MATH 130 WINTER 2013 COLLEGE ALGEBRA

MATH 130 WINTER 2013 COLLEGE ALGEBRA Instructor: Alina Birca Email/Phone: abirca@mtsac.edu ; 909-594-5611 ext 5364 Website: www.timetodare.com or http://elearn.mtsac.edu/abirca/ Office: Building 61 Room 1658 Text: web-based tutorial system ALEKS (with or without ebook)- see page 5 for details Sections MTTh # 30520 11:20 3:00; # 30522 3:10 6:50 pm (Bldg 61 Room 2419) Course Objectives This is a function oriented course including the concept of function and function notation. The course includes an in depth investigation of polynomial, rational, root, exponential and logarithmic functions, including their equations, graphs, and behavior. Tools from arithmetic, geometry and algebra are used to develop definitions, standard notations and theorems involving these functions and their application in the physical world. Other topics include sequences, series, the binomial theorem, and mathematical induction. Some of the course objectives are: - the ability to represent a function graphically, numerically, and analytically. - the ability to recognize, graph, and solve equations involving polynomial, rational, exponential, root, and logarithmic functions. - the ability to recognize and apply the appropriate function to solve problems involving tables, graphs, equations or words. - understand and use the binomial theorem and the principal of mathematical induction. - the ability to apply studied principles and skills to new situations in addition to situations that mirror those on the homework and those shown in class. Methods of Instruction This course will combine lecture, teamwork, and class discussion. Students will be required to do homework, group problems, quizzes and examinations. Attendance and Participation Understanding math requires more than just reading a textbook. Listening and participating in the class activities are as important as solving problems. College policy requires that you attend every class meeting. Moreover, I do notice when you do not show up. If your grade is on a borderline, those with regular attendance are more likely to be on the higher side of the line. In addition, you miss the material from that day and that day s quiz. NOTE: You the student are responsible for dropping the course should you decide not to continue in it. If you stop attending and doing the work and you fail to drop, you will receive a failing grade in this course. If you miss class, are late more than 15 minutes, or leave early during the add pe riod, you will be dropped and someone on the waiting list will be added. If you are absent two days or more, you may be dropped from the class. Being late or leaving early counts as half a day. Prerequisites There is a prerequisite for this course (Math 71 Intermediate algebra), and I expect that you demonstrate college arithmetic skills as well as elementary and intermediate algebraic skills, including solving first and second degree equations and inequalities, factoring polynomials, working with fractions and rational expressions, graphing lines and parabolas. Study time & Extra help You are expected to study two hours outside class for every hour in class that is a minimum of 22 hours a week (about 3 hours a day, every day). If you have trouble completing assignments or understanding the mathematics, get help as soon as you need it. My office hours and email are listed above. Free tutorial services are available at T- MARC in building 61, first floor, MTWTh 9:00 am 7:00 pm. Late Work Be prepared with all assignments on the day they are due. As a rule, I do not accept late written work nor are there any make up tests or quizzes. 1

