Math 1030, College Algebra - UMSL : Mathematics and Computer ...

MATH 1030, COLLEGE ALGEBRA
SYLLABUS Section 1 (Class number 11727)
COURSE TITLE: College Algebra
CREDIT: 3 credit hours
SEMESTER: Fall 2012
TEXT:
College Algebra and Trigonometry by Blitzer, 4th edition.
SOFTWARE: MyMathLab.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This is a course in Algebra. The course is computer-assisted,
which means students will use the computer (along with the instructor) to complete the course.
Topics include linear, quadratic, and rational equations and inequalities, the algebra of functions
(including polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions), the graphs of some of
these functions, and systems of equations.
INSTRUCTOR:
Shahla Peterman
Office: 353 ESH
Phone: 314-516-5826
E-mail: petermans@umsl.edu
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. 353 ESH
Tuesday 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. 353 ESH
Thursday 11a.m. – 12:15 p.m. MTLC
Friday 7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. MTLC
PREREQUISITES: You must have a score of 22 or higher on the ACT Math sub-test; or a
grade of C or better in a two or four year college intermediate algebra course; or a score of 22 or
higher on the UMSL Math Placement Test, obtained in the six months prior to enrollment in this
course. If a record of your prerequisites is not in the UMSL computer system, you will be asked
to provide verification by the end of the first week of classes; otherwise you will be
administratively dropped from course.
E-MAIL REQUIREMENT:
All correspondence will be made through the e-mail address that you register with in
CourseCompass or your student e-mail. Make sure to check your e-mail frequently. If you use your
UMSL email address please be aware that your mailbox is limited in size. If your mailbox is full
you will not receive the instructor’s e-mails containing important course information. Please check
your mailbox capacity and empty it when it is full.

CourseCompass (http://www.coursecompass.com): This is a computer-assisted course. Students
will use the computer to do homework, get help, and prepare for the tests. The first day of class you
will register using the access code that accompanies your textbook and the Math1030 section 01
Course ID peterman18926. You must register using the same name that is listed on gateway and
please do not reverse your first and last name. Please use an e-mail address that you check
frequently as most communication from the instructor will be via e-mail.
Weekly reading assignments, Pencast of weekly lectures, extra practice problems and solutions,
solutions to quizzes and tests, and a copy of the syllabus are among the material that will be posted
in the Course Documents folder on this site. To ensure that you have the correct copies, please
print or view your assignments from the machines on campus. You should save the document to
the computer before printing.
HELP:
(1) CourseCompass
(2) Online lectures
(3) MTLC -- You can do your homework and get help from the TA’s and other instructors
during the following times: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays
(4) Your instructor’s regular campus office hours (listed above).
(5) Email your instructor with any questions. This can be done using the “Ask your Instructor”
button on CourseCompass or sending a message to petermans@umsl.edu.edu
(6) Free tutoring is available in the Math Lab in 222 SSB in the daytime, evenings and
weekends. Visit (http://www.cs.umsl.edu/lab/mathlab.html) for more details
(7) Online tutoring in many subjects is now available through NetTutor. In your courses on
MyGateway, click on Tools and select NetTutor® to log in
STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE
ATTENDANCE: This class meets three times a week. Attendance will be recorded daily.
Announcements of any changes in the syllabus, test dates, or assignments will be made in class.
The lectures and labs are mandatory for everyone prior to the first exam. The last two lectures
for the semester are also mandatory even if you meet the below conditions. Two points per
missing lecture and/or lab will be taken off your next quiz grade unless you are excused or you
meet all of the following conditions:
• You have an 80% or better in your last quiz
• You have an 80% or better in your quiz average
• You have an 80% or better in your last exam
• You have an 80% or better in your exam average.
• You have an 80% or better course average
• You have an 80% or better quiz average
• You have an 80% or better homework average
You are encouraged not to miss a lecture even if you qualify to miss. Some of the problems are
done in easier methods than CourseCompass. Coming to a class meeting late or leaving early
without a proper and prior excuse will be counted as not attending that meeting at all. Once you are
in the classroom, please turn off all your pagers or cell phones. Working on your laptop is not
allowed during the lectures. Use of Cell phones is forbidden during the labs and lectures.

