Math 1113 (Section C), Fall 2011 Precalculus Lecture: MWF 12:00-1:10, IC 117 Instructor: Bernard Anderson E-mail: banderson@gdn.edu Website: www.gdn.edu/faculty/banderson Georgia View Vista will be used to post most of the course material. Office Hours (IC 218D): Monday and Wedensday: 9:00-10:00 and 1:15-2:00 Tuesday and Thursday: 11:15-12:00 and 1:00-2:00 Friday 2:00-3:00 Text: M. Sullivan, Algebra & Trigonometry, 9th edition, Prentice Hall, New York, 2008. Equipment: A graphing calculator (TI 83/84 or equivalent) is strongly recommended for this course, especially for students planning to take Calculus. By the end of the course, students should be able to do the follow- Learning objectives: ing. 1. Be confident and comfortable working with abstract material 2. Recognize families of functions 3. Manipulate trigonometric and exponential / logarithmic expressions 4. Use functions to estimate the location and nature of the defining features of graphs 5. Solve problems without using a template 1
From the academic calendar: Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in MATH 1111 or Math SAT score of 460 or Math ACT score of 19 Credit Hours: (4-0-4) An intensive study of algebraic and transcendental functions accompanied by analytic geometry to prepare students for calculus. From the official course objectives: Upon completion of Pre-Calculus, students should have an understanding and be able to demonstrate their knowledge of: 1. Functions, domain, range; simplifying, composing, and decomposing functions. 2. Graphing and constructing the equations of conic sections. 3. Graphing rational functions. 4. Determining whether a function is one-to-one, the inverses of functions, their domains, and graphs of inverse functions. 5. Graphing exponential and logarithmic functions and solving applications of the exponential and logarithmic functions. 6. Solving right triangles and applications of right triangles. 7. Find the values of trigonometric functions and graphing trigonometric functions. 8. Finding the inverses of trigonometric functions and solving trigonometric equations. 9. Verification and use of basic trigonometric identities. 10. Applications of trigonometry including Law of Sines, Law of Cosines, area of triangles, and polar coordinates. Important Dates: M Aug 15: First lecture M Sep 5: Labor Day F Sep 16: First midterm exam M Oct 10: Fall break 2
F Oct 28: Second midterm exam W,F Nov 23,25: Thanksgiving F Dec 2: Third midterm exam M Dec 5: Last lecture T Dec 6: Final exam (10:15 AM) Final Exam: A cumulative final will be given at the time specified by the registrar. A standard TI 83/84 type graphing calculator (or weaker calculator) is permitted on this exam only, although use of the calculator is not expected to help. No notes or other test aids of any kind are permitted. Cell phones or any devices which can receive or transmit data are not allowed. Midterms: Three midterm exams will be given during lecture on the dates listed above. These exams will be 55 minutes in length. Basic four-function calculators are allowed on exams. No notes or other test aids of any kind are permitted. Cell phones or any devices which can receive or transmit data are not allowed. No calculator which is scientific, graphic, programmable, or which can directly evaluate trigonometric functions or logarithms is allowed. Students who have any questions on whether a specific calculator is allowed should see the instructor prior to the exam. Quizzes: Quizzes will be given near the start of lecture on days which (written) homework is due (usually Wednesday). Quizzes will be around 10 to 15 minutes in length and cover the material of the homework submitted that day. The policy on calculators and other test aids is the same as for midterms (only four-function calculators). Homework: Homework will be posted on Georgia View Vista or the class website around Friday. The due date will be indicated on the assignment (usually the following Wednesday). Homework must be submitted by the start of lecture. Late homework will not be accepted. Homework may also include an online part (My Math Lab) with a separate due date. Written homework will be graded for accuracy on the basis of one to three problems selected in advance by the instructor. It is expected that assignments will be neatly presented and easily readable. Points may be deducted if this standard is not met. Collaboration on Homework: Students are allowed to check the accuracy of their work and discuss problems with other students. However all problems should be solved and written up separately, and all solutions must be entirely the work of the individual student. 3
Furthermore, students are reminded that they are required to cite any source they use outside of class, including their fellow students. Failure to do so is plagiarism, and will be considered a serious breach of academic integrity. Students are strongly discouraged from receiving outside help on the homework problems themselves. Instead, similar odd numbered problems from the textbook should be used. Grading: The instructor reserves the right to curve scores (positively or negatively), but it is unlikely he will do so. Grades will be determined as follows: Homework: 16 %, Quizzes: 10 %, Midterms: 54 % (18 % each), Final: 20 %. Solutions on exams, quizzes, and homework assignments are required to include complete work, a solution with incomplete work may be given partial or no credit. The lowest homework score and three lowest quiz scores will be dropped. Excused absences: Students are expected to notify the instructor as soon as possible and provide appropriate documentation for all excused absences. Except in cases of unforeseen illness or emergency, approval of the instructor must be obtained in advance. No make up quizzes or exams will be given. Nothing in this syllabus should be interpreted as requiring the instructor to grant an excused absence. Students may take a midterm exam with another section of the instructor only with the explicit permission of the instructor, secured in advance. If a student misses a midterm exam due to an excused absence, the weight of the exam will be divided evenly between future midterms (if any), the final, and the homeworks and quizzes (excluding lowest scores) covering the material tested by the midterm. Gordon College policy states the Final Examinations must be taken at the scheduled time with the following exception. Students who have three or more finals on the same day may petition to take the third and/or fourth exam on another day or days. Student Petition forms are available in the Academic Affairs Office (Lambdin Hall 347). A student may not take a final exam other than at the scheduled time without the approval of the registrar. Homework may be submitted in advance by submitting it to the instructor s office (if closed slip it under the door). Since it is a shared office, such homework must be labeled very clearly with the name of the instructor. It is the sole responsibility of the student that the homework is received by the instructor. It is expected that homework assignments should be mostly completed by the end of the weekend, and excused absences for homework will not be given for events which prevent work on an assignment for only a few days. The second excused missed assignment onward will not be counted towards the homework grade (the lowest score is already dropped). The fourth excused missed quiz onward will not be counted towards the quiz grade (the three lowest scores are already dropped). 4
Academic Integrity: The student handbook details school policies on academic honesty. The student is responsible for knowing and abiding by these rules. All items submitted by students must be solely their own work, without the assistance of any people or resources not authorized by the instructor. In addition, students who have taken a quiz or exam are strictly prohibited from discussing the quiz or exam with a student who will take it in another section. Students are not allowed to impersonate other students or to consent to the work of another student being submitted as their own. The instructor may ask students taking an exam to provide ID. Changing an assignment or exam after it has been handed back, then asking for it to be regraded is strictly prohibited. Classroom etiquette: Students should not engage in any behavior that distracts other students from learning, is inappropriate or disruptive, or is disrespectful towards the instructor or other students. In particular students should refrain from talking, use of electronic devices, moving about the class, or any other activity that produces noise while the instructor is lecturing. Students who are repeatedly disruptive may be asked to leave the room for the duration of the lecture. ADA services: To qualify for ADA Services, you must see Kristina Henderson in Student Affairs-Counseling. Her phone number is 678-359-5326. Other notes: Attendance will be taken by passing around an attendance sheet to sign. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure they sign the sheet (in the appropriate spot). Students are responsible for messages sent to them on their Gordon email accounts; students emailing the instructor should do so from their Gordon account to avoid being confused with spam. There is no extra credit in this course. Instead students should completely do all homework assignments, actively participate in class, and follow the suggestions in the Tips for Success document. If this is done from the start of the class, extra credit should not be necessary. 5