MA 111 - PRECALCULUS Internet Section 601 Spring 2012 North Carolina State University Department of Mathematics GENERAL INFORMATION Instructor: Brenda Burns-Williams Office: 3242 SAS Hall Phone Number: 513-2114 E-mail address: bdburns@ncsu.edu Webpage: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~bdburns Office Hours: Online via Elluminate: See Moodle site for instructions and times Class Will Meet: The course content is available on the internet at http://moodle.wolfware.ncsu.edu/ GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Students will study real numbers, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trig functions and graphs, and analytic trigonometry in order to prepare for Calculus I. This course also fulfills the university s General Education Requirement (GER) and therefore seeks to impart the following objectives for a GER mathematics course: students should be able to improve and refine mathematical problem-solving abilities; and develop logical reasoning skills. To help meet these objectives students will, by the end of the semester, be able to analyze real world problems by using mathematical models and use appropriate techniques for solving various types of equations. TEXTBOOK Required Text: Precalculus, 1 st edition, by Brenda Burns-Williams. It is an online text that is free to use with this course. It is a first edition, so I ve included information for a traditional text you may find helpful if you would like to purchase it. It is an optional purchase, so I would wait until you have looked through the material available on Moodle before spending money on it. The material you see in Moodle is the text. There are no special links to access this text. Optional Text: Precalculus: Concepts Through Functions, A Right Triangle Approach to Trigonometry 2 nd edition, by Sullivan and Sullivan, Prentice Hall Publishers, 2010 The student solutions manual is bundled with the book at no additional charge. (ISBN: 0132388383 This ISBN is for the book together with the solutions manual and some lectures by the author.) LECTURES The course is built around learning objectives. For each objective there are video clips and practice problems for you to try. In this way you can watch a shorter video clip that has to do with the objective you must master instead of watching a traditional 50 minute lecture that covers multiple topics. The course content is available on the internet at http://moodle.wolfware.ncsu.edu/. COURSE GRADE The final grade is based on Pretests (5%), Homework (10%), 4 Tests (60%), and a Final Exam (25%). As per the NCSU requirement, the plus/minus grading system will be in effect. 100-98 A+ 92-97 A 90-91 A- 88-89 B+ 82-87 B 80-81 B- 78-79 C+ 72-77 C 70-71 C- 68-69 D+ 62-67 D 0-61 D- 0-59 F NO CURVES. NO RETESTS. NO EXAM EXEMPTIONS.
PRETESTS: At the beginning of each module you will be asked to take a pretest. There is a question from each of the learning objectives for that module on the pretest. You should take the pretests BEFORE studying the module. If you miss one of the questions on a pretest you will be directed to the material in the module that corresponds to that objective. After you have studied the material from the objective you will be able to take a Try It quiz on the material. If you get that question correct, you will regain the point you lost on the pretest. So, even if you miss all of the questions on the pretest you can still make a 100 by studying and taking the Try It quizzes to regain the points you lost. You can use the pretests as a kind of roadmap to the material. They will help you determine which objectives you will need to study the most. HOMEWORK: Graded homework is assigned via WebAssign, (http://webassign.ncsu.edu) a web-based homework system. There is a fee to use WebAssign. This may be paid on the website with a check card or a credit card. You may be allowed to use WebAssign for a few days without paying, but you will be denied access to assignments if payment is not made by the due date listed on WebAssign. Assignments will be available beginning on the first day of class. You have 5 submissions for each question. The final submission is the grade you receive on the assignment. I will set up a forum in Moodle for questions about the WebAssign assignments. You may post questions about exercises and give answers or hints to each other. I will chime in occasionally as needed, but this is primarily your opportunity to help each other out. WebAssign problems make up a large portion of your final grade, so do not fall behind or skip ANY of these. There is no make-up available for missed assignments, so keep track of the due dates and START WORK EARLY on the problems. Mathematics is not a spectator sport! You must work regularly in order to understand and master the concepts. Test questions will often relate to the WebAssign problems, however remember to work problems from the book as well. These are good pencil and paper practice for the tests. TESTS: You may take your tests here on the