HOMEWORK: Working homework problems is the best preparation for quizzes and tests. You
will use CourseCompass to do your homework. The problems are similar to the problems
presented during lecture. Each problem can be completed as many times as needed. Simply
click on the “Similar Exercise” button and redo the problem until you have a perfect score. You
may practice the problems as many times as you need to in order to master the knowledge and
skills to do well on the tests and quizzes. The score from the last attempt is kept as the grade for
that section. Use the GRADEBOOK if you want to review a problem once you have completed
it. The immediate feedback and guided solutions are great help. You can ask questions from your
instructor, teaching assistants, or other students. It is recommended that you print the
completed homework so that you can refer to them in class and use them to study for the quizzes
and exams. The homework grade will be calculated by taking the average of all the homework
assignments. You are expected to spend at least two hours outside of class for each hour of class
time. Late homework is not allowed.
• The homework should be done gradually and not on the due date.
• Make sure to redo the problems on your own once after getting help. Some students
complain that they can do the homework but fail the quizzes. In the majority of those cases,
the grade on the test and quizzes will drastically increase if you redo a problem after getting
help.
• You need to have a notebook with the homework problems you are doing prior to keying
your answer in the computer. This will help you with preparations for quiz and test reviews.
At the time of each hourly exam, the notebook is checked and 20% is subtracted from
your final homework grade if you don’t maintain this notebook. You can print the
homework assignment and show your work in the provided space. You may keep these notes
in a binder instead of a showing your work in a notebook.
• In case you have done the problem correctly but the computer counted it wrong, click on the
“Ask My Instructor” button. Write down that you have the problem correct in the body of
the message. Your grade will be changed if it is verified that you have the correct answer and
only after the due date for the homework assignment. You can also print the message
showing your answer and the correct answer and show it to your instructor.
EXTRA PRACTICE: Extra practice problems and their solutions are posted weekly and also
before each test. These worksheets are a summary of the material that you will learn are a very
good review prior to taking the quizzes and tests. Completing the worksheets is optional.
QUIZZES: There is a quiz over the material from the homework assignment each week. There
are 15 quizzes including the syllabus quiz. No make-up is given for the quizzes and your lowest
grade for the semester will be dropped. The quizzes are all online and with the exception of
the three take home quizzes have to be taken in the lab at a designated time. You have to show
your work for the quizzes. Paper will be provided for the online quizzes. Problems without
supportive work will be counted wrong and your online grade will be readjusted Solutions for the
quizzes will be posted and the quiz (if online) will be available for you to review by the
Wednesday morning following the quiz. Papers for the quizzes will be handed showing your
readjusted grade (in case supportive work is not shown) out in class during the Thursday labs.
You are expected to print the solutions, print the online quiz, and add your work from the quiz.

TEST REVIEWS: Before each test you must complete the Test Review assignment on
CourseCompass. Your grade for this review will count as a homework grade and you MUST
have it completed with a grade of 70% or better PRIOR to the scheduled test time. PLEASE
NOTE that the CourseCompass system will NOT allow you access to the test until this
prerequisite is met and you will NOT be allowed to take the test at a different time. The test
review is posted one week prior to the test. NOTE: The review is a long assignment and you
should start working on it as soon as possible.
TESTS: Four tests will be given during the dates noted on the calendar. The tests are very
similar to the homework, worksheets, and quizzes. The test dates on the syllabus are
approximate and subject to change. You have to show your work for the exams whether they
are on paper or online. Paper will be provided for the online exams. Problems without supportive
work will be counted wrong and your online grade will be readjusted Solutions for the tests will
be posted and the test (if online) will be available for you to review by the Wednesday morning
following the test. Papers for the quizzes will be handed showing your readjusted grade (in case
supportive work is not shown) out in class during the Thursday labs. You are expected to print
the solutions, print the online test, and add your work from the test.
A make-up test may be given only in a case of verifiable emergency and only if you contact your
instructor prior to the test; proper documentation is required (for example, illness requires a
doctor’s note). The test should be made up immediately after returning to school. Students who
play sports for UMSL and have to miss a quiz /test due to a scheduled game need to talk to their
instructor and plan the time to make up the missed work prior to their scheduled game. Any makeup
test will be longer and more difficult than the test given in class. The makeup exam often will
not be the same format as the regular test.
NO CALCULATORS ALLOWED FOR QUIZZES AND EXAMS!!
The reason for this is that we have found that the use of such devices tends to exacerbate student
weaknesses, particularly regarding basic skills. For that reason, you might consider not using one on
your homework unless it’s an absolute must.
FINAL EXAM: The mandatory FINAL EXAM will be comprehensive and worth 200 points. .
The final exam will be given on Wednesday, December 12, 12:15 – 3:15pm. The final exam is
not online and will be graded manually. The final exam is not multiple- choice format. Your
course grade can’t be more than one letter grade higher than your final exam grade, i.e. the best
grade you can get will be a D if you fail the final exam. There will be practice exam questions
provided prior to the final exam.
You need to follow the proper procedure for dropping the course. A grade of F will be assigned to
a student whose name is still on the final class roster and has not dropped the course officially.
This grade will not be changed retroactively. Delayed grades can be given only for a situation
where a student has completed all the work, with a grade of C- or above, and has to miss the final
exam because of an emergency. Delayed grades have to be approved by the Department of
Mathematics and Computer Science.

