MAT 121 –Online College Algebra Fall Semester, 2009

Sectionn G81

CRN: 21068

CLASS TIME AND PLACE: To Be Arranged

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Harry S. (Steve) Mills OFFICE PHONE: 339-6238 OFFICE: EDBH 134 K E-MAIL: Use Mail Tool in Course steve.mills@aims.edu on Course Website in WebCT. In

MAILING ADDRESS: emergency, steve.mills@aims.edu

Harry Mills will work, but I won't like it.

EDBH 134K

Aims Community College

5401 W. 20th Street

Greeley, CO 80632

Catalog Description: Includes equations and inequalities, functions and their graphs, exponential and logarithmic functions, linear and non-linear systems, graphing of the conic sections, introduction to sequences and series, permutations and combinations, the binomial theorem, theory of equations and an introduction to matrices and determinants. 4 credit hours

Prerequisites: Completion of MAT 106 with a ‘C’ or better, ACT Math score greater than or equal to 23, or assessment score.

Textbook: College Algebra: Concepts through Functions, 1st Edition, Sullivan and Sullivan,

The best deal for a new book is one with access to CourseCompass. Used books will not come with access to CourseCompass. Here are the relevant ISBNs:

· Regular book without access to CourseCompass: 031874780 or 9708131874787

· Value Access Package with access to Course Compass: 032158452X or 9703215854526

Course Website: To access the website, login to http:www.aims.edu and click on My Courses tab. Then click on College Algebra. As this is an online course, the course website will be the focal point of our interactions. The best ways to contact me are through the Mail Tool and the Discussions Tool in WebCT. Please do not send e-mail to my regular Aims e-mail, except in emergency.

Pearson Learning CourseCompass: Online delivery of instruction will be performed by CourseCompass with MyMathLab, a product of Pearson Learning. As a learning tool, MyMathLab offers video lectures, exercises, quizzes, and on-demand help.

Grades: Four Categories: Pre-Tests, Tests, Homework, Writing Projects and Essays.

- Pre-Test Average will count 5% of your grade. These pre-tests will be delivered through CourseCompass, and will help you to get up-to-speed for College Algebra.

- Test Average will count 50% of the final grade. (Drop the lowest of these.)
- Homework will count 15% of the final grade.
  Homework is assigned through CourseCompass, and MyMathLab will deliver instruction, tutorials, and generate as many examples as you ask. This is a small fraction of the points, but the bread and butter of the course. It's where you learn this stuff.

- Final Test will count 20% of the final grade. Deadline: 1 p.m., Thursday, December 10th.

· Weekly 5–minute Essays will count 10% of the final grade. Each week, I will open up a discussion group on the course website. This will be an easy part of your weekly routine that may even be fun and should help you connect with your classmates. At some point near the end of week x (before Monday of the following week), the student will submit the answer to three questions in Week x :

1. What did I learn this week?

2. What did I struggle with and still not quite understand?

3. In general, how is the course going? What's working/not-working for you?

· Writing Projects will count 10% of the final grade. There are 6 topics, on 4 of which you will submit a written report. You will employ both hand-writing and type-writing in these projects, depending on the assignment. For more details, see the Writing Projects handout.

Grading Scale:

90% - 100% A
80% - 89% B
70% - 79% C
60% - 69% D

Method of Instruction: The primary means of content delivery will be provided by CourseCompass, an automated course management system. CourseCompass will also evaluate your progress using its own testing and homework utilities.

This course is self-paced, in the sense that you can move as slowly or quickly through a lesson as you want. It is not self-paced, in the sense that you must complete the learning modules according to a timetable. For instance, one student may take 2 hours to get all the way through a lecture, stopping frequently to write things down, or ask for more help on the concept or the terminology used.

Important Dates: You only need to attend one orientation. You must attend one of the following three orientations:

Tuesday, August 25th | 10:00am - 11:00am | Horizon Hall 301 | 08/25-08/25
Wednesday, August 26th | 07:10pm - 08:10pm | Loveland Camp--104 East 4th St 107 | 08/26-08/26
Thursday, August 27th | 06:00pm - 07:00pm | Horizon Hall 301 | 08/27-08/27

- Monday, September 7th: Labor Day!
- Wed – Fri, November 25th-27th: Thanksgiving Recess!
- Thursday, December 10th: 1 p.m. is the deadline for finishing Final Test.

General Education Competencies:

This course satisfies the following General Education competencies: Critical Thinking, Technology, and Mathematics. It also satisfies the Aims requirement for Writing. Refer to Aims Community College catalog for descriptions.

Learning Outcomes:

A. Be familiar with set notations, subsets of the real numbers and properties of real numbers.

B. Perform algebraic manipulations including working with exponents, radicals, polynomial operations, factoring and algebraic fractions.

C. Solve the following types of equations: linear, quadratic, equations involving radicals, equations in quadratic form and equations involving absolute value.

D. Work with formulas including formula evaluation and solving a formula for any of the variables.

E. Read and analyze problems in the form of word problem applications and obtain solutions using equations.

F. Solve first degree inequalities, higher degree inequalities and inequalities involving absolute value.

G. Recognize and graph linear functions, rational functions, absolute value functions, and graph inequalities in two variables.

