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MAT 154A
Intermediate Algebra
Fall 2012
Instructor:
Bruce Armbrust, phone: 541-4660x314, email:
bruce.armbrust@hotmail.com
Office Hours:
Room A210, Mon., Fri.
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Tues, Thurs.
9:30 – 10:30 AM
MSC A201, Wed.
12:00 – 1:00 PM
And as always, by appointment.
Class Time and Location:
Tues. & Thurs. 1:30 - 3:20 PM, E106
Textbook (Optional):
Beginning and Intermediate Algebra,
5th Edition, Elayn Martin-Gay
Required Software:
It is required to have a software license to use the software MyMathLab
in this class. You must have a valid e-mail address to use the on-line
curriculum.
Students have two choices. The first choice
is to purchase the textbook from the bookstore. The textbook comes with the
software license. Note: If you purchase a used textbook, it may not have a valid
course access code. Be VERY careful when acquiring the text. The second
choice is to purchase the license alone either from the bookstore or
online at pearsonmylabandmastering.com. The license gives you access to the
textbook online. This is a more economical choice, but is only recommended to
students who have online access and feel comfortable reading a computer screen
instead of a traditional book. If you have already purchased an access code
for Math 152A or Math 152B for this textbook, you may also use it for this class
at no extra cost.
To access our class page,
go to
pearsonmylabandmastering.com
and register using your student access code and the course ID for this class:
armbrust98346
For assistance with MyMathLab:
You may get help by calling 1-800-677-6337 during the following hours: Mon – Fri
5:00 AM – 5:00 PM & Sunday 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Online assistance is available 24
hours every day at: 247pearsoned.custhelp.com
Calculator:
A scientific calculator is required for this course.
Graphing calculators will not be allowed on quizzes and exams.
Course Description:
MAT 154A is a continuation of MAT 152B and covers functions and inverses,
exponential and logarithmic functions, sequences and series, and conic sections,
quadratic equations, and systems of quadratic equations.
Prerequisite:
A grade of C or better in MAT 152B, or appropriate skills demonstrated through
the Math assessment process.
Student Learning Objectives:
1. Apply the course topics to real-world situations.
Course Grade:
Your final letter grade will be based on the usual grading scale:
A 90-100%, B 80-89%, C 70-79%, D 60-69%, F 0-59%
The following items will make up the course grade:
Homework:
15%
Quizzes:
20%
Exam1 (October 9)
Exam2 (October 30):
45%
Exam3 (November 20)
Final Exam (December 6):
20%
Homework:
Homework is to be completed online with MyMathLab.
Each section covered will have a homework assignment.
The homework assignments will be due at midnight the day before the next
exam. However, it is NOT
RECOMMENDED that you wait until that time to work on the homework.
The homework assignments are your chance to practice the material covered
in class. It is YOUR responsibility
to make sure you are getting the information from each section.
At the beginning of class, I will go over homework questions from the
previous day’s material. Other
questions will be addressed outside of class or in office hours.
If all homework assignments are completed with a score of 50% or more,
your lowest regular exam score will be dropped.
Quizzes:
Each week you will be required to take a quiz on MyMathLab.
The quizzes are designed to help you prepare for exams, and will be made
up of problems that are very similar to the problems from your homework
assignments. The quizzes may be
taken as often as you would like before the due date/time.
Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.
Because of this, there will be no make-up quizzes.
Exams:
Students are to bring a pencil and blank scratch paper to each exam.
If you cannot make it to an exam (final not included), you may take it up
to 2 school days prior to the scheduled date with proper arrangements.
Otherwise, the exam may be made up after the scheduled date with a
penalty of 10% per day. The final
exam may not be taken after the scheduled exam time.
Registration Information:
You may drop the class with no penalty or mark on your record on or before
October 12. After October 12, you
may drop the class and receive a grade of W until November 2. After November 2,
if still enrolled, you will receive a grade of A, B, C, D, F or I.
Learning Disabled Students:
Students with disabilities who may need accommodations for this class are
encouraged to notify me and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) early
in the quarter so that reasonable accommodations may be implemented as soon as
possible. Students may contact the DRC by visiting the Center (located in
room A205) or by phoning 541-4660, ext. 249 (voice) or 542-1870 (TTY for deaf
students). All information will remain confidential.
Academic Dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty of any form will not be tolerated.
Students caught cheating on exams will receive a score of zero on the
assignment and the dropping of lowest quiz score will be forfeit.
Students may work together on homework assignments (and, in fact, are
encouraged to) as long as all students understand the material covered.
Technology in the Classroom:
All cell phones, headphones, MP3 players, iPods, etc, must be turned off and put
away prior to the start of each class.
No electronic devices (other than calculators) may be used during quizzes
and exams.
How to Succeed in a Math Class:
I am often asked how to successfully pass a math class, and here is my advice:
I) Come to every class session. Be
prepared, and plan on participating.
II) Do your homework. Remember that
what I assign is what I consider a bare minimum.
If you need more practice, do it.
MyMathLab has dozens of extra problems for each section as well as sample
chapter exams.
III) Read the book. You paid good
money for it, so you might as well use it.
IV) Make use of available tutors and my office hours.
You will find tutors who know the subject matter in this course at the
Math Success Center (MSC).
V) Do math every day. Math is just
like everything else: if you don’t practice, you become rusty.
Course Schedule:
The following is a tentative schedule.
If things change (and I have money that says they will), I will let you
know.
September
18
4.4
Introductions, Systems of Linear Equations in 3 Variables
20
3.6, 8.2
Functions and Their Graphs
25
8.3
Transformations of Functions
27
11.3
Using Quadratic Methods to Solve Equations
October
2
11.4
Quadratic and Rational Inequalities
4
11.5, 11.6
Graphs of Quadratic Functions
9
Exam I
11
12.1
Function Algebra
16
12.2
Inverse Functions
18
12.3, 12.4
Exponential Functions
23
12.5
Logarithmic Functions
25
12.6, 12.7
Properties and Bases of Logarithms
30
Exam II
November
1
12.8
Exponential and Logarithmic Equations
6
13.1
Parabolas and Circles
8
13.2
Ellipses and Hyperbolas
13
13.3, 13.4
Systems of Nonlinear Equations and Nonlinear Inequalities
15
14.1,14.2
Sequences (including Arithmetic and Geometric)
20
Exam III
22
NO CLASS
Thanksgiving
27
14.3
Series
29
14.4
Arithmetic and Geometric Series
December
6
Final Exam
Note: The final is from 1:00 - 2:50 PM.
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