COURSE GRADE:
Your course grade will be based on:
Homework
Quizzes
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
Test 4
Final Exam
Total
100 Points
100 Points
100 points
100 Points
100 Points
100 Points
200 Points
800 Points
The grade scale is as follows:
720 – 800 A A or A-
640 – 719 B B+, B, or B-
560 –639 C C+, C, C-
480 – 559 D
Below 480 F
ALL PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES MUST BE TURNED OFF IN THE
CLASSROOM !!!
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
When one takes credit for another’s work or uses unauthorized devices (such as calculators) in
the course, when they are expressly forbidden, it is cheating. This may occur during in class
exams/quizzes or take-home exams/quizzes in this course. The code of student conduct is in the
UM-St. Louis Student Handbook.
According to the University’s Collected Rules and Regulations (Chapter 200: Student Conduct),
the term Cheating includes but is not limited to: (i) use of any unauthorized assistance in taking
quizzes, tests, or examinations; (ii) dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized
by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other
assignments; (iii) acquisition or possession without permission of tests or other academic
material belonging to a member of the University faculty or staff; or (iv) knowingly providing
any unauthorized assistance to another student on quizzes, tests, or examinations. When cheating
is determined, a zero grade will be given on the specific exam/quiz and the student(s) who is/are
involved in the cheating will be reported to the Department of Mathematics and the Office of the
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
Having a formula sheet, a calculator, a cell phone during the test is cheating. Fake notes
from the hospital and doctors and unverifiable excuses count as academic dishonesty.

Course Calendar
The following calendar includes the sections covered in the weekly lectures, weekly quizzes, and
the schedule tests. The due dates for the worksheets and the review sheets along with the date of
the quizzes and tests are shown. You will be informed of any changes to this calendar during the
lecture and the labs. The official due date for the homework and the take home quizzes are at 5
p.m. of the indicated dates. The homework and take home quizzes will remain open until 11:58
but we don’t take responsibility for any computer related problems. Test Reviews must be
completed before your class time on the scheduled test day.
Tuesday Thursday Friday
August 21 23 24
Lecture 1
Section: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
Quiz 1
Sections 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
28 30 31
Lecture 2
Sections: 1.4, 1.5, 1.6
Quiz 2
Sections 1.4, 1.5, 1.6
Syllabus Quiz Due
September 4 6 7
Lecture 3
Sections: 1.7, 2.1, 2.2
Quiz 3
Sections 1.7, 2.1, 2.2
11 13 14
Lecture 4:
Sections 2.3, 2.4
Review for test 1 due
Test 1 Chapter 1, 2.1, 2.2
Review for Test 1.
18 20 21
Lecture 5
Section: 2.5, 2.6, 2.8
Work for Quiz 4 Due Quiz 5
Sections 2.5, 2.6, 2.8
Quiz 4 Due
Sections 2.3 and 2.4
25 27 28
Lecture 6
Sections: 3.1, 3.2
Quiz 6
Sections 3.1, 3.2
October 2 4 5
Lecture 7
Sections: 3.3, 3.4
Quiz 7
Sections 3.3, 3.4

