Syllabus Lamar University, a Member of The Texas State University System, is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate, Baccalaureate, Masters, and Doctorate degrees (more details at http://www.lamar.edu). Department Course Number Course Title Professor Contact Information Mathematics Math-1314 College Algebra Linda Jaycox Instructor lajaycox@my.lamar.edu lannjaycox@msn.com 409-880-8792 Personal Introduction Welcome to Lamar University. My name is Linda Jaycox, and I will be your instructor of record for MATH 1314 College Algebra. By way of a very brief introduction, I earned my baccalaureate and master s degrees from Lamar University. I am attending and will graduate with my Masters in secondary education from McNeese State University this spring. My area of mathematical expertise is Abstract Algebra but I also enjoy the challenges of encryption and decryption. I joined the faculty at Lamar in the spring of 2005 and I am currently an Instructor for the Department of Mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences Online Web Conferences, Threaded Discussion, Wiki To enhance student-to-student and instructor-to-student interaction, Online Web Conferences have been scheduled for every Tuesday evening from 8:00pm-9:00pm Central Standard Time. I will embed the link to these Web Conferences in a group email to all students, and I will record each Web Conference so that students who are unable to participate can access, review and respond to our group discussions. Students will be expected to participate in Threaded Discussion board topics, and in Week 3 students will begin an investigation on graphing functions and their purpose. Students should post their thoughts, insights and any conclusions to the questions posed into the course Wiki so that others can comment on content and usefulness of information. The link to the Wiki will be posted in the Week 3 Discussion Board. Course Description As your course instructor, I hope to acquaint you with the intricacies of algebraic computations and to utilize these computations in your everyday lives. I want to bring an understanding and 2010 Lamar University 1 of 14
appreciation of the subject that you may not as yet have discovered or even dreamed a possibility. The journey is rift with trials and great diligence is required on your part but the feeling of elation in the knowledge you acquire in the end is worth the effort. Course Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes Students who successfully complete this course will be able: To evaluate expressions containing exponents, work with laws of exponents and use scientific notation. To add, subtract, multiply and divide polynomials, and use formulas for special products. To factor polynomials using the G.C.F., special case and factor-by-grouping concepts. To add, subtract, multiply and divide rational expressions. To work with the properties of radicals. To evaluate expressions with fractional exponents and simplify radicals using rational exponents. Academic Prerequisites Admission to Lamar University. Technology Prerequisites Students are not required to have advanced technology training or skills in order to be successful in the class. They should, however, feel confident about their ability to navigate through typical online websites and their ability to use common word processing software in order to submit written assignments. The following hardware, web browser and software are needed for this course: Epic Web System Requirements Computer/Technology Skill Requirements for Epic Learning Management System 1. Students will need regular access to a computer with a broadband Internet connection. The minimum computer requirements for the Epic Web Client are: Any current Flash-compliant browser (eg. Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 3.0) 512 MB of RAM, 1 GB or more preferred Broadband connection required courses are heavily video intensive Video display capable of high-color 16-bit display 1024 x 768 or higher resolution A sound card and speakers or headphones Current anti-virus software must be installed and kept up to date Most home computers purchased within the last 3-4 years meet or surpass these requirements. 2. Students will need some additional free software for enhanced web browsing. Be certain to download the free versions of the software. Adobe Reader Adobe Flash Player 3. At a minimum, students must have Microsoft Office 2003, XP, 2007 or OpenOffice, or Student Office for Mac. Microsoft Office is the standard office productivity software utilized by faculty, students, and staff. Microsoft Word is the standard word processing software, Microsoft Excel is the standard spreadsheet software, and Microsoft PowerPoint is the standard presentation software. Copying and pasting, along with attaching/uploading documents for assignment submission will also be required. If you do not have Microsoft 2010 Lamar University 2 of 14
