|
Math 154 Intermediate
Algebra Two
meetings per week format Instructor:
George Drake: B.A.,
M.A., and C.Ph. all in math from UC Davis. Office:
F130 Phone:
(530)541-4660x256 Office
Hours: M.:
1:00- 2:00 T.:
3:30-5:00
W.:
2:30-3:30
Th.:
3:30-5:00
These hours are for drop-in student counseling (i.e., I am there waiting
for someone, anyone, to show up). If
I appear to be busy, be sure to make your presence known, as I rotate
questioning amongst all students who are in attendance.
In addition, a limited number of individual appointments may be made, but
please observe the courtesy of attempting to meet your needs through the drop-in
service as much as is practical. Thanks Text:
Dugopolski, Mark: Elementary and Intermediate Algebra; McGraw-Hill, 1st
Ed., ISBN# 0-07-245028-2 Class
Meets:
M.W. 3:30-5:20. in A 213 Syllabus: (Note: This is a tentative
schedule, subject to change via announcement in class.) Week:
Sections:
1
10.3-10.4 (+handouts); (Quadratic functions and their graphs and more on
quadratic equations), and the Notation and Pre-requisite skills handouts.
2
10.5-11.2 (+translation of axes h.o.); (Quadratic and Rational
inequalities, graphing functions and relations, and transformations and
translations of graphs).
3
11.3-11.4 + 12.1 + review 10.3-11.2; (Combinations of functions,
inverse functions, and intro to exponential functions).
4
Test #1 (10.3-11.2) +12.2-12.3 (+handouts)(exponential and
Logarithmic functions and their properties) Review 10.3-11.4
5
Revisit test #1 + 12.3 (again) - 12.4 (Properties of logarithmic
functions, and applications).
6
8.3 and 13.1-13.2; (Systems in three variables and nonlinear systems of
equations, the parabola).
7
Test #2 (11.3-12.4) + 13.3-13.5; (The circle, ellipse and
hyperbola, second degree inequalities).
8
14.1, Revisit test #2., (sequences in general)
9
Test #3 (8.3 + 13.1-13.4 + handouts); 14.2 - 14.3; (Series in
general, Arithmetic sequences and series).
10
Revisit test #3, 14.4-14.5; (Geometric sequences and series, the binomial
theorem).
11
More on 14.5 + Review all. Exact dates of assignments and
contents of the tests will be given via announcements/handouts in class. The
above is, therefore, only a guideline. However, the indicated dates for each exam will be adhered to
barring only severe, unexpected, circumstances. Those exact dates are as follows:
Test 1: Monday, October 13, 2003
Test 2: Wednesday, November 5, 2003
Test 3: Monday, November 24, 2003
Anticipate a comprehensive final
exam. This quarter's final is
scheduled to occur in this room from 4:00 to 6:00 on Monday, December 8, 2003. General
Policy Statement Mat
154 I)
Time Commitment:
Two hours out of class for each 50 minutes of class time. II)
Note Taking:
You are expected to keep comprehensive notes on lectures and will be
tested on material from class whether or not it duplicates the text.
Arrange with another student to get assignments and notes from any
classes you miss. III)
Attendance:
Instructors may drop students if they miss a total of two more meetings
than the number of times the class meets per week.
See me if you wish to be exempted from this policy.
However, If you wish to drop the class by a certain date in order to
avoid various kinds of penalties, you must attend to the task yourself by going
directly to the Admissions and Records office.
The Instructor is not responsible for a student not meeting deadlines! IV)
Grading:
Scores which count toward your grade are as follows: Midterms
(hour long exams) (two will count) Homework
Weekly
Quizzes (Given at start of the first classmeeting of each non-midterm week) Participation/Effort Final
Exam
The poorest of the three scheduled midterms will be thrown out.
The final exam is weighed between 1.5 and 2 times as much as a midterm.
The total of quizzes and homework is approximately equal to that of one
midterm. Quizzes may contain questions on lectures as well as on homework-type
problems.
All scores will be based on a modified version of “grading on the
curve.” The essential
characteristics of this “modified curve” method are these: 1)
Grading is, generally, competitive. The
students who perform best on any particular meassure will receive better grades
than those performing less well. (Approximately 10% of the original number of
students enrolled in the class will get A’s, 20% B’s, 40% C’s,20% D’s,
and 10% F’s–important here is the “of the original number of
students enrolled” comment, as it is always the case that many students who
begin this class do not persist.) 2)
No student will be given a grade lower than he would have received on the basis
of “90-80-70" scoring schemes. 3)
If the class as a whole performs unusually well (in the instructor’s opinion),
the percentages listed as guidelines in 1) above may be adjusted to reflect this
fact. Likewise if the class
performs unusually poorly. 4)
If an individual student performs so poorly as to indicate insufficient mastery
of the material to justify a passing grade, the student’s relative standing in
the class will be disregarded. V)
Late and/or Missed Work:
Homework will be counted at one-half credit if received within one week
of date due.
Missed Quizzes cannot be made up.
One midterm may be made up (i.e., taken at a time other than the
scheduled administration) with the instructor's permission, which must be
obtained in advance. However,
a made up exam is automatically subject to three penalties: 1)
The actual score will not exceed the "earned score, minus," i.e. an
earned B+ becomes, at best, an actual score of B, etc.
2)
The actual score will not exceed the best of the scores received on exams taken
by the student on time, and 3)
The actual score will not exceed the best of the scores received on that midterm
by students taking the exam during its regularly scheduled administration. WARNING: It is the responsibility
of the student taking a make-up exam to find out whether any
corrections/clarifications were made between the time of the test's duplication
and his/her actually seeing it. VI)
Final Deadline for all Late Work and/or Extra Credit:
The last Friday before the first day of finals week. VII)
Miscellaneous:
Students must have a scientific handheld calculator, which they
are to bring to class daily. However,
students will not be allowed to use graphing calculators on
exams.
Students are always required to show their work.
If there is any question in a student's mind whether a grader will doubt
that a step might have been completed mentally, the student should write "B.I."
(for "By Inspection") next to the written work.
Calculations which require the use of a handheld calculator should be
annotated with “H. H. C.” (for handheld calculator).
Homework must be properly addressed and formatted (the standard format
will be explained on the first day of class). Graphs must be done on graphing
paper!
The prerequisite for this class is Mat 152b, beginning algebra, part two,
with a grade of C or better. If
this course was not completed within the last two years, please see the
instructor. Anyone not meeting this
prerequisite must take an assessment test administered by Student Services.
Beginning algebra classes from other institutions may satisfy the
prerequisite: see the instructor for a determination. |