course syllabus course syllabus - Fort Scott Community College

COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall 2010
COURSE TITLE:
COURSE NUMBER:
Intermediate Algebra
MAT1073
CREDIT HOURS: 3
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Elie Riachi
OFFICE LOCATION: Academic Building, A-153
OFFICE HOURS: As posted.
OFFICE PHONE: (620) 223-2700 x325
E-MAIL ADDRESS:
DRESS: elier@fortscott.edu
DISCUSSION BOARD:
BLACKBOARD ADDRESS:
PREREQUISITE(S):
NA
NA
C or above in Elementary Algebra or appropriate COMPASS score.
A. TEXTBOOK(S) AND REQUIRED TOOLS OR SUPPLIES
1. Hawkes Learning Systems Intermediate Algebra – ISBN: 0-918091-40-3
2. Required Hardware if installed on home computer:
400 MHz or faster processor
Windows 98SE or later
64 MB RAM (128 MB recommended)
150 MB hard drive space
256 color display (800 x 600, 16-bit color recommended)
Internet Explorer 6.0 or later
CD-ROM drive
3. Optional Textbook (see bookstore for details)
4. Scientific calculator (optional)
5. Supplies and/or Tools:
• Scientific calculator.
• Mechanical or regular pencil.
• Eraser.
• A paper notebook.
B. COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course covers both elementary and intermediate algebra topics and prepares the student for MAT1083 College
Algebra.
C. . METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: Lectures, chalkboard, digital media presentations, discussions, in class problem
solving, computer simulations and homework assignments.
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D. . COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The following standard outcomes are expected:
1. To help the student develop skills which will enable him or her to solve problems and communicate
effectively using the language and techniques of algebra.
2. To acquaint the student with some of the general concepts and principles of mathematics that will serve
as a basis for further studies in mathematics.
3. To help the student build confidence in his or her ability to solve problems in mathematics.
4. To encourage the student to develop and use a sound mathematical vocabulary.
E. COURSE TOPICS/UNITS
1. Straight Lines and Functions (Chapter 2)
A. Cartesian Coordinate System and Straight Lines
B. Slope-intercept Form
C. Point-Slope Form
D. Introduction to Functions
E. Graphing Linear Inequalities
2. Systems of Linear Equations (Chapter 3)
A. Systems of Linear Equations (Two Variables)
B. Applications
3. Polynomials (Chapter 4)
A. Addition and Subtraction of Polynomials
B. Multiplication of Polynomials
C. Division with Polynomials
D. Introduction to Factoring
E. Special Factoring Techniques
F. Polynomial Equations and Applications
4. Rational Expressions (Chapter 5)
A. Multiplication and Division of Rational Expressions
B. Addition and Subtraction of Rational Expressions
C. Complex Fractions
D. Equations and Inequalities with Rational Expressions
E. Applications
5. Roots, Radicals, and Complex Numbers (Chapter 6)
A. Roots and Radicals
B. Rational Exponents
C. Arithmetic with Radicals
D. Functions with Radicals
E. Introduction to Complex Numbers
F. Multiplication and Division with Complex Numbers
6. Quadratic Equations and Inequalities (Chapter 7)
A. The Quadratic Formula
F. COURSE COMPETENCIES
At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Solve applications. *
2. Solve linear inequalities and absolute value inequalities. *
3. Understand and apply properties of exponents. *
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4. Understand scientific notation.
9. Solve linear inequalities in one variable showing solution on a number line and in interval
notation. *
10. Solve linear absolute value equations and inequalities in one variable. *
11. Graph linear inequalities. *
12. Determine an equation of a line given two points, perpendicular to a given line, through a specific
point, parallel to a given line through a specific point. *
13. Distinguish between functions and non-functions using the vertical line test. *
14. Identify the domain and range of a function given its graph. *
15. Solve systems of linear equations in two variables. *
16. Develop and solve mathematical models including variation, mixture, motion, work and
geometrical applications. *
17. Factor quadratic, quadratic forms, special forms and grouping. *
18. Solve literal equations including those that require factoring. *
19. Solve equations by factoring and quadratic formula. *
20. Perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division on rational expressions. *
21. Simplify complex fractions. *
22. Solve equations containing rational expressions. *
23. Apply the laws of exponents to simplify expressions containing rational exponents. *
24. Apply the laws of radicals to perform addition, subtraction, and multiplication. *
25. Rationalize denominators containing radicals. *
26. Simplify radicals containing negative radicands. *
27. Perform operations with complex numbers. *
28. Evaluate functions using function notation. *
29. Solve quadratic equation using the quadratic formula.
* Designates core outcomes and competencies for Intermediate Algebra from the Kansas Core
Outcome Project (2001, 2004, 2005).
