Math 127 - College Algebra - 3 credits

Syllabus

MWF 12:00 - 12:50 in BR 261 or MWF 2:00 - 2:50 in BR262

Spring 2005

Course Description

This course is intended to give you the algebra necessary to allow you to take Math 229 - Applied Mathematics or Math 142 - Pre-Calculus or Math 143 - Trigonometry.  You are expected to have had some algebra before, although we will review all topics.  If you have never had algebra before, you will find this course extremely fast-paced and the lectures rather brief.

From the MSUM Bulletin:  Factoring, linear equations, quadratic equations, systems of equations, matrices, logarithmic and exponential equations, determinants, Cramer's rule, functions.  Prerequisites:  For students who enter MSUM as freshmen in Fall 2001 or later, one of the following is required for admission to this course:  A minimum MnSCU Placement Exam Score of 15, a minimum ACT Mathematics score of 24, or successful completion of Math 099.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate application of inductive and deductive reasoning.

• Evaluate complex relations using symbolic abstraction and generalization.

• Demonstrate problem solving using symbolic representation and manipulation.

• Use axiomatic processes in developing mathematical knowledge.

General Comments

For all graded work in this class, you must show work for credit and give exact answers unless otherwise specified.  In general, if you have to write it down, you have to show it to me.  My rule of thumb when grading is whether I could do a similar calculation in my head and not make a mistake.  If I feel that you needed to show more work, I will indicate it.  I want to emphasize that showing work is a lesson you would much rather learn on the worksheets than on the exams.  My criteria is the same for both.

I do not curve courses of this level.  I have given a class average of a B+ in a course of this level, and I have also given a class average of a D+.  I grade you as individuals, and by whether or not you personally have mastered the material.  I also very rarely give extra credit, and when I do it is to the entire class.  If you come to my office at the end of the semester and ask if you can do extra credit to improve your grade, my answer will be no.  The grading scale and weights for the homework and exams are given here.

I will in general return any work the next class day.  If you are not there, I will not give it to friends, nor will I give out grade information on the phone or via email.  (These restrictions are not arbitrary - they are based on federal law regarding student privacy.)  Normally, I include any old assignments with any current ones, but I do not try to pass them back a second time unless you have turned in the most recent assignment.  I will bring the old assignments with me every day, so if you ask at the end of class you can get them then.

I do not take attendance.  Unless you miss an exam, I do not need to know why you have missed class.  I expect you to be responsible for yourself as far as getting notes from a classmate.  (My notes rarely have answers, just problems, so are not very useful to students.)  I also expect you to turn in any homework early if you know that you will miss class.

Academic Honesty

As in any college class (or any level, for that matter), cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated.  On the other hand, when doing the homework I do encourage you to work together.  This is not the same as copying from each other, however.  Working with someone else in a small study group is often very conducive to learning mathematics and most other subjects (as long as you stay on task!).  Working together, however, will not be allowed on exams, so you must make sure that you learn the material yourself.  There is also tutoring available in the main math office tutor lab (MA 362A).  See also the statement on academic honesty in the student handbook.

Textbook

Algebra and Trigonometry with Analytic Geometry, 10th edition, by Swokowski and Cole.  You should read the section(s) in the textbook before we cover the section in class, so that you are prepared for the lecture.  You can identify the points that you find a bit sticky, which helps you to pay closer attention to those points in class.  A tentative schedule of what will be covered each week is included here.

Calculators

A basic scientific calculator (which includes the keys ln and log and costs $10-$15) will be required in the later part of the course.  However, calculators of any type will not be allowed on the first two exams.  For the first part of the semester, a calculator should not be necessary.  A graphing calculator is a significant advantage to those who have them.  As such, I will not allow graphing calculators (or any programmable calculator) in this course.  I do not feel that their benefits justify their cost - and you spend enough money on the textbook already.  Note that regardless of your calculator, I expect you to show work.  I grade the work and the method, not the answer, so an answer with no work is worth very little towards the grade for the problem.

