DVC MATH 90 SYLLABUS You can t direct the wind but you can adjust the sails. Elementary Algebra, Section 1031, 5 units Fall 2017, T Th 11:30 to 1:45 Room: Library 102B Mr. Narin
Welcome Worried about this algebra class?? You'll find out really soon that your algebra classroom is filled with people just as worried as you are. Many are worried that it's been a whole summer (or a whole decade!) since their last math class. Others are terrified by the very word "algebra." A bunch of others simply don't like math, whether they're good at it or lousy at it. This means that we're all pretty much in the same boat (well, not all of us I think algebra is cool!). Keep an open mind and give me a chance to help you learn the subject. That means that you attend class, pay attention, ask and answer questions, and spend a good amount of time at home (or in the Math Lab) practicing your algebra skills. Alternatives to Standard Math 90 Math 90 Self-Paced is a course where you proceed at your own pace (with some constraints), but most importantly you may take a full two semesters to complete the course. Obviously, in my course you will be required to take every quiz and test when they are given, and you must complete the course in one semester. Math 90 Online allows you to do all of your learning at home; you go to campus a few times to take tests. Statway is a two-semester program, starting this Fall, that covers Math 90 (Elementary Algebra), Math 121 (Intermediate Algebra), and Math 140 (Statistics). So if your goal is to take transferable Statistics (for majors like English, Art, Music, History, etc.), this plan gets you to your goal in two semesters rather than three. Check the Fall Schedule for the four sections of Math 94 the DVC will be offering.
DVC Math Lab Hours Drop-in tutoring (15-minute sessions): You can have as many sessions as you like, provided you re willing to wait in line. Monday Thursday: 8:00 am 8:20 pm Friday: 9:00 am 1:00 pm Group Tutoring for Math 90 (starts 3 rd week of school) Mon: 11 12:25 and 3:00 4:25 Tue: 11 12:25 and 2 3:25 and 4 5:25 Wed: 9:30 10:55 and 11 12:25 and 5 6:25 Thu: 12:30 1:55 and 2:30 4:25 Make-up Test Center Room: BFL 213 Tuesday: 5:30 8:30 pm Wednesday: 3:30 8:30 Thursday: 3:30 7:30 Required Text: You do not need to purchase anything at the bookstore, but you are required to print out the appropriate chapters from an online book, and bring these chapters to every class meeting in a 3-ring binder. (So buy a binder and hole punch NOW.) Calculator: You must bring a calculator to every class meeting. A simple scientific calculator will suffice TI recommended; it s about $13. Some quizzes and tests will allow calculators; others will not.
Homework Homework will be assigned at each class meeting (and posted to the Schedule link on the class website). Although homework will not be collected and is not part of your grade you are nevertheless expected to do it, and I reserve the right to request to see your homework at any time. If it appears that poor performance on quizzes or tests is connected with lack of homework, you will be asked to drop the class. The problems I assign are designed to inform you as to what skills and concepts you are supposed to be gaining from this class. In other words, you need to do as much homework as necessary in order to achieve the degree of success that you desire. This might mean you do just a few of each type of problem until you understand the concept well; or it might mean you do most or even all of the problems assigned. You might even need to do more than all the problems, by practicing the ones you ll find at the Extra Practice link on the class website. In short, it s up to you to discover the homework strategy that suits your personal learning style. Grading Components Tests 40% There will be four major tests, all on Tuesdays. Although there might be some multiple choice questions, the majority are show your work questions (with partial credit possible). Every test will have a few extra credit questions. One of these four tests can be made up once anytime during the semester, even if passed (no penalty, but no extra credit). If you miss a test, it must be taken within two weeks of the day the test was returned to the class. On the first three test days, in addition to the test there will be new material. We ll talk about whether we want the test to be during the first or second half of the class.
Quizzes 25% A quiz will be given at the end of each class meeting (except test days), and will always include an extra credit question. The quizzes cover primarily the lecture from the previous class meeting, and quite possibly previous quizzes. I will drop the four lowest scores, but neither of the last two. There are NO make-ups on quizzes; if you miss a quiz, that will be one of the four that will be dropped. Power Test 5% The Power Test is a timed (number of minutes to be determined), multiple-choice test containing 10 questions, and with no calculator. This test must be passed (but just once!) in order to pass this class. A passing grade is a perfect score of 10; the test will be offered at almost every class meeting once I start giving them later in the semester. Programming 5% One of the best ways to understand and apply Algebra is through computer programming. If our classroom has a computer with the language Visual Basic for Applications on it, we ll use it throughout the course to give us a better understanding of constants, variables, and the writing of formulas that will teach the computer to solve many of the problems we ll encounter in our Algebra course. And unlike a calculator, we can teach the computer to make decisions about what to do under various conditions. If there s no usable computer in the room, we ll make up our own version of a computer language. The topics in programming will NOT appear on any of the regular quizzes, tests, or the final only on specific assignments in programming.
