Pierce College Math 125 -- Intermediate Algebra Syllabus (5 units) Section # 1801- Winter 2017 READ THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID MISSING ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Class meets in room VLGE 8102, MTWTh 8:00 am 12:50 pm. (Attendance is required) Instructor: Zhila Tabatabai Prerequisite: Math 115 with a grade of C or better or equivalent. Office hours: MTWTh 12:50 pm 1:30 pm Email: tabataz@piercecollege.edu (preferred) Office Phone: (818) 710-4361 Textbook: Intermediate Algebra with Applications & Visualization, 4th Edition, by Gary K. Rockswold and Terry A. Krieger. The book comes in a package that includes MyMathLab access code. The Pierce edition is available in the bookstore. The textbook is also available in an on-line form FREE with MyMathLab (PDF printable), but MyMathLab access code must be purchased separately, on-line, with a credit card or from the bookstore. Materials: (Required) You will need at least a scientific calculator. No cell phone is allowed, and if you are continuing on in Mathematics a TI 83 or 84 graphing calculator is recommended. There are limited number of calculators for rent in the math department. The Student Learning Outcome (SLO) Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to perform a real-world task requiring Intermediate Algebra mathematics that demonstrates meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills. Examples of essential knowledge and skills at the Intermediate Algebra level may include but are not limited to: a) Representing and analyzing basic functions and their applications using tables, graphs, and equations, b) Using and interpreting function notation in both algebraic and graphical contexts, c) Writing and analyzing linear models for functions with constant rate of change, d) Graphing linear equations and interpreting slope as a rate of change in real world situations, e) Modeling problems involving two or more unknowns by writing and solving systems of equations or inequalities, f) Formulating and analyzing quadratic models, such as projectile motion, revenue functions, problems involving area or the Pythagorean theorem, and applications of conic sections, such as planetary orbits, g) Applying and interpreting exponential models such as population growth and compound interest, and logarithmic scales such as ph and earthquake magnitude, h) Using exponents and radicals to analyze power function models in applications such as direct and inverse variation and allometry (scaling in Physiology). Math 115 and 125 SLOs are assessed using the MET, our common final exam.
How this course works You will do all your homework on the computer and the computer grades your homework. The homework list is available on-line when you access the website. In addition to the homework you do on the computer, you will take 4 in-class midterms and one final exam. There will be no makeup exams. Homework due dates, in-class Midterms, and Final Schedule Midterm 1 Midterm 2 Midterm 3 Midterm4 Final Exam Monday Jan 9 Tuesday Jan 17 Monday Jan 23 Monday Jan 30 Thursday Feb 2 2.1 2.4 & 3.1 3.4, 4.1 4.2 4.3, 4.5 & 5.1 5.5, 5.7 & 6.1-6.3 6.4 6.6 & 7.1 7.6 8.1 8.5 & 9.2-9.5 & 10.1 10.2 The Final Exam is cumulative. (It covers all the course work.) Computer lab availability at Pierce: The Center for Academic Success (CAS) is available in 1 st floor of Library building. Check schedule. Math tutoring: Free math tutoring at The Center for Academic Success (CAS) is available in 1 st floor of Library building. Masoud is a special tutor designated to our class. I ll let you know his schedule. You earn 1 point extra on each exam for every 2 hours you spend with this special tutor (maximum 3 points on each exam). How to register for the on-line component of this class: First, purchase the textbook package at the Bookstore. You will also need the following materials: A valid email address Our course ID (tabatabai85333) A student access code (access kit book) 1) Go to www.coursecompass.com 2) Click the Register(student) button. 3) Put in the course ID which is tabatabai85333. 4) If you have an account, sign in. If not, click Create. 5) Fill in the fields as needed and click at the bottom Create Account. Select the option for you. If you have a physical access code on your book cover, use it. If you are going to pay with a credit card, do so. If you choose to try the free trial, click at the bottom, get temporary access without payment for 14 days. You will need to pay within the next couple of weeks. 6) Click Go to your course and now you should be able to get into the course and view the material.
