MATH 154 Syllabus

MATH 154 Syllabus, Winter Quarter 2007

Class: Math 154-2

Instructor: Audrey Morrow

College Phone Number: 541-4660

Home Phone: 577-4141

Email address: ammathtype@earthlink.net

Class meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00-2:50

Room A-211

Text: Elementary and Intermediate Algebra, by Mark Dugopolski

Important dates for Winter, 2007:

Last day to register without written permission: Friday, January 5th

Last day to drop Math 154 with no record, or to declare C/NC: Friday, January 26th.

Last day to drop Math 154 with a ‘W’: Friday, March 2nd.

Final Exam date: Tuesday, March 20th, 1:00 in A-211

No Tuesday or Thursday college holidays in Winter '07.

Course Description: Math 154 is the third class in LTCC's algebra sequence. In this course you will utilize the skills that you learned in beginning algebra, 152A and 152B. We will continue the study of functions and quadratic equations. New material will include the inverses of functions; exponential and logarithmic functions; the conics (circles, ellipses, parabolas and hyperbolas) and sketching their configurations; and sequences and series. Math 154 includes some of the most visually interesting of all the algebra topics. The curve-sketching we do when we study the conic sections stands by itself in presenting a fun and tantalizing blend of algebra and geometry.

Calculator: You'll need a scientific calculator for this course, one that does exponents, log and ln (natural log) functions. Graphing calculators are not allowed in Math 154.

Homework will be assigned each lecture, with problems selected to coordinate with the material that was covered in class. You’ll be given a reading and assignment sheet, showing which problems to work for each lecture date. Many of the problems will resemble those demonstrated in lecture, with others selected to motivate your thinking and comprehension of the class topics.

Tutoring is available without cost to the student in the Gateway Math Center (GMC). I will be distributing a tutoring schedule to the class, as soon as one is available.

GRADING POLICY

During the quarter, students will take four exams including the final, approximately four quizzes, and complete 20 or so homework assignments. If you are still enrolled on Monday March 5th, you will receive a letter grade (A-F) for Math 154. My grading structure is as follows:

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

Combined homework and quiz scores: 10%

Behaviour and participation in class, including your attendance: 5% (Believe it or not, 5% is often enough to push a student who is between two letter grades either 'up' or 'down.')

I grade on a gradual “curve” which means that students who perform at the top of the class usually get A’s and B’s, though my system by no means compels me to give any particular grade unless it’s warranted. You’ll be graded primarily on your level of mastery of the material, with the curve helping me to place those who end up borderline between two letter grades. Your grasp of the course topics will determine your grade for the most part, but your work ethic, and your personal behavior will also be reflected in your grade. Please be punctual, be respectful of others in class, and above all, participate in the class by taking notes and asking questions when you don’t understand.

MAKE UP EXAMS: You are allowed to make up one exam, with a 10% penalty on your test score. This is not to punish you, it’s intended to level out the advantage enjoyed by students who had extra time to study. For example, you score 90/100 points on a make up exam. The 10% penalty is 9 points subtracted from your total for a final score of 81/100 points.

If you wish to make up an exam, you must notify me before the exam. Not showing up will automatically result in a zero on the exam. There are no make-up quizzes.

I am happy to come up with an extra-credit assignment for students who would like to boost their grade. If you have missed no more than one class, and turned in all homework you may see me about extra credit after our last test and before the final exam. I'll be glad to go over the options with you.

Attend every lecture. You are allowed two absences with no excuse or explanation. LTCC guidelines allow for you to be dropped from the class if you have more than four. Try to arrive early. Sit where you can see clearly, and where you won’t be distracted.

Take notes. Working along in class is essential to your success in any college course. Never sit through a lecture as a watcher.

Do the assigned reading before the class discussion. You will be able to use your class time to clear up any confusion you felt during the reading, or problem-solving.

Try to work all of the assigned homework problems. You’ll have time to ask questions in class about any problems you couldn't finish.

Ask questions! At the beginning of each lecture we’ll go over difficult homework problems and have a brief discussion to review any concepts that are still difficult before moving on.

LEARNING DISABLED STUDENTS: Please see me if you are in the Learning Disabled Program, or if you think that you might have a disability. I’ll need to know if you have special needs.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: The successful student will: exhibit proficiency in the topics covered; engage in logical and critical thinking; read technical information; demonstrate solutions to problems by translating written language into mathematical statements; interpret information by sketching relevant diagrams; analyze given information; and formulate appropriate mathematical statements, and checking and verifying results.

HABITS TO AVOID: Any or all of the following will negatively affect your grade.

1. Disrupting the class in general: In particular, your cellular phone may not ring in class! This is an unpardonable disruption. If your phone rings in class, I will ask you to leave. Try to arrive on time or early. I don't allow headphones to be worn in class.

