MAT 121-College Algebra
MAT 121- CECDC
College Algebra/Period 1/4 Credit Hours (ACC)
Spring 2015
Every Student, regardless of background or skill level, will demonstrate that they
can succeed in high school, in college, and in their chosen career. No Exceptions.
No Excuses.
Instructor:
Ms. Diana Hunt
Phone:
(720) 638-6824
Email:
Diana.Hunt@cecdc914.org
Office Hours:
7:30am – 7:55am, and 3:30-4:00pm M-F, Tues/Thurs periods 1&2, 5&6 –
Periods 1,2,5,&6 by arrangement please
Office Location:
CEC Room #309
Class Time(s)/Section(s)/Room#:
Period 1 Room#309, Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Census Date (date to drop with a refund):
2/4/15 Note that this date may be different for concurrent enrollment students.
Withdraw Date (date to withdraw with a “W”):
4/14/15 Note that this date may be different for concurrent enrollment students.
Course Description:
Explores topics including intermediate algebra, equations, and inequalities,
functions and their graphs, exponential and logarithmic functions, linear and nonlinear systems, selection of topics from among graphing of the conic sections,
introduction to sequences and series permutations and combinations, the
binomial theorem and theory of equations. This course is one of the Statewide
Guaranteed Transfer courses. GT-MA1
Course Prerequisites/Co-requisites:
All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Successful completion of MAT 055/095/099 or ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra
85+.
Textbook(s)/Materials:
Beecher, Penna, and Bittinger, College Algebra, 4th edition, Addison Wesley 2012
MyMathLab Access Code:
This code includes access to the e-text, student solutions manual,
online homework and free online tutoring (Smarthinking). You may
be required to have access to the textbook in class in either electronic form
or in print. Hard copies of the text and student solutions manual are
available on reserve in the ACC library. The access code for this course is:
Period #1: hunt45434 (Instructions are found on the last page of this
syllabus)
Calculator:
TI-83/84 graphing calculator required. Graphing calculators may be rented
through the Math FLEX Lab (M2850) or Student Success Center (M2720) at
ACC.
Optional Course Materials:
Hard copy or unbound version of the textbook. This can be purchased, bundled
with a MyMathLab access code.
Criteria for Grading/Grading Standards:
Your work will be graded for correctness. Partial credit may be given. Extra
credit may be given on a quiz or exam only. There will be no extra credit
assignments to make up for poor performance or missed assignments. In class
reviews will be held as time permits. There will always be an outline available for
the exam. There will not be an outline available for the quizzes. In class notes
should be sufficient to prepare for the quizzes. There will be no outline for the in
class work. A practice exam will be provided for the departmental final. All in
class work, exams, and quizzes MUST be done in pencil. Failure to use pencil is
an automatic 5% reduction on that assignment. I will have pencils for you to
borrow if need be. Your work must be neat, organized and clearly labeled.
Failure to produce quality work will result in a deduction of points. Your work
should read from top to bottom in columns or from left to right in rows. Any
sketches need to be labeled and all formulas given prior to plugging in numbers.
You need to show me exactly what you are doing so that I can assess whether
you have mastered the skill.
Homework is assigned for you to practice a given skill and work on your
proficiency (ability to work any given problem in 2-3 minutes)
Exams are designed to evaluate proficiency and comprehension (do you
understand the answer you are presenting? Have you tied the concepts
together?)
Quizzes/In Class Work are somewhere in between homework and exams.
You need to question what you are doing, why you are doing it, what is the
problem at hand, how do you get to the answer, what does the answer mean,
and does your answer make sense. All answers in this class must have
supporting work. Answers which do not have supporting work will receive ZERO
credit. This is extremely important. There is no guessing in this class. There
may be multiple choice assignments (quizzes/exams), however, all answers
MUST be substantiated with supporting work. Back substituting is along the
lines of guess and check and is not considered supporting work and does not
demonstrate understanding as to how to tackle that problem.
Grading Scheme:
Quizzes (7 quizzes, one make-up)
20%
MML Homework (50 assignments, 10 will be dropped NOTE: MML chapter tests
CAN NOT be dropped) **
10%
In Class Work/Take Home Work (~4 assignments, one make-up)
10%
Exams (4 Exams, make-up permitted)
40%
Final Exam (ACC departmental final - cumulative)
20%
**MML is very particular about notation. Every assignment will be increased by
10% to accommodate for this inconvenience, however, it is expected that you will
learn the system. I will not adjust grades any more than 10%.