Homework

There will be suggested homework assignments from each section of the book.  These problems will not be graded, and are intended to give you practice in a variety of problems.  I will take questions on these homework problems during lecture after we have completed the relevant section.  Note that the homework may include problem types that I have not done in class.  You will still be responsible for any material on the homework, whether or not I have lectured on it.  Due to the necessarily fast-paced schedule, not all topics will always be covered, although I do make an effort to cover the most confusing topics in class.  Topics that I will not cover will generally be review topics - things that you should have seen prior to this course.

In addition to these ungraded assignments, I will also assign worksheet that I have written up.  There will be a total of 17 of these.  These worksheets will be graded, but I will keep only the best 12 worksheet grades.  They will be passed out in class at least two class periods before they are due.  (They will not be posted on my webpage.)

Late worksheets will not be accepted for any reason other than extended illnesses or valid approved commitments (such as active duty in the National Guard) of sufficient duration.  If you know you will be gone on the due date, I expect you to turn it in early.  I also expect you to start the worksheets early, so if you are ill, you can send it with a friend, roommate, spouse, neighbor, etc., to be turned in during class time or to my office (under the door if I'm not there).  If you can not get the homework turned in, then it will be counted as one of the dropped assignments as long as you still have some to spare.  The time that it is due is 4:00 pm on the due date or whenever I start grading it, whichever is later (I will generally start grading soon after 4:00 pm).  In general, homework will be returned the next class day.

Each worksheet is weighted the same as every other worksheet.

A list of the assigned problems from the textbook is here.

Exams

There will be five regular exams and a comprehensive final exam.  The exam schedule is here.  I will replace your lowest exam score with the score on your final exam if doing so will improve your grade.  If you do miss an exam for any reason, you will need documentation of that reason before I will grade a makeup exam.  If the reason is one which you should be expected to know about in advance, such as weddings, family vacations, away games for an MSUM sporting event for which you are a team member, etc., I expect to be notified as soon as possible.  In particular, this means before you leave.  For most of these types of activities, I expect to be notified at least two weeks prior to the event.  If a personal commitment will cause you to miss an exam, I expect to be notified by Wednesday, January 19, 2005.  If you do not notify me by that time, I may not give you a makeup exam.  Since I have given you the exam dates already, I expect you to schedule family and personal commitments around those dates.  The only exceptions are if they are already scheduled, in which case you can inform me of those conflicts by Wednesday.  If you are sick or have some other emergency on the day of the exam, I still expect to be notified as soon as possible, even if it is just by a voice mail message or an email.  You will still be required to provide documentation.  In particular, this means that I assume that if you are sick enough to miss an exam, you are sick enough to go to the students health center.  Documentation accepted can be in the form of anything valid to the excuse.  For example, a dated note saying you were seen by a doctor (it does not have to say what you were seen for), a memo from your coach, a wedding invitation, even a police report for the minor accident you were in or a receipt from the tow truck company.  It must have the date.  If it is for a wedding, funeral, or similar and your relationship is not clear, I may ask you to just write a sentence or two stating it was a good friend, grandmother, etc., and sign it.

Special Needs

If you have any special needs that may affect your success in this class please let me know as soon as possible so that accommodations can be made.  This includes (but is not limited to) any physical or learning disabilities that you may have.

Students with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability Services at 477-2652 (phone) or 477-2047 (TTY), CMU 222 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Cell Phones

Cellular phones and other distracting devices generally have no place in a formal or semi-formal setting, such as a classroom.  If your phone goes off, I will require you to leave the classroom for the remainder of the period.  This includes those days we have exams.  Hence, if your cell phone rings during an exam, you will have to turn in what you have completed up to that point.  No extra time will be given.  I strongly suggest that you always remember to turn off your phone.  (You are free to return to class the next day, and there will be no other consequences.)

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Last Revision:  01/04/2008

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