Office or Student Office for Mac, you can check with the bookstore to see if they have any student copies. Course Materials Required Electronic Text Beecher, Judith, Penna, Judith, Bittinger, Marvin. College Algebra. Boston: Pearson Education, 2008. ISBN 032119991X. Accessibility Statement It is the policy of Lamar University to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal and state law. Should you need accommodation, visit the Office for Students with Disabilities website at http://dept.lamar.edu/sfswd or call the office by dialing (409)-880-8347. Also know that I will assist in whatever way I can to ensure that this course supports the university s commitment to equal education opportunities. Academic Integrity Statement Lamar University expects all students to engage in academic pursuits in a manner that is above reproach. Students are expected to maintain complete honesty and integrity in their academic experiences both in and out of the classroom. Any student found guilty of dishonesty in any phase of academic work will be subject to disciplinary action. Disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against a student accused of any form of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work which is to be submitted, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. Plagiarism shall mean the appropriation of another s work or idea and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work or idea into one s own work offered for credit. Collusion shall mean the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing work offered for credit. Abuse of resource materials shall mean the mutilation, destruction, concealment, theft or alteration of materials provided to assist students in the mastery of course materials. Academic work shall mean the preparation of an essay, report, problem, assignment, creative work or other project that the student submits as a course requirement or for a grade. Students are specifically warned against all forms of plagiarism, which include purchasing, or otherwise acquiring and submitting as one s own work any research paper or other writing assignment prepared by an individual or firm. Plagiarism is defined as, the appropriation and the unacknowledged incorporation of another s work or ideas into one s own offered for credit (82). Students seeking to avoid plagiarism should consult either the course instructor or the most recent addition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. The course instructor will complete a thorough and impartial investigation of any instance of academic dishonesty. A student found guilty of academic dishonesty will be notified in writing by the instructor of the violation, the penalty, and the student s right to appeal the determination of dishonesty and/or the sanction imposed. Penalties for academic dishonesty in this course will result in either a lowered letter grade or failure of the course as determined by the instructor. 2010 Lamar University 3 of 14
Copyright Policy Statement Copyright is defined as the ownership and control of the intellectual property in original works of authorship which are subject to copyright law. As an institution of higher learning that values intellectual integrity, Lamar University prohibits the distribution of published materials (print or electronic) in violation of copyright law. Netiquette (Online Etiquette) Statement Please adhere to the same standards of behavior and professional respect online that you would follow in face-to-face communication with others, but most particularly when writing email and when taking part in collaborative and discussion board activities. Lamar provides access to network resources, including the Internet, in order to support learning and to prepare students for the 21st century world. Students, however, are expected to adhere to the Lamar University Acceptable Use Policies when Using Networks Acceptable Use Students must respect the integrity and security of LU's computer systems and network, and the privacy and preferences of other users. Responsibility for learning about and complying with LU's Acceptable Use Policy ultimately rests with the individual. The network may be used to download, copy, or store any software, shareware, digital media files or freeware, as long as the use complies with copyright law; licensing agreements, and campus policies such as storage space limitations and network bandwidth restrictions. The network may not be used for any activity, or to transmit any material, that violates United States or local laws. Unacceptable use The network may not be used for commercial purposes. Advertising and sponsorships on UW web sites is restricted. In addition, students may not permit other persons to use their usernames, passwords, accounts or disk space, or disclose their usernames, passwords or account information to any third party. Students may not log on to someone else's account, internet address, or other network codes, or attempt to access another user's files. Students may not create false or dummy accounts to impersonate someone else. Students may not try to gain unauthorized access ("hacking") to the files or computer systems of any other person or organization. Students may not impersonate another person by forging e-mail, web pages or other electronic media. Students who maliciously access, alter, delete, damage or destroy any computer system, computer network, computer program, or data will be subject to disciplinary action by LU, and criminal prosecution as well. Students may not disrupt or attempt to disrupt network traffic, and they may not attempt to monitor or capture network traffic in any way. Finally, students may not intentionally create, store, display, print or transmit information that violates the university s Sexual Harassment Policy. Privacy Policy Statement Student records maintained by Lamar University comply with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (PL93-380). Detailed information should be accessed through this link: https://sacs.lamar.edu/catalog/prefmaterial/v.genacademicpol.htm#edurights. 2010 Lamar University 4 of 14
