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

MATH 1030, COLLEGE ALGEBRASYLLABUS Section 1 (Lecture 13239)COURSE TITLE: College AlgebraCREDIT: 3 credit hoursSEMESTER: Spring 2012TEXT: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 ofthese functions, and systems of equations.INSTRUCTOR:Shahla PetermanOffice: 353 ESHPhone: 314-516-5826E-mail: petermans@umsl.eduOFFICE HOURS:Monday Noon – 12:45 p.m. 353 ESHTuesday 2 p.m. –3 p.m. 353 ESHWednesday Noon – 12:45 p.m. 353 ESHThursday 7:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.4:45 p.m. – 5:25 p.m.MTLCMTLCFriday 7:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m. MTLCPREREQUISITES: You must have a score of 22 or higher on the ACT Math sub-test; or agrade of C or better in a two or four year college intermediate algebra course; or a score of 22 orhigher on the UMSL Math Placement Test, obtained in the six months prior to enrollment in thiscourse. If a record of your prerequisites is not in the UMSL computer system, you will be askedto provide verification by the end of the first week of classes; otherwise you will beadministratively dropped from course.E-MAIL REQUIREMENT:All correspondence will be made through the e-mail address that you register with inCourseCompass or your student e-mail. Make sure to check your e-mail frequently. If you use yourUMSL email address please be aware that your mailbox is limited in size. If your mailbox is fullyou will not receive the instructor’s e-mails containing important course information. Please checkyour 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, andprepare for the tests. The first day of class you will register using the access code that accompaniesyour textbook and the Course ID peterman96105. You must register using the same name that islisted on gateway and please do not reverse your first and last name. Please use an e-mail addressthat you check frequently as most communication from the instructor will be via e-mail.Weekly reading assignments, pencasts 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 postedin the Course Documents folder on this site. To ensure that you have the correct copies, pleaseprint or view your assignments from the machines on campus. You should save the document tothe 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 instructorsduring 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 andweekends. Visit (http://www.cs.umsl.edu/lab/mathlab.html) for more details.STRUCTURE OF THE COURSEATTENDANCE: 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 lecturesfor the semester are also mandatory even if you meet the below conditions. Two points permissing lecture and/or lab will be taken off your next quiz grade unless you are excused or youmeet all of the following conditions:• 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 averageYou are encouraged not to miss a lecture even if you qualify to miss. Some of the problems aredone in easier methods than CourseCompass. Coming to a class meeting late or leaving earlywithout a proper and prior excuse will be counted as not attending that meeting at all. Once you arein the classroom, please turn off all your pagers or cell phones. Working on your laptop is notallowed 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. Youwill use CourseCompass to do your homework. The problems are similar to the problemspresented 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. Youmay practice the problems as many times as you need to in order to master the knowledge andskills to do well on the tests and quizzes. The score from the last attempt is kept as the grade forthat section. Use the GRADEBOOK if you want to review a problem once you have completedit. The immediate feedback and guided solutions are great help. You can ask questions from yourinstructor, teaching assistants, or other students. It is recommended that you print thecompleted homework so that you can refer to them in class and use them to study for the quizzesand exams. The homework grade will be calculated by taking the average of all the homeworkassignments. You are expected to spend at least two hours outside of class for each hour of classtime. 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 studentscomplain 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 gettinghelp.• You need to have a notebook with the homework problems you are doing prior to keyingyour 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 fromyour final homework grade if you don’t maintain this notebook. You can print thehomework assignment and show your work in the provided space. You may keep these notesin 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 ofthe message. Your grade will be changed if it is verified that you have the correct answer andonly after the due date for the homework assignment. You can also print the messageshowing your answer and the correct answer and show it to your instructor.EXTRA PRACTICE: Extra practice problems and their solutions are posted weekly and alsobefore each test. These worksheets are a summary of the material that you will learn are a verygood 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. Thereare 15 quizzes including the syllabus quiz. No make-up is given for the quizzes and your lowestgrade for the semester will be dropped. The quizzes are all online and with the exception ofthe three take home quizzes have to be taken in the lab at a designated time. You have to showyour work for the quizzes. Paper will be provided for the online quizzes. Problems withoutsupportive work will be counted wrong and your online grade will be readjusted Solutions for thequizzes will be posted and the quiz (if online) will be available for you to review by theWednesday morning following the quiz. Papers for the quizzes will be handed showing yourreadjusted 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 onCourseCompass. Your grade for this review will count as a homework grade and you MUSThave 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 thisprerequisite is met and you will NOT be allowed to take the test at a different time. The testreview is posted one week prior to the test. NOTE: The review is a long assignment and youshould start working on it as soon as possible.TESTS: Four tests will be given during the dates noted on the calendar. The tests are verysimilar to the homework, worksheets, and quizzes. The test dates on the syllabus areapproximate and subject to change. You have to show your work for the exams whether theyare on paper or online. Paper will be provided for the online exams. Problems without supportivework will be counted wrong and your online grade will be readjusted Solutions for the tests willbe posted and the test (if online) will be available for you to review by the Wednesday morningfollowing the test. Papers for the quizzes will be handed showing your readjusted grade (in casesupportive work is not shown) out in class during the Thursday labs. You are expected to printthe 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 yourinstructor prior to the test; proper documentation is required (for example, illness requires adoctor’s note). The test should be made up immediately after returning to school. Students whoplay sports for UMSL and have to miss a quiz /test due to a scheduled game need to talk to theirinstructor and plan the time to make up the missed work prior to their scheduled game. Any makeuptest will be longer and more difficult than the test given in class. The makeup exam often willnot 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 studentweaknesses, particularly regarding basic skills. For that reason, you might consider not using one onyour 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, May 9, 12:15 – 3:15pm. The final exam is notonline and will be graded manually. The final exam is not multiple- choice format. Your coursegrade can’t be more than one letter grade higher than your final exam grade, i.e. the best grade youcan get will be a D if you fail the final exam. There will be practice exam questions provided priorto the final exam.COURSE GRADE: Your course grade will be based on:Homework100 PointsQuizzes100 PointsTest 1100 pointsTest 2100 PointsTest 3100 PointsTest 4100 PointsFinal Exam200 PointsTotal800 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 DBelow 480 FYou need to follow the proper procedure for dropping the course. A grade of F will be assigned toa 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 situationwhere a student has completed all the work, with a grade of C- or above, and has to miss the finalexam because of an emergency. Delayed grades have to be approved by the Department ofMathematics and Computer Science.ALL PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES MUST BE TURNED OFF IN THECLASSROOM !!!ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:When one takes credit for another’s work or uses unauthorized devices (such as calculators) inthe course, when they are expressly forbidden, it is cheating. This may occur during in classexams/quizzes or take-home exams/quizzes in this course. The code of student conduct is in theUM-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 takingquizzes, tests, or examinations; (ii) dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorizedby the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out otherassignments; (iii) acquisition or possession without permission of tests or other academicmaterial belonging to a member of the University faculty or staff; or (iv) knowingly providingany unauthorized assistance to another student on quizzes, tests, or examinations. When cheatingis determined, a zero grade will be given on the specific exam/quiz and the student(s) who is/areinvolved in the cheating will be reported to the Department of Mathematics and the Office of theVice Chancellor for Student Affairs.Having a formula sheet, a calculator, a cell phone during the test is cheating. Fake notesfrom the hospital and doctors and unverifiable excuses count as academic dishonesty.

