MATH 112 SYLLABUS (Tue/Thur) – Spring 2010
INSTRUCTOR: _______________________________________________
COURSE TITLE:
Precalculus Algebra – Computer based
SECTION: ______________
CREDIT: 3 semester hours
TEXTBOOK AND ACCESS CODE: "Precalculus, 3rd edition" by Beecher, Penna, and Bittinger, published by Addison Wesley. An access
code is required to complete all assignments and tests for this course. The access code allows the student to access the publisher’s website for the
course, where all assignments and tests must be completed and where the entire textbook may be viewed online. Access codes can be purchased with
or without a hard copy of the textbook at a bookstore or online from the publisher.
PREREQUISITE: Grade of “C-“or better in Math 100 or a minimum of 310 on the math placement test.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This is a course in Precalculus mathematics. The course is computer-assisted, which means students will use the
computer (along with the instructor) to complete the course. Topics include linear, quadratic, and rational equations and inequalities, the algebra of
functions (including polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions), the graphs of these functions, and systems of equations.
GENERAL LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR 100-200 LEVEL COURSES:
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Students will be able to discriminate between reliable and less reliable information in their decision-making.
Students will be able to recognize and explain the scientific method, and evaluate scientific information.
LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR THIS COURSE:


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Students will be able to perform operations on polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions.
Students will be able to graph polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions using techniques and information gathered
about the functions.
Students will be able to solve linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, absolute value, and inequality equations.
Students will be able to recognize and manipulate complex numbers.
Students will be able to solve systems of equations in two or more variables.
CALCULATOR: Only the calculator on the computer may be used in this course.
TEST DEADLINES:
Test 1: Thursday
Test 2: Thursday
Test 3: Thursday
Test 4: Thursday
Final Exam: Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., or Fri.
REGISTRATION WEEK:
8am Friday 1/22 - 5pm Friday 1/29
8am Friday 2/12 - 5pm Friday 2/19
8am Friday 3/19 - 5pm Friday 3/26
8am Friday 4/9 - 5pm Friday 4/16
8am Friday 4/23 - 5pm Friday 4/30
February 4
February 25
April 1
April 22
May 3-7
Test times available: TBA (to be announced)
Final Exam times available: 8 am, 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, and 7 pm. (All times may not be available each day.)
Please read Test Rules on page 3 of this syllabus for detailed information on test reservation and test taking procedures.
The MTLC will only be available for Testing on Monday-Thursday during Test Weeks between 8:00AM-8:00PM, and for
general studying between 8:00PM-10:00PM.
d test taking procedures.
EMAIL REQUIREMENT: All correspondence will be made through your crimson email account. If you do not have a crimson email account,
then you can get one activated at Seebeck located in 125 Gordon Palmer. You may reach your instructor by emailing ma112mtl@bama.ua.edu.
Please put your instructor’s name in the subject box. Replies to automated emails cannot be answered.
COURSE GRADES: This course is under the “A, B, C, and NC” policy, +/- grades will be given. Points earned as follows determine the course
grade:
4 Tests
400 points (100 points each)
Final Exam
300 points
Quizzes
160 points (40 points each test period)
Homework
68 points (17 points each test period)
Class Meetings
30 points (2 points for each week)
Lab Attendance
42 points (3 points for each week)
Lab Survey
2 points
Total
1002 points
You must have a minimum of 700 pts. to pass this course.
MTLC INFORMATION
Location: B1 Tutwiler
Phone number: 348 – 2592
Website: www.mtlc.ua.edu
MTLC HOURS
Sunday
Mon. – Thurs.
Friday
COURSE GRADE SCALE
A+
B+
C+
NC
4:00 pm – 10:00 pm
8:00 am – 10:00 pm
