Course Information
Math 127: College Algebra - Section 03, Spring 2015
3 Credits: MWF 11:00 - 11:50am Bridges
Room 268
Textbook: Survey of College
Algebra and Trigonometry, 3rd ed., by Ratti
and McWaters, Pearson [Required]
Instructor: Justin James, Mathematics Department
Office: MacLean 375M
Office Phone: (218)477-4011
Office Hours: MTWThF
10:00 – 10:50am
Email: jamesju@mnstate.edu
MTWTh 1:00 – 1:50pm Webpage:
web.mnstate.edu/jamesju
F 3:00 – 3:50pm
Course Description: Exponents, factoring,
equations, inequalities, systems of equations, functions, exponential and
logarithmic functions, polynomials and rational functions.
Prerequisite: Must have successfully
completed Intermediate Algebra or have an acceptable placement score. Requires a C- or better in MDEV 099.
Course Requirements:
You are expected to complete
all homework assignments, projects, and writing assignments, and to take and
pass all exams and quizzes at their scheduled dates and times.
Outline
of Major Content Areas:
·
Radicals
and rational exponents
·
Factoring
polynomials
·
Rational
expressions
·
Graphs
(lines, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, polynomial, rational,
transformations of graphs)
·
Solving
equations (linear, quadratic, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic,
etc.)
·
Linear,
polynomial, and rational inequalities
·
Functions
(including inverse functions, exponential functions, and logarithmic functions)
Learning
Outcomes (General):
·
Solve a
variety of algebraic equations.
·
Create and
understand graphs.
·
Work with a
variety of functions.
·
Apply a
variety of algebraic techniques to real world problems and applications.
·
Minnesota
Transfer Curriculum Goal Areas and Competencies:
·
Illustrate
historical and contemporary applications of mathematical/logical systems.
·
Clearly
express mathematical/logical ideas in writing.
·
Explain what
constitutes a valid mathematical/logical argument(proof).
·
Apply
higher-order problem-solving and/or modeling strategies.
·
Instructional Strategies: Lecture, discussion, group activities
Attendance
and Academic Expectations:
You are
expected to attend class regularly and on time.
The penalty for unexcused
absences is that missed assignments cannot be made up. You are expected to read the assigned
material prior to each lecture and to attempt the assigned homework
problems. When working in groups, you
should participate in what the group is trying to accomplish. You are encouraged to form a study group to
work with 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 at
regular times during the course. You will be told at least 1 class
day in advance which problems to turn in. Even when homework is not
collected, you will need to work the homework 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, with math tutors, 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: I will give quizzes
several times during the course. Most
will be short in-class quizzes. I typically
announce quizzes one class period before I give them so you have time to
prepare for them. 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 one homework grade and at least
one quiz grade to be dropped.
Reflection Papers: Three
times during the semester you will be given a short writing assignment in which
you will be asked to give your personal thoughts and reflections on different
aspects of the course. These papers must
be typed and should be about 1 page long (typed, double spaced). These informal papers will be graded mainly
on their content and completeness, but you should write in complete sentences
and clearly express your thoughts. Each
reflection paper will contribute 10 points toward your final grade.
Warm-up Problems: Most class days, I will begin class
with a warm-up problem. You will have a few minutes to work on this
problem while I pass out papers and handouts. When a warm-up problem
is given, I will randomly choose students to turn in their
solutions. Students selected will get one extra credit point for
being present. The correctness of your solution will earn up to one additional
extra credit point. If you are absent, you will not get another
opportunity to turn in a warm-up problem until the rest of the class has had
their turn.
Exams: This course will have four unit exams plus a comprehensive final exam,
as outlined on the course schedule. 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), but all other electronic devices
(cell-phones, etc.) are not 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: 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 possible points each student earned
during the semester (rounded to the nearest .1%), and will then assign letter
grades based on the following scale. I
may make slight adjustments to this scale (down, never up), but don’t count on
this happening.
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, Director of Disability Services at
477-4318 (Voice) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY), Flora Frick 154 as soon as
possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely
fashion. Information regarding Disability Services is available at http://web.mnstate.edu/disability/
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 01 Course Page