G. GRADING PLAN:
• Grading will be based on percentage system. All components within a category will have the same weight.
A Student’s grade will have the following categories and weight of each category:
o Five unit tests and a comprehensive final test. These are in class pencil and paper tests. 75%
o Homework assignments/in-class homework-based quizzes/in-class lecture-based quizzes 25%
• The lowest test score shall be dropped.
• A final percentage grade for the course is computed by adding the products of averages of earned
percentages from each assessment category and its weight. The earned letter grade for the course will be
the letter which corresponds to the range which the computed percentage belongs to according to the
following scale: A: 100% - 90%; B: 89% - 80%; C: 79% - 69%; D: 68% - 50%; F: below 50%.
• In order to receive full credit for tests/assignments, the test/assignment must be completed by the date
designated by the instructor.
• The students may check on their progress in the course by personally meeting with the instructor after class
and during office hours.
• High test scores may increase the weight of the tests category and result in a higher letter grade for the
course. The student is advised to do well on all tests to improve his or her grade in the course.
• A student could earn up to two percentage points, as bonus which is added to final grade for participation.
These points will be tracked based on having perfect attendance and good classroom conduct. If you are not
in class, then you are missing the opportunity to participate.
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• Assignments must be turned in on time. Grade for late assignments will be reduced by a graduated
penalty a maximum of twenty percentage points as setup in the Hawkes’ Learning System grade book.
• All paperwork (test, quiz, scratch paper and index card) used during a test or a quiz must be turned into the
instructor at the end of the test or quiz and becomes the property of the instructor.
Homework:
The student will do the homework assignment on the computer. The student will only need to score 80% on the
assignment and will receive 100%. The student will have the chance to redo problems similar to the ones missed
so that the student can complete the assignment. The assignment maybe repeated as many times as you wish
within the given time frame of the course (with penalty applied to late work as set by instructor). The student must
have a computer. The student must also have access to the Internet to submit the certification. The student is able
to do the assignment on the computer regardless whether or not the computer is connected to the Internet and save
the certification to a flash drive and then transfer to computer with an Internet connection to submit the certificates
for a grade.
The student’s grade will be reduced 5% for each day the assignment is submitted late. The late penalty shall not
exceed 20% no matter how late the assignment is. Assignments will not be accepted past the course end date as set
by the instructor.
In-class lecture-based quizzes:
Pay attention during the lecture. There may be short quizzes given at any time during the lecture. These quizzes
will be based on the contents covered in the lecture for that day. The student’s own notes and homework problems
may be used as an aid during these quizzes.
MAKE-UP:
The instructor may consider giving a student a make-up for no more than one test or one quiz, during this
course, provided that:
o The student talked to the instructor about missing the quiz or test at least 30 minutes prior to the
scheduled time of the assessment for which the make-up is being requested (or as soon as possible
in the case of extenuating circumstances such as a car wreck. If you have a cell phone this would
be an appropriate time to use it!) And;
o An emergency or an extenuating circumstance prevents the student from taking the test or quiz as
scheduled. And;
o The student provides the instructor with a valid proof of the emergency/ extenuating circumstance
which prevented the student from taking the test/quiz as scheduled.
• The make-up shall assess the student over the same range of contents as the original assessment but not
necessarily the same questions/problems.
• No outside material shall be used on a make-up other than the student’s calculator, writing and erasing
implements and material provided by the instructor (INDEX CARDS MAY NOT BE ALLOWED ON
MAKE UPS, CHECK WITH THE INSTRUCTOR IN ADVANCE).
• It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor to make an appointment to take the make-up. The
make-up must be taken within two days from the missed day.
• In the case of a prolonged illness with a doctor’s note or a student athlete excused by the Dean of
Students, the student must take the make-up as soon as possible.
• All make-ups must be taken during the instructor’s office hours and will be proctored by the instructor.
• If the student fails to take the make-up as arranged, a zero will be awarded for the original assessment and
no other make-up shall be given.
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The final test must be taken as scheduled and cannot be made up.
H. ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance is required and will be recorded. Statistics show that students, who miss
class frequently, are also likely to fail the course. A student will be counted absent for each time the student is not
present for the whole class period. A whole class period begins with roll call and ends when the instructor
dismisses the whole class.
