Syllabus Mat 152b Spring, 2000

Instructor: George Drake

Having received this document, the student is expected to know its contents, whether

explained verbally or not. Read it!

Instructor:

George Drake

Office: F103 Phone:(530)541-4660x256

Office Hours: Mon and Wed 1:00-2:00 in F103

Tuesday 9:30-10:30 in F103

Thursday 9:30-10:30 in G4 (The Gateway math center)

Or by appointment if the student finds these hours difficult

Text:

Auvil, Daniel L: Algebra for College Students, McGraw-Hill,1996, ISBN 0-07-003106-1

Prerequisite:

A grade of C or better in Mat 152a or the equivalent, or a satisfactory score on the

Mathematics Assessment Test.

Grading Policy:

This class is the continuation of Mat 152a. Because it continues on in the same textbook,

students who have either not completed 152a recently, or who took the assessment test to get into

152b are cautioned to expect to spend considerable time adjusting to coming into a textbook in

the middle. A good understanding (as opposed to a casual understanding) of several of the topics

introduced in this class is necessary for success in the succeeding math classes. In keeping with

this last observation, STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE

MASTERY OF CERTAIN MINIMUM COMPETENCIES before being given a passing

grade in MAT 152b. Skills which must be mastered will be pointed out as such in class. These

will include, but are not necessarily limited to, all the skills which are the subject of study in

Mat 152a, working knowledge (including their memorization) of the formulas for the area of a

rectangle, triangle, and circle, the perimeter of any polygonal figure, distance in terms of rate and

time, the circumference of a circle, and the Pythagorean theorem, the ability to factor trinomials,

including the ac-test, the ability to work successfully with reasonably simple rational and radical

expressions, and the ability to state and use the quadratic formula.

This material is only a portion of the material covered in MAT152b. It is, however, used

throughout algebra and is essential for later success in mathematics courses. Subject to the

restriction indicated in the previous paragraph, scoring will be on the basis of the following.

Homework (due daily) 100pts*

Each midterm exam (3) 100pts**

Surprise quizzes based on the

homework and given at start

of class (ò5) 50pts

Class Notes 100pts**

Final Exam (comprehensive) 150pts

Total Possible points 600pts

* If less than half of the homework is handed in (including late work) with legitimate

evidence of effort, the student cannot receive a grade greater than C, no matter what other

scores are attained in other areas.

Occasionally homework may include some problems from sections not yet touched on in

lectures. In such cases any legitimate effort will be counted the same as a correct solution.

Not every problem on each homework assignment will be graded. Instead, a

representative sample (some easy problems, some medium, and some hard, some odd numbers,

some even) will be graded and scored. The grade for that homework assignment will be the

score received on the sample.

** The best three scores of the three midterms and the class notes will be counted.

A maximum of 50 points may be earned through extra credit assignments which will be

given from time to time throughout the quarter.

All work will be graded on the basis of the process the student employs at least as much

as on the result, so always show your work! Correct answers which obviously required written

work will not be given full--even much--credit if the work is not shown.

With the restrictions mentioned in the first paragraph and at * above, grades will be

assigned as follows:

A if the student's score, x, is such that x > 530 points ( ÷ 90%)

B if the student's score, x, is such that 510 ò x > 490 points ( ÷ 80%)

C if the student's score, x, is such that 470 ò x > 430 points ( ÷ 70%)

D if the student's score, x, is such that 410 ò x > 370 points ( ÷ 60%)

F if the student's score, x, is such that x < 350 points

Scores which fall in the 20 point windows implied above may go to either the higher or

lower grade depending entirely upon the instructor's personal evaluation of which score is most

appropriate for that student.

Exams will be graded on the basis of 90% = A, 80% =B, etc., unless the student would do

better based upon the instructor's use of a (modified) curve. This is most often the case, and

when the curve does better for the student, the grade will be translated into a point value

reflecting the point system above.

The I grade is not intended as a way of avoiding a grade the student doesn't want, or even

one which the instructor doesn't wish to give. It will not, therefore, be given except in

circumstances which cannot have been foreseen and which occur too late to withdraw from the

class.