Academic Honesty Plagiarism or cheating will not be tolerated. There will be a zero on the assignment and risk failing the course. Calculators A graphing calculator is NOT REQUIRED for homework problems! All of the homework problems I will assign this semester will be done using paper, pencil, ruler and a scientific calculator. No graphing calculator is allowed during the tests. No cell phones are allowed during the tests. If you have a phone, please turn it to vibrate and sit close to the door in case you need to use it in an emergency. Thank you. No cell phones allowed in class if you use one, you will be asked to leave the room and that will count as a half-day absence. Accommodations If accommodations are needed, please contact me immediately. Organization, Grading and Requirements You will need a 3-hole binder with 3 separators, labeled as follows: LECTURES HOMEWORK TESTS LECTURES Pay attention in class to what I say and do, and make careful notes. In particular, note the problems I work on the board, and copy the complete solutions as well as the theory presented in each section. Work as neatly as you can. Write your symbols clearly, and make sure the problems are clearly separated from each other. Do not hesitate to ask questions in class. HOMEWORK Before you start on homework assignments, rework the problems I worked in class as well as all examples from the textbook. This will reinforce what you have learned. Make sure you check your previous work against the solution sections posted on my website. Keep all homework assignments and tests that are returned to you in your binder. Use them when you study for future tests and for the final exam. Assignments in the course are divided into five areas and are worth a total of 1000 points. Those earning 900 points or more will be awarded an A, 800 to 899 points a B, 700 to 799 points a C, 600 to 699 points a D and less than 599 points an F. Homework (written and online) 13% The written homework is due at the beginning of class. In general, this homework is due every Thursday. Read carefully all the directions from the homework handout. Late homework will not be accepted for any reason. Sloppy homework will not be graded. You are encouraged to discuss assignments with your classmates; however, you are required to write up your work independently. Copied homework will not be tolerated and identical, or nearly identical, assignments will share a single homework score. There will be 6 written homework, worth a total of 6% of your grade. The online homework is due as specified in your ALEKS calendar. In general, the online homework is due every Friday. You have three attempts to do every online homework. If you do one homework more than once (up to three times), the best score will be selected. There will be 5 online homework, worth a total of 7% of your grade. To work on the online Homework in ALEKS, click on Assignments. ALEKS Pie (Objectives)9% This is part of the learning process, where you build up the skills you need. The ALEKS pie objectives are due every Sunday. Due dates are listed in the ALEKS calendar. To work on the Objectives in ALEKS, click on MyPie. Mini-quizzes 3% There will be daily 5 to 10-minute mini quizzes. These questions will be similar to the examples and exercises done in class. It is important to take good notes and redo all exercises done in class. Tests 45% Two tests will be given over the major areas addressed in the course. Each test is worth 22.5% of your grade. For an exercise to be complete there needs to be a detailed solution to the problem. Do not just write down an answer. No proof, no credit given! Comprehensive final 30% The final is a 2 ½ hour exam. The final exam is a cumulative exam. If you qualify ( online homework score must be at least 70% AND written homework score must be at least 70%), you may use the final exam percent score to 2

replace your lowest test/quiz score. However, a test/quiz with a score of zero cannot be replaced by the final score You must take the final exam to pass this class. Tentative Class Schedule DATE TOPICS ASSIGNMENTS DUE Monday January 7 Chapter 1 Review 2.1 Tuesday January 8 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 Thursday January 10 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 Written homework 1 Friday January 11 ALEKS homework Sunday January 13 ALEKS objectives Monday January 14 3.1, 3.2 Tuesday January 15 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 Thursday January 17 3.5, 3.6 Written homework 2 Review Friday January 18 ALEKS homework Sunday January 20 ALEKS objectives Monday January 21 Holiday Tuesday January 22 Test #1 3.6, 3.7, 3.8 Thursday January 24 4.1, 4.2 Written homework 3 Friday January 25 ALEKS homework Sunday January 27 ALEKS objectives Monday January 28 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 Tuesday January 29 5.1, 5.2, 6.1 Thursday January 31 6.2, 5.4 Written homework 4 Friday February 1 ALEKS homework Sunday February 3 ALEKS objectives Monday February 4 Review 8.1 Tuesday February 5 Test #2 8.2 Thursday February 7 8.3, 8.7 Written homework 5 Friday February 8 ALEKS homework Sunday February 10 ALEKS objectives Monday February 11 8.4, 8.7 Tuesday February 12 Review Thursday February 14 Final exam ALEKS homework Written homework 6 For this Math 130 course we will be using a web-based tutorial system called ALEKS. The address is www.aleks.com We will use this system for skill-building, homework, and to keep track of your grades. There are two parts to ALEKS. One is a homework part ( appears as online homework in the syllabus). The other is a learning part where you build up the skills you need for Algebra (appears as pie objectives in the syllabus). Together, they contribute 16% to your overall grade for the course. Other than that, this course is like all other Math 130 courses at Mt.SAC. We will be following the same outline and covering the same material. 3

