Math 152B Syllabus – Fall 2001

Tues/Thurs 4:00 – 5:50 pm (9/18  – 12/4)

Instructor:  Cecilia Vaughn, home phone: (775) 588-3107

Office Hours: before & after class

Text:  Algebra for College Students – Daniel L. Auvil

Course Description:  Algebra (Part 2) This course is a continuation of Math 152A.  The material covered includes factoring, operations and equations with rational expressions, linear equations and inequalities with absolute value, solving systems of equations, operations with exponents, radicals, and complex numbers, solving radical and quadratic equations.

Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in Math 152A or a satisfactory score on the Mathematics Assessment Test.

Note:  Students who require specific accommodations for a disability should contact the instructor early in the quarter (preferably at the first class meeting).  Learning disabilities will be accommodated.

Grading:

Homework is 13% of your grade (16 assignments @ 5 points each)

Exams are 63% of your grade (4 exams @ 100 points each)

Final Exam is 24% of your grade (150 points)

Bonus points for attending GMC (3 points/hour – maximum 30 points)

Your letter grade will be based on the percentage of the 630 points you earn:

90 – 100%       A

80 -  89%        B

70 – 79%         C

60 – 69%         D

below 60%       F

Note:  If you are taking this class credit/no credit you must have at least a 70% to receive a passing grade

How to Succeed in a Math Class:

·        Attend every class meeting.

·        Arrive early – review previous notes & look ahead.

·        Use the Gateway Math Center (G4)

·        Read each section before it is discussed in class.

·        Do all of the homework – check answers & star “problem” problems.

·        Continually review & look ahead (notes & book).

Special Notes:

Registration is the student’s responsibility.

Attendance is critical to success.

All assignments are due by the end of the next class so make sure you understand the concepts before leaving class.  Use the Gateway Math Center – room G4 (bonus points available).

Students requiring special services need to notify the instructor immediately.

Calculators are not allowed for testing, so practice without them on the homework.

Tests will be administered on the test dates only.

All assignments and test dates are located on the back of this page – if it becomes necessary to make changes in assignments/dates the instructor will notify the students as soon as possible.

 Important Note:  You may skip problems which instruct you to use a calculator for the computation (there are a few of these in each section).

Date    Chapter Section/Topic            Problems Assigned

9/18      2.2 Prob. Solv./Formulas            p.59-60 (#5 - 41 odds, omit 15 & 21)

            2.7 Absolute Value Eq.             p.92-3 (#15 - 63 every other odd)

9/20      3.6 GCF/Factor by Grouping      p.135-6 (#17 - 73 odds)

9/25      3.7 Factor Trinomials                 p.143-4 (#13 - 61 every other odd)

            3.8 Special Factorizations           p.148-9 (#15 – 61 every other odd)

9/27      3.9 Factoring Strategy                p.151 (#1 - 41 odds)

            3.10 Solve by Factoring              p.157 (#15 - 41 odds)

10/2     Review, Exam 1

10/4      4.1 Simplify Rational Expr.         p.170 (#11 – 51 every other odd)

            4.2 Mult. & Div. Rat. Expr.       p.175-6 (#5 – 49 every other odd)

10/9      4.3 Add & Sub. Rat. Expr.         p.183 (#1 - 61 every other odd)

            4.4 Complex Fractions               p. 88 (#7 - 29 odds)

10/11    4.5 Rational Equations               p.193 (#9 - 49 odds)

            4.6 Problem Solving                   p. 98-9 (#1 - 6 all, 17 – 35 odds)

10/16   Review, Exam 2

10/18    5.1 Finding Roots                       p.217-8 (#1 – 91 every other odd)

            5.2 Rational Exponents              p.223-4 (#7 – 87 every other odd)

10/23    5.3 Simplify Radicals                 p.228-9 (#1 – 85 every other odd)

            5.4 Mult. & Div. Radicals          p.233-4 (#1 – 67 every other odd)

10/25    5.5 Add & Sub. Radicals           p.236 (#1 – 53 odds)

            5.6 Combined Operations           p.238-9 (#1 – 71 every other odd)

10/30    5.7 Rationzalize Den.                 p.243 (#7 – 53 every other odd)

            5.8 Radical Equations                p.248 (#5 – 51 every other odd)

11/1      5.9 Complex Numbers               p.255-6 (#13 – 71 odds)

11/6     Review, Exam 3

11/8      6.1 Completing the Sq.               p.266-7 (#5 – 57 every other odd)

            6.2 Quadratic Formula               p.273 (#9 – 45 every other odd)

11/13    6.3 Quadratic Equations             p.279 (#1 – 29 odds & #57)

            7.6 Direct Variation                   p.345-6 (#1 – 25 odds)

11/15    11.1 Graphing Systems              p.523-4 (#1 – 41 every other odd)

            11.2 Substit. & Add. Meth.        p.529 (#1 – 31 odds)

11/20    11.3 Problem Solving                 p.535 (#1 – 21 odds)

            11.9 Systems of Inequalities       p.568 (#25 – 30 all)

11/27   Review, Exam 4

11/29    Review for Final Exam – Final Exam will be Tuesday, 12/4