Make-up/Late Work Policies:
There is no make-up work for any assignment in MML. Make Up will be
accommodated as follows: For exams with an excused absence, one quiz may be
made up and one In Class Work with an excused absence only. There will be no
other accommodations for absences whether excused or not. In the event you
have used your dropped quiz and have documented extenuating circumstances,
please come see me so that we can discuss the options. In the event that you
will miss a class I request that you contact me via email in a timely fashion
(before that class period if possible). A make-up exam or quiz will not be the
same as what was given to the remainder of the class. I will do my best to
create a comparable assignment in difficulty but this is very subjective. The need
for this is that solutions will be posted and you will have an unfair advantage over
the students that did complete the assignments on time. The final exam cannot
be taken at any other time except for when it is scheduled – NO EXCEPTIONS.
If you are unable to take the final when scheduled you will either be assigned an
incomplete or the grade you have earned thus far until that time that you are
able to take the exam. In such a scenario a change of grade will be submitted to
the college. This is strongly discouraged and will only be considered under
extenuating circumstances. MyMathLab dates will not be extended. You need to
plan your time accordingly. If your internet goes down, it is expected that you
haven’t waited until the last minute and have the opportunity to go to a
friend/relative’s house, the library or somewhere else to finish your work. This is
not an acceptable excuse for not getting your work done. If MML goes down,
which I do receive messages of such instances, then, the due dates will change.
Attendance/Level of Effort Policy:
It is expected that you will be present for each and every single class and
prepared for class. Being prepared for class means you have the necessary
materials for class (calculator, notepaper, pencil, etc) and that you have done
your homework and read ahead. Questions on the previous day’s material can
be answered at the beginning of class for a short time. This is a very condensed
class so if possible all questions should be addressed outside of class.
A college course has a rule of thumb of 2 hours of studying (homework, review,
reading) per one hour of class time. This may be sufficient for some students but
others may need to spend more time. It is expected that you do what you need
to do to be successful in this class. It is up to you to ask questions in a timely
fashion. Waiting until the last minute is a recipe for disaster. The end product of
your studying should be that you comprehend the material and can demonstrate
proficiency. The content of this course will not be modified to suit the skill level
of the class. You are receiving college credit and with that requires exposure to a
certain amount of material and the comprehensive final will cover all sections
outlined in this syllabus. If you are struggling, you need to come in for extra
help else you will not be successful in this class.
This class is very condensed and we will start promptly. I expect that you will be
in your seat, quiet and with materials out ready for class.
E-mail Communication:
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Electronic correspondence from ACC employees will go to your student
email account only. When you activate your account you can forward
emails to an e-mail account that you already have.
To activate your student e-mail account, go to the ACC Website, log
into myACC.
On top right hand corner, click on the Student Email icon (white envelope).
A new window will pop up as Microsoft Outlook Web App.
If you are a brand new student to the Colorado Community College
System, your password is your birth date in this format MonthDDYear. For
example, if you're birthday was July 4, 1976, then you would enter
July041976.
o Then in the two boxes below that, create a new password and retype
a new password in the second box.
o Then hit "Okay" and follow the prompts (select your language, time
zone-"Mountain Time" is the 10th down from the very top, etc.) to
complete your e-mail set-up.
If you previously attended or applied to a Colorado Community College,
your PASSWORD remained the same and your inbox should automatically
connect.
If you need technical support, please call the 24/7 toll-free technical
support hotline at 1-888-800-9198.
E-mail Policy:
I will be checking my CEC e-mail regularly. Response time is typically with 24
hours during the week.
Please note that this is a college level course and it is expected that the student
communicate with the instructor when at all possible. It is your responsibility,
not your parents, or CEC administration to communicate with me that you are
sick and will not be in class and will be requesting make up.
Tutoring and Student Support Resources:
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Peer and professional tutoring for all college level math classes in room
M2720. ACC math instructors provide help with concepts, homework,
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online resources and graphing calculator. For information contact the
Student Success Center at 303-797-5669.
CECDC will be offering peer tutoring in the Spring of 2015. Contact Ms.
Hunt or Jackie Pyle for more details.
Online Tutoring (Smarthinking) is available through MyMathLab when
working on assignments. It is available 24 hours a day, 7days a week.
You can access Smarthinking by logging into your MML website and click
on the ‘Connect to a tutor’ button while working on an assignment.
In the ACC Library, students may watch course related videos and
DVDs in the library. The Writing Center is located in the library where
you can get help with your papers and other writing questions.
Accommodations Statement:
CECDC will provide accommodations to qualified students with disabilities. To
request accommodation, please contact Miss Grant. You will be required to
inform me of any accommodation in a timely fashion.