NCSU campus (local proctor) or, if you live too far to drive here for the tests you can arrange for someone in your area (remote proctor) to administer your tests for us. If you live close enough to campus to take your tests here, you will go to the DELTA Testing center in Cox Hall to take your tests. All of the arrangements for each of these methods are made online. Instructions for setting up a local or a remote proctor may be found below. SIGN UP FOR YOUR PREFERRED TIME/DATE NOW!!!! Time slots fill up fast! Test 1: Feb 1, 2, 3 (Calculus Related Factoring, Modules 1-9) Test 2: Feb 22, 23, 24 (Modules 10-16) Test 3: March 28, 29, 30 (Regions Bounded by Curves, Modules 17-20) Test 4: April 18,19,20 (Modules 21-24) Final Exam: May 2, 3, 4 (Modules 1-27, Calculus Related Factoring, Regions Bounded by Curves) To take your test in your hometown: Those students who live more than 50 miles away from the university may use a remote proctor for testing. These proctors must be set up in advance through the Distance Education office. It can take up to 1 week to verify a proctor and set up all needed contact info, so please do this early! Please visit the remote proctor website at (http://distance.ncsu.edu/students/remoteproctor.html) to set up this service. To take your test at NCSU: A proctor is available through Distance Education at the DE-Delta offices in Suite 267, Venture III Building, Centennial Campus or at Cox Hall on Main Campus. For information please visit the Local Proctor website at (http://distance.ncsu.edu/students/localproctor.html). The available time slots fill up fast, so sign up early! NOTE: All tests must be taken on the date(s) listed on the syllabus. For Tests 1-4 you have a choice of three days on which to take your test. You may set up a time to take the test with your proctor on
whichever of those days you find most convenient. If you will be out of town or cannot make the time listed, you must set up a time with a proctor in your location to take your test on that day! *I expect all students to adhere to the University s regulations on academic integrity (i.e. No cheating or plagiarizing!). Talking during a test is not permitted for any reason. If a student talks or disrupts the test in any manner, that student s paper will be confiscated and he or she will be given a 0 on the test. If a student is cheating, then the matter will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for further action. TEST MAKE-UP POLICY All Make-up grades will come from the Final Exam. If you miss one test your final exam will count for that test grade. If you miss two tests, you must have documentation for your excused absence for both of them to be allowed to use your final exam as a make-up for two tests. Missing a test because you cannot find a proctor is an unexcused absence. Similarly if you miss more than 2 tests you must have documentation for an excused absence for each of them in order to use the final exam as a make-up. Test make-up policy is in accordance with the University policy (http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/pols_regs/reg205.00.4.php) All anticipated absences must be excused in advance of the test date. These include University duties or trips (certified by an appropriate faculty or staff member), required court attendance (certified by the Clerk of Court), or religious observances (certified by the Department of Parent and Family Services 515-2441). Emergency absences must be reported within one week of returning to class and must be appropriately documented. (illness: by an attending physician or family emergencies: by Parent and Family Services). CORRECTIONS TO GRADING: If you feel that an error was made in the grading of a test, present and explain the error in writing on the outside of the test to the instructor within 1 week after the test is returned. EXPECTATIONS: Please know that I have the highest expectations for ALL of my students. As far as I am concerned, you are all starting my class as A students. You CAN do well in here, but. YOU MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SEEKING HELP WHEN NEEDED Communication with your instructor is essential to your success. I want to help. Please make use of my office hours and feel free to email or call me at any time with questions. I answer emails once per day, generally in the afternoon by 5:00 p.m. It is easier to correspond with me via email, rather than reach me by phone. Information about tutors can be found on the Moodle page. DISABLITY SERVICES: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with Disability Services for Students at 1900 Student Health Center, Campus Box 7509, 515-7653. For more information on NC State's policy on working with students with disabilities, please see the Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Regulation (REG02.20.1). Students must have appropriate documentation from Disability Services (http://www.ncsu.edu/dso ) AND must meet with me to discuss accommodations PRIOR to a test or quiz date.
