MAT 104

Trigonometry

Spring 2011

 

Instructor: Bruce Armbrust,  ph: 541-4660 x314, email: bruce.armbrust@hotmail.com

 

Office Hours: Room A210,   Mon, Wed        1:00  – 1:30 PM

                                                Mon, Wed        3:30  – 4:00 PM

Tues                10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

MSC A201,      Fri                    11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

And as always, by appointment.

 

Class Time and Location: Mon. & Wed. 1:30 -3:20 PM, E106

 

Textbook: Precalculus, Michael Sullivan and Michael Sullivan III, 5th Edition

 

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 software license from the bookstore, which I believe comes bundled with the textbook.  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 online at coursecompass.com.  If you have already purchased an access code for Math 103A or Math 103B for this textbook, you may also use it for this class at no extra cost.

 

To access our class page, go to www.coursecompass.com and register using your student access code and the course ID for this class:  armbrust73671

 

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

Course Description: MAT 104 is the study of trigonometric functions, their graphs and properties, functions of multiple angles, trigonometric identities, radian measure, inverse trigonometric functions, solutions of triangles, polar coordinates, parametric equations, and complex numbers.

 

Prerequisite: Mat 103A with a grade of “C” or better or equivalent or appropriate skills demonstrated through the math assessment process.

 

Corequisite: Mat 103B or equivalent or appropriate skills demonstrated through the math assessment process.  Prior completion of Mat 103B with a grade of “C” or better also satisfies this corequisite.

 

Calculators: A graphing calculator is required for this class.  I will be demonstrating with the Texas Instruments-89.  I will do my best to assist with other models, but I promise nothing.

 


Student Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the term, students shall be able to

1. Provide and analyze graphs of trigonometric functions.
2. Apply trigonometric techniques to solve problems in real world contexts.
3. Derive and prove trigonometric properties and identities.
4. Produce solutions to equations using skills developed in trigonometry

 

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:                                 15%    

Exam1 (April 20)

Exam2 (May 11):                     45%    

Exam3 (June 8)

Final Exam (June 20):             25%

 

You may check your grades at any point in the quarter by accessing the grade book on Course Compass.

 

Homework: The majority of the 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.  The class will be given daily reminders regarding homework, so there will be no excuse for forgetting about them.  Some sections (7.3-7.6) will require homework to be turned in to me in the usual fashion.  The homework sets for these will be given at a later date.  If all homework assignments are submitted with a score of 50% or better, your lowest regular exam score will be dropped.

 

Quizzes: There will be six quizzes given over the quarter.  These quizzes will be designed to help prepare you for the exams, and quiz problems will be taken directly from the homework assignments. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.  Since your lowest score will be dropped, missed quizzes may not be made up.

 

Exams: All exams will be given in two sections: one portion will allow calculators while the other will not.  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 June 20th.

 

Registration Information: You must register for this class through the LTCC web page using WebReg.  You may drop the class with no penalty or mark on your record on or before April 29.  After April 29, you may drop the class and receive a grade of W until May 20.  After May 20, if still enrolled, you will receive a grade of A, B, C, D, F or I.

 

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.  Don’t make me be a homework enforcer.

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 MSC.

V) Do math every day.  Math is just like everything else: if you don’t practice, you become rusty.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty of any form will not be tolerated.  Students caught cheating on exams or quizzes will receive a score of zero on the assignment and all dropping of lowest exam or quiz scores 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.

 


Course Schedule:

The following is a tentative schedule.  If things change (and I have money that says they will), I will let you know.

 

April

4          6.1                               Angles and their Measurements

6          6.2                               The Trigonometric Functions

11        6.3                               Properties of the Trigonometric Functions

13        6.4, 6.5, Quiz I            Graphs of the Trigonometric Functions

18        6.6                               Phase Shifts and Curve Fitting

20        Exam I

25        7.1, 7.2                        The Inverse Trigonometric Functions

27        7.3, Quiz II                  Trigonometric Identities

 

May

2          7.4                               Sum and Difference Identities

4          7.5, 7.6, Quiz III          Double-Angle, Half-Angle, and other Identities

9          7.7                               Trigonometric Equations

11        Exam II                       

16        7.8                               More Trigonometric Equations

18        8.1, Quiz IV                 Solving Right Triangles

23        8.2                               Law of Sines

25        8.3, 8.4, Quiz V           Law of Cosines and Areas of Triangles

30        NO SCHOOL             Memorial Day

 

June

1          9.1, 9.2                        Polar Coordinates, Equations, and Graphs   

6          9.3                               Trigonometric Form of Complex Numbers

8          Exam III          

13        9.4, 9.5                        Vectors and the Dot Product

15        10.7, Quiz VI               Parametric Equations

20        Final Exam                 Note: The Final Exam is from 2:00 – 3:50 PM