2. Sloppy attendance. This is the first and most common cause for course failure. I don't have a point system for attendance; but if you feel competent enough to pass this class with irregular attendance, chances are you belong in a more advanced math course. (If you feel that you have tested into Math 154 erroneously, please see me at once!)

3. Missing homework assignments. Regular practice with problem-solving is necessary if you are to achieve competency in a math course. Try to do some math every day.

4. Socializing in class. Avoid chit-chatting when class is in session. Keep your focus on math. Your behaviour in class will directly affect your course grade. Be courteous to others.

January 9th: Cover 10.5, Quadratic and rational inequalities. Read 11.1 & 11.2 for Thursday. Do: 10.5# 4, 5-13 odd, 25-33 odd

January 11th: Cover 11.1 & begin 11. 2, Functions and relations and their graphs. Do: 11.1 # 1-6, 7, 8, 11, 18, 25-57 EOO (every other odd, for example, you'll work #25, 29, 33, … and so on, finishing with #57.) 11.2#1-6, 7, 13. Notice Quiz #1 on Tuesday on 10.3-10.5. Read 11.3 for Tuesday.

January 16th: Finish 11.2 & cover 11.3, Transformations of graphs. Do: 11.2# 17-41 odd; 11.3 # 1-6, 7, 11, 15-51 EOO. Quiz#1 on 10.3-10.5. Read 11.6 & 11.7 for Thurs.

January 18th: 11.6 & 11.7, Combining functions; Inverses of functions. Do:11.6 # 5-61 EOO; 11.7# 1-8, 9-23 odd, 31-63 EOO, 34, 50. Quiz#2 Tuesday on 11.1-11.3. Bring questions for review on Tuesday.

January 23rd: Review for Exam #1 Thursday on 10.3-10.5, 11.1-11.3. Quiz #2 on 11.1-11.3.

January 30: Cover 12.1 Exponential functions and their applications. Do: 12.1# 1-6, 7-47 EOO, 53-61 odd, 83, 85, 93. Read 12.2 & 12.3 for Thursday.

February 1st: Cover 12.2 & 12.3: Logarithmic functions and their applications; Properties of logarithms. Do: 12.2#1, 3-6, 7-17 odd, 19-43 EOO, 49, 51, 57-73 odd, 85, 87 89; 12.3 # 1-6, 7-79 EOO, 81-93 odd, 97. Note Quiz #3 Tuesday on 11.6, 11.7, 12.1

February 6th: Cover 12.4: Equations & applications with logarithms. Do: 12.4 # 1-81 EOO, 83. Read 7.3 & 13.1. Quiz #3 on 11.6, 11.7, 12.1

February 8th: Cover 7.3, Solving Linear Equations in three Variables; begin 13.1, Nonlineaar systems of equations. Do: 7.3# 13, 17, 21, 23, 25, 31, 35, 41, 45.

February 15th: Exam #2 on 11.6, 11.7, 12.1-12.4 No homework due on Tuesday. Reread 13.1 as needed. Read 13.2.

February 20th: Finish 13.1, Nonlinear systems of equations, cover 13.2, the Parabola. Do: 13.1# 20, 25, 27, 28, 45. 13.2# 7-13 odd, 33-45 odd, 57, 59, 67, 69. Read 13.3, 13.4

February 22nd: Cover 13.3, The Circle & begin 13.4, the Ellipse & Hyperbola. Do: 13.3# 1, 2, 3-31 EOO, 33, 35, 37, 45, 47. 13.4# 9-21 odd. Read 13.5 for Thursday.

February 27th: Finish 13.4, the Ellipse & the Hyperbola, Cover 13.5, Second-degree Inequalities. Read 14.1 and 14.2 for Thursday. Do: 13.4 # 9-21 odd, 29-39 odd, 47-53 odd. 13.5# 1, 5, 9, 15-23 odd, 27, 35, 37, 39. Quiz Thursday on 13.1-13.4.

March 1st: Cover 14.1, Sequences and 14.2, Series. Do: 14.1 # 1, 2, 5-25 EOO, 27-37 odd, 41. 14.2# 3-43 EOO, 51. Bring questions for the review on Tuesday. Quiz on 13.1-13.4.

March 8th: Exam #3 on 13.1-13.5, also 7.3. No homework due Tuesday. Read 14.3 for Tuesday.

March 13th: Cover 14.3, Arithmetic Series. Do: 14.3# 1,3,5-57 EOO; 14.4# 1,3,5,7-55 EOO, 59. Read 14.4. for Thursday.

March 15th: Cover 14.4, Geometric Series; Do: 14.4 # 1, 3, 5, 7-55 EOO, 59. Read 14.5 for Tuesday.

March 20th: Cover 14.5, Binomial expansions. Review for Final Exam. Do: 14.5# 13, 17, 19, 21, 25, 27, 33-39 odd.

March 22nd: Final exam, covering entire course content. Approximately 50% of the exam will cover Chapter 14, with the other 50% covering previous material.