SYLLABUS
Course: MATH
111 College Algebra Term: Fall 2010 Meets: MTThF 9:20 – 10:30
Instructor: Craig
Kalicki Office: HH-284 E-mail:
craig.kalicki@briarcliff.edu Phone: 279-5541
Text: Stewart,
Redlin, Watson, Panman, College
Algebra Concepts & Contexts, 1st Edition, Brooks/Cole,
©2011 ISBN 978-0-495-38789-3
Prerequisites:
Students seeking a Briar Cliff degree must either have a
math ACT of at least 21 or have been advised to take this
course based on the results of the mathematics assessment test administered
prior to the fall term. This course is
not appropriate for students who have
had a course in calculus.
Goals
of course:
This course is a survey of topics in algebra intended for
students who plan to take courses in the natural sciences,
business, the social sciences, or higher level
mathematics. Students should expect to
1) gain an awareness of algebra as a body of
mathematical tools for solving problems in many disciplines.
2) develop skills important for success in other
courses that apply quantitative reasoning.
3) become competent in the use of technology as
a tool for solving problems.
4) achieve a level of quantitative literacy
appropriate for a liberally educated person.
5) reduce occurrences of anxiety or avoidance
often associated with doing mathematics.
For students majoring in the humanities, MATH 105
Mathematics for Liberal Arts Students is recommended as an
alternative to MATH 111.
MATH 111 is designated as a basic
quantitative literacy (QL) course.
Quantitative literacy is defined at Briar Cliff
as a collection of skills, knowledge, and
dispositions that enable a person to deal with quantitative issues and
problems that arise in academic study,
in the workplace, and in daily life.
After completing this course, students
will be able to do the following at a
basic level:
- read and understand
quantitative information.
- use mathematical methods to
solve problems in context.
- interpret and apply
mathematical models.
- compare alternative solutions
of quantitative problems.
- effectively communicate
conclusions of quantitative investigations.
- recognize limitations of
mathematical methods.
Expectations
of students:
1) Attend class on a
regular basis. Three or more unexcused
absences should be considered excessive.
Absences due to
participation in athletic events or other extracurricular activities sponsored
by the University
are considered to be excused.
2) Read and review
the text as needed, paying particular attention to terminology and
examples. You may want
to take some notes in class,
especially solutions of problems.
PowerPoint® presentations used in class will
be made available on BCU Online;
bringing handouts of the presentations to class is highly recommended.
3) Be prepared to ask
questions, participate in class discussions, and present solutions of assigned
problems.
Mathematics is
not a spectator sport; you need to be
continually involved in order to be successful.
4) Ask for help
whenever difficulties arise or you feel the need for advice or support. There is no such thing
as a “stupid question.” Due to time constraints, not all questions
can be answered in class. You are
encouraged to make use of your
instructor’s office hours. Special
review sessions can be scheduled.
5) Hand in reasonably
complete homework assignments on the dates due.
All assignments will be posted on
BCU Online. Solutions should generally include all work
that you do; methods of solution are more
important than
answers. No late work will be
accepted except in cases of serious illness or family emergency.
If you have not completed an
assignment, hand in what you have done on the date due. Working on
assignments with others in the
course is encouraged.
6) Show evidence of
achieving learning outcomes on exams.
Exams will be thorough and sufficient study time
should be
allocated. Missing an exam without prior
permission will result in a grade of zero for the exam.
There is no extra credit available to make up for poor exam grades.
Grading:
|
3 exams @ 20% |
60% |
|
A
= 100 - 92 |
C+ = 73 - 70 |
|
Final exam |
25% |
|
A-
= 91 - 88 |
C
= 69 - 64 |
|
Assignments |
15% |
|
B+ = 87 - 84 |
C-
= 63 - 60 |
|
|
|
|
B = 83 - 78 |
D+ = 59 - 56 |
|
Total |
100% |
|
B-
= 77 - 74 |
D = 55 - 50 |
Grading
rubric:
The grading rubric below will be used to assess written
work, including text assignments and exam questions.
|
Level |
Characteristics |
|
(4)
|
Solution is correct and clearly
stated. |
|
(3)
Good |
Solution is substantially correct. |
|
(2)
Adequate |
Solution is flawed but basically
correct. |
|
(1)
Minimal |
Solution is attempted but significant
errors occur. |
|
(0)
Unacceptable |
Solution is omitted or an answer is
given with no supporting evidence. |
Technology:
Students are expected to have a graphing calculator
available for use at all times, including during class and
exams. If this will
be your first experience with a graphing calculator, spend some time learning
to use it. The
recommended model for this course is the TI-84 Plus, but other models may
suffice. Deriveä 6 for Windows, a
user-friendly computer algebra system, is installed on the BCU network and will
be introduced in class. Some
assigned problems may involve computer solutions. Experimenting with the software at any time
is encouraged.
