MATH 70: Intermediate Algebra
Instructor:
Tom Greenwood
Office:
MS 102
Office Hours:
M 1:30 – 2:45, TW 1:30 – 3, TH 2:15 – 3:00 or by appointment.
Phone:
395 – 4229
E-Mail:
tgreenwo@bakersfieldcollege.edu
Website:
http://www2.bakersfieldcollege.edu/tgreenwood
Prerequisites:
A grade of “C” or better in Math 60 or equivalent placement
Textbook:
Elementary and Intermediate Algebra by Bittinger, Ellenbogen, and Johnson
– 6th edition
Catalog Description: Topics for the course are functions and operations on functions; system
of linear equations, linear, and absolute value inequalities; linear,
absolute value, and quadratic equations; radicals and operations with
radicals; equations involving radicals, exponential, and logarithmic
equations; and conic sections.
Course Content:
Chapter 8
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Grading:
Homework
Quizzes
Exams
Final Exam
Total
Systems of Equations and Problem Solving (2 weeks)
Functions and Graphs (2 weeks)
Inequalities (1 week)
Exponents and Radicals (3 weeks)
Quadratic Functions and Equations (3 weeks)
Exponential and Logarithmic Functions (3 weeks)
Conic Sections (1 week)
10%
20%
50%
20%
100%
Grades will closely follow this trend.
Percent
Grade
90-100
A
80-89
B
70-79
C
60-69
D
Below 60
F
The overall grade is based on a percentage, not on points.
Homework:
Homework will be assigned on My Math Lab at mymathlab.com
You will need an access code which can obtained in one of two
ways:
 Buying the textbook with the My Math Lab code
 Buy the access code through mymathlab.com
If you purchase the access code online, you need not purchase
the book because there is an electronic copy of the textbook on
the My Math Lab website. You will need the course ID for this
class
For the 8 am class: greenwood15341
For the 9:35am class: greenwood38314
Quizzes:
Quizzes will be given during the middle of the chapter. Quizzes
are always announced in advance.
Exams:
Exams will be based on every one or two chapters (depending on
the material).
Final Exam:
This is a cumulative final.
8 am class:
9:35 am class:
Wednesday, December 9, 2015, 8 – 9:50 am.
Monday, December 7, 2015, 10 – 11:50 am.
Important Dates:
Last day to drop without a “W” is September 6, 2015.
Last day to drop with a “W” is October 30, 2015.
Attendance:
If you miss more than 8 classes (two weeks), you will
automatically be dropped from the class. I need not warn you
when you are close to this point. It is ultimately the student’s
responsibility to drop the class. Students cannot leave class early
unless they have the professor’s permission prior to the start of
class.
Cheating:
There will be a zero tolerance policy on cheating. A first offense
will receive a zero on that assignment/quiz/exam and possible
mention on their permanent record. A second offense will receive
more drastic measures with a possibility of being removed from
the course. Calculators are subject to being reviewed by the
professor before, during, and after an examination. This is due to
previous encounters in past semesters.
On quiz and exam days, if you need to use the bathroom or leave
the class, you must leave your phone at my desk while you are
outside the classroom.
Classroom Etiquette:
It is expected that you devote your full attention to the class.
Some examples of bad etiquette are (but not limited to):
 Text messaging
 Reading newspapers, magazine, or other material not
related to the class
 Talking
 Sleeping
 Studying for another class
Talking:
There is absolutely no talking aloud while the professor is
conducting lecture. This is a distraction to not just the professor,
but fellow students as well. Please have consideration for the
students around you. Failure to do so will result in being asked to
leave the class.
Sleeping:
Sleeping is not permitted in class. If you cannot stay awake in
class……go home and get some rest.
Cell Phones:
Cell phones need to be either turned off for the duration of class.
It is unacceptable to answer the phone either in class or to leave
class to take a phone call. Cell phones cannot be used as
calculator during quizzes or exams.
Texting:
Texting in class is prohibited. This is the equivalent to talking in
class. If you caught texting during class, you can be asked to
leave the class.
Electronic Devices:
Electronic devices (i.e. iPod, cell phone, etc.) should be turned off
and put away before the beginning of class.
Calculators:
Scientific calculators are allowed. Graphing calculators cannot be
used.
Makeups:
Quizzes cannot be made up. Exams can be made up only in
extreme circumstances. Missing an exam does not give you the
automatic right to make it up!! Notification of the absence must be
given prior to the time of the exam. Documentation must be
provided in case of sickness. If a makeup is granted, a maximum
of one makeup is allowed for the semester.
Accommodations:
Students with disabilities who believe they may need
accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact
Supportive Services on the first floor of the counseling building,
395-4334, as soon as possible to better ensure such
accommodations are implemented in a timely manner.
FERPA:
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a
federal law that prohibits the instructor from sharing student
information (grades, class progress, etc..) with anybody except the
student. This means that I cannot share your information with
family members (parents, siblings, spouses, etc…).
Tutoring:
Drop in tutoring is available in the Math Learning Center (Second
floor of the Student Services Building). Tutoring by appointment is
also available on the top floor of Student Services building.
Notes:
To be successful in Math 70, you must make sure to put in the
work necessary to be successful. Every hour that you spend in
class, you need to spend about two hours outside of class.
Staying on top of your homework and the material (and attending
office hours) will help in making sure you are successful in this
class.
Math 70 Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Find the domain and range of a function. Graph a linear, simple quadratic,
and an absolute value function. Find the sum, difference, product, and
quotient of two functions. Solve word problems (these problems will
involve formulas and variation) by defining a variable, setting up and
solving an equation and interpreting the result.
2. Solve a system of linear equations of two and three variables Solve word
problems involving two and three variables by defining variables, setting
up and solving equations and interpreting the result.
3. Solve a linear and an absolute value inequality and identify the solution in
set and interval notation, and graph the solution. Graph inequalities in two
variables and identify the solutions region.
4. Simplify radical expressions and functions. Find the sum, difference,
product, and quotient of two terms involving radicals and complex
numbers. Solve radical equations. Solve word problems (these problems
will involve the distance and midpoint formulas) by defining a variable,
setting up and solving an equation and interpreting the result.
5. Solve quadratic equations and equations that are reducible to quadratic,
by the square root principal, factoring, and the quadratic formula. Solve
word problems by defining a variable, setting up and solving an equation
and interpreting the result. Graph quadratic functions. Solve polynomial
and rational inequalities.
6. Find the composition of two functions. Find the inverse of a function.
Solve exponential and logarithmic equation. Graph exponential and
logarithmic functions.
7. Graph parabolas, circles, ellipses, and hyperbolas.