Late and Make-up policy:

Homework may be handed in up to one week late for « credit. However, late work will

not normally be graded. Instead the student will be given credit at the end of the quarter for each

late assignment at the rate of « of his/her average homework score. To meet the requirement

that « of the homework be attempted in order to score better than a C, homework may be

handed in until the date of the final. Any homework received later than one week from the due

date will be given a zero point value. The instructor does not have access to the running total of

students' homework scores until the quarter has ended. It is the student's responsibility, therefore,

to keep track of his/her homework scores for the purpose of evaluating how one is doing during

the quarter.

Quizzes may not be made up.

Midterms and the final may only be made up if arrangements are made before the exam

or upon the presentation of written documentation that the absence was beyond the student's

control and unpredictable (e.g., doctor's note on letterhead stationary, police accident report, etc.)

If a student misses a midterm under other circumstances, that score will be the one thrown out. If

a student misses the final under other circumstances, the score on the final will be zero.

Restriction on use of certain calculators:

The student will be expected to use a calculator for much of this class, including on many

specific homework assignments. However, there are now on the market calculators (called

symbolic manipulators) which will do much of the work being taught in MAT152b. Although it

might be successfully argued that, in order to use such calculators correctly, one needs first to

know independently what it is that they are doing, it can hardly be argued that, by using such

machines, one will learn to do what they do. Hence their use in MAT152b is forbidden (yes,

even for homework). The machines prohibited include the TI 89 and some other so called

"graphing" calculators. If you wish to use a graphing calculator other than the TI89--which

you may not use!--get the instructor's approval first.

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty:

The only portions of this class which may be conducted in a collaborative manner are the

homework, where collaboration is encouraged, and assignments which may, from time to time be

specifically made with the provision that they are to be collaborative.

Tests are all closed book, closed notes. Any attempts to cheat, if discovered, will be

severely dealt with.

Lecture and exam schedule:

Lectures and exams will proceed according to the following schedule:

April 3 Introduction and review of 2.2

April 5 2.7 & 3.6

April 10 3.7-3.8

April 12 3.9-3.10

April 17 4.1 & Review 2.2, 2.7, and 3.6-3.10

April 19 Midterm #1 (2.2, 2.7, 3.6-3.10) (One hour) & lecture on 4.2

April 24 Go over test and lecture on 4.3

April 26 4.4-4.6

May 1 5.1 & Review 4.1-4.6

May 3 Midterm #2 (4.1-4.6) (One hour) & lecture on 5.2

May 8 Go over test & lecture on 5.3

May 10 5.4-5.6

May 15 5.7-5.8

May 17 5.9 & 6.1

May 22 6.2 & Review 5.1-5.10

May 24 Midterm #3 (5.1-5.10 (One hour) & Review 6.1-6.2

May 29 Memorial Day Holiday

May 31 6.3 & 7.6

June 5 11.1-11.2

June 7 11.3 &11.9

June 12 Review 6.1-6.3, 7.6, 11.1-11.3, and 11.9

June 14 Review all

June 19 (2:00-4:00) Final Exam (Emphasis on 6.1-6.3, 7.6, 11.1-11.3, and

11.9 (approximately 2/3 of the exam) but with a substantial comprehensive component

(approximately 1/3 of the exam).

NOTE THE IRREGULAR TIME FOR THE FINAL!

Please come to class having read the material which is to be covered in class that day.

Sometimes this will be hard to do, as the material may be very difficult to understand when it is

read without the benefit of having heard a lecture on the topic. But, when that is the case, it gives

the student the benefit of knowing in advance which topics are most confusing. When it is not

the case, it gives him/her a head start on the lecture, making it easier to benefit from any special

nuances which may be brought out in class.

Homework Assignments:

Homework assignments will be made via handouts which will be distributed

approximately every two weeks, covering the following two weeks. These handouts will also be

available in the tray outside F103 after distribution in class, but the student is expected to attend

class, and the instructor accepts no responsibility for difficulties which may arise from the

student's failure to do so. Homework is due at the end of class every day.