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MAT 154A
Intermediate Algebra
Winter 2011
Instructor:
Bruce Armbrust, phone:541-4660x314, email:
bruce.armbrust@hotmail.com
Office Hours:
Room A210, Mon.
Mon.
Thurs.
Fri.
MSC,
Wed.
And as always, by appointment.
Class Time and Location:
Tues. & Thurs.
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 coursecompass.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 www.coursecompass.com and
register using your student access code and the course ID for this class:
armbrust75047
For assistance with MyMathLab:
You may get help by calling 1-800-677-6337 during the following hours: Mon Fri
Calculator:
A scientific calculator is required for this course.
Graphing calculators will not be allowed on exams.
Course Description:
MAT 154A 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.
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 (January 25)
Exam2 (February 15):
50%
Exam3 (March 10)
Final Exam (March 22):
25%
You may check your grades at any point in the quarter by accessing the grade
book on Course Compass.
Homework:
Homework is to be completed online with MyMathLab.
Each section covered will have a homework assignment.
The homework assignments will be due at
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.
Registration Information:
You may drop the class with no penalty or mark on your record on or before
January 28. After January 28, you
may drop the class and receive a grade of W until February 17.
After February 17, 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.
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 dont 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 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.
January
4
4.4
Introductions, Systems of Linear Equations in 3 Variables
6
3.6, 8.2
Functions and Their Graphs
11
8.3
Transformations of Functions
13
11.3
Using Quadratic Methods to Solve Equations 18
11.4
Quadratic and Rational Inequalities
20
11.5, 11.6
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
25
Exam I
27
12.1
Function Algebra
February
1
12.2
Inverse Functions
3
12.3
Exponential Functions
8
12.4
Logarithmic Functions
10
12.5, 12.6
Properties and Bases of Logarithms
15
Exam II
17
12.7
Logarithmic and Exponential Equations
22
13.1
Parabolas and Circles
24
13.2
Ellipses and Hyperbolas
March
1
13.3, 13.4
Systems of Nonlinear Equations and Nonlinear Inequalities
3
14.1, 14.2
Sequences (including Arithmetic and Geometric)
8
14.3
Series
10
Exam III
15
14.4
Arithmetic and Geometric Series
17
14.5
Binomial Theorem
22
Final Exam
Note: The final is from |