9 11 12
Lecture 8
Section 3.5, 3.6
Review for Test 2.
Review for test 2 due
Test 2 Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6,
2.8, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4,
16 18 19
Lecture 9
Sections 3.7, 4.1, 4.2
Quiz 8 Due Section 3.5, 3.6
23 25
Lecture 10
Sections: 4.3, 4.4
30 1
Lecture 11
Section 8.1
Review for Test 3
Work for Quiz 8 Due Quiz 9
November 6 8 9
Lecture 12
Sections 8.2, 8.4
Quiz 11 Due Section 8. 1
Sections 3.7, 4.1, 4.2
26
Quiz 10
Sections 4.3, 4.4
2
Work for Quiz 11 Due Quiz 12
13 15 16
Review for test 3 due
Test 3 Sections 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1,
4.2, 4.3, 4.4
Section 8.2, 8.4
Lecture 13
Sections: 9.1, 9.2, 9.5
November 17-25 Fall Break
Quiz 13
Section 9.1, 9.2, 9.5
December
27 29 30
Lecture 14
Sections: 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5
Quiz 14
Sections 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5
4 6 7
Review for Test 4
Review for test 4 due
Test 4 Chapters 8, 9, and 11
FINAL Exam Wednesday Dec 12 th 12:15 p.m. -3:15p.m.
Location will be announced during the last week of classes.

SCHEDULE
AT THE START OF THE SEMESTER
Purchasing Your Textbook and Software: You can purchase the textbook and student access
code, bundled together, from the campus bookstore. You also have the choice of purchasing the
access code by itself, from the bookstore or directly from the publisher
(www.coursecompass.com), as the book is available online with the purchase of an access code.
However, you are encouraged to buy the textbook as using the online text can be tedious and
time consuming. Our book is custom made for UMSL and is a lot less expensive than
purchasing a used text on the internet. If you have already purchased the book elsewhere, you
will still need to purchase an access code, either from the bookstore or directly from the publisher
(www.coursecompass.com). Please note that used access codes do NOT work. However, if you
are retaking the course after having taken it at UMSL, using the SAME edition of the book, you
do not need to buy a new access code.
Registering on CourseCompass: Please register at www.coursecompass.com as soon as
possible. In addition to entering the student access code (described above) you will need to enter
your instructor’s course ID, found in the syllabus.
Register using YOUR NAME, as it appears in MyGateway. Provide an email address that you
check often, as much of the correspondence for this course will be done via email. The zip code
for UMSL is 63121.
Syllabus Quiz and three other not –proctored quizzes: Once you are registered on
CourseCompass, you will be able to the take Syllabus Quiz on your own . After reading the
syllabus carefully, log into CourseCompass and click on this course. Then click the Quizzes and
Tests tab on the left. Select Syllabus Quiz.
In addition to the Syllabus Quiz, quizzes 4, 8 and 11 will also be taken on your own. Each one of
these quizzes will open after the test and will remain open until the following Tuesday at 5 p.m.
We advise you to take these not - proctored quizzes using the campus computer.
The software TestGen that is used for the quizzes is different from the one that
the students use to complete homework on CourseCompass. TestGen does not
work on some personal computers.
You will need to install the TestGen Plug-In and may need to change the settings on your
computer if you decide to take the quiz from your personal computer. you will need to check to
ensure that your home computer meets the technology requirement:
Go to http://www.mymathlab.com/system.html and select Blitzer: Algebra & Trigonometry, 4e
from the dropdown menu. You will need to install the TestGen Plug-In and may need to change
the settings on your computer. Remember that you have to use the campus computers in a timely
manner since TestGen does not work on some personal computers.

