[ C O L L E G E A L G E B R A ] ( s y l l a b u s ) [ t a n g ] Math 111 CRN 20379 FALL 2013 Curse ID: mck29814 (CLASS INFO) Day/Time: MTRF/9:00am-9:50am Rm: MWF : NS 215 R: MNB 110 Instructr: Chris Mck (CONTACT INFO) Office: Maaske 305 Phne: 503-838-9710 E-mail: mckc@wu.edu Website: http://www.wu.edu/~mckc (OFFICE HOURS) mnday tuesday wednesday thursday friday 8:00 am math 111 math 111 math 111 math 111 9:00 am math 111 math 111 math 111 math 111 10:00 am ffice ffice ffice ffice 11:00 am ffice nt usually 12:00 pm n campus 1:00 pm 2:00 pm math 112 math 112 math 112 math 112 3:00 pm math 112 math 112 math 112 math 112 4:00 pm (I may, r may nt, be present in my ffice during times that are nt marked n the abve chart) (PREREQUISITES) A grade f C- r better in math 95 r a satisfactry scre n the WOU placement test. Official transcripts f high enugh SAT r ACT scres n the math sectin are als acceptable. (COURSE OBJECTIVES) Knw a wrking definitin f functin. Be able t represent functins graphically, numerically (tables), symblically (frmulas), and verbally (wrds), and be able t readily switch between these representatins fr given functins.
(COURSE OBJECTIVES cnt ) Understand and use the linear, plynmial, ratinal, expnential, lgarithmic, and pwer families f functins. Mdel and slve prblems invlving thse families f functins. Have a rudimentary understanding f the arithmetic f cmplex numbers. Knw when inverse functins exist and if nt, why nt. Be able t cmpute and use inverse functins graphically, numerically, symblically, and verbally. Symblically fit linear and expnential functins t data. Fit all families f functins t data with regressin. Have slidified his/her algebra and graphing skills. Have develped an appreciatin f the pwer f mathematics t slve real-life prblems. (COURSE MATERIALS) Text: Algebra and Trignmetry, with mdeling and visualizatin (5 th Editin), by Gary Rckswld (ISBN: 978-0321900456 with MML / ISBN-13: 9780321826121 withut MML bundle). Yu will als need access t the nline hmewrk, which is available thrugh MyMathLab and requires an access cde. Yu can attain these things tw different ways: i. Yu can purchase the bk new frm the bkstre, it is a bundle that includes an access cde t MML price is arund $250 ii. Yu can g t www.cursecmpass.cm and purchase the access cde directly. Ding s will als give yu an nline versin f the text price is arund $87 A Scientific calculatr with at least the capabilities f a TI-83 is required. A TI-83 r 84 is highly recmmended. N TI-89, nr any ther calculatr with a cmputer algebra system, such as the TI-Nspire, is permissible fr use in this curse. (GRADE WEIGHTS) Hmewrk / Quizzes / In-Class 35.0 % Exam I 15.0 % Exam II 15.0 % Exam III 15.0 % Final Exam 20.0 % Ttal 100.0 % F 0.00% - 59.9% r nt passed skills test D- 60.0% - 62.9% D 63.0% - 66.9% D+ 67.0% - 69.9% C- 70.0% - 72.9% C 73.0% - 76.9% C+ 77.0% - 79.9% B- 80.0% - 82.9% B 83.0% - 86.9% B+ 87.0% - 89.9% A- 90.0% - 92.9% A 93.0% + Special Grades Incmplete grades may be assigned at the discretin f the instructr. T be eligible fr an incmplete, yu must have ntified bth the instructr and the Office f Student Affairs in writing f an extremely extrardinary and verifiable situatin. Furthermre, at least 80% f the wrk must be cmpleted up t that pint. A cntract between the student and instructr fr cmpletin f the remaining curse wrk is required. If the curse is taken n a pass/n-pass basis, a passing scre is designated at a C- r better.
