MATH 152A, Section 3

 

   SPRING QUARTER, 2003

 

 

Class: Basic Algebra, Part 1

Instructor: Audrey Morrow

Phone Number: 541-4660 Extension 545

Home Phone Number: 577-4141

Email: ammathtype@aol.com

Class Meets: Monday, Wednesday 6:00 PM ~ 7:50PM

Room: PC5 at S.T.H.S.

Required text: Elementary and Intermediate Algebra, 1st Edition, by Mark Dugopolski

Registration: Register for this class by Friday, April 11, 2003.

 

                                              COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

This course is an introduction to the basic concepts and problem-solving techniques of algebra.  Math 152-A is designed to furnish the student with the algebra background needed for success in more advanced college-level math classes.  We will begin with a general review of the signed numbers, equation solving and translating of verbal expressions into mathematical statements for the purpose of solving applications.  By week five we’ll be graphing linear equations, which provides visual depth and dimensions to math viewed previously only as terms.  The course concludes with a study of polynomials and an introduction to functions.

 

 

                                                      GRADING POLICY

 

 

You’ll receive a letter grade (A-F) at the end of the course.  You’ll be assigned homework each lecture, and we will have three quizzes during the quarter.  As well, you’ll take three “midterms” and a final exam. Your combined homework and quiz scores will count as 25% of your letter grade, and your four tests will count for about 70%.  That leaves 5%, which will be determined by your attendance, participation,  and behavior in the class.  Regular attendance, courtesy to others, and a noticeable commitment to your own success  is worth fully 5% of your grade in each module. I allow one late exam, to be completed within one week of the scheduled test date.  Please note the following: 1) If you need to take an exam late, you must inform me before the exam.  2) Late exams are penalized 10% regardless of the reason for your absence.  If, for example an exam is worth 80 points, you take it late and your score is 70, I will subtract 10% of that score, or 7 points, for a final score of 63/80.  The penalty is not intended to punish, but is my way of adjusting for students who enjoy extra study time, when others took their exam on schedule.

 

 

 

 

 

There are two common ways that students fail college classses: 1) A student will register for a course, and simply not attend, or will neglect to be in class for one or more of the exams.  I am required to issue a final course grade for every student registered in my class. If you change your mind about taking this class, (or your circumstances force you to quit) please go to Admissions & Records and drop this class.  2) The other common situation is a general loss in interest or  initiative that results from falling behind and becoming discouraged.  Don’t let this happen to you.  Stay current in the topics by attending every class, and working every homework assignment. If you become “lost” or you feel that you can’t keep up, please see me.

 

 

HOMEWORK will be assigned and collected at each class meeting.  You may turn in two late assignments, which I must receive by the following class meeting.

 

QUIZZES: I will give regular, scheduled quizzes on recent material sometime during each module.  The questions will reflect homework already assigned.  There are no make-up quizzes.

 

EXAMS: We will have three incremental exams in Math 152A, after the material has been covered and your questions answered.

 

LEARNING DISABLED STUDENTS: Please see me if you are in the Learning Disabled program, or if you think that you might have a disability.   I’ll need to know if you have special needs. 

 

CALCULATORS: This course is intended to be taught without the use of a calculator.  A small number of exercises may be enhanced by use of a calculator.  Those problems are indicated by a “calculator icon.”  Be aware that calculators will not be allowed for exams in 152A, so you should practice doing your homework without them.  In particular, graphing calculators are forbidden in Math 152A.

 

 

 

             HABITS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESS IN A COLLEGE CLASS

 

1) Above all else, your attendance is critical to success in a college class.  In class you can ask questions, clear up problems and misunderstandings with the subject material, and maintain the focus you’ll need to work productively.  Also, each class offers you the personal benefits of belonging to a group of individuals who share the joys and hardships that college brings.  Sporadic attendance will handicap your math experience.  A stop-and-start approach to learning any subject is generally unproductive, and will almost certainly affect your grade in a negative way.  Try to arrive early, get settled in a comfortable place where you won’t be distracted, and have all the materials you’ll need at hand before lecture begins.