Academic Integrity Statement:
Arapahoe Community College and CEC are committed to academic honesty and
scholarly integrity. The College and CEC can best function and accomplish its
mission in an atmosphere of the highest ethical standards. All members of the
College community and CEC are expected and encouraged to contribute to such
an environment by observing all accepted principles of academic honesty.
Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: plagiarism, cheating,
fabrication, grade tampering, misuse of computers and other electronic
technology, and facilitating academic dishonesty. Those found in
violation of academic honesty will be subject to the disciplinary actions
as the instructor and Dean of the school see fit.
Online Course Evaluations:
As this course nears completion, you will have the opportunity to complete a
confidential evaluation of the class online. Login instructions will be sent to your
‘student.cccs.edu’ e-mail address. Your feedback is important, and ensures that
ACC continues to offer quality instruction that meets your needs. Please take
time to complete the survey – I appreciate your feedback.
Learning Outcomes for Student Enrichment
Preparing learners for life success is an important commitment at Arapahoe
Community College. These learning outcomes address the knowledge, skills, and
values that are fundamental to the personal and professional growth of our
students, employees and community.
1. Communication
Construct, deliver, and engage in effective, knowledgeable communication
for a variety of audiences and purposes.
2. Information Management
Identify, retrieve and synthesize information in order to think critically,
reason creatively and make informed judgments.
3. Personal Development
Identify and continually develop one’s aptitudes and abilities in pursuit of
goals.
4. Responsibility and Accountability
Employ personal and social accountability, recognize ethical issues, practice
ethical behavior, and balance personal freedom with the interest of the
community.
5. Quantitative Reasoning
Retrieve, interpret and evaluate information and numerical concepts to
determine trends, make predictions, and develop informed opinions.
6. Cultural Awareness
Identify, distinguish, or express a diversity of aesthetic, cultural, and
historical perspectives.
Topical Outline:
Chapter 1 Graphs, Functions, and Models
1.1 Introductions to Graphing
1.2 Functions and Graphs
1.3 Linear Functions, Slope, and Applications
1.4 Equations of Lines and Modeling
1.5 Linear Equations, Functions, Zeros and Applications
1.6 Solving Linear Inequalities
Chapter 2 More on Functions
2.1 Increasing, Decreasing and Piecewise Functions, Applications
2.2 The Algebra of Functions
2.3 Compositions of Functions
2.4 Symmetry and Transformations
2.5 Variation and Applications
Chapter 3 Quadratic Functions and Equations and Inequalities
3.1 The Complex Numbers
3.2 Quadratic Equations, Functions, Zeros and Models
3.3 Analyzing Graphs of Quadratic Functions
3.4 Solving Rational Equations and Radical Equations
3.5 Solving Equations and Inequalities with Absolute Value
Chapter 4 Polynomial Functions and Rational Functions
4.1 Polynomial Functions and Models
4.2 Graphing Polynomial Functions
4.3 Polynomial Division; The Remainder Theorem and the Factor Theorem
4.4 Theorems about Zeros of Polynomial Functions – Omit Descartes’ Rule of
Signs
4.5 Rational Functions
4.6 Polynomial Inequalities and Rational Inequalities
Chapter 5 Exponential Functions and Logarithmic Functions (Very
Important)
5.1 Inverse Functions
5.2 Exponential Functions and Graphs
5.3 Logarithmic Functions and Graphs
5.4 Properties of Logarithmic Functions
5.5 Solving Exponential and Logarithmic Equations
5.6 Applications and Models, Growth and Decay, Compound Interest
Chapter 6 System of Equations and Matrices (Calculator Intensive)
6.1 Systems of Equations in Two Variables – substitution and elimination
6.2 Systems of Equations in Three Variables – Gaussian if time permits
6.3 Matrices and Systems of Equations
6.4 Matrix Operations
6.5 Inverses of Matrices
Chapter 7 Conic Sections
7.1 The Parabola
7.2 The Circle and the Ellipse
7.3 The Hyperbola – at the origin only
7.4 Nonlinear Systems of Equations and Inequalities
Chapter 8 Sequences, Series, and Combinatorics
8.1 Sequences and Series
8.2 Arithmetic Sequences and Series
8.3 Geometric Sequences and Series
Competencies:
After successful completion of this course the student should be able to:
Number
1
Competency
Demonstrate an understanding of set notations, subsets of the real numbers
and properties of real numbers.
2
Perform algebraic manipulations including working with exponents, radicals,
polynomial operations, factoring and algebraic fractions.
3
Solve the following types of equations: linear, quadratic, rational,
exponential, logarithmic equations involving radicals, equations in quadratic
form and equations involving absolute value.