(HOMEWORK) Hmewrk will be assigned nearly every class day, and will, unless therwise specified, be due the fllwing class day. We will always spend the first 5-7 minutes f class ging ver any questins frm the previus class hmewrk assignment. There are tw ways in which hmewrk will be assigned: written (r ut f bk) and nline. It will always be ne r the ther, yu will never have a day where bth written and nline hmewrk is assigned. Written hmewrk Each written hmewrk assignment will have tw scres, and will usually be presented like this: cmplete: 4 crrect: 8 Generally yu will be awarded 4 pints fr cmpleting the assignments, and then I will pick 4 prblems (at randm) t grade fr 2 pints each, fr a ttal f 12. Yu will be expected t have given a serius attempt fr each prblem assigned in the hmewrk and bring any questins yu may have during the next class sessin. Please feel free t ask hmewrk questins at the beginning f any class. As there will nly be a limited amunt f time available at the beginning f each class perid fr questins, sme questins may need t be asked during ffice hurs (either scheduled r by appintment). Written hmewrk will be due at the end f the next class perid. Late hmewrk will be awarded cmpleteness pints nly (subject t change as I see fit). There is a certain level f rganizatin that I expect frm all f yu fr each written hmewrk assignment. T be perfectly clear, the fllwing style is required (nt simply suggested) fr written slutins: Yur handwriting must be cmpletely legible In the upper-right crner f each hmewrk assignment, please write Yur name Curse sectin (fr us it will be fxtrt r 9:00am) The title f yur assignment shuld be the page # and prblems that yu will cmplete Each prblem is rdered numerically, and each slutin is brdered with a circle r bx. Online hmewrk Online hmewrk will be psted usually the mrning it is assigned. I dn t like t pst assignments much earlier than that s I can keep the pacing f the curse at the level I want it t be at. Since we wn t have cmputers in ur classrm, if yu knw that yu will want t ask a questin in class the next day, please write yur questin n a piece f paper s that we can talk abut the prblem withut having t spend time lgging n t the system fr me t see what questin yu are asking abut. Online hmewrk will be due three hurs after ur class ends t allw time t fix any slutins after class that is 1:00pm fr us! (QUIZZES) Quizzes may ccur thrughut the curse which may r may nt be annunced prir t their administratin. During a quiz, yu will be allwed t use a blank piece f paper, a pencil, an eraser, and ften a calculatr. Questins will be displayed at the frnt f the rm, and yu will give the answer n paper. These quizzes will ccur usually during the first few minutes f class and cannt be made up.
(SKILLS TEST) The Mathematics Department has stipulated that a Skills Test fr MTH 111 assessing cmpetency in sme basic pre-mth 111 skills will be required. Each MTH 111 student must pass the Skills Test by the end f the Friday f Dead Week. Any student nt passing the Skills Test at least nce by the deadline will receive an F in the curse. This test MUST be passed with a scre f at least 80% in rder t pass the class. The first skills test will be taken Mnday f week 2. Beginning during week 2 (after the in-class attempt) retakes will be administered at drp-in grup retake sessins in MNB 110 (Retakes may be taken up t nce per week) at the fllwing times each week: Tuesday: Thursday: Friday: 9:00 AM 8:00 AM & 11:00 AM 1:00 PM If yu need t retake a skills test, simply shw up t ne f thse time slts just keep in mind, yu can nly try nce per week, s yu can t shw up t all 3 in the same week. (EXAMS) There will be three mid-terms thrughut this curse as well as a cumulative final exam. Each ne will be based ff f material that has been cvered in lectures, hmewrk prblems, and in-class assignments. Attendance and cmpletin f assignments are essential t being a successful test taker. Make-up exams are nt allwed unless yu have spken with me befrehand and it is an unusual circumstance. Each exam carries 15% f yur grade, giving the exams a ttal weight f 45%. On each exam (final included), yu may use a single 3 x 5 nte card (frnt and back). Unless smething unexpected happens, ur exams will be n the fllwing dates: EXAM I January 27 th EXAM II February 17 th EXAM III March 11 th FINAL EXAM March 17 th Prjected Grade (PG:) When I pass back an exam yu will see tw letter grades, ne is the scre yu gt n yur exam, the secnd ne will always cme after PG: and it represents the grade yu will receive if yu cntinue t perfrm at yur current exam & hmewrk level. Fr example, let s say yu take the first exam and scre a B, but yu haven t turned in a lt f yur hmewrk - yu might see PG: C- at the tp f yur paper. What that means is this: if yu cntinue t bth perfrm at the B level n yur exams and nt turn in a lt f hmewrk, yu are n curse t receiving a C- in the class. In that sense, the prjected grade is smewhat f a warning flag it is telling yu what grade yu are currently prjected t earn. With each exam yu take, the clser yur prjected grade gets t becming yur actual grade in the curse - yur prjected grade appraches yur actual grade. S if yu get yur first exam back and it says PG: D- dn t freak ut it s prjecting that yu will perfrm at the level f the average f yur current exams n every exam (including the final) fr the rest f the term (which yu can avid by taking apprpriate actin).
