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A description of course policies for 67-104. Fall 2007.
Instructor: Dr. Jayanthi Ganapathy.
Office: Swart 216.
Telephone: 424 7355 (my office). 424 1333 (the math dept. office). 235 2435 (home).
E-mail: ganapath@uwosh.edu (office); ganapath@sbcglobal.net (home).
Office hours: MWF 10:30 – 12:30 PM; T 11:30 – 12: 30 PM
Appointments are available at other times if absolutely necessary.
Text (required): “College Algebra: Graphs and models”, College Custom Series by Barnett,
Ziegler and Byleen. McGraw Hill Custom Publishing.
Topics covered: Chapters 1 through 4.
Supplements :
1. (required): “Notes to accompany….” by Dr. Jayanthi Ganapathy (the BLUE BOOK).
2. Calculator (required): TI-83 plus. In class demonstrations using TI-83 Plus only.
Calculators that have symbolic algebra manipulative capabilities (for example, TI –89 and TI
92 and such) will not be allowed on tests and quizzes.
Tests, quizzes and grades:
During the semester, there will be four tests each worth 40 points. There will be a total
of seven quizzes each worth 8 points. At the end of the semester, only the best five quizzes will
count. The total point contribution of the quizzes to the point total for the course is 40 points.
Some of the quizzes are also likely to be group and/or pop quizzes. All the tests and five of the
quizzes are mandatory, and will count towards the final grade in the course. No test grade will
be dropped. However, pretty much throughout the semester, you will be able to earn bonus
points through group work, which then could be used to improve one test grade, and possibly
one quiz grade at the end of the semester. These bonus points can be earned in the following
manner: At times in class, I will assign a set of problems. From this set, each group will choose
one problem, solve the problem as a group in class, and then have one member of the group
work the problem on the chalkboard (and explain to the rest of the class). For correctly and
completely solving the problem and working the problem on the board, the group will earn one
bonus point for each of its members, and the individual from the group, who works the
problem on the board will earn an additional half a point . Of course, my expectation is that
each group member will take his/her turn doing the problem on the board on different
occasions. At the end of the semester, the bonus points earned this way will be used to improve
one test grade (to a score of no more than the maximum the test is worth), and possibly, one
quiz grade.
At the end of the semester, each student who has not officially withdrawn from the
course will be assigned a letter grade for the course based on his/her point total, according to
the following letter-grade scheme (in the following letter-grade scheme, G represents your
point total for the course):
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A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F
180 (90%)
170 (85%)
160 (80%)
150 (75%)
140 (70%)
120 (60%)
0 (0%)
 G  200 (100 %)
 G < 180 (90 %)
 G < 170 (85 %)
 G < 160 (80 %)
 G < 150 (75 %)
 G < 140 (70 %)
 G < 120 (60 %).
Nothing in my class will be graded on a curve. Please do not have any inaccurate
assumptions regarding this.
Class attendance:
Class attendance will be used in the following way: You must not miss more than four
class periods in this class this semester. For each class period in excess of four that one
misses, you will lose two points (one percentage point) from your point total at the end of the
semester. Only staying the whole period is counted as one full class attendance. If you have a
good reason to be late once in a while or to leave class early, you must discuss your reasons
with me ahead of time whenever possible, or before leaving class. I generally take attendance
in the beginning of the period. If you happen to not be here until after I have taken attendance
on any given day, it is your responsibility to stop at my desk before leaving class to make sure I
have recorded your presence that day.
For any test that you do not take, you will be assigned a grade of zero.
The student handbook indicates that each student who registers for a class is expected
to be in attendance every class period, unless the policy set forth by an individual instructor
overrides that. Thus I am completely within my right to set an attendance policy of the nature
stated above. Please make sure you thoroughly understand this. Please stay in my class only if
you are willing to abide by these policies.
Class participation:
The level of your class participation is likely to play a significant role in my decisions
related to ‘borderline’ cases, when determining the letter grades at the end of the semester.
While I prefer that students volunteer their participation, I will not refrain from calling on any
of you. The intention is not to embarrass you but to give you the opportunity to participate in
the instructional process, and to demonstrate to me that you are capable of thinking,
understanding and communicating mathematics. If you have a particular aversion to being
called on, please take time to come and see me and explain that. Reacting disrespectfully to
being called on will not be tolerated. If the course material is too easy for you, then it is your
job to explore the possibility of placing at a higher level. Otherwise I will expect you to stay
attentive and participate in the instructional process. I have no patience for students playing
around with their calculators or cell phones or sleeping or displaying any such disrespectful
behaviour. Again please consider all these before deciding whether to continue to stay in my
class.
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What I expect from you and what I will offer:
A strong background in the material covered in 67-103 will be assumed. Be sure to
review this material before too long into the semester.
The BLUE BOOK I have referred to on the opening page is a hand-written manual the
copies of which are available through the university bookstore (only available at the University
Books and More). Note: if the store is out of these manuals when you try to purchase, be sure
to see the store manager in charge of textbooks and have them add your name to a waiting list.
