LURLEEN B. WALLACE COMMUNITY COLLEGE MTH100 INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA COURSE SYLLABUS CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor Name: Pat Senn Campus Location: Andalusia Office Location: Room 213 Administration Building Office Phone: 334-881-2233 Office Email: psenn@lbwcc.edu Office Hours: Monday 7:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. Tuesday 7:30 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Wednesday 7:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Thursday 7:30 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Friday 8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Campus Mailing Address: 1000 Dannelly Boulevard Andalusia, AL 36420 COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE MTH 100 Intermediate College Algebra PREREQUISITES Appropriate math placement score or MTH 098 DIVISION AND DEPARTMENT Division of Math/Science, Department of Mathematics SEMESTER HOURS CREDIT/CONTACT HOURS Three CATALOG DESCRIPTION This course provides a study of algebraic techniques such as linear equations and inequalities, quadratic equations, systems of equations, and operations with exponents and radicals. Functions and relations are introduced and graphed with special emphasis on linear and quadratic functions. This course does apply toward the general core requirements for mathematics. TEXTBOOK(S) A. Title/Edition: Beginning and Intermediate Algebra, 4th edition B. Author: Lial, Hornsby, and McGinnis C. Publisher: Addison Wesley
TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS Scientific Calculator (may be used on certain sections but not required) Computer with Internet Access (will be required only for bonus work) TOOLS AND SUPPLIES Textbook Spiral Notebooks (2) Writing Instrument (pencil or erasable pen only) Scientific Calculator (may be used on certain sections but not required) Since there is an advantage for all students to use the same type calculator, the mathematics department is highly recommending, but not requiring, that students purchasing a scientific calculator purchase the TI-36X Solar Scientific Calculator. These are available at the campus bookstore. LEARNING OBJECTIVES UNIT ONE: Factoring and Applications (Chapter 5) 1. Find the greatest common factor of a list of terms, factor out the greatest common factor, factor out a common binomial, and factor by grouping. 2. Factor trinomials whose leading coefficient is one. 3. Factor trinomials whose leading coefficient is not one. 4. Factor a difference of squares, factor a perfect trinomial square, and factor the sum and difference of two cubes. 5. Solve quadratic equations and other equations by factoring. 6. Solve problems involving geometric figures, solve problems involving consecutive integers, solve problems by using the Pythagorean formula, and solve problems by using given quadratic models. UNIT TWO: Rational Expressions and Applications (Chapter 6) 1. Find the numerical value of a rational expression, find the values of the variable for which a rational expression is undefined, simplify rational expressions, and recognize equivalent forms of rational expressions. 2. Multiply and divide rational expressions. 3. Find least common denominators and rewrite rational expressions with given denominators. 4. Add and subtract rational expressions. 5. Simplify complex fractions. 6. Solve equations with rational expressions. UNIT THREE: Equations of Lines; Functions (Chapter 7) 1. Graph lines and find intercepts, recognize equations of vertical and horizontal lines, use the midpoint formula, find the slope of a line, graph a line given its slope and a point on the line, use slopes to determine whether two lines are parallel, perpendicular, or neither, solve problems involving average rate of change. 2. Write an equation of the line given its slope and y-intercept, graph a line using its slope and y-intercept, write an equation of a line given its slope and a point on the line, write an equation of a line given two points on the line.
