be on the day of the major exam. The grade (up to 2 points) based on how well organized and complete your notebook is kept will apply to the exam grade. These are suggested sections for your notebook: 1. All papers for the course: Course information, Syllabus, Course Calendar, etc. 2. Notes from class - please date all your notes. Notes should be neat. 3. Exams 5. Class quizzes and Home worksheets, if any. 6. Handouts, if any. Make-up policy: In general, there will be NO MAKE-UP TESTS OR QUIZZES that are missed. NO LATE HOMEWORKS also. However, if you have a good reason to miss an exam or a quiz you must e-mail me as soon as possible and provide evidence such as a doctor s note, court note, etc to excuse the absence before a make-up is granted. The make-up must be done up to the next Tuesday class or the grade will result in a zero for that assignment. Grading policy: Your final course grade is based on the following standard HCC scale. FINAL AVERAGE FINAL COURSE GRADE 90 Average 100% A 80 Average < 90% 70 Average < 80% 60 Average < 70% Average < 60% or Final Exam Grade < 60 B C D F A grade of IP (In Progress) will not be given. If your final grade is a D, then you may be eligible to take the bridge course MATH 0112 instead of repeating the class. To determine eligibility, please contact the math department. A grade of F is given if the final average is below 60 or the final exam grade is below 60. Final Grade = 25% (Final Exam) + 55% (Exam Avg.) + 10 %( MML Hmworks) + 10% (Quiz Avg. and Hm Wrkshts) Final Examination: The final examination is departmental and consists of 33 multiple-choice problems. The problems cover all the material required in the course. If you score lower than 60% on the final exam, you automatically are given a course grade of F, as noted under the grading policy. If your score on the final exam is 60% or higher, then your grades are averaged using the formula specified under grading policy. You MUST pass the final exam in order to pass the course. Homework and Quiz policy: All homework and several quizzes must be completed online using MYMATHLAB. The MyMathLab Course ID to be used for registration purposes is safina54027, and the school zip code is 77013. To register for MyMathLab and to access the homework, go to www.coursecompass.com. You can ask for the extension of your MML homework only 3 times. Calculators: 2
Scientific calculators are allowed on exams, quizzes, and homework but must be provided by the student. Graph calculators are NOT allowed on exams and quizzes but may be used to check the solution in class or at home. Attendance policy : Attendance is checked during every class. The student is responsible for material covered during his absence and for the homework based on this material. Contact me if some unavoidable situation arises or when absence from a class meeting is known in advance or when leaving before class is dismissed is necessary. Otherwise, if your absences exceed 5 unexcused classes during this course, you can expect to be administratively withdrawn by the instructor. Furthermore, if the student withdraws or is withdrawn for non-attendance, his financial aid award could be affected in future semesters. Tardiness policy: Students are expected to be in class ON TIME for each class and READY TO LEARN. Tardiness does not affect your grade however; it does affect the learning environment. 3 late arrivals (after 10 minutes as the class starts) will count as 1 absence. If you are late for the quiz or test, no additional time will be given to complete the assignment, or you won t get the credit for the quiz at all. Withdrawal policy: If you decide to drop the class, then IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DROP before the final drop date. If your name is on the roll at the end of the term, you WILL receive a grade. Neither you nor your instructor will be able to perform the drop after the final drop date. In order to withdraw from your class and receive a W on your transcript, you MUST contact your professor or a counselor PRIOR to the withdrawal deadline. The Final Withdrawal Deadline is, at 4:30 pm. After the withdrawal deadline has passed, you will receive a grade. Zeros averaged in for required coursework that is not submitted will lower your semester average significantly, most likely resulting in a failing grade of F. Please refer to the following notice before dropping the class. NOTICE: Students who take a course three or more times will face significant tuition or fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. In addition, state law allows students a maximum of 6 course withdrawals during their entire college career. Students with more than 6 drops will be required to pay additional fees. Prior to course withdrawal, you must confer with your professor or counselor about your study habits, homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation, and tutoring or other assistance that is available. Student conduct: Students should not engage in disruptive activities while in the classroom. Any conduct that is deemed detrimental to the academic atmosphere, such as cell phone use or consistently talking during instructional delivery, or nonparticipation in class activities will not be tolerated. Any student found guilty of such conduct will be asked to leave the classroom until further notice. Academic dishonesty: All students are required to exercise academic honesty in completion of all tests and assignments. Cheating involves deception for the purpose of violating testing rules. Students who improperly assist other students are just as guilty as students who receive assistance. A student guilty of a first offense will receive a grade of F on the quiz or test involved. For a second offense, the student will receive a grade of F for the course. The use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders, is prohibited in all locations where instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. Students with disabilities who need to use a recording device as a reasonable accommodation should contact the Disability Services Office for information. Resources and supplemental instruction: Any student enrolled in Math 0312 at HCC has access to the math tutoring labs which are staffed with student assistants who can aid students with math problems and offer help with MyMathLab. In addition, free online tutoring is provided using AskOnline. With Mymathlab, the free Math Tutoring Center is also provided. For more information and for tutoring hours and locations, go to the math department web page at http://swc2.hccs.edu/math/, and select the tutoring link. Another helpful resource is the student solutions manual that may be obtained from the bookstore. 3
Students with Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Support Services Office at this college at the beginning of the semester. To make an appointment, please call 713-718-7910. Professors are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Office. Exams Schedule: Test Chapters Covered on Test Date Exam #1 Sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.7, 3.1-3.5 & 4.1 February, 14 Exam #2 Sections 5.1, 5.4, 5.5, & 6.1-6.5 March, 9 Exam #3 Sections 7.1-7.5, 8.1-8.5 April, 13 Exam #4 Final Exam Sections 8.7, 9.1, 9.2 Chapters 2 9 May, 2 May, 9 Important Dates: Drop Deadline: April, 14 Final Exam: May, 9 Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, a student should be able to perform the following mathematical skills: 1. multiply and divide polynomials. 2. factor polynomials. 3. add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational expressions. 4. simplify complex fractions. 5. solve equations involving rational expressions. 6. graph linear equations & linear inequalities in two variables. 7. find the slope of a line & its equation. 8. simplify rational exponents and radicals. 9. add, subtract, multiply, and divide expressions involving radicals. 10. add, subtract, multiply, and divide complex numbers. 11. solve quadratic equations by factoring, completing the square, using the quadratic formula, and using the square root property. 12. solve systems of linear equations in two variables. 13. solve word problems. 14. recognize functional notation and evaluate functions. 15. graph quadratic functions. THE SECTIONS LISTED ABOVE UNDER COURSE SCHEDULE MUST BE COVERED. 4
Optional Sections The content of the following sections include material that is embedded in other sections of the course or that was covered in the previous math course or that will be studied in the next course MATH 1314. Based on this, the instructor may discuss the sections listed below if time permits: 2.1 Linear Equations in One Variable 2.2 Formulas 2.3 Applications of Linear Equations 2.7 Absolute Value Equations 5.1 Integer Exponents and Scientific Notation 7.6 Variation 9.6 More about Parabolas (omit horizontal parabolas and applications) 11.5 Second-Degree Inequalities (Example 1 only; omit systems of inequalities) Leaving a Voicemail Message. Step 1: Dial 832-246-0000 Step 2: Press # key after recording starts Step 3: The voicemail system will say You can dial an extension at any time Step 4: Enter your instructor s seven-digit extension, followed by the # key. Ext: 5552459 Step 5: The voicemail system will prompt you to leave a message. Please leave a detailed message & your contact number. Be clear. 5