NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT: ACADEMIC FOUNDATIONS MA095 - BASIC COLLEGE MATH SYLLABUS. Department Phone Number:

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1 Department Phone Number: I. Required Textbook: Basic College Math, Tobey, Slater, Blair, and Crawford; 2nd Custom Edition, Pearson/Prentice Hall, MyMathLab Access: MyMathLab is requirement for this course. New textbooks purchased at the NJCU bookstore include MyMathLab access code. It may not be included with the purchase of a used book, and may not be included with a new book purchased at a different bookstore. MyMathLab access codes can be purchased online for approximately $80 or through the NJCU bookstore and will contain a copy of the ebook. If a student is repeating the course, a new code doesn t have to be purchased as long as the course is taken within an year. II. Course Description Contents: This course develops computational skills involving operations and applications of whole numbers, integers, rational numbers and percentages with an emphasis on the use of calculators. Short introductions to the areas of algebra, geometry, statistics and graphical interpretation are included. Credits: Basic College Math is a 3 (non-college) credit course. Instructional Methodology: This course is taught in the classroom as a lecture/discussion course. Placement: Placement into this course is determined by the results of the ACCUPLACER or by the results of the Math Department Placement/confirming Exam. Prerequisite: none III. Course Objectives 1. To improve the students ability to perform operations on whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, both manually and using a calculator. 2. To increase the students ability to solve basic linear equations. 3. To reinforce students knowledge and use of ratios, proportions, and percents. 4. To increase the students ability to solve application problems. 5. To increase the students knowledge of the basic concepts of geometry. 6. To reinforce students ability to operate with signed numbers. 7. To introduce students with the basic concepts of statistics (Mean, Mod, Median, and statistical graphs) 8. To prepare students for Algebra for College. Specifically this course will cover the following topics: 1. Concepts and skills associated with whole numbers a. Simplify exponential expressions with whole number exponents b. Use the order of operations to simplify expressions involving whole numbers, whole number, exponents, grouping symbols, and the four basic arithmetic operations c. Round whole numbers and estimate answers to arithmetic problems involving whole 1

2 numbers d. Solve application problems involving the four basic operations on whole numbers 2. Concepts and skills associated with fractions a. Perform the four basic arithmetic operations on fractions b. Solve application problems involving the four basic operations on fractions c. Simplify/reduce fractions to lowest terms d. Convert between mixed numbers and improper fractions e. Use the order of operations to simplify expressions involving fractions, whole number exponents, grouping symbols, and the four basic arithmetic operations 3. Concepts and skills associated with decimals a. Write the standard form of a decimal b. Round decimals and use rounding to estimate values involving decimal arithmetic c. Solve application problems involving the four basic operations on decimals d. Convert between fractions and decimals e. Use the order of operations to simplify expressions involving decimals, whole number exponents, grouping symbols, and the four basic arithmetic operations 4. Concepts and skills associated with ratios, proportions and percents a. Convert between fractions and percents and between decimals and percents b. Solve percent equations c. Find the missing number in a proportion d. Solve ratio and proportion application problems e. Solve application problems involving percents 5. Concepts and skills associated with geometry a. Know the appropriate vocabulary and facts about angles, triangles, rectangles, squares, and circles b. Find perimeters of rectilinear figures c. Use standard formulas to find perimeters and areas of triangles, rectangles, squares and circles d. Find complementary and supplementary angles e. Find angles associated with parallel lines cut by a transversal 6. Use statistics to collect and interpret data a, Determine the mean, median, and mode b. Interpret graphs (pictographs, circle graphs, bar graphs and line graphs) and analyze data 7. Concepts and skills associated with integers and rational numbers a. Perform the four basic arithmetic operations on rational numbers b. Use the order of operations to simplify expressions involving rational numbers, whole number exponents, grouping symbols, and the four basic arithmetic 2

3 operations c. Solve application problems involving the four basic operations on rational numbers d. Identify the order relation between two rational numbers 8. Concepts and skills involving basic algebra a. Combine like terms and using the distributive property b. Solve linear equations in one variable involving one and two properties of equality c. Solve application problems that yield linear equations d. Use the order of operations to evaluate variable expressions and formulas IV. Evaluation MyMathLab will be used to assign homework. In order to access MyMathLab, you need to have a Course Id, which will be provided by your Instructor. Those students who receive a minimum score of 65% on each homework assignment will be eligible to pass the course using the Module Method, as described below. Those who do not receive 65% will have to take the final exam. A. Formative Evaluation Homework will be assigned in MyMathLab. The homework average is given under Gradebook in MyMathLab with every section of homework counting equally towards the overall homework average. B. Summative Evaluation- The following table indicates how the students are to be graded based on their cumulative scores: Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Homework Final Exam 28% 28% 28% 16% 84% There are TWO ways students will be directly assessed in this course: 1) Module Method - There will be three tests covering the major modules of the course. Each test will have 20 problems worth five points each. Calculators may be used. All work must be shown. Each module test covers only the module material and is not cumulative. Those who pass by the module method do not have to take the final exam. M1 M2 M3 84 Homework verage 16, where 3 M1 = Module 1 Test, M2 = Module 2 Test, M3 = Module 3 Test. To Calculate the average: % A % Then use the average to assign the letter grade according to the following table: Average Grade must take final exam C C+ B- B B+ A- A 3