 

2) Do the assigned reading and problem-solving before class.  There will be time given during each class period for working on current problems.  Establish a pattern of reading the material before the lecture.  Even if it is unclear, when you come to class you’ll know ahead of time which problems are confusing and you can make sure to get your questions answered.

 

3) Work each homework problem, even if you aren’t able to finish completely.  Make a start, and bring your questions to class when you see a problem you can’t finish.  This will be ample preparaion for the three quizzes that will be given in class.

 

4) Take advantage of the free tutors in the Gateway Math Center,  Room G4 on the Main Campus.   I’ll be distributing a tutoring schedule during the first week of class.  Log in and out so that the Center receives the funds it needs. Leave a message on my voice mail if you’d like my help, I’ll return your call promptly.

 

5) Take notes in every class, and spend some time after class reorganizing your thoughts with what you’ve written.  Start a glossary of unfamiliar math terms.   Whether you enroll in one math class or many, this will become a valuable reference.

 

6) Begin studying for exams at least a week in advance.  Spend some time reviewing each topic area that isn’t entirely clear, even if you have completed all homework.

 

 

 

 

Your hard work is important, but so are the pleasure and satisfaction that go alongside.  Tune in.  Make friends.  Laugh and enjoy.  Consider a carpool, or a study group.  Live your college experience.

 

 

                 Schedule of topics and homework assignments for Math 152A

 

April 7 Intro to the class, and begin Chapter 1.  Cover 1.1 and begin 1.2.  The Real Numbers.  Homework #1:Read 1.1 ~ 1.3 for Wednesday.  Work problems# 1-11 Odd in 1.1, and #15-63 EOO.  (Note, EOO means “Every other odd problem” Eg. #1, 5, 9, etc.)

 

April 9: Finish Section 1.2, Problems involving fractions, decimals and percents.   Cover 1.3, Adding & Subtracting with real (or signed) numbers.  Discuss Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic (FTA).     Work problems #1~7 odd, 17~23 Odd, 37~97 EOO, in 1.2.  Work 1.3# #7~13 Odd, 29~37 odd, 65~77 odd.  Read Sections 1.4 and 1.5 for Monday.

 

April 14 Cover sections 1.4 & 1.5, Multiplying and dividing with signed numbers; Exponents and the Order of Operations.  HW#3: Do #7~55 EOO, 69~79 Odd in 1.4; 1.5 #2~6 All, 7~91 EOO.  Read 1.6~1.8 for Wed. Note the quiz on Wednesday!

 

April 16: Quiz on 1.1 ~ 1.5. Cover 1.6 ~ 1.8; Algebraic expressions, Properties of the Real Numbers, Using Properties to simplify expressions.  Do:1.6 #2~6 all, 7~58 every third problem.  1.7#3~6 all, 7~90 every 5th problem, 69, 74, 75, 91, 97. 1.8# 1~6 all, 7~90 every fifth, 97,  98. 

 

April 21: Review 1.1 ~ 1.8, and the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic.  Midterm covering the Chapter One material on Wednesday.  HW# 5: Chapter One Review p.62&63, #1~6 all; #7~13 odd, #15 ~ 145 every fifth problem. Reread Chapter One as needed.

 

April 23: Midterm on Chapter One.  HW# 6: Read 2.1 and 2.2.  No written homework.

 

April 28: Cover 2.1 and 2.2, Solving Linear Equations using the addition/subtraction property, and the multiplication/division property.  HW#5: Do # 2,4,5,6, 7~70 every fifth, 91 in 2.1; Do #4, 5~52 every third, 91 in 2.2.  Read 2.3 for Wednesday.

 

April 30: Cover 2.3, Conditional and Inconsistent equations.  Do: 2.3#1~6 all, 7~67 EOO, 87.  Read 2.5 and 2.6 for Monday. Note the quiz Monday on 2.1 ~ 2.4.

