Heartland Community College
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MATH 091-27--Preparing for College Math A – 16 wk
Course Overview
Greetings! We are glad to see you here. The design of this course allows students to work at an accelerated pace
and to take their success with them from semester to semester. We utilize MyLabsPlus (MLP) so that you receive
immediate feedback as you work on math problems with one-on-one instructor help in the Math Success Center.
Instructor Information
Instructor Name: Matthew Childers
Email: Matthew.Childers@heartland.edu
Phone: Instructor doesn’t use a phone. Office: WDC 2200
Office Hours: By appointment.
Day/Time course meets: Tuesday/Thursday 4-5:50 p.m.
Catalog Description
Prerequisite: Prerequisite: Placement by assessment. This course is designed for students who need to develop
their math skills prior to taking transfer level mathematics. Topics include: whole numbers, integers, solving
equations with integers, solving advanced linear equations, fractions, mixed numbers, decimals, ratios, and
proportions. For students who can successfully work at an accelerated pace or who have an alternate placement,
additional topics include: percent, order of operations, solving linear equations, lines, graphing, exponents,
polynomials, factoring, rational expressions, functions, radical expressions, linear systems, compound
inequalities, systems of equations, complex numbers, and quadratic equations.
Credit Hours: 4.0
Lecture Hours: 4.0
Contact Hours: 4.0
Laboratory Hours: 0.0
Textbook & Course Materials
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Etext (cost covered by course fee; included in MLP account www.heartland.mylabsplus.com)
o Martin-Gay, K. Elayn. PreAlgebra. 6th Edition. Boston, MA: Prentice Hall, 2011.
o Trigsted, Kirk, Kevin Bodden, and Randall Gallaher, Beginning and Intermediate Algebra, 1st
Edition. Pearson, 2012.
Required: TI- 30XIIS or TI-30XIIB calculator
o No calculators allowed on modules 1 – 5. A TI-30XIIS or TI-30XIIB scientific calculator is
allowed on modules 6 – 20 (graphing calculators are not allowed in this course).
Guided notebook (for appropriate milestone) may be purchased from bookstore or printed from the
guided notebook link in MLP. A three-ring binder is suggested.
Loose-leaf lined paper for homework and progress check problems
o All homework and progress checks should be complete and organized prior to the notebook check
Ear buds or ear phones are required to listen to video lectures in the Math Success Center (MSC)
Technology Requirements
Participation in this course will require the Internet to access the course website at heartland.mylabsplus.com.
During class and drop-in time, you will have access to this website in the Math Success Center. When studying
outside of the MSC, you may use any computer with internet access.
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transferability:
MATH 091 is designed to enhance students' academic performance for other college courses for which they are
currently under-prepared, as indicated by their performance on HCC's math placement exam. Credit earned from
successful completion of this course (or other developmental courses) is not calculated into students' HCC GPA
and will not apply toward degree or certificate requirements, nor will it transfer to other colleges or universities.
However, some institutions calculate admissions GPA using grades from all courses, including developmental
courses.
Heartland Community College
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Learning Outcomes:
After successfully completing the course, students should be able to:
Course Outcomes
Perform basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) on
integers, fractions, decimals.
Break down numbers into their prime factors and distinguish between a prime
and composite number.
Understand the concept of a ratio and construct a proportion set-up.
Translate word phrases to mathematical expressions
Simplify an expression using the correct order of operations.
Convert between fractions, decimals
Set-up and solve basic mathematic application problems.
Evaluate exponents and square roots
Solve one and two step equations
Range of Assessment Methods
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
For students who work at an accelerated pace or have an alternate placement, the following outcomes apply:
Convert between fractions, decimals and percent.
Perform calculations involving percent.
Apply properties of real numbers
Simplify an expression using the correct order of operations.
Simplify exponential expressions involving integer and rational exponents.
Solve linear equations and inequalities in one variable, including literal
equations.
Graph linear equations and linear inequalities in two variables.
Write the equation of a line based on specific characteristics provided.
Perform basic operations on polynomials
Factor polynomials and solve quadratic equations by factoring.
Multiply, divide, and simplify rational expressions.
Understand the meaning of a function and function notation.
Simplify square roots and convert radical expressions to exponential form.
Perform basic operations on radicals and use radicals to solve polynomials.
Solve systems of linear equations and inequalities.
Solve compound inequalities, absolute equations, and absolute inequalities
Simplify rational expressions and solve rational equations
Perform operations with complex numbers
Simplify radical expressions and solve radical equations
Solve and graph quadratic equations.