(APPROPRIATE CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR) Yu are ultimately respnsible fr yur wn attendance and perfrmance. Disruptive classrm behavir f any kind, such as talking during lecture r cnsistently cming t class late etc., is nt apprpriate. This prescribed cnduct fr all students is described in the University Catalg. In particular, academic dishnesty f any kind will nt be tlerated, and will be reprted t the university. Als, leave yur cell phne ff r n silent when yu cme t class. They are nt t be used at all during class. If fr sme reasn yu abslutely need t be cntacted (in sme emergency situatin), infrm me befre class and an arrangement can be made. (DISABILITY AND VETERAN SERVICES) If yu have a dcumented disability which requires accmmdatins, please cntact the Office f Disability Services (ODS) fr apprpriate crdinatin f yur accmmdatins. Yu can drp by APSC 405 r cntact ODS at (503) 838-8250 t schedule an appintment. In additin, please talk t me during the first few days f class; I will be mre than happy t accmmdate yu in any way that I can. Veterans and Active Military Persnnel with special circumstances are welcme and encuraged t cmmunicate these, in advance if pssible, t the instructr. (WOLF CONNECTED SYSTEM) Students in this class may be referred t the WOU Student Success Specialist (SSS) if the instructr determines their perfrmance in the class is placing them at academic risk. The SSS will ffer t wrk with referred students t address issues and develp a student success strategy. Irrespective f whether a referral has r has nt been made, yu are ultimately respnsible fr tracking yur wn prgress in this curse. (MATH CENTER) The Math Center is a great place t g fr additinal help n cncepts talked abut in this curse.. It is lcated in Hamersly Library rm 228 (see picture belw) and is pen Mnday thrugh Friday frm 1:00 pm t 7:00 pm beginning week 2 and ending week 10. Fr additin infrmatin n the tutring center and it s hurs, please visit: http://www.wu.edu/las/natsci_math/math/tutr/
(MY WEBSITE) This sectin f the syllabus serves as advertisement fr my persnal website! There are lts f cl things t check n my website, including (but nt limited t): My ffice hurs The schedule f yur math curse (lets yu knw exactly what we will be learning n any given day) The current hmewrk that is due the very next class day Tutring center webpage Cpy f this syllabus Helpful links and vides t help with the learning f difficult tpics Any handuts which were given in class (s yu can print them if yu missed a day) Please make use f this website! I wrk hard n maintaining it, and I wuld hate fr it t be a waste. I wuld say that the mst ntable thing abut it is that it will shw yu day-by-day what we cvered in class n any particular day. I will be updating it every mrning with the current day s wrth f infrmatin. (TIPS FOR SUCCESS) S yu might ask me Mr. Mck, hw can I be successful in this class? Here are just a few tips: Shw up t class there are thse wh believe that shwing up t class is ptinal and I suppse that s true frm the philsphical perspective f free will, but if yu dn t shw up t class, yu may miss smething imprtant! D the hmewrk cntrary t ppular belief, ding the hmewrk actually des help students practice and learn the material. Ask questins If there is smething yu dn t understand r need mre clarificatin n, ask me! Yu can ask during the lecture, cme t my ffice