MAT 154 SYLLABUS

SYLLABUS

Math 154-4 Spring quarter, 2008.

Instructor: Audrey Morrow

Class meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6PM - 7:50 PM

Room: A213, Main Campus

Prerequisites: This course is a continuation of Math 152B. Math 154 is an introduction to the definition of a function and its inverse; quadratic equations; systems of equations and inequalities; exponential and logarithmic functions; Domain and Range of a function; sequences and series. Math 154 introduces some of the most practical topics in all undergraduate math.

Instructor’s Phone Number: College 541-4660 ext 573

Home Phone: 577-4141

Email: ammathtype@earthlink.net

Textbook: "Elementary and Intermediate Algebra" 2nd Edition, Mark Dugopolski.

Items you’ll need to bring to class with you in addition to the book: Some lined paper for note-taking; graph paper for the sections on graphing. A six-inch straight edge; Several different colors of pencils will help you in making your graphs easier to read, and more pleasing to the eye. A yellow or light-green highlighter may be helpful also in notating handouts, your text, or your class notes.

Important dates for Winter Quarter, 2008:

Friday, 4/11: Challenge exams are given in the Learning Resource Center.

Friday, 4/18: Late Registration ends, also last day for refunds.

Friday, 5/2: Last day to drop a full-quarter class with no record.

Friday, 5.23: Last day to drop with a ‘W’ for full-quarter classes.

Final exam: Tuesday, 6/24 6:00 - 7:50 PM in Room A213.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1) Getting registered: With WEBREG, Students may enroll online up until 11:00 PM on the first day that class meets. After that, you'll need a permit from A&R with the instructor's signature in order to enroll.

2) My make-up policy: There is no makeup for quizzes. You may make up one exam, with a 10% penalty. If you can't take an exam with the class, you must call me before the exam. I'll arrange the makeup with you, and you'll have until the beginning of the following class meeting to complete the makeup exam. If you miss a test on a Thursday for example, you'll have to complete the test before class begins the following Tuesday. I accept two late homework assignments with no penalty. If you are unable to get to class, you may have a friend bring in your homework, or you can turn it in through the student mail slot. STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED INSIDE THE COLLEGE MAILROOM.

4) I allow extra credit under the following conditions: The student has missed no more than one lecture, is current on the homework, and your grade just before the final exam is below 'C'.

5) Learning disabled students: If you have a certified learning disability that may affect your performance in the class, please see me so that I can make sure that your needs are met. If you think that you may have a disability but have not yet been tested, you may inquire about this at the Disability Resource Center upstairs on the main campus. DRC's telephone extension is 249.

GRADING POLICY

During the quarter, students will take three exams including the final, several quizzes, and complete 17 or so homework assignments. If you are still enrolled on Monday 5/26, you will receive a letter grade for Math 154. Your course grade in Math 154 is structured according to the following:

Midterms + Final exam: 85% of your course grade.

Combined homework and quiz scores: 10% of your course grade.

Attendance, participation and conduct: 5% of your course grade.

Quizzes will be unscheduled, and given at the start of class. A course grade of 'F' is usually reserved for students who drop out without informing A & R. Each time I return a test to you, I'll circle a letter at the top to represent what your course grade looks like at the present time.

Be aware that with only four letters at the instructor's disposal, it's not unusual for a student to end up evenly positioned between two letter grades at the end of the class. In other words, pointwise it would be equally fair and appropriate for you to receive the C as the B. When this happens, your attendance and conduct play a part in your final course grade. Self-control and mature behavior will net you the higher course grade. Attend class regularly. Be courteous and respectful of those around you. This means arriving in class on time or early; avoid chit-chatting with your neighbors. Make sure your cellphone is turned off at all times when class is in session. If your cellphone gets my attention, you will be asked to leave the class.

ATTENDANCE: Students are allowed two absences with no explanation required. If you need to miss a class, please see me so that I know you aren't dropping. Also, make a friend in class who can tell you what you missed, and share notes with you.

HOMEWORK: I will accept two late homework assignments. If you have to miss a lecture, you may drop your homework through the student mail slot on the due date, or have a friend bring it to class.

