ALGEBRA FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

MAT 109-006

MWF 1:00 — 1:50 PM

FALL 2006

ST 247

 

 

INSTRUCTOR:    Shelley Cain                 OFFICE:  ST 354 PHONE:  572-6379

OFFICE HOURS:  MWF  12:00 PM – 1:00 PM   EMAIL:cains@nku.edu

WEB PAGE: www.nku.edu/~cains

 

PREREQUISITE: ACT 20, or MAH 099 with grade of C or better.

 

TEXT: Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus, Fifth Edition, by James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, and Saleem Watson.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Review of more advanced topics from Algebra II essential for success in MAT 112 and MAT 119. MAT 109 does not count towards general education requirements.

 

MATERIAL TO BE COVERED: Chapters 1 and 2,  and sections 9.1 and 9.2.

 

HOMEWORK/BOARDWORK:

Homework will be assigned and collected. Only a select few problems will be graded from each turn-in, so you should regularly check your answers with those in the back of the text for accuracy. You will also be asked to fully participate in group work on exercises on the board in which the entire class participates simultaneously (observation only does not constitute full participation and as such will not result in any points earned). The homework and boardwork are worth 100 points total (50 points each). The assigned homework should be considered the minimum amount of problems to be done. If you do not complete at least the assigned problems, it will be very difficult for you to do well in this course. The only way to succeed in this course is to do the homework on a regular basis.

 

On occasion, students will be selected to show their attempt at certain homework problems on the board for class discussion.

 

TUTORING:

Tutoring through the Math Center in FH201 is available.

I am also available during office hours and by occasional appointment to work with you.

I encourage you to meet with me, either during office hours or by appointment, as soon as possible after you encounter a difficulty with a homework problem. I tend to be generous with assistance in this regard---it is up to you to take advantage of this generosity.

 

EXAMS:

There will be three exams worth 100 points each, and a final exam.

The final exam will be comprehensive, worth 200 points, and is tentatively scheduled for 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 13, 2006. (Be sure to review the policy at the bottom of the next page regarding missed exams.)

 

 

GRADES:

Point Breakdown                                                                     Grading Scale

Exam 1                          100 points                                               540-600, A

Exam 2                          100 points                                           480 but <540, B

Exam 3                          100 points                                           420 but < 480, C

Homework/Boardwork 100 points                                          360 but < 420, D

Final Exam                     200 points                                             <360, F

                                                                                               

MID-TERM GRADES: Mid-term grades will be available online for students who have completed fewer than 30 semester hours. Mid-term grades are not part of a student’s permanent record. The mid-term grade will be replaced by the final class grade and thus can be altered by the quality of subsequent work.

 

ATTENDANCE: Attendance is expected, and will be taken.

 

WITHDRAWAL: The drop deadline is Monday, October 30, 2006. Withdrawal after the drop deadline is permitted only under the most extreme circumstances. Documentation will be required for any late withdrawals.

 

SUGGESTED STUDENT ACTIVITY SCHEDULE

 

Before class      Read text section(s) to be discussed.

                        Prepare questions about unclear passages.

                        Try some of the homework exercises.

                        Work with classmate(s) on homework.

During class     Discuss homework problems with classmates.

                        Take notes—at least what is put on the board.

                        Ask questions, if something is not clear.

                        Get involved. Be an active learner.

After class        Review notes—rewrite or fill in gaps.

                        Reconstruct class discussion of problems.

                        Work on homework exercises—some each day.

                        Write out descriptions of formulas in words.

                        Complete your daily homework in one-hour periods.

                        Discuss homework problems with classmates outside of class.

                        Use my office hours and/or email to get additional help.

 

ATTENDANCE ON EXAM DAYS IS MANDATORY.

 

NO MAKE-UP EXAMS WILL BE GIVEN.

 

IF A STUDENT MUST MISS AN EXAM BY REASON OF EXTREME,  DOCUMENTED CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WARRANT EXCUSE—AS DETERMINED BY THE INSTRUCTOR—THE STUDENT'S FINAL EXAM SCORE WILL ASSUME ITS WEIGHT. IN SUCH A CASE, THE INSTRUCTOR MUST BE NOTIFIED OF THE SITUATION ON OR BEFORE THE EXAM DATE.

 

THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ALTER THE SYLLABUS IF CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE.

 

The accompanying departmental syllabus is part of the syllabus for this course.