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Homework, Progress Check, Test, Notebook
Heartland Community College
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Course Outline
Milestone 1 (Pre-Algebra)
1. Whole Numbers
2. Integers, Solving Equations
3. Solving Linear Equations
4. Fractions & Mixed Numbers
5. Decimals
6. Ratios; Proportions; Triangles
For students who progress at an accelerated pace or have an alternate placement, additional topics include:
Milestone 2 (Beginning Algebra)
7. Percent
8. Order of Operations
9. Solving Advanced Linear Equations
10. Lines; Graphing
11. Advanced Exponents; Polynomials
12. Factoring
Milestone 3 (Intermediate Algebra Level I)
13. Rational Expressions
14. Functions
15. Radicals; Intro to Quadratics
16. Linear Systems
Milestone 4 (Intermediate Algebra Level II)
17. Compound Inequalities; Systems; Factoring
18. Rational Equations
19. Radicals; Complex Numbers
20. Quadratic Equations; Circles
Attendance
o Attendance during your scheduled class time is mandatory.
o The following are appropriate during class time:
 Working in the MSC
 Testing in the Math Testing Center
o You are allowed a maximum of 4 absences during the semester.
o Upon your 5th absence, your instructor may withdraw you from the course.
o If you have not attended your scheduled class time by January 28th, you will be withdrawn.
o Extended absences (athletics, military, medical procedures, jury duty, etc.) require documentation in order to
be excused. If possible, documentation needs to be presented prior to the absence.
o Incompletes are given only under extenuating circumstances, as outlined in the Course Catalog under
“Incompletes”.
Method of Evaluation
This course consists of modules covering topics from pre-algebra through the intermediate algebra level—each
with 2-8 sections. At the beginning of each module there is an optional pre-test. Students who pass the pre-test
have successfully completed the module and do not have to complete any other assignments for that module.
They may move on to the next module. Students who do not pass the pre-test for a module must complete the
assignments in the module, consisting of a video lecture, homework assignment, and progress check for each
section, as well as a notebook requirement. Some homework questions may receive automatic credit through MLP
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based on questions answered correctly on the pre-test. Students do not have to re-do those homework questions.
Students are allowed to rework assignments and must complete each successfully before moving to the next
assignment. After working through a module, the post-test must be passed. To successfully complete a milestone,
a student must complete all modules in that milestone (by passing either a pre-test or a post-test for each module).
The final grade for this course will be a P (pass) upon successful completion of the milestone in which the student
was placed (see course outline), or a NP (no pass). A grade of I (Incomplete) may be given under extenuating
circumstances only.
Assignment
Module 1-18
Module 19-20
Video
100%
100%
Homework
90%
90%
Progress Check
80%
80%
Notebook
80%
80%
Pre-test & Post-test
75%
80%
Required Reading and Writing
Students must read the etext, complete the guided notebook, and record all of their work from homework and
progress checks for each module. This notebook is graded, and must be passed at an 80% in order to move on to
the post-test for that module.
Heartland Community College
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Week to Week Course Calendar
For each section listed below, we expect you to have the progress check passed by the given date.
For each Post-test listed below, we expect that you have passed that test by the given date.
End of
Week:
Date
Milestone I
Pre-Algebra
Milestone II
Beginning Algebra
Milestone III
Intermediate
Algebra I
Milestone IV
Intermediate
Algebra II
1
Jan 20 (Sun)
1.2
7.2
13.1
17.1
2
Jan 27 (Sun)
1.5
7.5
13.2
17.3
3
Feb 3 (Sun)
1.8
8.1
Mod 13 Post-test
Mod 17 Post-test
4
Feb 10 (Sun)
2.1
Mod 8 Post-test
14.1
18.1
5
Feb 17 (Sun)
2.4
9.2
14.2
18.3
6
Feb 24 (Sun)
Mod 2 Post-test
9.5
14.3
18.5
7
Mar 3 (Sun)
3.2
10.1
15.1
Mod 18 Post-test
8
(Midterm)
Mar 10 (Sun)
4.1
10.3
15.2
19.1
Mar 11 –
Mar 16
Spring
Break
Spring
Break
9
Mar 24 (Sun)
4.3
Mod 10 Post-test
15.3
19.3
10
Mar 31 (Sun)
4.6
11.2
15.4
Mod 19 Post-test
11
Apr 7 (Sun)
Mod 4 Post-test
11.5
16.1
20.1
12
Apr 14 (Sun)
5.2
11.8
16.2
20.3
13
Apr 21 (Sun)
5.5
12.1
16.3
20.4
14
Apr 28 (Sun)
6.1
12.4
16.4
20.5
15
May 5 (Sun)
6.3
12.7
16.5
20.6
16
May 12 (Sun)
Milestone 1
Post-test
Milestone 2
Post-test
Milestone 3
Post-test
Milestone 4
Post-test
17
May 16 (Thurs)
Milestone 1
Post-test
Milestone 2
Post-test
Milestone 3
Post-test
Milestone 4
Post-test
DISCLAIMER:
This syllabus is subject to change, any changes will be posted under Announcements in MLP.