If you do not tell them you need the manual when the store is out of it, they will not be
ordering any more copies. So it is important that you tell them. It contains detailed solutions to
problems most of which are selected from the book and some from sources other than the
book, including my own collection of original problems. The BLUE BOOK also contains
thought-provoking questions, and missing details in some of the solutions, which you are
expected to fill in yourself. Make it a habit to read the textbook before and after any given
topic is covered in class, and read the BLUE BOOK as well. You must do the assigned
homework problem, although at this point I have no plans to collect and grade homework
assignments. This is an important activity to help you acquire the skill needed for the
successful completion of the course. Typically in class, I will cover the needed theory to
illustrate new concepts, and go over some of the solutions found in the BLUE BOOK. You will
be expected to read the remaining solutions in the BLUE BOOK on your own out-of-class. For
those solutions that I do not go over in class, you are expected to initiate questions and
discussions if you do not understand any part of what you read, or if you have any comments
related to them that you wish to bring up in class. Or you may come to my office for help with
these too. It is likely that I will have you do a selected set of problems in class, preferably in
groups, just so you could get a feel for the material taught. I hope this will give you a taste for
the homework problems, which you will be doing later from the section just covered. By
engaging in the type of learning activities described above, it is expected that you will gain the
knowledge and understanding that is needed to succeed in this course. You then apply the
knowledge you have thus gained to solve the problems on the quizzes and the tests.
The required TI calculator will be an integral part of the course. I anticipate a moderate
amount of calculator demonstrations in class. The BLUE BOOK also includes instructions for
TI –83 Plus where appropriate. You will be allowed to use TI-82/83 or TI-83 Plus or TI-85/86
on the test. The use of any other calculator on the tests and quizzes requires my approval.
When it comes to style of teaching, you might find that the percentage of class time I
spend on lecturing is more (or may be less, for some of you) than what you are used to
previously. However I do expect a considerable level of student involvement through asking
and answering questions, and through in-class group work. If you are some one who might
have difficulty staying focused and listening, I am afraid my class is not a good fit for you.
Please be aware of that, and be willing to make the necessary adjustments before it is too late.
What you should know about tests:
I do not believe in testing whether you can re- solve the very same examples you might
have seen before in class or in homework with very little change. Though it may happen at
times, generally on the tests and the quizzes, you must not expect problems that only require
you to simply mimic and regurgitate solutions you saw on the homework or in class. If you
have such expectations I am afraid my class is not a good fit for you. I expect you to
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understand the concept/techniques and then apply what you have learned to solve test and quiz
problems.
Anticipated pace of topic coverage and out-of-class help:
There are twenty- one sections (excluding sec 1.1 which I will not formally cover) to
cover in fourteen weeks. Setting aside sufficient number of class periods for a quick coverage
of the review chapter, and for tests, I will have to average about 1.8 sections per week, to cover
the material I am supposed to cover in this course. This means I will have to move at a pace
that may be too fast for some (and possibly too slow for yet others!). You need to learn to deal
with this situation, and not find it a source of irritation. I do have a lot to cover, and I only get
access to three hours of your time each week. Thus I need to keep moving, to be able to
complete the topic coverage that is expected of me. I do it out of necessity and not because I
‘care more about covering the material than whether students understand it or not’, as some
students might believe. If I had my way, I would refrain from covering a new topic until I was
sure everybody had adequate time in class to understand the topic. But I am afraid I do not
have that luxury. This course is a pre-requisite for some upper level courses. So I do have to
cover the material completely. I hope for your co-operation and understanding on this matter.
Please also understand that due to the required pace of new topic coverage, I will have to limit
the amount of class time I can afford to spend answering questions in class about your
homework assignment. However, I am more than happy to offer you my help out of class.
Please make it a habit to read the textbook and the BLUE BOOK before and after any given
topic is covered in class. It is very important to keep up with the material, and not fall behind.
Come in to see me in my office during the scheduled office hours, if you have trouble
understanding anything. It is unlikely, given the amount I have to cover, that I will have time
for in-class reviews before tests. However, I am willing to give out of class review sessions at
your request whenever you feel you would like to have one, provided there is a fair number of
students who want it.
Nature of material in the text:
This course will cover functions and graphs in general, and will include a relatively indepth look at various classes of functions such as linear, polynomial, rational, exponential, and
logarithmic functions, and related topics. We will also learn to solve equations, and
inequalities. The nature of the material is pretty traditional in the sense that you will be taught
techniques that are standard in most algebra courses. But you will also learn to use the
calculator as an aid to enhance your understanding of certain concepts. In my class, total
reliance on the calculator will not be encouraged.
