Course
Information
Math 127:
College Algebra – Section 03, Fall
2009
3
Credits: TR 1:30 – 2:45p.m. Hagen Hall Room 113
Textbook: Algebra and Trigonometry, 4th ed. (custom for
MSUM), Blitzer.
Instructor: Justin
James, Mathematics Dept. Office: MacLean 375M
Office Phone:
477-4011
Office Hours: MTWRF 9:15am – 10:20am Email: jamesju@mnstate.edu
MTWRF 11:30am – 12:20pm Webpage:
web.mnstate.edu/jamesju
Other
times by Appointment
Course Description: Exponents,
factoring, equations, inequalities, systems of equations, functions,
exponential and logarithmic functions, polynomials and rational functions.
Prerequisites:
In order to take Math 127, students
must have successfully completed Intermediate Algebra (PDEV 100, CCGE 100, or
MDEV 100) or have an acceptable math placement score.
Course Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon
completion of the course, students will be able to do the following:
Course Requirements:
You
are expected to complete all daily homework and writing assignments, and to
take and pass all exams and quizzes at their scheduled dates and times.
Course Goals:
The
goals of Math 127 include learning to work with exponents, radicals,
polynomials, fractional expressions, exponentials, logarithms and applications
of all of these. This course will prepare you to move on to Math 229:
Fundamentals of Applied Mathematics, Math 143: Trigonometry, or Math
234/236/244 (our Introductory Statistics Courses). Students who need to
take Math 261: Calculus I must complete Trigonometry (Math 142 or 143 would
suffice) before taking Calculus I.
Instructional
Strategies: Lecture, discussion, small
group work.
Attendance and Academic
Expectations:
You are expected to attend
class regularly and on time. The penalty
for unexcused absences is that missed
in-class assignments cannot be made up. If
you have to miss class for a reason that you believe merits being excused, come
see me (preferably in advance). You are
expected to read the material in your textbook prior to each day’s lecture and
to have attempted the problems on the homework assignment. During class, you should participate in
discussions. When working in groups, you
should participate fully in what the group is trying to accomplish. You are encouraged to form a group to study
and work with on homework and labs outside of class. You should bring your book, calculator, and
solutions to recent homework problems with you to class.
Homework:
I
will collect homework for grading
throughout the semester. You will be
told at least 1 class period in advance
which problems to turn in. Even when
homework is not collected, you will need to do the homework in order to succeed
in the course. I will spend a few
minutes at the beginning of class answering homework questions, but we will
spend the bulk of our time covering new material. You are encouraged to discuss homework with
your classmates and with me outside of class during my office hours. If my office hours do not match your
schedule, see me about arranging another time to meet.
Quizzes:
There will be quizzes at various times during the semester. Most of them will be in-class quizzes, but a few may be “take
home” quizzes. Quizzes will be worth from
5-10 points, depending on their length and scope.
Your best
homework and quiz scores will be combined to contribute 170 points toward your
final grade. Expect at least three
assignments to be dropped.
Reflection
Papers:
Three times during the
semester, you will be given a short writing assignment. You will be asked to give your thoughts and
reflections on a few aspects of the course.
These papers must be typed and should be at least 1 page (typed, double
spaced). These informal papers will be
graded mainly on their content and completeness, but you should write in
complete sentences and express your ideas clearly. Each reflection paper will contribute 10
points toward your final grade.
Exams: This
course will have four unit exams plus a comprehensive final exam, as outlined
on the course syllabus. Be sure to mark
the date of each exam on your calendar, especially the final exam. Exams will be closed book, and closed notes. I will allow the use of an approved
calculator (no graphing calculators are allowed on exams). No other electronic devices (cell-phones,
etc.) will be allowed. Credit given on
exam questions will be proportional to the amount of correct work shown. Little to no credit will be given if
sufficient work is not shown, even when the final answer is correct. In your final grade, your best three exams
will be worth 100 points each, while your lowest exam will be scaled in half to
be out of 50 points. The final exam is
worth 200 points.
Course Grading Policy: Your
final grade in the course will be computed as follows:
Homework/Quizzes/In-Class Activities: 170 points
Reflection Papers 30 points
Highest 3 Unit Exams: 300 points
Lowest Unit Exam:
50
points
Final Exam: 200 points
Total: 750
points
I will compute the percentage
of the total points you earned and then assign letter grades based on the following
scale:
96.5-100.0% A+ 81.5-86.4% B 69.0-71.4% C–
91.5-96.5% A 79.0-81.4% B– 66.0-68.9% D+
89.0-91.4% A– 76.5-78.9% C+ 60.0-65.9% D
86.5-88.9% B+ 71.5-76.4% C <60.0% F
Make-up Work: Because you are allowed to drop several scores, I
will only give make-up assignments for extreme personal emergencies or
for absences which are officially sanctioned by the University. I will expect written documentation in either
of these cases. If you miss an exam and
a make-up exam is not warranted, you may replace your grade on one missed exam with your un-scaled percentage score on the final
exam.
Special
Accommodations: Students with disabilities who believe they may need
an accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability Services at 477-5859 (Voice)
or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY), CMU 114 as soon as possible to ensure that
accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Academic
Honesty: You are expected to do your own work. You may
work with others and get help on assignments, but the work you submit must be
your own. During exams and quizzes you will not be allowed to get
help from others. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated in any
course at any level. See the MSUM Academic Honesty policy for more
information on the possible consequences of cheating.
Thanks, and Let’s Have a Great
Semester!!
Math 127 –
Section 03 Course Page