MAT 154AA

Intermediate Algebra

Fall 2011

 

Instructor: Bruce Armbrust, phone:541-4660x314, email: bruce.armbrust@hotmail.com

 

Office Hours: Room A210, Mon. & Wed.     11:30 AM  – 12:30 PM

         Thurs.                 12:00 – 1:00 PM

MSC A201,   Tues.                  10:00 – 11:00 AM

                      Fri.                     11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

And as always, by appointment.

 

Class Time and Location: Mon., Wed., & Fri. 9:00 - 10:40 AM, E100

 

Textbook (Optional): Beginning and Intermediate Algebra, 4th Edition, Elayn Martin-Gay

 

Required Software: It is required to have a software license to use the software MyMathLab in this class.  You must have a valid e-mail address to use the on-line curriculum.  Students have two choices.  The first choice is to purchase the textbook from the bookstore.  The textbook comes with the software license.  Note:  If you purchase a used textbook, it may not have a valid course access code.  Be VERY careful when acquiring the text.  The second choice is to purchase the license alone either from the bookstore or online at pearsonmylabandmastering.com.  The license gives you access to the textbook online.  This is a more economical choice, but is only recommended to students who have online access and feel comfortable reading a computer screen instead of a traditional book.  If you have already purchased an access code for Math 152A or Math 152B for this textbook, you may also use it for this class at no extra cost.

 

To access our class page, go to pearsonmylabandmastering.com and register using your student access code and the course ID for this class:  armbrust20797

 

For assistance with MyMathLab: You may get help by calling 1-800-677-6337 during the following hours: Mon – Fri 5:00 AM – 5:00 PM & Sunday 2:00 PM 9:00 PM. Online assistance is available 24 hours every day at: 247pearsoned.custhelp.com

 

Calculator:  A scientific calculator is required for this course.  Graphing calculators will not be allowed on exams.  If you have questions regarding your calculator (how to use, if it is acceptable, etc.), please ask.

 

Course Description: MAT 154AA is a continuation of MAT 152B and covers functions and inverses, exponential and logarithmic functions, sequences and series, and conic sections, quadratic equations, and systems of quadratic equations.

 

Prerequisite: A grade of C or better in MAT 152B, or appropriate skills demonstrated through the Math assessment process.

 


Student Learning Objectives:

1. Apply the course topics to real-world situations.
2. Sketch and interpret the graphs of functions and relations introduced in intermediate algebra.
3. Simplify mathematical expressions into forms more amenable to analysis.
4. Provide solutions to equations using methods from intermediate algebra.

 

Course Grade: Your final letter grade will be based on the usual grading scale:

A 90-100%, B 80-89%, C 70-79%, D 60-69%, F 0-59%

The following items will make up the course grade:

 

Homework:                              15%

Quizzes:                                 10%

Exam1 (October 10)

Exam2 (October 31):              50%

Exam3 (November 30)

Final Exam (December 5):     25%

 

You may check your grades at any point in the quarter by accessing the grade book in MyMathLab.

 

Homework: Homework is to be completed online with MyMathLab.  Each section covered will have a homework assignment.  The homework assignments will be due at midnight the day before the next exam.  However, it is NOT RECOMMENDED that you wait until that time to work on the homework.  The homework assignments are your chance to practice the material covered in class.  It is YOUR responsibility to make sure you are getting the information from each section.  At the beginning of class, I will go over homework questions from the previous day’s material.  Other questions will be addressed outside of class or in office hours.  The class will be given daily reminders regarding homework, so there will be no excuse for forgetting about them.

 

Quizzes: Each week you will be required to take a quiz on MyMathLab.  The quizzes are designed to help you prepare for exams, and will be made up of problems that are very similar to the problems from your homework assignments.  The quizzes may be taken as often as you would like before the due date/time.  Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.  Because of this, there will be no make-up quizzes.

 

Exams:  Students are to bring a pencil and blank scratch paper to each exam.  If you cannot make it to an exam (final not included), you may take it up to 2 school days prior to the scheduled date with proper arrangements.  Otherwise, the exam may be made up after the scheduled date with a penalty of 10% per day.  The final must be taken by December 5th.

 

Registration Information: You may drop the class with no penalty or mark on your record on or before October 14.  After October 14, you may drop the class and receive a grade of W until November 4.  After November 4, if still enrolled, you will receive a grade of A, B, C, D, F or I.

 


Learning Disabled Students: Students with disabilities who may need accommodations for this class are encouraged to notify me and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) early in the quarter so that reasonable accommodations may be implemented as soon as possible.  Students may contact the DRC by visiting the Center (located in room A205) or by phoning 541-4660, ext. 249 (voice) or 542-1870 (TTY for deaf students).  All information will remain confidential.

 

How to Succeed in a Math Class: I am often asked how to successfully pass a math class, and here is my advice:

 

I) Come to every class session.  Be prepared, and plan on participating.

II) Do your homework.  Remember that what I assign is what I consider a bare minimum.  If you need more practice, do it.  MyMathLab has dozens of extra problems for each section as well as sample chapter exams.

III) Read the book.  You paid good money for it, so you might as well use it.

IV) Make use of available tutors and my office hours.  You will find tutors who know the subject matter in this course at the Math Success Center (MSC).

V) Do math every day.  Math is just like everything else: if you don’t practice, you become rusty.

 

Technology in the Classroom:  All cell phones, laptops, headphones, MP3 players, iPods, etc, must be turned off and put away prior to the start of each class.  No electronic devices (other than calculators) may be used during and exams.

 

Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty of any form will not be tolerated.  Students caught cheating on exams will receive a score of zero on the assignment and the dropping of lowest quiz score will be forfeit.  Students may work together on homework assignments (and, in fact, are encouraged to) as long as all students understand the material covered.

 


Course Schedule:

The following is a tentative schedule.  If things change (and I have money that says they will), I will let you know.

 

September

19        4.4                               Introductions, Systems of Linear Equations in 3 Variables

21        3.6                               Functions

23        8.2                               Functions and Their Graphs

26        8.3                               Transformations of Functions

28        11.3                             Using Quadratic Methods to Solve Equations

30        11.4                             Quadratic and Rational Inequalities

 

October

3          11.5                             Quadratic Functions

5          11.6                             Graphs of Quadratic Functions

7          Review                       

10        Exam I

12        12.1                            Function Algebra

14        12.2                             Inverse Functions

17        12.3                             Exponential Functions

19        12.4                             Logarithmic Functions

21        12.5                             Properties of Logarithms

24        12.6                             Logarithms of Different Bases

26        12.7                             Logarithmic and Exponential Equations

28        Review

31        Exam II

 

November

2          13.1                             Parabolas and Circles

4          13.2                             Ellipses and Hyperbolas

7          13.3                             Systems of Nonlinear Equations

9          13.4                             Systems of Nonlinear Inequalities

11        NO CLASS                 Veteran’s Day

14        14.1                             Sequences

16        14.2                             Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences

18        14.3                             Series

21        14.4                             Arithmetic and Geometric Series

23        14.5                             Binomial Theorem

25        NO CLASS                 THANKSGIVING

28        Review

30        Exam III

 

December

2          Review           

5          Final Exam                 Note:  The final is from 8:00 – 9:50 AM