Course CalendarThe following calendar includes the sections covered in the weekly lectures, weekly quizzes, andthe scheduled tests. The due dates for the worksheets and the review sheets along with the dateof the quizzes and tests are shown. You will be informed of any changes to this calendar duringthe lecture and the labs. The official due date for the homework and the take home quizzes areat 5 p.m. of the indicated dates. The homework and take home quizzes will remain open until11:58 but we don’t take responsibility for any computer related problems. Test Reviews must becompleted before your class time on the scheduled test day.Tuesday Thursday FridayJanuary 17 19 20Lecture 1Section: 1.1, 1.2, 1.324 26 27Lecture 2Sections: 1.4, 1.5, 1.6Syllabus QuizDueQuiz 1Sections 1.1, 1.2, 1.3Quiz 2Sections 1.4, 1.5, 1.6February 31 2 3Lecture 3Sections: 1.7, 2.1, 2.27 9 10Lecture 4:Sections 2.3, 2.4Review for Test 1.14 16 17Lecture 5Section: 2.5, 2.6, 2.8Quiz 4 DueSections 2.3 and 2.4Work for Quiz4 Due21 23 24Lecture 6Sections: 3.1, 3.2March 28 1 2Lecture 7Sections: 3.3, 3.4Quiz 3Sections 1.7, 2.1, 2.2Review for test 1 dueTest 1 Chapter 1, 2.1, 2.2Quiz 5Sections 2.5, 2.6, 2.8Quiz 6Sections 3.1, 3.2Quiz 7Sections 3.3, 3.4