Learning
outcomes:
Expected student learning outcomes
specific to this course are listed below.
Assessment of the degrees to
which these outcomes have been
achieved will be done via written exams and homework assignments.
Students who have completed MATH
111 will be able to
1) demonstrate understanding of
the function concept.
2) analyze numerical and
graphical behavior of functions.
3) interpret properties of
functions in applied contexts.
4)
demonstrate understanding of net change and average rate of change.
5) solve problems involving
linear models.
6)
demonstrate understanding of exponential growth and decay.
7) construct and interpret
exponential models.
8)
interpret and apply logarithmic models.
9)
solve problems involving exponential models.
10)
analyze behavior of quadratic
functions.
11) solve problems involving quadratic models.
12)
analyze behavior of polynomial
and rational functions.
13)
solve problems involving linear
systems.
14)
apply matrix operations.
Course
outline:
Ch 1 Data, Functions,
and Models [7 classes]
One and two variable data / visualizing
relationships in data / functions / representing functions /
function notation / net change / domain and range /
graphs of functions / increasing and decreasing
functions /local minima and
maxima / modeling with functions / formulas in several variables.
Ch 2 Linear Functions
and Models [6 classes]
Average rate of change / linear functions / equations of lines / linear
models / direct variation / linear
regression and correlation /
intersection of lines.
Ch 3 Exponential
Functions and Models [4 classes]
Exponential growth and decay / exponential models / relative rates of
change / compound interest /
linear vs exponential growth.
Ch 4 Logarithmic
Functions and Exponential Models [5
classes]
Logarithms / logarithmic functions / algebraic properties of logarithms
/ natural exponentials and
logarithms / solving
exponential equations / modeling with exponential functions / composition of
functions / inverse functions.
Ch 5 Quadratic
Functions and Models [5 classes]
Squaring functions / transformations of graphs / quadratic functions /
quadratic models / solving
quadratic equations / locating
and interpreting the vertex.
Ch 6 Power, Polynomial,
and Rational Functions [3 classes]
Power functions / polynomial functions and models / finding zeros /
rational functions / asymptotes.
Ch 7 Systems of
Equations and Data in Categories [5
classes]
Systems of linear equations / modeling with linear systems / matrix
methods / categorical data /
matrix operations / inverse of
a matrix.
©2010 by
Craig Kalicki PhD
How to Succeed
in College Algebra
·
This
is a 4 credit college-level course. You
may need to spend significant time outside of class to understand
the material. Six to eight hours of
study per week is not unreasonable.
·
A
floater is a person who is determined to depend on previous knowledge and do as
little work as possible in
order to get through a course. Don’t be
a floater!
·
If
you get behind, it can be very difficult to catch up. Start doing homework assignments as soon as
possible
after the material has been covered in class.
·
Show
all work that you do on homework assignments.
Partial credit is usually generous.
Don’t worry about
minor arithmetic errors. Try not to look
at answers first and construct solutions to fit the answers; this
approach will not help prepare you for exams or for applications outside of
this course.
·
Check
out the examples in the text. Many of
the assigned problems are similar to the examples.
·
Some
problems are hard! Try working with
others in the class. Ask your instructor
for help. Don’t be afraid
to make mistakes. Sometimes it helps to
take a break and come back to a problem with a different mindset.
·
Learn
to use your calculator and software effectively. Check the calculator manual for help as
needed. Your
instructor can’t be familiar with every make and model, so it may help to
consult with others having the same
model of calculator.
·
Exams
will require some knowledge of terminology.
Make sure you know the meaning of important terms
used throughout the course. Check the
review sections at the end of each chapter.
·
Prepare
for exams. Begin by reviewing class
notes and homework exercises. Make sure
you understand the
relevant examples in the text. Studying
for several hours to prepare for an exam is not unreasonable. There
is no extra credit available to make
up for poor exam grades.
·
Show
all work that you do on exams. Partial
credit is generously available, but it’s hard to assign partial credit
if only an answer is given and the answer is wrong. The penalty for arithmetic
errors is minimal. Review
previous exams when preparing for the final.