Grading and Evaluation Final grades will be determined by adding the total number of points available for quizzes (10%), four chapter exams (50%), homework (20%), and comprehensive final exam (20%), then applying the following percentage scale: Your final grade will be as follows: A: 90 100% B: 80 89% C: 70 79% D: 60 69% F: 59% and lower Make-up Work No make-up work will be accepted unless the student initiates prior arrangements that I subsequently approve. Active participation is required throughout the fifteen-week course. Drop Dates This course adheres to the add/drop standards for each term as stated by Lamar University. For more details, refer to the Lamar Web site: http://www.lamar.edu. Course Evaluation Instruction as well as student performance is subject to evaluation. Procedures for evaluation will be provided near the end of this course. mylamar Portal Students are asked to obtain a Lamar Electronic Account username and password so they can log onto the mylamar Web site. Students may get information on how to get into the mylamar Web site from the University s homepage (http://www.lamar.edu) by clicking on the mylamar link on the left top corner of the screen. Follow the steps to secure your mylamar username and password. Access to library resources is described on the Academic Partnership page, also available through the http://www.lamar.edu. Instructional Associates The information about Instructional Associates will be provided through an email. Instructional Associates have been selected based upon their teaching experiences and accomplishments, their interest in college algebra, their pedagogical understanding about mathematics as a process, and their command of the manipulations and realistic uses of algebraic manipulations. Course activities, assignments, questions, and correspondence are to be emailed to the Instructional Associates. They are ready to help. University faculty members have ultimate responsibility for all assessments and final course grades. Each semester, faculty members will conduct random reviews of materials to ensure inter-rater reliability among all Instructional Associates. Syllabus Subject to Change While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it should be understood that content may change in keeping with new research and literature and events beyond the control of the instructor. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes. 2010 Lamar University 5 of 14
Course Content Outline Course Content and Assignments Week 1 Welcome and Course Introduction Online Homework and Textbook Registration Welcome and Introduction Course Syllabus Week 1 Blueprint Lesson 1 - Section 1.1: Introduction to Graphing Lesson 2 - Section 1.2: Functions and Graphs Welcome and Introduction Lesson 1 - Section 1.1: Introduction to Graphing Lesson 2 - Section 1.2: Functions and Graphs Homework Section 1.1 Quiz Section 1.1 Homework Section 1.2 Discussion: Graphs and Equations Quiz Section 1.2 Week 2 Week 2 Blueprint Lesson 3 - Section 1.3: Linear Functions, Slope, and Applications Lesson 4 - Section 1.4: Equations of Lines and Modeling Lesson 3 - Section 1.3: Linear Functions, Slope, and Applications Lesson 4 - Section 1.4: Equations of Lines and Modeling Homework Section 1.3 Quiz Section 1.3 Homework Section 1.4 2010 Lamar University 6 of 14
Discussion: Slope Quiz Section 1.4 Week 3 Week 3 Blueprint Lesson 5 - Section 1.5: More on Functions Lesson 6 - Section 1.6: The Algebra of Functions Lesson 5 - Section 1.5: More on Functions Lesson 6 - Section 1.6: The Algebra of Functions Homework Section 1.5 Quiz Section 1.5 Homework Section 1.6 Discussion: Real-World Functions Quiz Section 1.6 Dual Credit Wiki (ongoing for remainder of course) Week 4 Week 4 Blueprint Lesson 7 - Section 1.7: Symmetry and Transformations Exam Lesson 7 - Section 1.7: Symmetry and Transformations Homework Section 1.7 Discussion: Symmetry and Even/Odd Quiz Section 1.7 Exam 1 Chapter 1, Sections 1.1 through 1.7 Week 5 Week 5 Blueprint Lesson 8 - Section 2.1: More on Functions Lesson 9 - Section 2.2: The Complex Numbers 2010 Lamar University 7 of 14
Week 6 Lesson 8 - Section 2.1: More on Functions Lesson 9 - Section 2.2: The Complex Numbers Homework Section 2.1 Quiz Section 2.1 Homework Section 2.2 Dual Credit: PowerPoint Slides Homework Discussion: Imaginary Numbers Quiz Section 2.2 Week 6 Blueprint Lesson 10 - Section 2.3: Quadratic Equations, Functions, and Models Lesson 11 - Section 2.4: Analyzing Graphs of Quadratic Functions Lesson 10 - Section 2.3: Quadratic Equations, Functions, and Models Lesson 11 - Section 2.4: Analyzing Graphs of Quadratic Functions Homework Section 2.3 Quiz Section 2.3 Homework Section 2.4 Discussion: Math and Architecture Quiz Section 2.4 Week 7 Week 7 Blueprint Lesson 12 - Section 2.5: Quadratic Equations, Functions, and Models Lesson 13 - Section 2.6: Analyzing Graphs of Quadratic Functions Lesson 12 - Section 2.5: Quadratic Equations, Functions, and Models Lesson 13 - Section 2.6: Analyzing Graphs of Quadratic Functions Homework Section 2.5 Quiz Section 2.6 2010 Lamar University 8 of 14