HABITS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS

1) Attend every lecture if you possibly can. Sit where you know you won’t be distracted, and where you can see and hear what's going on in class.

2) Take notes, working along in class and keeping a glossary of unfamiliar terms.

3) Do all assigned reading before class, so that you can bring up points in class that you found confusing. Work the example problems as part of your reading.

4) Do all of the assigned homework, even problems you are not able to finish. Staple each assignment separately. No paper clips, please.

5) Ask questions in class. If you are having trouble understanding a concept the chances are good that other students are experiencing the same problem.

Audrey's commitment to this class:

I care as much as you do about your success, comfort and accomplishments in our class. Everything I do is designed to help you achieve positive results in math.

I will maintain, at all times, a respectful and learning-friendly environment for my students. Your questions and your input are encouraged and appreciated. Each one of us has a responsibility to help make sure that our time in class is spent productively, with as little waste as possible.

I will never embarrass or humiliate you. Period. You'll receive a courteous and respectful answer to any math question you wish to ask me. If you feel awkward about bringing something up that was covered previously, ask anyway. If we need to spend more time than we can take at the moment, we can meet outside of class.

I will be on time, prepared and organized when I get to class. The earlier part of my day stays outside the door. I will give 100% of my attention to the class.

I will not shortchange you by setting low standards. Earning a 'C' or better in this class means you leave here with the necessary level of competency for success in your next math class.

TUTORING:: Free tutoring is available in the Math Success Center (MSC) every day except Sunday, for several hours per day. The tutors' hours are posted at the entrance. Take advantage of this unusual benefit that is offered to LTCC math and science students.

ACADEMIC COACHES are tutors in the Math Success Center who specialize in assisting the beginning and intermediate algebra students as their first priority. Note their available times. The MSC is located upstairs on the main campus, adjacent to the Learning Assistance Center (LAC). The LAC extension is 740. Academic Coaches are available:

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES are designed to prepare LTCC's math students for what they will be asked to do in a math class:

 Sketch and interpret the graphs of functions and relations introduced in intermediate algebra.

 Provide solutions to equations using methods introduced in intermediate algebra.

1) If possible, attend every class meeting. Arrive early, get settled and be ready when class starts. Sit where you won't be distracted. TAKE NOTES IN CLASS!

3) Read each section before our class discussion. You'll be able to bring up any points that you found confusing, or didn't understand.

4) Attempt each homework problem, even if you're unable to finish. Bring questions to class. Ask for help with any problems you were unable to get finished. Once you understand a process, you will retain it.

5) Do some math every day. Don't try to cram two weeks' worth of assignments the night before an exam. Start preparing for tests at least a week in advance.

6) Get extra help outside of class, if necessary. Use the MSC, and office hours.

7) Periodically review the topics you found to be difficult. Plan to spend 2 hours outside of class for each hour inside class. (This is 8 hours per week for Mat 154)

SCHEDULE OF CLASS TOPICS AND HOMEWORK

Math 154-4 Instructor: Audrey Morrow. Spring quarter, 2008.

The class topics and corresponding homework assignments and tests are organized by date. Please separate and staple each assignment. For example, HW #2 contains both sections 10.4 & 10.5. Please staple them together. EOO means "every other odd." For example. Problems #17-41 EOO means work #17, 21, 25. ...41, every other odd problem. including 17 & 41. Your homework assignments will usually include problem-sets and reading, to prepare for the next lecture.

Homework is assigned each lecture except for exam days, and due the following class meeting.

April 8th: Welcome and introduction to Math 154; Review the quadratic formula. Cover 10.3. quadratic functions and their graphs. Homework #1: Read 10.3-10.5 for Thursday. Work these problems, due Thursday: 10.3 # 1-6, 7, 11, 13-57 EOO. 59-65 odd; 42 & 62.

April 10th: Cover lO.4 & 10.5. More quadratic equations; Quadratic and rational inequalities. Homework #2: Read 11.2 and 11.3 for Tuesday. Do: 10.4# 5, 9, 11, 15, 27-55 EOO, 42, 62. 10.5# 4, 5-13 odd, 25-33 odd. 12, 34.

