Course Information
Math 127: College Algebra – Section 01, Summer 2013
3 Credits: MTWRF 8:45am – 10:30am
Bridges Room 262
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 10:40 – 11:30am Email: jamesju@mnstate.edu
MTWRF 12:30 –
2:00pm 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 or have an acceptable math placement score. Requires
a C- or better in MDEV 099. MnTC Goal 4.
Course 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 232 or 234
(our Introductory Statistics Courses). Students who need to take Math
261: Calculus I must complete a course on Trigonometry (Math 142 or 143 would
suffice) before proceeding into 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) to discuss your situation. 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 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 a few times during the course.
You will be told 1 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 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 a quiz every
non-exam day. Almost all 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 quiz scores will be combined to contribute 100 points
toward your final grade. Expect at least
three quiz grades to be dropped. There
will also be a few worksheets and in-class assignments.
Reflection Papers: Twice during the course, 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 do write in complete sentences and
clearly express your ideas. 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), 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:
Quizzes/Homework/Worksheets: 180 points
Reflection Papers
20 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 of the
pace of summer courses and the fact that you are allowed to drop several
scores, I 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 Summer!!
Math
127 – Section 01 Course Page