4 2) Final Exam Method Students may pass the course by taking a final exam, which will contain 30 problems totals 100 points. Calculators may be used. Students who fail by the Module Method will still be allowed to take the final; and if they receive a passing grade on Final Exam together with Homework, they pass the course; BUT cannot get a grade higher than B. To calculate the average, using the final exam grade (FE): FE74% Homework Average 16 %. Final Grade: Then use the average to give the letter grade according to the following table: Average Grade R or F C C+ B- B Warning for students who have not completed the Developmental Math sequence Students who have not completed their developmental math sequence are not allowed to enroll in any course with a math skill requirement (i.e. Physics, Chemistry, etc.). All students are required to be "continually in attendance" in order to remain enrolled in this course. If you withdraw from this course or do not pass the course, then: a) You will have a hold placed on your registration for the following semester. The hold will require that you register for the next semester in person with an advisor or counselor and/or that you work with the Director of Developmental Math, Math Department Chair or the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences during subsequent semesters. b) You will continue to face more serious consequences, up to being dismissed from New Jersey City University, until you complete the required developmental math course sequence. Importance of Completing Developmental Course Requirements The first steps to achieving any college academic goal are completing developmental course requirements. The first priority for students who are required to take developmental courses must be the developmental courses. Because successful completion of developmental courses is so important, NJCU will intervene with any student who is not successfully completing developmental requirements to assist in your success. This intervention can mean a hold on your academic records to ensure proper advising, requiring developmental lab classes or Supplemental Instruction, working with the Director of Developmental Mathematics, and/or academic monitoring during the semester. Attendance Policy Attendance is required in this course. Attendance is more than simply physical presence inside the classroom. Each student should come to class with attempted and/or completed homework and be prepared to ask questions and participate in class. Questions over lecture or examples are encouraged during the lecture so that as topics build on themselves, students are not "lost" on a concept. Students should be prepared to speak up or mark questions in their notes so that they 4

5 may be answered at the end of class. Students who have excessive absences, defined as 6 total class hours will not be allowed to take the final exam. Developmental math mandated students who do not pass the course or are not allowed to take the final exam may suffer serious consequences - see the Warning for students who have not completed the developmental math sequence statement above. Cell Phone Use Policy Texting, tweeting, updating statuses, instant messaging, web/browsing/surfing and/or any other extra-curricular activity that requires the use of your smart phone is not allowed during class. You will not use your cell phone during exams for any reason. Withdrawal Policy It is the student's responsibility to initiate all withdrawals in this course. Students with over 30 college level hours considering withdrawal from this course should keep in mind the possible serious consequences of doing so including probation and suspension. It would be wise to speak to your instructor or and counselor/advisor before doing so. All withdrawals will need the consent of the Director of Developmental Mathematics or the Mathematics Department Chair AND special approval from the Dean of Arts and Sciences. Course-Specific Support Services Tutoring Lab: NJCU has a Tutoring Lab that offers free tutoring (first-come first-serve) in mathematics courses. MyMathLab Software to support this particular text are available in the tutoring Lab. Students who need regular tutoring are encouraged to use the Tutoring Labs before they get very far behind. The Mathematics Department Tutoring Lab is located in Karnoutsos Hall, Room 422 Software: See description of MyMathLab under Required Materials in this handout. Pearson Tutoring: Pearson has a tutoring center that is available by phone for students using any of their texts. Information about the service can be found at Students toll-free: ; Fax: ; Questions: mtutor@pearson.com Lecture Capture: Instructors have allowed themselves to be filmed during class lecture and those lectures are made available to all Developmental Mathematics students. These lectures can be accessed from Khan Academy: Feel free to find additional support on the website and search videos by topic. University Policies: Statement for Students with Disabilities New Jersey City University offers support services for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office of Specialized Services 5

6 in Karnoutsos Hall, Room 102. Students are encouraged to do this as soon as possible at the beginning of the semester. Students who are requesting accommodation(s) must provide the instructor with a letter of accommodation from the Office of Specialized Services (OSS) at the beginning of the semester. Accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the OSS letter of accommodation. Statement on Scholastic Dishonesty Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to, cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, work, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to, tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations; and homework. Statement on Scholastic Dishonesty Penalty Students who violate the rules concerning scholastic dishonesty will be assessed an academic penalty that the instructor determines is in keeping with the seriousness of the offense. This academic penalty may range from a grade penalty on the particular assignment to an overall grade penalty in the course, including possibly an F in the course. NJCU s policy can be found in the Student Handbook under Policies and Procedures. Statement on Academic Freedom Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good. The common good depends upon a search for truth and upon free expression. In this course the professor and students shall strive to protect free inquiry and the open exchange of facts, ideas, and opinions. Students are free to take exception to views offered in this course and to reserve judgment about debatable issues. Grades will not be affected by personal views. With this freedom comes the responsibility of civility and a respect for a diversity of ideas and opinions. This means that students must take turns speaking, listen to others speak without interruption, and refrain from name-calling or other personal attacks. Statement on Student Discipline Classroom behavior should support and enhance learning. Behavior that disrupts the learning process will be dealt with appropriately, which may include having the student leave class for the rest of that day. In serious cases, disruptive behavior may lead to a student being withdrawn from the class. Disruptive behavior may consist of, but is not limited to, excessive talking during class, use of cell phones/mobile devices, verbally or physically bullying other students. 6

Math 121 Fundamentals of Mathematics I

I. Course Description: Math 121 Fundamentals of Mathematics I Math 121 is a general course in the fundamentals of mathematics. It includes a study of concepts of numbers and fundamental operations with