April 15th: Cover 11.2. Graphs of functions and relations; 11.3, transformation of graphs.

HW#3: Read 11.6 and 11.7. Do: 11.2 # 7, 13, 17-41 0dd; 11.3 # 1-6, 7, 11, 15 -51 EOO, 40, 52.

April 17th: Cover 11.6 Combining functions; Begin 11.7. Inverse functions. HW#4: Read 12.1 for Tuesday. Do: 11.6 # 5-61 EOO, 46,56. 11.7# 1-8, 9-23 odd, #34.

April 22nd: Finish 11.7 and cover 12.1. Exponential functions and their applications. HW#5:

11.7# 31-63 EOO, #50. 12.1 # 1-6. 7-47 EOO, 53-61 odd, 83, 85, 93, 32, 60, 84. Read 12.2 & 12.3.

April 24th: Cover 12.2. Logarithmic functions & their applications; 12.3 Properties of Logarithms. HW#6: 12.2 # 1, 3-6, 7-17 odd, 19-43 EOO, 49,51,52,57-73 odd, #70, 85, 87,89. 12.3# 1-6. 7-79 EOO, 81-93 odd, 97.

April 29th: : Review for Exam #1 covering Sections 10.3-10.5, 11.2, 11.3, 11.6, 11.7. HW#7 will be a set of review problems assigned in class.

May 1st Exam #1 covering the above material. No written homework on exam days. Read 12.4 & 7.3 for Tuesday.

May 6th: Cover 12.4 & 7.3, Solving Equations and applications with exponents and logarithms; Solving a linear system in three variables. HW#8: 12.4 # 1-81 EOO, 83, 84, 88; 7.3 # 13, 17, 18, 21, 23.

May 8th: Cover 13.1, Nonlinear systems of equations. Read 13.2 and 13.3 for Tuesday.

HW#9: 13.1 # 5, 13, 17, 19, 20, 225, 27, 28, 45.

May 13th: Cover 13.2 The parabola. Begin 13.3, The Circle. HW#10: 13.2# 7-13 odd, 33-45 odd; 57, 59, 67, 69, 10,38,48. 13.3 # 1,2,3-31 EOO. Read 13.4 for next Wednesday.

May 15th: Finish The Circle; cover 13.4 the Ellipse and the Hyperbola. HW# 11: Read 13.5 for Tuesday. HW#11: Do: 13.3 #33,35,37,45,47,38 46. 13.4# 9-21 odd, 29-39 odd, 47-53 odd, 18,32.

May 20th: Cover 13.5, Second-degree inequalities. HW#12: 13.5 #1, 5, 9, 15-23 odd, 27, 30,32, 35, 37, 39.

May 22nd: Review for Exam #2 covering 12.1-12.4, 7.3, 13.1 & 13.2. HW# 13 will be a set of review exercises for the exam.

May 27th: Exam #2 on the above sections. No written homework. Read 14.1 for Thursday.

May 29th: Cover 14.1, Sequences. Return & discuss exam #2 following the break. HW# 14: 14.1 # 1,2,5-25 EOO, 17-37 odd, 41, 24, 36. Read 14.2, Introduction to Series.

June 3rd: Cover 14.2, Series. HW# 15: Do: 14.2# 3-43 EOO, 51. Read 14.3 & 14.4 for Thursday.

June 5th: Cover 14.3, Arithmetic sequences and series. Begin 14.4, geometric sequences and series. HW# 16: 14.3 # 1, 3, 5-57 EOO, 38, 50. 14.4 # 1-29 odd. Read 14.5.

June 10th: Finish 14.4 & begin 14.5, Binomial Expansions. HW #17: 14.4 # 31-43 odd, 65. 14.5 # 13, 17, 19, 21, 27.

June 12th: Finish 14.5. Review Chapters 13 & 14 if time. HW #18: 14.5 # 33-39 odd, 20, 40.

June 17th: Review for the cumulative final exam.

June 19th: Cumulative final exam covering all of the topics presented in Math 154. Congratulations, you have completed the Intermediate Algebra course at LTCC. You are now prepared to move on to the transfer math courses offered at our college.