H. Work with function notation and demonstrate knowledge of the meaning “function”.

I. Demonstrate an understanding of function composition, one-to-one functions and inverse functions.

J. Evaluate and graph exponential functions.

K. Evaluate and graph logarithmic functions.

L. Work problems and solve equations containing exponential and logarithmic functions.

M. Use at least two of the following techniques to solve linear and non-linear systems of the equations: substitution, addition, Gaussian elimination, Cramer’s rule.

N. Have some familiarity with matrices and operations involving matrices.

O. Graph systems of inequalities.

P. Graph conic sections including circles, parabolas, ellipses and hyperbolas.

Q. Identify the conic section represented by a given second degree equation.

R. Work with series notation and sequence formulas, and counting principles.

S. Apply the Binomial Theorem.

T. Demonstrate an understanding of proof by mathematical induction.

U. Present topics in theory of equations.

V. Perform synthetic division.

W. Use the Remainder Theorem and the Factor Theorem to factor and evaluate polynomials.

X. Solve polynomial equations using the Rational Root Theorem and/or approximation techniques.

Y. Write and speak clearly and logically about topics related to algebra.

Z. Demonstrate the ability to select and apply contemporary forms of technology to solve problems or compile information in the study of algebra.

GENERAL STUDENT CONDUCT (Taken from Aims Catalog):

“Aims Community College students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner which is not disruptive of college functions; does not interfere with free movement of students, school personnel, or guests; and does not cause or threaten to cause injury to persons or damage to property. Aims will not tolerate menacing behavior or threats by any student toward another student or toward any College employee. The College also prohibits the use of controlled substances and alcohol while on campus or at a College-sponsored event. Aims prohibits the use of tobacco products in all buildings owned and operated by the College. Aims Community College reserves the right to take necessary and appropriate action to protect the safety and well-being of the campus community. Any interference, damage, or threat to persons or property will be deemed misconduct and will be subject to disciplinary sanctions by the College ranging from a warning to suspension or expulsion.”

Academic Integrity: The student is expected and required to exercise academic honesty and generally behave in a mature and civilized manner.

From the college catalog:

“Aims Community College students are expected to practice academic honesty and to refrain from any form of cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the College. Breaches of academic dishonesty will be considered misconduct and may result in disciplinary action. Additionally, the College expects students to contribute to a positive learning environment in classroom situations. Students who conduct themselves contrary to the best interests of the class as a whole may be subject to disciplinary action, including being withdrawn from the course.”

From the Aims Student Code of Conduct:

“Conduct Relating to Academic Dishonesty. The maintenance of academic honesty and integrity is a vital concern of the College community. Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty may be subject to both academic and disciplinary sanctions as defined herein. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

a. Cheating. Copying or attempting to copy the academic work of another Student (including but not limited to quizzes, examinations, assessment tests, and assignments); using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids or other devices for an academic examination or exercise; engaging or attempting to engage the assistance of another individual in misrepresenting the academic performance of a Student; or communicating information in an unauthorized manner to another person for an academic examination or exercise.

b. Fabrication or Falsification. Falsifying or fabricating any information or citation in any academic exercise, work, speech, or examination. Falsification is the alteration of information, while fabrication is the invention or counterfeiting of information.

c. Plagiarism. Presenting another person’s academic work as one’s own.

d. Complicity in Academic Dishonesty. Helping or attempting to help another student to commit an act of academic dishonesty.

e. Falsifying Grade Reports. Changing or destroying, or attempting to change or destroy grades, scores, or markings on an examination or in an instructor’s or the College’s records.

f. Lying to Avoid Academic Assignments. Fabricating an otherwise justifiable excuse such as illness, injury, accident, death in the family, etc. in order to avoid or delay timely submission of academic assignments or to avoid or delay the taking of an examination or test.

g. Other. Additional standards of conduct relating to academic honesty specified in writing by an academic division or department and/or an individual faculty member for a particular course.”

## Contact Information for Academic Resource Center, Tutoring Assistance and Disability Access Center

## Academic Resource Center: Horizon Hall 301. Where you go for Orientation and Tests.

## Curriculum Support Centers: Computers and software to support, CIS/CSC, Business, CAD, ESL and Foreign Language classes are available in Horizon Hall 301 & 302.

## Tutoring: Drop in tutoring is available in Math, Science and Accounting in Horizon Hall 306. Drop in tutoring is available for Writing and Reading in Horizon Hall room 3 05. Aims provides individual tutoring services through Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction, http://www.aims.edu/student/tsi/index.php dependin g on the availability of tutors. Contact Jill Seaburn 339-6465 or go the Academic Resource Center http://www.aims.edu/student/arc/index.php in Horizon Hall room 301.

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## Accommodations for students with disabilities: Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Access Center (http://www.aims.edu/student/dac/index.php) in Horizon Hall 327, or call (970)339-6388 (voice/TTY), email to disabilities@aims.edu or fax to (970) 506-6937 as soon as possible to ensure that reasonable accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.