In general in this course, applications are covered where appropriate. In other words, I
will be teaching mathematics for the most part, and applications mostly only to illustrate
concepts where appropriate. Mathematics taught will not be driven by or evolve from
applications, but instead applications are covered to just illustrate the usefulness of certain
concepts. This is a course in which mathematical (algebraic) techniques will be heavily
emphasized, with application problems discussed where appropriate and necessary. Please do
not ask, ‘what is this (mathematics) used for?’ – a mathematics instructor does not have to
justify teaching mathematical topics in a mathematics course whether or not you will find any
direct and immediate use for them in your major. Mathematics strengthens your reasoning
skills and logical thinking. Not every concept in Mathematics exists for the sole purpose of
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aiding and explaining something that you are familiar with in ‘real life’. Instead you’d be wiser
to investigate, especially if you are a non-mathematics major, why you are being required to
take this course. If you expect a heavily application-oriented course where every bit of
mathematics I teach will have to have real life applications, then I am afraid this class is
likely to fall well short of such expectations. Thus, if your expectations are far different from
what I have described above, then you might be better off switching out of my section. It is
very important that you read the preface in the text, and understand the various features
presented in the book. I am making you aware of this so I would not have to deal with students
coming in with unrealistic expectations which this course is not designed to meet, and then
take their frustrations out on me because your ‘other teacher taught it differently’. If you feel
you may be one of those students, please come and talk to me.
More on out-of-class help:
In addition to what I have described elsewhere in this document about out-of-class help
available from me, you can also take advantage of the free walk-in math tutor lab offered by
the mathematics department. The lab will start running in a few days and the schedule will be
posted outside the lab (Swart 113) and outside my office (Swart 216) as soon as it is ready. The
tutors in the lab are students themselves. If you are interested in being a tutor in the math tutor
lab, please visit the math department office (Swart 115)
The University counseling center offers assistance and advice on various course-related
issues such as test anxiety, math anxiety, time management, preparing for tests in general, and
many other issues. The center is located in Dempsey 201 (phone: 2061). Please do not hesitate
to visit the center and familiarize yourself with the various free services the center offers.
If you would like to be added to a list of students who wish to find out-of-class study
partners, and are also interested in knowing how to contact other such students in this class,
please see me soon. I will have you add your name, schedule and contact information to a list
(the out-of-class study partner list) a copy of which will then be made available to every
student included in the list.
Classroom behaviour:
Proper student behavior is expected in my classroom. This means that unnecessary and
disruptive non-course related talking, laughing, sleeping and doing anything other than reading
and discussing the course material when the class is in progress will not be tolerated. Playing
with your calculator or cell phone or reading material not related to our course during class
time are not looked upon favourably. If you are in the habit of falling asleep in class, please
expect to be called on! If you think you might fall asleep in class due to having had a
particularly restless night before class occasionally, or due to some medical reason, you must
talk to me before the period or before leaving class. I do not have much patience for students
sleeping in class. I will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to control discipline
problems of any sort.
As harsh as all this sounds, I do encourage a relaxed, friendly and unintimidating
atmosphere in class that will allow students to freely participate in the instructional process.
Your attitude and demeanor towards your fellow students and me will to a large extent
determine the kind of atmosphere we have in the class.
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Determining your standing in the class any time of the semester:
To figure out at any time during the semester what your standing is in terms of grade in
the class, simply calculate your point total at that point in time, divide by the maximum point
total, and multiply by 100 to calculate the percentage. For example, at the stage when there
have been two tests (maximum total 80 points) and say four quizzes (maximum total 32
86
)100%  76.8% . This will
points), if your point total is, say, 86, then your percentage is (
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put you in the BC range, according to the letter-grade scheme that is on pages 1 and 2 of this
document. But please understand that only the best five quiz grades will count, and that I
determine each student’s letter grade in the course solely based on where the point total at the
end of the semester falls according to the letter-grade scheme.
Miscellaneous:
I will be using Desire To Learn (d2l for short) Website that has been created for this
course. If you are unfamiliar with the use of this site, be sure to let me know. I will be putting
in information such as test review problems before tests for example, and other information on
this site. I will also be using this site when I need to communicate some information about the
class through the built-in e-mail list. If you have trouble logging on to the site, be sure to talk to
me.
There will be no make-up tests or quizzes. If you have to miss a test or a quiz due to
extra-ordinary circumstances, please inform me ahead of time if at all possible (make use of
the extensive contact information found on page 1) so alternate arrangements could be made if
absolutely necessary.
Please bear in mind that the teacher is only partly responsible for how you do in the
course. The larger portion of the responsibility for your success or failure lies in how well you
handle individual problems and how willing you are to seek help, and work at your problems. I
would like to see every one of you do well and learn well, and I am willing to do my very best
to help you learn. The rest is up to you.
The policies stated in this document are subject to change. But I will try my best to
stick with the policies as stated here.
I wish you a successful and enjoyable semester. Please feel free to come and talk to me
if I can be of any help. But please do not wait until it is too late for me to help you.
You will also find a list of homework problems (which will not be collected but one
you should make it a point to work on regularly) posted on d2l.
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