Homework Section 2.5 Discussion: Rational Equations Quiz Section 2.6 Week 8 Week 8 Blueprint Exam Lesson 14 - Section 3.1: Polynomial Functions and Models Lesson 14 - Section 3.1: Polynomial Functions and Models Homework Section 3.1 Discussion: Continuous Functions Quiz Section 3.1 Exam 2 Chapter 2, Sections 2.1 through 2.6 Week 9 Week 9 Blueprint Lesson 15 - Section 3.2: Graphing Polynomial Functions Lesson 16 - Section 3.3: Polynomial Division; The Remainder and Factor Theorems Lesson 15 - Section 3.2: Graphing Polynomial Functions Lesson 16 - Section 3.3: Polynomial Division; The Remainder and Factor Theorems Homework Section 3.2 Quiz Section 3.2 Homework Section 3.3 Discussion: Intercepts of Polynomial Functions Quiz Section 3.3 Week 10 Week 10 Blueprint 2010 Lamar University 9 of 14
Lesson 17 - Section 3.4: Theorems about Zeros of Polynomial Functions Lesson 18 - Section 3.5: Rational Functions Lesson 17 - Section 3.4: Theorems about Zeros of Polynomial Functions Lesson 18 - Section 3.5: Rational Functions Homework Section 3.4 Quiz Section 3.4 Homework Section 3.5 Discussion: Asymptotes Quiz Section 3.5 Week 11 Week 11 Blueprint Lesson 19 - Section 3.6: Polynomial and Rational Inequalities Dual Credit: Chapter 3, Section 7 Exam 3 Lesson 19 - Section 3.6: Polynomial and Rational Inequalities Homework Section 3.6 Discussion: Rational Inequalities Quiz Section 3.6 Dual Credit Quiz (at http://www.coursecompass.com ) Exam 3 Chapter 3, Sections 3.1 through 3.6 Week 12 Week 12 Blueprint Lesson 20 - Section 4.1: Inverse Functions Lesson 21 - Section 4.2: Exponential Functions and Graphs Lesson 20 - Section 4.1: Inverse Functions Lesson 21 - Section 4.2: Exponential Functions and Graphs 2010 Lamar University 10 of 14
Homework Section 4.1 Quiz Section 4.1 Homework Section 4.2 Discussion: Exponential Functions Quiz Section 4.2 Week 13 Week 13 Blueprint Lesson 22 - Section 4.3: Logarithmic Functions and Graphs Lesson 23 - Section 4.4: Properties of Logarithmic Functions Lesson 22 - Section 4.3: Logarithmic Functions and Graphs Lesson 23 - Section 4.4: Properties of Logarithmic Functions Homework Section 4.3 Quiz Section 4.3 Homework Section 4.4 Discussion: Logarithms Quiz Section 4.4 Week 14 Week 14 Blueprint Lesson 24 - Section 4.5: Solving Exponential and lograthmic Equations Lesson 25 - Section 5.1: Systems of Equations in Two Variables Dual Credit: Chapter 6, Sections 1-4 Lesson 24 - Section 4.5: Solving Exponential and lograthmic Equations Lesson 25 - Section 5.1: Systems of Equations in Two Variables Homework Section 4.5 Quiz Section 4.5 Homework Section 5.1 Discussion: Same Solution? Dual Credit Discussion: Conic Sections 2010 Lamar University 11 of 14
Quiz Section 5.1 Dual Credit Quiz (at http://www.coursecompass.com ) Week 15 Week 15 Blueprint Exam 4 Chapter 4, Sections 4.1 through 4.5 and Chapter 5, Section 5.1 Final Comprehensive Exam All chapters 2010 Lamar University 12 of 14
Welcome Students! MyMathLab is an interactive website where you can: Self-test & work through practice exercises with step-by-step help to improve your math skills. Study more efficiently with a personalized study plan and exercises that match your book. Get help when YOU need it. MyMathLab includes multimedia learning aids, videos, animations, and live tutorial help. Before You Begin: To register for MyMathLab you will need: A MyMathLab student access code (packaged with your new text, standalone at your bookstore, or available for purchase with a major credit card at www.coursecompass.com) Your instructors Course ID: jaycox89643 Your school s zip code: 77710 A valid email address Student Registration: Enter http://www.coursecompass.com in your Web Browser. Under Students, click Register. Read the Before you start information and click Next. Enter your Course ID exactly as provided by your instructor and click Find Course. Your course information should appear. If not, contact your instructor to verify the correct Course ID. Select Access Code, type your Access Code in the fields provided (one word per field), and click Next. If you do not have an access code, click Buy Now and follow those prompts to purchase and register. Read the License Agreement and Privacy Policy and click I Accept. On the Access Information Screen, you ll be asked whether you already have a Pearson Education Account. Click: 2010 Lamar University 13 of 14
- YES if you have registered for other Pearson online products and already have a login name and password. Fields will appear for you to enter your existing login information. - NO if this is the first time you have registered for a Pearson online product. Boxes will appear for you to create your login name and password. - NOT SURE if you want to check for a pre-existing account and receive an email with your login name and password. Simply follow the registration screens and enter your information as prompted. You will enter your name, email address, school information, and provide a security question/answer to ensure the privacy of your account. Once your registration is complete, you will see a Confirmation screen (this information will also be emailed to you). Simply print your confirmation (remember to write down your login name and password) and you are now ready to Log in and access your resources! Logging In: Go to www.coursecompass.com and click on Log In. Enter your login name and password and click Log in. On the left, click on the name of your course. The first time you enter your course from your own computer and anytime you use a new computer, click the Installation Wizard or Browser Check on the Announcements page. After completing the installation process and closing the wizard you will be on your course home page and ready to explore your MyMathLab resources! Need help? Contact Product Support at http://www.mymathlab.com/student-support for live CHAT, email, or phone support. 2010 Lamar University 14 of 14