Demonstrate an understanding of formulas including formula evaluation and
solving a formula for any of the variables.
4
5
Read and analyze problems in the form of word problem applications and
obtain solutions using equations.
6
Solve and graph first degree inequalities, higher degree inequalities and
inequalities involving absolute value.
7
Recognize and graph linear functions, rational functions, absolute value
functions, and graph inequalities in two variables.
8
Work with function notation and demonstrate knowledge of the meaning of a
function.
9
Demonstrate an understanding of function composition, one-to-one
functions and inverse functions.
10
Examine, evaluate, and graph exponential and logarithmic functions.
12
Use at least two of the following techniques to solve linear and non-linear
systems of the equations: substitution, addition (elimination), Gaussian
elimination, Cramer’s rule.
Perform operations with matrices and use a matrix operation.
13
Graph systems of inequalities.
14
Identify the conic section represented by a given second degree equation
and graph conic sections including circles, parabolas, ellipses and
hyperbolas.
Explore various topics related to sequences and series including series
notation, sequence formulas, counting principles, mathematical induction
and the Binomial Theorem.
Perform synthetic division.
11
15
16
17
18
19
20
Use the Remainder Theorem and the Factor Theorem to factor and evaluate
polynomials.
Solve polynomial equations using the Rational Root Theorem and/or
approximation techniques.
Write and speak clearly and logically in presentations and essays.
Demonstrate the ability to select and apply contemporary forms of
technology to solve problems or compile information.
Tentative Schedule of Class Assignments:
The following is a Tentative Schedule. We may cover more or less material each
day but this will give you a guideline. I reserve the right to change the calendar
as needed.
WEEK
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
FRIDAY
Jan 5-9
NO SCHOOL
1.1-1.2
1.2-1.3
Jan 12-16
1.3-1.4
1.5-1.6
1.6-2.1
Jan 19-23
NO SCHOOL
2.1, Q&A Ch 1
Quiz ch1
Jan 26-30
2.2 Rev Quiz
2.3-2.4
2.4-2.5
Feb 2-6
In Class Work
Ch1-Ch2
Quiz Ch2
3.1Rev Quiz
Feb 9-13
Exam #1 Ch1Ch2
3.2 Rev Exam
3.3-3.4
Feb 16-20
NO SCHOOL
3.4-3.5
4.1 In Class Work
Ch 3
Feb 23-27
Quiz Ch 3
4.1 Rev Quiz
4.2-4.3
Mar 2-6
4.4-4.5
4.5-4.6
4.6-5.1
Mar 9-13
5.1 In Class
Work Ch 4
Quiz Ch 4
5.1 Rev Quiz
Mar 16-20
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
Mar 23-27
PARCC
TESTING
PARCC TESTING
PARCC TESTING
Mar 30-Apr 3
Exam #2 Ch3Ch4
5.2-5.3 Rev Exam
5.4-5.5
Apr 6-10
5.5-5.6
5.6-6.1
In Class Work ch 5
Apr 13-17
Quiz Ch5
6.2 Rev Quiz
6.3-6.5
Apr 20-24
6.5
7.1-7.2
Quiz Ch 6
Apr 27-May 1
NO SCHOOL
Exam #3 Ch5-Ch6
7.2-7.3
May 4-8
7.4-8.1
In Class Work Ch 7
Quiz Ch 7
May 11-15
8.1-8.2
8.2-8.3
Quiz Ch 8
May 18-22
Exam #4 Ch7Ch8
Q&A for Final
FINAL EXAM
MML Due Dates: Subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. You have
unlimited tries on your homework, however only two tries for the chapter tests.
You do have 240 min for a chapter test. This should be more than enough time.
Week
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1/61/9
1/111/16
Syll Quiz
Orientation
1.1-1.2
1/181/23
1.3-1.6
Ch1
Test
1/251/30
2.1-2.2
2/12/6
2.3-2.5
2/82/13
3.1
2/152/20
3.3-3.4
2/222/27
Ch3 Test,
4.1
3/13/6
4.2-4.3
3/83/13
4.6, Ch4
Test
3/153/20
5.1
3/223/27
PARCC TESTING
3/294/3
Ch2
Test
3.2
3.5
4.4-4.5
SPRING BREAK
5.2-5.3
4/54/10
5.4
4/124/17
Ch5 Test,
6.1
4/194/24
6.3-6.4
4/265/1
7.1-7.2
5/35/8
7.3
5/105/15
5/175/22
5.5
5.6
6.2
6.5
Ch6
Test
7.4
Ch7
Test
8.1-8.3
Ch8 Test