 

May 5:   Quiz on 2.1 ~ 2.3. Cover 2.5 and 2.6, Translating verbal expressions into Algebraic expressions; Geometric  Applications.  HW#7: Do 2.5: #1~6 all, 7~87 every fifth, 93, 94. 2.6# 3~12 all, 13,14,16,19,22, 24, 25.  Read 2.7 for Wednesday.

 

May7: Cover 2.7, Discounts, Investment and mixture applications.  Do: 2.7#1~5 all, 7,9,11,15, 19, 22 & 24.  Reread Chapter 2 as needed, review Chapter 2 on Monday.  Read 3.1 and 3.2.

May 12: Review Chapter 2 for exam on Wednesday.  Cover 3.1, Inequalities.  HW#9: 3.1 # 1~6 all, 7~62 every third problem, 73 & 85.  Read 3.3.  Note the Chapter 2 Exam on Wednesday.

 

May 14: Exam on Chapter 2 Sections 1~3 & 5~7.  HW#10: 3.1 #1~6 all, 7~62 every third problem, 73, 85. Read 3.2 and 3.3 for Monday.

 

May 19: Cover 3.2 & 3.3, Compound inequalities and Absolute Value equations. HW# 11: Work 3.2# 1~6 all, 7~46 every tird problem, 53~76 every third problem. 3.3#1~4 all, 7~36 every third.

Read 4.1 and 4.2 for Wednesday.

 

May 21: Cover 4.1 and 4.2, Graphing lines in the coordinate plane, and Slope.  HW#12: 

Work # 1~6 all, 7-54 every third, 57, 60, 66, 69, 75, 76, 79.  Read 4.3 and 4.4 for next Wednesday.  Note, there is no class on Monday, May 26. 

 

May 28: Cover 4.3 and 4.4, the Slope-Intercept and Standard form equations; the Point-slope form. HW#13: Work 4.3 # 1~6 all, 7~70 every 5th problem; 4.4 #1~4 all, 7~46 every third.  Read 4.5 and 8.6 for Monday.  Notice the quiz on Monday, June 2 covering 3 .1~3.3 & 4.1.

 

June 2:   Quiz on 3.1 ~ 3.3 & 4.1~ 4.3.  Cover 4.5 & 8.6, Applications and graphing linear equations and inequalities.  HW#14: Work 4.5 # 1~6 all, 7~13 all, 25, 20, 24, 25, 26 & 29.  Work 8.6# 1~6 all, 7~48 every third.  Read 4.6 & 11.3 for Wednesday. 

 

June 4: 4.6 Introducing Functions; 11.3, Combining Functions.  HW#15: Do 4.6# 1~6 all, 7~72 every fifth problem; 11.3 # 1, 2, 5~16 all.  We will review for exam three, covering chapter sections  3.1~3.3 and 4.1 ~ 4.5, on Monday. 

 

June 9: Exam three, covering 3.1 ~ 3.3 and 4.1 ~ 4.5.  Read 8.6 and 5.1 for Wednesday.  No written homework.

 

June 11: Cover 5.1, Addition and Subtraction of polynomials; 5.2 Multiplication of polynomials.   Work:5.1#1~6 all, and 7~90 every 5th problem. 5.2# 1~4 all, 7~86 every 5th. Read 5.3 & 5.4  for Monday.

 

June 16: Cover 5.3 & 5.4, Multiplication of polynomials and binomials, Special Products. Work: 5.3 1~4 all, 7~70 every 5th, & 5.4#3, 5, 7~67 every 5th.

 

June 18th: Cover 5.5 ~ 5.7, Division of polynomials,  and Negative exponents.  Final exam will be on Monday, June 23.  Exam will be approximately 80% on material covered after 4.5, including 8.6, 11.3, and  5.1 ~ 5.7.  20% of the exam will cover previous topics from earlier chapters.

 

June 23: Final exam for Math 152A.  Your exams may be picked up by Thursday, June 26 in the L.A.C. (Rm. G6).  Your course grade will be displayed on the cover page of your exam.   Feel free to phone me at home, 577-4141 or email me: ammathtype@aol.com, to learn your grade.