MA 111-Pacing Guide Spring 2012 How to use this pacing guide: This guide is provided for you so that you can have an idea as to how much time I would spend on a topic in a traditional class. Your Pretests will be due by 8:00 am on the first day the module is to be covered. Remember you are to take the pretest before you start working through the module. So even if you take it the night before and make a 0, you can make a 100 by working through module and trying problems you encounter there. You will have the information you need to be able to work through the module (ie, which topics to spend the most time studying) In general, the homework (WebAssign) is due 2 days after the last day the module appears on the guide. The only exceptions will be when a test is due. All assignments for that test are scheduled to be due before the first day you could take the test. Due dates for the homework assignments are listed in WebAssign. Dates Module Topic(s) Mon 1/9 Calc Related Factoring Worksheet (supplement) Mod 1 Functions, Domains, Difference Quotient Wed 1/11 Mod 2 Mod 3 Sum, Difference, Product, Quotient of Functions and the domains Graphs of Functions, Properties of Graphs, Library of Functions Fri 1/13 Mod 4 Mod 5 Piecewise Defined Functions Graphing using Translations, stretches, compressions, and reflections Mon 1/16 MLK Jr. Holiday Wed 1/18 Mod 6 Setting Up Word Problems Fri 1/20 Mod 7, 8 Quadratic and Polynomial Functions Mon 1/23 Mod 9 Rational Functions Wed 1/25 Fri 1/27 Mod 10 Composition of Functions Mon 1/30 Mod 11 Inverse Functions Wed - Fri 2/1 2/3 Test 1 Calculus Related Factoring Worksheet Modules 1-10 Fri 2/3 Mod 12 Exponential Functions Mon 2/6 Mod 13 Logarithmic Functions Wed 2/8 Fri 2/10 Mod 14 Using Exp/Log Models Mon 2/13 Mod 15 Log Identities/ Solving equations Wed 2/15 Fri 2/17 Mod 15 Solving equations Mon 2/20 Mod 16 Exponential and Logarithmic Models Wed 2/22 Wed - Fri 2/22-2/24 Test 2 Modules 11-16 Mon 2/27 Regions Bounded by Curves Mod17 Worksheet (Supplement) Angles Wed 2/29 Fri 3/2 Mod 17 Angles M-F 3/5-3/9 Spring Break Mon 3/12 Mod 18 Right Triangle Trigonometry
Wed 3/14 Fri 3/16 Mod 19 Trigonometry of any angle Mon 3/19 Mod 19 Trig Values of any angle/ Reference angles Wed 3/21 Fri 3/23 Mod 20 Unit Circle Mon 3/26 Mod 21 Graphs Wed - Fri 3/28 3/30 Test 3 Regions Bounded by Curves Worksheet Modules 17-20 Fri 3/30 Mon 4/2 Mod 21 Graphs Wed 4/4 Mod 21 Graphs Fri 4/6 Spring Holiday Mon 4/9 Mod 22 Inverse Trig Functions Wed 4/11 Mod 23 Sum, Difference, Double Angle Formulas Fri 4/13 Mod 24 Solving Trig Equations Mon 4/16 Mod 24 Solving Trig Equations Wed 4/18 Mod 24, Mod 25 Solving Trig Equations Solving Right Triangles Wed - Fri 4/18-4/20 Test 4 Modules 21-24 Mon 4/23 Mod 26 Law of Sines Wed 4/25 Mod 27 Law of Cosines Fri 4/27 Review Mon-Tues 4/30 5/1 Reading Days Wed - Thurs 5/2 5/4 Final Exam