3. Define and identify relations and functions, find the domain and range, identify functions defined by graphs and equations, use functional notation, and graph linear and constant functions. UNIT FOUR: Systems of Linear Equations (Chapter 8) 1. Decide whether a given ordered pair is a solution of a system, solve linear systems by 2. graphing, and identify special systems without graphing. 3. Solve linear systems by substitution and solve special systems by substitution. 4. Solve linear systems by elimination, multiply when using the elimination method, use an alternative method to find the second value in a solution, and use the elimination method to solve special systems. 5. Solve linear systems with three equations and three variables by elimination, solve linear systems with three equation and three variables in which some of the equations have missing terms, and solve special systems. 6. Solve application problems involving systems of equations. UNIT FIVE: Inequalities and Absolute Value (Chapter 9) 1. Find the intersection and union of two sets and solve compound inequalities with the word and and the word or. 2. Solve equations involving absolute value, solve inequalities involving absolute value, and solve special cases of absolute value equations and inequalities. UNIT SIX: Roots, Radicals, and Root Functions (Chapter 10) 1. Find square roots, decide whether a given root is rational, irrational, or not a real number, 2. Find higher roots, find nth roots of nth powers, and use a calculator to find roots. 3. Use exponential notation for nth roots, define and use the laws of exponents with rational exponents, convert between radicals and rational exponents, and use the rules for exponents with rational exponents. 4. Simplify radical expressions involving addition and subtraction. 5. Multiply radical expressions, rationalize denominators and numerators. 6. Solve equations involving radicals. 7. State the zero-factor property, apply the zero-factor property, and solve quadratic equations by using the square root property. (Chapter 11) TEACHING METHODS Lecture-discussion primarily with problem sessions in class; student participation in the form of board work is encouraged. ATTENDANCE POLICY Students are expected to attend all classes for which they are registered. Students who are unable to attend class regularly, regardless of the reason or circumstance, should withdraw from that class before poor attendance interferes with the student s ability to achieve the objective required in the course.
WITHDRAWAL A student may withdraw from a course or all courses without a grade penalty up to fourteen (14) days prior to the first day of final exams for the fall and spring terms. For the summer term, students may withdraw from classes up to seven (7) days prior to the first day of final exams for each session. The final date for official withdrawal is printed in the college calendar and published in each class schedule. A student who receives Title IV Federal Financial Aid (for example, Pell Grant) may have to repay funds if he/she withdraws prior to completing 60 percent of the semester. See the Director of Financial Aid for more specific information. LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW: April 15 (Full Session); February 23 (Mini Term 1); April 26 (Mini Term 2) EVALUATION PROCEDURES A. 90% - 100% = A 80% - 89% = B 70% - 79% = C 60% - 69% = D 0% - 59% = F B. A course percentage will be calculated for each student by dividing the student s total earned points by the total possible points in the course and multiplying this quotient by 100%. The final grade for the course will then be assigned according to the above scale. EXAM POINTS MATERIAL 1 100 Chapter 5 2 100 Chapter 6 3 100 Chapter 7 4 100 Chapter 8 & 9 5 100 Chapters 10 & 11 6 100 Homework 7 150 Final Exam (Comprehensive) TOTAL 750 Points Core homework is worked and reported through MyMathLab.com or through assignments from textbook, as instructor deems appropriate. Homework will be due on the date of the regularly scheduled exam covering that particular section of the text. Homework will not be accepted at any other time and should you fail to complete the assignment prior to the time of the test or if you miss the regularly scheduled exam, you will receive a 0 for the homework on that section. Additional bonus points may be accumulated through completion of online material as assigned. A course ID will be provided by your instructor for registering with MyMathLab. The following is a link to the Tegrity Recordings for MTH100: http://tegrity.lbwcc.edu/tegrityutils/getcourselisting.asp?courseid=mth100-senn You can also access Tegrity through my webpage at: http://www.lbwcc.edu/cms/page.aspx?pageid=569