TUESDAY LECTURES
• Bring a copy of the lecture outline and your questions with you to class.
• Attendance is taken at the start, the end, or at both times during the lecture. You are expected
to be ON TIME and remain for the entire lecture. For the penalties regarding missed lectures,
refer to the syllabus.
• Please turn your cell phone OFF during class. Laptops are NOT allowed during lectures.
THURSDAY LABS
Each lab is 75 minutes long. You are expected to be ON TIME and remain for the entire lab
period unless you have already successfully completed the homework for the week. Attendance
will be taken at the start, the end, or both times during the labs. For penalties regarding missing
labs refer to the syllabus.
FRIDAY LABS
• On every Friday you will have either a quiz or a test, as shown on the course calendar.
• By Friday’s lab, you should have ALL of your homework completed. The homework is the
best preparation for quizzes, and attempting the quiz without having completed the
homework is NOT recommended. However, the homework does stay open until 11:59pm
Friday so that you can make minor improvement to your homework grade, if necessary.
Again, the homework is due prior to taking the quiz on Friday, and therefore, extensions will
NOT be given if you encounter technical difficulties after Friday’s lab. In other words, if you
are working on homework Friday evening and CourseCompass and you are unable to finish
the assignment before 11:59 p.m., you will NOT be given extra time to finish.
• The lecture outlines and review problems for the upcoming week are posted on
CourseCompass on Friday. Please print the lecture outline and begin working on the
homework as soon as possible.
• RULES FOR IN-CLASS QUIZZES AND TESTS:
o NO calculators are allowed!
o Do NOT hit the backspace key while you are working on CourseCompass.
o When you are done, raise your hand to have an instructor or TA present when you
submit.
o You must SHOW ALL OF YOUR WORK when taking quizzes and tests. If a specific
method is asked for, you must use that method to solve the problem. POINTS WILL
BE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR SCORE if you do not show the appropriate work
for a problem, even if your answer is correct. ALL answers require sufficient
supportive work.

WEEKENDS
• Read the assigned sections for the following week in the textbook and write down any
questions you may have. Then attempt the problems on the lecture outline by referring to the
similar problems in the textbook. This will prepare you for a productive lecture.
• Start the homework for the upcoming week. Use the “Help Me Solve This” button if you
have difficulty with a problem. You can also view the corresponding pencast lecture and
then attempt the homework. Late homework is not allowed so you must budget your time
wisely. Do not wait until the last minute to start the homework!
TO TAKE AN ONLINE TEST OR A PROCTORED ONLINE QUIZ
1. Take the appropriate papers from the exam monitor (your teacher or a TA).
2. Login to the computer and then go to CourseCompass. Click on “take a test” and enter a
password and then you can start.
3. Do not hit the backspace key while you are working on CourseCompass.
4. Raise your hand for a test monitor to be present when you submit your test.
5. Turn in your paper to the test monitor.
SOME GENERAL RULES FOR TESTS AND QUIZZES
NO CALCULATORS ALLOWED FOR EXAMS AND ALL THE PROCTORED QUIZZES!!
The reason for this is that we have found that the use of such devices tends to exacerbate student
weaknesses, particularly regarding basic skills. For that reason, you might consider not using one on
your homework unless it’s an absolute must. You may use a calculator for take-home quizzes.
However, we encourage you not to do so, as these quiz problems may also appear on exams. Since
calculators cannot be used on exams you will need to be able to complete all quiz problems without
a calculator.
YOU HAVE TO SHOW YOUR WORK FOR THE EXAMS AND ALL THE QUIZZES!!
Paper will be provided prior to taking the quizzes and tests and should be turned in when you are
done.
You have to show your work in a readable and logical manner. Points will be taken away for
problems with correct answers but no supportive work. This rule also applies to the three quizzes
that are not proctored.
Do not hit the backspace button during online QUIZZES or EXAMS!!
Hitting the backspace button during the online tests and quizzes will end your work without saving
anything. We have to rely on your written work for a grade.

FEEDBACK FROM THE QUIZZES AND EXAMS!!
The best feedback is going over the problems that you have done incorrectly. Please collect the
following items for each quiz/test:
1. Pick up your paper for the quiz/test during the following Thursday lab.
2. From your COURSECOMPASSGRADEBOOK review and print your quiz/test. Mark the
problems that you did incorrectly.
3. Print the solutions for the quiz/test. The solutions are “generic” so they are they same
problems with different numbers.
4. Attempt the problems that you have done incorrectly and ask questions in the lab if you
can’t figure it out. You are expected to print the quiz/test solutions and print the online
quizzes, and add your work from the quizzes and use it to study for the exams.
5. Reviewing the quizzes prior to the tests is a great way to improve your test grade.