6 8 9Lecture 8Section 3.5, 3.6Review for Test 2.Review for test 2 dueTest 2 Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6,2.8, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4,13 15 16Lecture 9Sections 3.7, 4.1, 4.2Quiz 8 Due Section 3.5, 3.620 22Work for Quiz8 DueQuiz 9Sections 3.7, 4.1, 4.223Lecture 10Sections: 4.3, 4.4S--P--R--N--GApril 3 5Lecture 11Section 8.1Review for Test 3Quiz 10Sections 4.3, 4.4B--R--E--A--K10 12 13Lecture 12Sections 8.2, 8.4Quiz 11 Due Section 8. 1Work for Quiz11 Due17 19 20Lecture 13Sections: 9.1, 9.2, 9.524 26 276Review for test 3 dueTest 3 Sections 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1,4.2, 4.3, 4.4Quiz 12Section 8.2, 8.4Quiz 13Section 9.1, 9.2, 9.3MayLecture 14Quiz 14Sections: 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5Sections 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.51 3 4MANDATORY ATTENDANCEReview for Test 4Review for test 4 dueTest 4 Chapters 8, 9, and 11FINAL Exam Wednesday May 9 th 12:15 p.m. -3:15 p.m.Location will be announced during the last week of classes.

SCHEDULEAT THE START OF THE SEMESTERPurchasing Your Textbook and Software: You can purchase the textbook and student accesscode, bundled together, from the campus bookstore. You also have the choice of purchasing theaccess 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 andtime consuming. Our book is custom made for UMSL and is a lot less expensive thanpurchasing a used text on the internet. If you have already purchased the book elsewhere, youwill 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 youare retaking the course after having taken it at UMSL, using the SAME edition of the book, youdo not need to buy a new access code.Registering on CourseCompass: Please register at www.coursecompass.com as soon aspossible. In addition to entering the student access code (described above) you will need to enteryour instructor’s course ID, found in the syllabus.Register using YOUR NAME, as it appears in MyGateway. Provide an email address that youcheck often, as much of the correspondence for this course will be done via email. The zip codefor UMSL is 63121.Syllabus Quiz and three other not –proctored quizzes: Once you are registered onCourseCompass, you will be able to the take Syllabus Quiz on your own . After reading thesyllabus carefully, log into CourseCompass and click on this course. Then click the Quizzes andTests 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 ofthese 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 softwareTestGen that is used for the quizzes is different from the one that the students use to completehomework 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 yourcomputer if you decide to take the quiz from your personal computer. you will need to check toensure that your home computer meets the technology requirement:Go to http://www.mymathlab.com/system.html and select Blitzer: Algebra & Trigonometry, 4efrom the dropdown menu. You will need to install the TestGen Plug-In and may need to changethe settings on your computer. Remember that you have to use the campus computers in a timelymanner 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 expectedto 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 LABSEach lab is 75 minutes long. You are expected to be ON TIME and remain for the entire labperiod unless you have already successfully completed the homework for the week. Attendancewill be taken at the start, the end, or both times during the labs. For penalties regarding missinglabs 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 thebest preparation for quizzes, and attempting the quiz without having completed thehomework is NOT recommended. However, the homework does stay open until 11:59pmFriday 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 willNOT be given if you encounter technical difficulties after Friday’s lab. In other words, if youare working on homework Friday evening and CourseCompass and you are unable to finishthe assignment before 11:59pm, you will NOT be given extra time to finish.• The lecture outlines and review problems for the upcoming week are posted onCourseCompass on Friday. Please print the lecture outline and begin working on thehomework 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 yousubmit.o You must SHOW ALL OF YOUR WORK when taking quizzes and tests. If a specificmethod is asked for, you must use that method to solve the problem. POINTS WILLBE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR SCORE if you do not show the appropriate workfor a problem, even if your answer is correct. ALL answers require sufficientsupportive work.

WEEKENDS• Read the assigned sections for the following week in the textbook and write down anyquestions you may have. Then attempt the problems on the lecture outline by referring to thesimilar 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 youhave difficulty with a problem. You can also view the corresponding pencast lecture andthen attempt the homework. Late homework is not allowed so you must budget your timewisely. Do not wait until the last minute to start the homework!TO TAKE AN ONLINE TEST OR A PROCTORED ONLINE QUIZ1. 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 apassword 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 QUIZZESNO 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 studentweaknesses, particularly regarding basic skills. For that reason, you might consider not using one onyour 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. Sincecalculators cannot be used on exams you will need to be able to complete all quiz problems withouta 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 aredone.You have to show your work in a readable and logical manner. Points will be taken away forproblems with correct answers but no supportive work. This rule also applies to the three quizzesthat 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 savinganything. 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 thefollowing items for each quiz/test:1. Pick up your paper for the quiz/test during the following Tuesday lecture.2. From your COURSECOMPASSGRADEBOOK review and print your quiz/test. Mark theproblems that you did incorrectly.3. Print the solutions for the quiz/test. The solutions are “generic” so they are the sameproblems with different numbers.4. Attempt the problems that you have done incorrectly and ask questions in the lab if youcan’t figure it out. You are expected to print the quiz/test solutions and print the onlinequizzes, 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.