Final 25% The final is comprehensive, and will not have any extra credit. The format will be very similar to that of the four tests, but with some true/false, multiple choice, and matching questions. No calculator will be allowed. Letter Grades A 90% and up, and pass two Advanced Problems Tests B 80% to 89% C 70% to 79% D 60% to 69% F below 60% Advanced Problems Tests (required to get an A) You must pass two additional tests in order to get an A in this class: Solving Quadratics by Completing the Square Book: Chapter 71 3 3 Systems of Linear Equations Online Problems: Chapter 22, Problem #7 You may take the tests more than once if necessary, and the two tests can be taken at different times.
Drop Policy It is the student's responsibility to drop the course; however, I am mandated to drop any student who does not attend the first class meeting. I also have the right to drop any student by the end of the fifth week of the semester if the student is not making adequate progress due to excessive absences or tardiness. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. Mahatma Gandhi SLOs (Student Learning Outcomes) 1. Perform arithmetic operations, including using order of operations and properties of real numbers, with signed numbers (including fractions) without a calculator. 2. Correctly evaluate and simplify expressions containing positive and negative whole number exponents, as well as exponents that are zero. 3. Perform calculations with numbers in scientific notation, including switching numbers from regular to scientific notation and vice versa. 4. Correctly evaluate expressions for given values of variables. 5. Simplify expressions by using the distributive property and/or combining like terms.
6. Solve linear equations, including equations containing fractions. 7. Solve formulas for a specified variable. 8. Find the slope of a line given two points on the line, the equation of the line, or information about a parallel or perpendicular line. 9. Write the equation of a line in slope-intercept and point-slope forms. 10. Demonstrate understanding of the basics of the Cartesian coordinate system, including plotting points, finding coordinates of points, and reading information from a graph. 11. Graph a line in the Cartesian coordinate system by point plotting, by finding intercepts, and by using the slope-intercept form of the equation of a line. 12. Perform arithmetic operations with polynomials, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division by a monomial. 13. Factor polynomials using each of the following methods: greatest common factor, grouping method, difference of two squares, and factoring trinomials of the form ax 2 + bx + c. 14. Simplify rational expressions. 15. Perform arithmetic operations with rational expressions, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. 16. Solve equations involving rational expressions that reduce to linear equations. 17. Perform unit conversions. 18. Solve percent problems, including percent change problems. 19. Solve a system of two linear equations by each of the following methods: graphing, substitution, and elimination. 20. Simplify square roots, including those containing variables in the radicand. 21. Perform arithmetic operations with square roots, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. 22. Rationalize simple denominators containing one square root. 23. Solve equations containing one square root.
24. Solve quadratic equations by factoring, by the square root method, and by using the quadratic formula. 25. Solve mixture problems. 26. Solve at least two of the three following types of applied problems: motion problems, investment problems, shared work problems. Course Outline Review of Real Numbers Arithmetic operations with signed numbers, including order of operations Arithmetic operations with fractions without a calculator Properties of real numbers, including the commutative and associative properties of addition and multiplication Exponents Review of positive whole number exponents Introduction to negative and zero exponents Scientific notation Review of Algebraic Expressions Evaluating expressions for given values of the variables Combining like terms Distributive property First Degree Equations and Inequalities Methods of solution of equations or inequalities reducible to linear by distributing, canceling, and combining like terms including equations and inequalities containing fractions Solving simple formulas for a particular variable (no factoring)
Equations of Lines and Finding Slope Finding slope of a line Writing the equation of a line in both slope-intercept and point-slope forms Introduction to the Cartesian Coordinate system Graphing lines by point-plotting Graphing lines by finding intercepts Graphing lines using the slope-intercept form Polynomials Arithmetic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication (including FOIL), division by a monomial (Optional material: Polynomial long division) Factoring Common factors Grouping method Trinomials of the form ax 2 + bx + c Difference of two squares Rational Expressions Simplifying Arithmetic operations: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division Equations involving rational expressions (with a linear result) Ratio and proportion Unit conversions Percent problems Percent change Systems of Two Linear Equations in Two Unknowns Graphical Method Addition/Elimination Method Substitution Method
Radicals Simplifying radicals with variables in the radicand Arithmetic operations: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division Rationalizing simple denominators containing one square root Equations with one radical Solutions of Quadratic Equations Factoring Method Square Root Method Quadratic Formula Optional material: Completing the square Optional material: Graphs of quadratic equations by point-plotting Applied Problems Mixture problems At least two of the following three types of problems Motion problems Investment problems Work problems Additional Optional Material Introduction to functions