hurs, r even send me an email. As a general rule, yu can assume that smene else in the class has that same questin, s d nt feel like yu are wasting class time by asking! G t the tutring center the students wh wrk at the tutring center are undergrad mathematics students, and are eager t help students in math 70, 95, 105, 111, and 112. Find a study buddy hld each ther accuntable fr finishing hmewrk, find a time t meet up utside f class t wrk n the mre difficult prblems. It s a lt easier t find mtivatin when yu have a partner. Remember why yu are here N dubt all f us are here fr a reasn. I understand that math 111 is a required curse, and maybe nt all f us enjy being here, and at times it may be hard t find the reslve t d 25 math prblems sme nights fr hmewrk, but just remember yur ultimate gal be it nursing schl, a business degree, r maybe even a mathematician this class is en rute t yur bachelrs. CHECK MY WEBSITE!!!!!!!!!! lk at the curse schedule, knw what upcming chapters are and read them befrehand. Knw what I will teach befre I actually teach it! Check yur WOU email regularly. If I have smething t annunce utside f class, it will be thrugh email. I wuld say I d this ften usually it s t annunce if smething unexpected happens and I need t cancel class, r maybe t send an attachment (such as answer keys t a in class review), etc
Take practice exams test anxiety is very real, and very apparent fr a lt f students in a math curse. One thing yu can d t prepare fr yur exam is t pick 15 r 20 prblems frm yu hmewrk r ntes and try t d them all in 50 minutes. If yu get stuck at sme pint r run ut f time, that may give yu a gd indicatin f hw ready yu are fr yur actual exam; and it may als give yu insight n what kinds f things yu shuld include n yur nte card. There is a way t lessen the pressure f timed exams: practice with a time limit. Dn t week 9 me. A lt f students apprach me at the end f the term with excuses n why their attendance has been pr r why their exam scres have been lw and they always ask: Is there anything I can d t pass this curse. S instead I will take the liberty t answer that questin right nw: There s nthing yu can d at week 9 that can make up fr a whle term f absences and pr exam scres. If yu find yurself falling behind at like week 4, cme see me! Dn t wait! Dn t give up a lt f students struggle with mathematics; and smetimes yu will want t thrw yur bk acrss the rm in anger and frustratin and that s kay. But after yu ve whispered curse wrds under yur breath at the creatin f mathematics, take a deep breath. G ver t yur bk and pick it up and try ding the prblems again! Challenging yurself is a gd thing!
[ m a t h 1 1 1 s c h e d u l e ] ( W I N T E R T E R M 2 0 1 3 ) mnday tuesday wednesday thursday friday week I (jan. 6 10) syllabus sectin 1.3 sectin 1.4 Sectin 2.1 week II (jan. 13 17) sectin 2.2 + [skills test] sectins 2.2 sectins 2.4 sectin 3.1 week III (jan. 20 24) [MLK day] sectin 3.2 sectin 3.3 review week IV (jan. 27 31) EXAM I sectin 4.1 sectin 4.2 sectin 4.3 week V (feb. 3 7) sectin 4.4 sectin 4.5 sectin 4.5 sectin 4.6 week VI (feb. 10 14) sectin 4.6 sectin 4.7 sectin 4.8 review week VII (feb. 17 21) EXAM II sectin 5.1 sectin 5.2 sectin 5.3 week VIII (feb. 24 28) sectin 5.3 sectin 5.4 sectin 5.4 sectin 5.5 week IX (mar. 3 7) sectin 5.5 sectin 5.6 sectin 5.6 sectin 5.7 week X (mar. 10 14) review EXAM III review G ver exam + review fr final