1 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, and COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT ALEKS Pilot MAT 96 ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA 4 Lecture Hours, 1 Computer Lab Hour, 1 Tutoring Lab Hour, 0 Credits Catalog Description This course provides a careful treatment of elementary algebra, beginning with line/linear equations, ending with quadratic equations, and emphasizing the interplay between the algebraic and geometric points of view. Topics include line graphing, systems of linear equations, introduction to functions, exponents, polynomial algebra, factoring, radical expressions, and the quadratic formula. Instruction Objectives During this course, the instructor expects to: 1. Provide the student with the skills necessary to construct graphs from linear equations and to deduce linear equations from graphs of straight lines. 2. Enable students to solve systems of linear equations graphically and algebraically and to appreciate the diverse applications involving such systems 3. Introduce students to the concept of function: elementary examples, table functions, input-output model, domain and range, and vertical line test. 4. Reinforce students understanding of the laws of exponents in the more general setting of signed numbers 5. Provide students with the skills required to carry out arithmetic operations on polynomials and factoring. 6. Familiarize students with the algebra of radical expressions. 7. Introduce students to quadratic functions and provide them with a powerful tool for finding the zeros of such functions, the quadratic formula.
2 Performance Objectives At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Appreciate the interplay of algebra and geometry in drawing graphs of straight lines and deriving linear equations from straight line data. 2. Solve systems of linear equations pose in a variety of real-world settings. 3. Understand the power and versatility of the function concept in tabular as well as algebraic settings, and perform elementary tests to decide if a given relationship between two variables is indeed a function. 4. Use laws of exponents appropriately in various algebraic settings. 5. Perform arithmetic operations on polynomials, including factoring. 6. Combine and simplify radical expressions. 7. Grasp the basics of quadratic functions and use the quadratic formula to find the zeros of quadratic equations. Required Textbook: Pre-Algebra and Introductory Algebra by J. Miller, M. O Neill and N. Hyde, McGraw-Hill, 2013, first edition. Required Online Access: www.aleks.com. New copies of the required textbook contain an online access code. Evaluation The purpose of a grading system is to give you, the student, and anyone else reading your transcript an accurate record of your performance in this course. The role of the Mathematics Department is to provide a fair, valid, and reliable structure for assessing your achievement. In order to pass this course, students must fulfill the CUNY math proficiency requirements: an overall course score of at least 70% and a score of at least 60 on the CUNY final exam.
3 Categories: CUNY Final exam 35% Two departmental exams 25% Professor s tests/quizzes 10% Final online pre-test 5 % Math Lab Work 5% Pie Homework 20% Explanation of Grading Categories 1. Final online pre-test This will be a cumulative online test assigned during the last week of classes. 2. Professor s tests/quizzes Your professor will develop and administer two tests and several quizzes during the semester. 3. Lab work You will meet with a tutor one hour every week and work on lab sheets containing problems that will enhance your computational skills. You are encouraged to work together and learn from each other. Students are required to bring to the tutoring lab a copy of the relevant lab sheet. The lab sheets for the ALEKS sections are available at: www.lagcc.cuny.edu/mec/mat095-and-mat096-lab-sheets/ The completed sheets must be submitted to your instructor. 4. Departmental exams Two one-hour departmental online examinations, each consisting of 15 free-choice questions will be given online on ALEKS. The first exam will cover material from objectives 1 to 4 and the second departmental exam will cover material from objectives 1 to 7. 5. CUNY Final Exam This exam will be given during the final examinations week. It will consist of 25 multiple-choice questions which must be completed for 100 minutes.
4 6. Pie Homework Students will work online on an ALEKS pie for each course objective. Credit will be given for each mastered topic. The total grade weight of all objectives is 15%. Another 5% will be given for the overall course pie mastery at the end of the semester Attendance The maximum number of absences allowed will be 9 hours. Unexcused absences beyond this maximum will result in a grade of WU or R. Academic Integrity This class will be conducted in compliance with LaGuardia Community College s academic integrity policy. IN ORDER TO PASS THIS COURSE, YOU MUST HAVE a) average total score (computed as stated above) of at least 70, b) score of at least 60 on the CUNY Final Exam, c) no more than 9 hours of unexcused absences, d) completed all assignments and quizzes, tests, departmental exams, and all lab sheets. S/R/U grading system: The A/B/C/D/F grading scale is not used in MAT 96. LaGuardia s policy for grading in MAT 96 is as follows: If you meet the above evaluation criteria, you ll receive a passing grade of S (Satisfactory). If you don t meet the evaluation criteria, and you don t have any previous R grades in MAT 96, you ll receive an R grade, and you will have to repeat the course. If you don t meet the criteria, and you ve already received one R grade in MAT 96, you ll receive another R, and you will have to repeat the course. If you don t meet the evaluation criteria, and you ve already received two or more R grades in MAT 96, you ll receive a U grade, and you will have to repeat the course. Also, the College s policy concerning grades of W, WN, and WU apply to MAT 96. NOTE: Calculators and other electronic devices are NOT allowed in this course.