Being late:
By being late the student misses important information which may also impede the student’s learning of
consequent contents of the subject matter. It is also a distraction for the whole class and impacts it negatively. The
instructor shall not waste class time to catch up late students on what they missed. A student missing role call will
be counted absent.
(Exceptions may be allowed for officially documented extenuating circumstances as deemed applicable by the
instructor.)
If the student wishes to withdraw from the course, it is recommended that the student discusses his or her
options with the instructor before the last day to withdraw from the course (traditionally, this day has been
the last weekday before the first day of finals.) It is the student’s responsibility to contact the counseling
office weeks before the end of the semester to find out the date of the last day to withdraw from the course.
I. COURSE COMPONENT SPECIFICS:
Student Getting Started Directions
Purchase the software required by your instructor. Please note that once you open the package, the materials are NOT
refundable.
TO INSTALL THE SOFTWARE AT HOME:
1. Place CD #1 in the CD-ROM drive. (CD#1 is the only CD needed for the installation.)
2. The installation will begin automatically. Follow the on-screen instructions.
3. You will be prompted for a Course ID.
-If you have internet access, select “Yes, the HLS Course ID is:” and enter FortScottIMA
-If you do not have internet access, select “No, I will not be accessing an online grade book from this computer”.
TO GET YOUR ACCESS CODE:
1. Go to www.hawkeslearning.com and click on “get your access code” or click on the “I need an access code..." link from the
software.
2. Fill out the form (including your 15-digit license number on the yellow sticker on the CD sleeve). Click on the submit button and
your personalized Access Code will appear on the screen. You will also receive an e-mail with the Access Code as an
attachment called “access.cod” which you should save to a floppy disk or another device.
TO ENTER THE SOFTWARE AND SAVE YOUR ACCESS CODE:
1. Double-click on the purple diamond icon on the Desktop (or go to Start, Programs, Hawkes Learning Systems).
2. Enter your Access Code when prompted. You may type it, paste it, or load it from disk (if you saved it) by clicking the “F1-Load
From Disk” option and browsing to the path where you saved it. If you type or paste your Access Code, you will be prompted to
save it. We recommend you save your Access Code to a floppy disk or another option to avoid typing it each time you enter the
software.
TO ENROLL IN YOUR INSTRUCTOR’S GRADE BOOK:
1. If you have internet access and have entered your HLS Course ID (which is FortScottIMA), you will be asked to enroll in your
instructor’s grade book. Choose your instructor’s name and the correct section.
2. If you do not have internet access, you will need to enroll in your instructor’s grade book by going to any computer that has an
internet connection and go to www.hawkeslearning.com/FortScottIMA. After entering your Access Code, you will be
prompted to choose our instructor’s name and the correct section.
TO CERTIFY (DO YOUR ASSIGNMENT IN THE SOFTWARE):
1. The Certify option is where you will complete your assignment.
2. After certifying, you will be given a certification code (this verifies that you completed your assignment). It is recommended that
you print and/or save your certification code.
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3. a. If you have internet access, you should receive a message that says your certificate has been submitted in your instructor’s
gradebook. You are now done with that assignment! If you do not receive this message, follow the directions under “b.”.
b. If you do not have internet access, you will need to manually submit your certification code on the internet to get credit for
your assignment in your instructor’s gradebook. To do this,
- go to www.hawkeslearning.com/fortscottima and log in using your Access Code
- click the Register Certificate(s) link
- select the Lesson Name from the drop down list. Load from disk or type in your certification code and click OK. Your
certification code is now submitted!
- you need to perform these steps after you Certify to get credit for each of your assignments
* Be sure you register your Certification Code ON or BEFORE the due date to get credit for the assignment.
Student Directions for taking a Practice WebTest:
1. Log into the Hawkes Learning Systems courseware using your access code.
2. Click the button titled WebTest found on the bottom right-hand corner of the Table of Contents screen.
3. Click on the Take Test button on the left hand side of the screen
4. Select the Practice Test option and click OK.
5. Choose the number of questions and click on No Time Limit.
6. Choose the sections covered for the appropriate test by holding down the CTRL key.
7. Take the test.
8. When finished with the test, click End Test to submit your test results.
9. You will be notified of your score immediately.
10. Review your test (you can click on MISSED PROBLEMS ONLY at the bottom).
11. Click on Data button on the left to see which sections you need more practice.
12. When taking a practice test, you may only review the test immediately after taking it.
13. Repeat as many times as you wish.
• Assignments due dates are accessed by clicking the progress report button in the Hawke’s computer
program.