Any student who misses no more than three classes will be eligible to have their lowest test grade dropped. A student will receive a tardy for being late to class and for leaving class early. Three tardies will count as one absence in figuring the drop test eligibility. All pop quizzes given during the semester will be averaged together and will count as one homework grade. No make ups will be given on pop quizzes. If you are not present on the day that a pop quiz is given, you will receive a grade of 0 for that quiz. C. Disclaimer: The instructor retains the prerogative of altering the above plans as circumstances dictate. IMPORTANT DATES January 11 14 Drop/Add & Late Registration January 18 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday March 4 Midterm March 22 26 Spring Break April 15 Last Day to Withdraw (Full Session) February 23 Last Day to Withdraw (Mini Term 1) April 26 Last Day to Withdraw (Mini Term 2) April 16 Early Registration Final Exams: May 11 Tue/Thur classes meeting at 1:00 March 4 Tue/Thur classes meeting at 2:30 (Mini Term I) MAKE-UP POLICY Students that are absent on the day a test is given must make arrangements with the instructor to make the test up within one week of returning to class or a score of 0 will be recorded for the missed exam and it cannot be made up. It is standard operating policy that the make-up exam will usually be more difficult than the regularly scheduled exam. It is the student s responsibility to initiate these arrangements. Regardless of the testing procedures used in class, all make up tests will be traditional pen and paper test. Students are responsible for any material missed during his/her absence. Therefore, each student present on test day will be required to take any scheduled test for that day regardless of prior absences. INCOMPLETE (I) GRADES A grade of Incomplete (I) may be assigned when the quality of work has been passing but the student has been prevented by illness or other justifiable cause from completing the required work or taking the final examinations. A student who must miss a final examination has the responsibility of notifying the instructor prior to the examination or as soon thereafter as possible and of furnishing acceptable evidence concerning the cause of the absence upon return. If the cause is personal illness, the student should present the instructor a statement signed by the appropriate health care professional. Students must submit to the instructor a Request for Incomplete Grade form with documentation of the absences. If approved by the instructor and division chair, the student may receive an I for the term. All required work for the course must be submitted to the instructor no later than two weeks prior to the last class day of the following term. If work is submitted by the due date provided by the instructor, the I grade will be cleared by the last class day. Otherwise, the grade of Incomplete (I) automatically becomes an F.
LATE WORK Not Accepted except as discussed in other sections. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY Students are expected to follow the Rules and Standards Governing Students as described in the current college catalog. Cheating and plagiarism violate these standards and may result in disciplinary action, including expulsion. POLICY ON REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Lurleen B. Wallace Community College complies with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you have a disability that might require special materials, services, or assistance, or if you have any questions relating to accessibility, please contact the ADA Coordinator on the respective campuses in advance. For TDD users in Alabama, the Alabama Relay Center is available by calling 1-800-548-2546. All materials related to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act are maintained by the college coordinators. Andalusia Campus Greenville Campus MacArthur Campus Bridges Anderson Dr. Jean Thomson Jason Cain 334-222-6591 ext. 2247 334-382-2133 ext. 3102 334-493-3573 ext. 5363 SAFETY Students are expected to follow all safety guidelines issued by the instructor. OTHER Cell Phone/Link/Pager/Blackberry/etc Use POLICY Cell phones/links/pagers, etc., are NOT PERMITTED to be used in the classroom. Please turn off all cell phones/links/pagers, etc., when in the classroom. Students may leave their cell phone on vibrate and take calls only in emergency situations and only when given prior permission by the instructor. Cell phones cannot be used as a calculators. If a cell phone/link/pager/blackberry/etc., rings/vibrates during class, if a student is caught with a cell phone/link/pager/blackberry/etc., in his/her hand during class or if a student is behaving in such a way as to make the instructor even think he/she is using a cell phone/link/pager/blackberry/etc., even if the student is not using such a device, then the student has one of two options listed below: Option 1: The student must bring the cell phone to a desk at the front of the room designated by the instructor and leave it on the desk until the end of class. At the end of class, the student may pick up his/her cell phone. Option 2: The student must leave the classroom with the cell phone and will not be allowed to return until the next class meeting. The student will not be allowed to make up any missed work and will receive an absence for that day. Laptops Laptops tend to be very distracting to other students around you and we ask that if you bring a laptop to class, that it remain closed and turned off during class. Each student will be allowed to retake one test during the semester to improve the test grade. The grade on the retake will be kept. The last day to retake a test will be announced at a later date.
Extra help is available to students through the TARGET program, Adult Basic Education and the tutors provided by the Math Department. For references or more information, please see the instructor. Additional course information may be announced by the instructor, and the instructor may make changes to this syllabus.
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