To use ALEKS, you will have to purchase an access code online for the winter intersession. HOW TO START ON ALEKS: 1. Go to the ALEKS website. http://www.aleks.com 2. Click on the link for "SIGN UP NOW" to the left of the page, under the space for Registered Users (This is the only time you will click on that button.) 3. On the page that follows, enter the Course Code in the spaces to the left of the window. Do not use the button on the right-hand side. The code for this course is X466L-DGYXN. 4. Enter other information as prompted. 5. In the course of registration, you will be prompted for you individual Access Code. Click on the link that says purchase an access code online. Choose between the following two options: - ALEKS 360 Higher-Ed 1-semester (18 weeks) (US $80.00)- this will give you access to the ALEKS program AND the ebook ( recommended, but not mandatory) OR - ALEKS Higher-Ed short (6 weeks) (US $32.00) this will give you access to the ALEKS program, with NO access to the ebook. If later you decide you would like to have the ebook as well, you can upgrade (for a slightly higher price). As a note, the textbook associated with this course (John W. Coburn: College Algebra 2 nd Edition, ) is available in MARC. 6. Record you Login Name and Password, provided by the system. (You can change you Password now or later if you wish.) 7. Begin using ALEKS by taking the Student Tutorial and an initial Assessment. You will subsequently use you Login Name and Password to enter you account. It is important to get started with this right away. Using ALEKS on any computer requires a simple JAVA plugin that you can easily download, so it will check for that first. ALEKS technical support: 714-619-7090 The first time you log on to ALEKS, you will be asked to go through a simple tutorial on how to use it. The next thing is a 25-30 question assessment test. This test does not affect your grade, but it is important because it determines where you will begin working on building up your skills. Take it seriously, but do not stress if you do not know something. You need to have paper and pencil. Simple calculators without graphic or symbolic functions may be used for Algebra. The ALEKS assessment is adaptive and variable in length. Some students will have very short assessments, whereas others will have assessments that are longer. Consistency of effort and concentration are the factors most likely to influence the length of an assessment. After the test you will see your skills profile on a pie chart. The dark part of a pie slice shows what you know. The light part shows what you will learn. Your goal is to learn all the topics in this course. Move your mouse to a pie slice with a black arrow by the title. Click on a topic to learn. There are deadlines for making progress on your pie chart (usually every Sunday). All of these will be listed on a calendar you will see in ALEKS, as well as on your syllabus. Start working on your PIE as soon as possible. Ideally, you want to learn the topics in the Pie first, then do the corresponding homework questions. Do not wait to do the online work until the day it is due! Every Sunday at midnight, there will be an Assessment popping up. You will have to take that online assessment before working on anything else in ALEKS. 4

ALEKS technical support: 714-619-7090 Financial aid - in case you do not have the money to purchase the code right away, you have a two-week grace period Your Course Code is: X466L-DGYXN Your Financial Aid Access Code is: E099D-2EBF0-5EB02-36B70 The Financial Aid Access Code does not add an additional two weeks to your account. NOTE: This code gives you temporary access to ALEKS for a two-week period. Once the code expires, you will be locked out of your ALEKS account until you purchase a regular Student Access Code. It is highly recommended that you purchase the Student Access Code BEFORE the two weeks expire to prevent interruptions with your ALEKS account. 1. To log into ALEKS using the Financial Aid Access Code, go to: http://www.aleks.com. 2. Click on the "SIGN UP NOW!" link located under the login box on the left of the page. 3. Enter your Course Code in the box labeled "Using ALEKS with a Class?" and click on "Continue." 4. Verify that you are registering for the correct course and click on "Continue." Enter the 20-character Financial Aid Access Code. 5. Continue with the registration process until your account has been set up successfully. 6. After you complete your account set up you will be logged into ALEKS and can immediately begin working in the course. 7.You can extend your ALEKS account at any time by clicking on "extend your account" and entering a purchased Student Access Code. If your temporary access expires before you purchase a Student Access Code, simply log in to ALEKS and you will be directed on how to extend your current account. You will then be able to continue your course where you left off before the temporary access expired. You do NOT need to create a new ALEKS account to continue your course. Note: ALEKS technical support: 714-619-7090 5