• Unit tests will be announced at least one week in advance.
J. . SERVICE LEARNING: NA
K. . CLASSROOM RULES OF CONDUCT:
• When the Instructor is talking, you are not.
• Raise your hand for your turn to talk.
• Be polite and be a friend.
• Be safe.
Each student in this classroom shall exhibit mutual respect towards others in this classroom.
Take care of your business before coming to class. If a student leaves the classroom when class is in session, that
student is not to reenter the classroom until the class period has ended and the student will be counted absent for
that class period. (Exceptions may be made in the cases of documented medical emergencies or conditions. But
such exceptions must be approved by the instructor in advance before the class and during the instructor’s office
hours.)
Cell phones must be TURNED OFF before entering the classroom. Cell phones must be stowed away and out of
sight when in the classroom. The use of cell phones in class is not allowed, and is considered rude and disruptive.
You will absolutely NOT be allowed to use the cell phone as a calculator under any circumstances in the
classroom; BRING a REGULAR CALCULATOR to class.
Misconduct includes but not limited to: operation of a cell phone, chatting in class and cross talk without the
instructor’s permission, foul language, singing, whistling, misuse of laboratory tools and equipment, horseplay and
other behaviors and actions which are unrelated to course contents or are intended to disrupt class. No eating,
drinking or tobacco use shall be permitted in the classroom. The consequences for misconduct, as deemed by
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the instructor, will vary from a verbal or written warning to the complete expulsion of the culprit student
from the course with a grade of W or an F, regardless of what the student’s grade might have been up to the
expulsion time.
When a student is dismissed from class as a result of the student’s involvement in misconduct, then the student
shall be counted absent for that class period.
L. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: The students and the instructor shall adhere to the highest moral and ethical academic
standards. Honesty and integrity are at the core values of any educational establishment; deviation from such
values destroys the foundation of such an institution.
Dishonesty will not be tolerated. PDAs, MP3 players and cell phones must be stored out of view and must not be
accessed at all times during a test. Use of any material other than that allowed by the instructor on a test will be
considered an attempt to cheat. Do not talk to anyone other than the instructor during a test or a quiz even if you
were done. Do not pass any kind of objects to another student during the test even if you were done. Do not talk
out loud or whisper during the test even if you were done. If you need help raise your hand and the instructor will
come to you. Failing to comply with the above will constitute cheating or attempting to cheat.
Copying the reports of others and their assignments and turning them in as your own for credit is also considered
cheating.
Any student found cheating, attempting to cheat or assisting in cheating will receive an F for the course.
M. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. Evacuation procedures (TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLASS)
2. Location of first aid kit (TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLASS)
3. Campus security: location, phone, hours (TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLASS)
4. Universal Precaution Kit (LOCATION – TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLASS)
N. . MISCELLANEOUS:
The instructor will hold class as scheduled to present the contents of the course to the student in an instructional
and professional manner. It is the student’s responsibility to learn the material being presented in this course by:
• Attending class regularly and on time;
• Paying attention to the lecture and asking the instructor questions during class and during instructor’s posted
office hours to clarify the concepts which the student might be having difficulties understanding;
• Spending adequate time learning the material presented to you by reading the reference material required for
this course and doing your homework and submitting it by the due date (it is recommended that the student
spends 2 hours per week, on average, studying and doing homework for each 1 hour of class time.)
Behave in a professional manner and make use of your college years to acquire knowledge and culture to help you
achieve your career goals in life after college. Make your stay pleasant and respect others as you would expect
them to respect you. Study hard and be proud of your achievements.
Be a friend and be safe.
Special notes: This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. The material included is meant
to provide an outline of the course and rules that the instructor will adhere to in evaluating the student. However,
this syllabus is not intended to be a binding legal contract.
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SIGN THIS PAGE, DETACH FROM SYLLABUS, AND RETURN TO INSTRUCTOR.
COURSE TITLE: Intermediate Algebra
COURSE NUMBER: MAT1073
CREDIT HOURS: 3
INSTRUCTOR:
R: Mr. Elie Riachi
OFFICE LOCATION: Academic Building, A-153
OFFICE HOURS: As posted.
OFFICE PHONE: (620) 223-2700 x325
E-MAIL ADDRESS: elier@fortscott.edu
P. . AFFIDAVIT
My signature below indicates that I have read and understand this syllabus and have been given a
copy of my own to keep.
Print Name: _____________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Student Signature
____________________
Date
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