5 COURSE OUTLINE FOR MAT96 ALEKS Pilot Note: The following syllabus is a guide for classroom instruction. It is subject to change based on the College s academic calendar. Week Lesson TOPIC Section Suggested Textbook problems Pie Homework 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Absolute value Order of operations with integers Simplifying fractions Multiplication and division of fractions LCD; Adding and subtracting fractions Proportions and their applications Percents, fractions and decimals More on percents Applications of percents 2.1 2.5 4.2 4.3 4.4-4.5 6.3 6.4 6.6 6.7 p. 91: 50,51, 52,61,64 p. 120: 10,11,23,26,34,38,41,44 p. 198: 55,57,63,67,75,78,81 p. 210: 10,14,19,23,24,47,52 p. 220: 9,10,14,20,27,30,41,47 p. 229: 14,23,31,37,40,43,56,51 p. 381: 3,21,23,35,36,65,66,69,77,80 p. 394: 14,15, 22,32,45,52,56,58 p. 412: 11,12,14,17,18,20,21 p. 424: 15,19,26, 33,35,39,44,49 Objective 1 Pie: Integers and Fractions Objective 2 Pie: Ratio, Proportion and Percent 10 Professor s Test 1 Lab Sheet # 1 3 11-12 13 14 15 Solving linear equations Translating phrases and sentences Literal equations Linear inequalities 9.2-9.3 9.4 9.6 9.7 p. 609: 5,20,26,29,35,47,50 p. 617: 15,18,20,22, 26,33 p. 625: 3,5,7,9,11,13,15 p. 640: 10,11,16,17,23,29 p. 655: 37,47,51,69,71,73 Objective 3 Pie: Linear Equations and Inequalities 4 16 17 18 19 20 Lab Sheet # 2 Rectangular coordinates and graphing equations in two variables Slope of a line Slope-intercept form of a line Point-slope formula Review Lab Sheet # 3 21 Departmental Exam 1 10.1-10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 p. 677: 7,9,11,13,15,17 p. 691:10,21,23,25,26,27,50,57,70,71 p. 704: 17,18,22,24,26,29,35,42 p. 714: 11,18,19,22,31,35-40,69,72 p. 655: 13,16,23,26,30,45-50 Objective 4 Pie: Linear Equations in Two Variables
6 5 22 23 24-25 Solving systems by graphing Solving systems by substitution Solving systems by addition 11.1 11.2 11.3 p. 754: 3,6,15,27,30,34,35,45 p. 766: 7,13,15,21,23,25,28 p. 774: 10,11, 17,20,33,34 Objective 5 Pie: Systems of Linear Equations 6 26 27-28 29 30 Lab Sheet # 4 Multiplying and dividing exponents More properties of exponents Negative exponents Scientific notation 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 p.817: 14,39,61,63,70,76,78,92,103 p. 823: 12,16,21,28,33,45,53,57,64 p. 831: 12,27,34,41,53,57,58,74 p. 837: 19,24,39,41,55,60,62,66 Objective 6 Pie: Polynomials and Exponents 7 31-32 33-34 35 Lab Sheet # 5 Addition and subtraction of polynomials Multiplication of polynomials and special products Division of polynomials by monomials 12.5 12.6 12.7 p.846: 14,20,29,33,35,45,51,56,59,61 p. 852:14,15,22,27,30,40,43,45,54, 56,65,67,69 p. 863: 15,23,25,26,28 Objective 6 Pie: Polynomials and Exponents 8 36 37-38 39-40 Lab Sheet # 6 GCF and factoring by grouping Factoring monic trinomials Factoring trinomials: AC-method 13.1 13.2 13.4 p. 882: 3,5,8,10,19,27,47,56,60,62 p. 891: 8,10,16, 20,32,37,44 p. 907: 16,21,23,36,43,54,56 Objective 7 Pie: Factoring Polynomials 9 41 42 43-45 Lab Sheet # 7 Difference of squares and perfect square trinomials Solving equations by factoring Review 13.5 13.6 p. 913: 16,18,28,33,34,52,58,61,62 p. 921: 8-12,14,18,20,26,29,32,60 Objective 7 Pie: Factoring Polynomials Lab Sheet # 8 45 Departmental Exam 2 10 46 47 48 49 Introduction to square roots; simplifying roots Addition and subtraction of radicals Multiplication of radicals Division of radicals and rationalization 15.1-15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 p. 1021: 3,8,18,37,44,111,117,119 p. 1031: 16,18,21,55,57,87,88 p. 1038: 15,16,33,34,46,53,54 p. 1044: 15,16,35,53,54,62,68 p. 1053: 11,23,24,32,34,57,60 Objective 8 Pie: Radicals Lab Sheet # 9 11 50 Professor s Test 2 51 52 53 The square root property The quadratic formula Introduction to functions Lab Sheet # 10 16.1 16.3 16.5 p. 1078: 21,23,26,27,31,38 p. 1092: 15,17,18,19,33 p. 1113: 5,7,15,16,17,29,30,31,33 Objective 9 Pie: Quadratic Equations and Functions 12 54-59 Cumulative review for the CUNY Final Exam 60 Final Online Pre-test