How to log in and work on the materials for this course: (either at home, Pierce, or anywhere) 1) Go to www.coursecompass.com 2) Click the Sign In button. 3) Enter your login name and password. Click the Sign In button. 4) After you log in, your personalized My Course Compass page appears. To enter our course, click on Math 125 Winter 2017, under "Courses you are taking." 5) The Course Home Page appears with announcements and several buttons on the left. (Announcement, Do homework, Gradebook, etc.) Do Homework is the only part that is graded. 6) Take a few moments to click items on the Course Home Page. Working on the computer: A For Help, Contact Technical Support Phone: 1-800-677-6337 M F 9am 5pm. There is a 24 hr 7 days a week chat line open for helping you. The address is: http://247pearsoned.custhelp.com B. Video lectures and interactive textbook: 1) Log in and get to the Course Home Page. Click the Multimedia Library bottom on the left side of the screen. A new screen opens with various sections. 2) Choose a chapter and section. Multimedia Textbook is just a reproduction of your textbook. 3) Now Click on Section Video Lectures and Find Now to view an explanation of the section by the author of the textbook C. Homework on the computer: 1) Log in and get to the Course Home Page; click the Do Homework button. These are the homework sets that you are required to do on the computer. They count 30% of your grade. 2) Click on any Exercise. A problem appears for you to answer. Work out the problem on paper and type the answer in the appropriate space. Click the Check Answer button to see if you are correct. If you are correct you may go on to the next problem by clicking one of the unchecked exercises at the top of the page, or on NEXT EXERCISE at the bottom left side of the page. If you are wrong, you may try to answer it again. For many exercises you have three tries to get the correct answer. After 3 tries, you may ask for a new problem by clicking the similar exercise button at the bottom. 3) After answering some homework problems, the exercise list will have a check mark or an X next to the exercises you answered, depending on whether your answer is correct or not. The homework problems that you have not attempted to answer will have neither a check mark nor an X next to it. You may stop doing the homework at any time and go back to it later by following the instructions above.
4) When you have completed a homework set, you are ready to turn in your homework. This is done by clicking the SUBMIT WORK button on the bottom right side of any homework problem you do. Even if you do not click SUBMIT, the work will get recorded, so don t panic if you forget. 5) When you are done working on the computer, you should end your session by logging out. To log out, click Log out at the top right side of the homepage. (NOTE: Logging out prevents the next user of the computer from accessing your grades and other information.) Messages from me to you: Occasionally, there will be important announcements from me. You can read these under "Announcements" on the Course Home Page. I may also send information about the course to the email address that you set up when you registered for CourseCompass. I use this email address to reply to your email. Please check your email regularly. If you change your email address during the term, be sure to update you email address on the Account summary page. Messages from you to me: You can send me email through the system by clicking on the communication button on the left side of the screen. On the next screen, click on Send E-mail. And then click on All Instructors or the Instructor help button on the exercise page. A screen will appear where you can type your message to me. After typing your message, click Submit. I will send my reply to the email address you set up when you registered for CourseCompass. Please check your email regularly. Sections covered in the textbook: 2.1 through 2.4 3.1 through 3.4 4.1 through 4.3 & 4.5 5.1 through 5.5, 5.7 6.1 through 6.6 7.1 through 7.6 8.1 through 8.5 9.2 through 9.5 10.1 through 10.2 Grading System: Your grade will be determined on a weighted average, as follows: a) Homework problems on the computer 30% b) In-class Midterm exams (4) 50% c) Final (MET) exam 20% Total percentage Your letter grade 90-100% A* 80-89% B* 70-79% C* 55-69% D 0-54% F *NOTE: You must average at least 65% on your in-class midterms and final in order to get an A, B, or C, otherwise you will receive a D or an F.
Drop policy: There are 3 roll-calls, one at the start of the class and also after each break. There are two breaks each day. You are considered present for the class if you are in the class from 8-12:50 except for breaks. You are responsible for all material presented and discussed in every class meeting. Any student who has 2 or more absences prior to Jan 28 2017 may be excluded. Three tardies count as one absence. Be sure to officially drop, if you do not intend to finish the course, otherwise you may get an F. The last day to drop online without a W is Jan 5. The last day to drop online with a W is Jan 28. Cheating Policy: If you cheat in this class (Cheating is defined as knowingly or unknowingly participating in the submission of unoriginal work for any assignment, quiz, or test.), the instructor is required to fill out an Academic Dishonesty Report Form. This report will be submitted to the Mathematics chair who will forward it to the VP of Student Services for disciplinary action, which may include suspension or expulsion. In addition to sending the report, I will take the following actions: 1) Assign a grade of zero for the assignment, quiz, or test even if doing so results in the impossibility of the student to pass the class; 2) Deduct 2000 points from the student s overall total points for a Conduct Code Violation even if doing so results in the impossibility of the student to pass the class; 3) Dismiss the student for the remainder of the class session and/or the next class session. Special Services: Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact Special Services as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Authorization, based on verification of disability, is required before any accommodation can be made. The phone number for Special Services is (818) 719-6430 and they are located in the new Student Services Building, #4800. If you need help paying for books and other college expenses, call the Financial Aid Office at (818) 719-6428 or see them in the College Services Building http://www.piercecollege.edu/offices/financial_aid The content of this syllabus is subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.