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
980 – 1000, A 920 – 979,
880 – 899, B 820 – 879,
780 – 799, C 720 – 779,
Below
A– 900 – 919
B– 800 – 819
C– 700 – 719
Lab hours are counted Sunday – Friday
You must swipe your ACT card to receive
credit for your attendance. No exceptions.
MTLC CLOSINGS: The lab will be closed on Sunday 1/17 and Monday 1/18 for the MLK Holiday. The lab will close for Spring Break on
Friday 3/12 at 5pm and re-open at 8am Monday 3/22. Last day for help in the MTLC will be Sunday 5/2.
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DISABILITY ACCESS STATEMENT: For those students wishing to request disability accommodations, please contact the Office of
Disability Services at 348-4285. After initial arrangements are made with that office, then contact your professor. Your professor will be glad to
work with you to make sure your needs are properly met.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM: Every student must submit an acknowledgement form, found on the math software, acknowledging that he
or she has read the syllabus and understands all the policies for this course. No one will be allowed to do any work until this form has been
completed.
WITHDRAW: Wednesday, March 24 is the last day to withdraw from this class with a W. No drops will be allowed after this date. After this
date you will be assigned a grade according to your total points based on the scale above.
HOMEWORK: Homework will be assigned for each section. For each test period you will be allowed to drop one homework grade. The
homework grade will be calculated by taking the average of each of the remaining grades on the homework sections assigned and converting this to
the 17 points you earn for each test period. Homework can be completed more than once with the highest score kept as the grade for that section.
QUIZZES: There will be a quiz given on each section covered. You will be given one attempt on each quiz. For each test period you will be
allowed to drop one section quiz grade. The remaining quiz grades will be averaged and converted to the 40 points you earn for each test period.
NOTE: You will not be given help on your quizzes or tests.
MAKE-UP POLICY: If homework or quizzes are missed due to a serious, verifiable circumstance, then make-up work may be allowed. Any
student requesting to make up work must fill out a petition request form in 345 Gordon Palmer with an excuse and supporting documents attached.
If a test is missed due to a serious, verifiable circumstance, the zero test grade will be replaced with the final exam grade. Students who must miss
work or tests due to official University business must make arrangements for makeup work beforehand. Students must take excuses to the math
department (345 Gordon Palmer) and fill out a petition request form within 2 days of the missed work.
WORKING FROM HOME: The Math 112 software can be installed on the student’s personal computer. Internet access and the appropriate plugins are required in order to use the website where the notes, homework, and exercises are found. The website for the software is
http://ua.mylabsplus.com. If this page fails to load, try typing the address again rather than selecting it from a drop-down menu. There are plug-ins to
be downloaded in order for a successful operation from home. To get these, you will login to the website with your own personal login and password
as given by the MTLC. Next, click on your course section. Select the INSTALLATION WIZARD from the link that appears on the screen on the
right. Then follow the instructions on the screen. Students doing graded work from home risk grades not being properly saved. If scores are not
successfully sent from home FOR ANY REASON and the deadline passes, you will NOT be able to make up the work. Tests must be taken in the
MTLC.
REPLACEMENT POLICY: Everyone will be allowed to replace his/her lowest test grade with the grade made on the final exam. However, zeros
due to an unexcused absence or academic misconduct will not be replaced. Students who miss a test and have an excuse can have the missed test
replaced if a petition request form is filed within two days, and if the petition request panel approves the excuse. Petitions may be filed in Gordon
Palmer, room 345; please attach supporting documents.
ATTENDANCE POLICIES:

Unless otherwise specified by your instructor, every student is required to come to the classroom at the scheduled class time Tuesday,
January 12th and Thursday, January 14th.

Class Meetings: Each student is required to attend and actively participate in a class meeting every week in the classroom listed on the
schedule. Class attendance is worth 2 points each week. The class meetings will be on Tuesday during your scheduled class time beginning
Tuesday, Jan. 19th. The time for the class meeting is not counted toward your 3 hours lab work requirement.

Lab work: Every student is required to work in the MTLC for a minimum of 3 hours every week including test weeks. The attendance
requirement will begin the week of January 10th. Attendance is counted from Sunday to Friday each week. Lab attendance each week earns
you up to 3 points, determined as follows: 3 hours = 3 points, 2 hours = 2 points, 1 hour = 1 point, less than 1 hour = 0 points. The MTLC staff
will do its best to keep your attendance hours up to date but it is your responsibility to keep a record of your attendance. You may check your
attendance on the MTLC web page.

Completion of work: If you complete each assignment due in a particular week with a score of 70 or above, you shall earn your lab attendance
points for the week automatically without having to spend the required hours in the lab. You must get a score of 70% or better on each
homework and each quiz for each section due for the week to earn the lab points automatically. Otherwise, your lab points will be awarded
based on actual time you spent in the MTLC according to your ACT card swipes.
EARLY COURSE COMPLETION: You are encouraged to work ahead of the syllabus deadlines, and to take tests and the final exam early.
Once you have taken the final, you do not need to continue coming to the MTLC to work. All the remaining attendance requirements are
automatically counted for full credit.
CODE OF ACADEMIC CONDUCT: All students in attendance at the University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe
standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the
minimum required to avoid discipline. Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academically related matter and any knowing or
intentional help or attempt to help, or conspiracy to help, another student. The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the
event of academic misconduct.
WEEKLY HELP SESSIONS: The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) will hold weekly help sessions and will also offer test review
sessions before test weeks. Check the CTL website (www.ctl.ua.edu) for the days, times, and location of these help sessions. The CTL also has
FREE tutors available in Osband Hall. Call 348-8854 to schedule an appointment. Additional videos are also available for viewing in Osband Hall.
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MTLC RULES
1. The MTLC is a math classroom. Please be quiet during your visit to the MTLC.
2. The monitor will swipe your ACT card when you enter the MTLC and swipe it when you leave, even for a short break. Do not present an ACT
card other than your own. Violators will be charged with academic misconduct and reported to the dean’s office.
3. Cell phones, food, drinks (including water), tobacco products, and companions are NOT allowed in the Center. A cell phone violation will
cause your cell phone to be detained until you leave the MTLC. Your cell phone needs to be out of sight and turned off.
4. Other than mathematics, no activities such as talking, surfing the Internet, playing computer games, typing a paper, sleeping, etc. is allowed in
the MTLC. Any violation will cause your attendance credit to be 0 for that day and you will be asked to leave the MTLC.
5. The use of a computer in the MTLC is on a first-come first-serve basis; no reservation can be made for normal course work. (Reservations are
required for tests. See Test Rules below.)
6. No attendance credit will be given to students who do not have their ACT cards.
7. Take notes. Record each homework score and quiz score once you finish it on the record sheet that is provided for you.
8. Please do not hesitate to ask questions in the MTLC. Staff members in the MTLC are there to help you.
TEST RULES: Tests must be taken in the MTLC.
1. There are four 75-minute tests and a 150-minute comprehensive final exam. Test dates are listed on the front page of the syllabus.
2.
You may take your tests early: “Early” means before the close of online registration for that exam. No registration is needed and no penalties
will apply for early tests. However, no tests will be given at all on Sundays. You may not begin a test if the MTLC is scheduled to close before
the end of your full allotted time: usually you must begin by 8pm (7pm for a final exam), or on Fridays by 3pm (2pm for a final exam).
3.
You must reserve a time in order to take an exam on a test deadline day. Test weeks are a logistical challenge; you must tell MTLC when
you will come, and you must do what you say. The front page of the syllabus lists beginning and ending dates/times for online registration for
each exam. To register online, go to the MTLC website (www.mtlc.ua.edu), select link Test Registration, log in as instructed, select link
Register, then choose an available date and time. You may freely cancel or change your test time while online registration is active. Be sure to
verify your registration: log back in to the test registration site or check your confirmation email message.
4.
After online registration closes (at 5pm on Friday before the deadline week), you must come in person to the MTLC to register or to change
your test time. You must sign up manually with the instructor on duty; no phone calls or email arrangements can be accepted. In this case,
points will be deducted from your test grade as follows:
10 points if you did not register online
5 points if you change your test time after online registration closes but before your scheduled test time
10 points if you miss your test time and reschedule, or if no open seats remain when you come to register
These penalties are CUMULATIVE. You may fill out a petition request form to have the penalty waived if you have a valid excuse.
5.
If you miss a test and your course’s testing period has NOT ended, come to the MTLC to reschedule. If the testing period is over, see
REPLACEMENT POLICY above.
6.
Arrive on time for your test. Tardiness will cost you working time on the test. Bring your ID and pencils with you. Swipe your ACT card at
the MTLC entrance and then follow signs to the back hallway. Staff will check your ID and give you a personalized test paper (which is your
initial scratch paper), then direct you to your seat.
7.
Absolutely NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES may be active in the testing area. All cell phones, texting devices, iPods, MP3 players, etc must be
turned off and put away before you pick up your test paper. Use of any electronic device during a test will be treated as academic misconduct.
8.
Place all belongings on the floor. Once you enter the testing area, all review material must be put away. As soon as you are seated, you may
begin your exam. The MTLC will give you additional scratch paper as needed; no other paper is allowed. When you are finished, staff will
collect all papers. Warning: do NOT touch the browser’s BACK button, your test will close and you will have to start over.
9.
ONLY THE CALCULATOR ON THE COMPUTER MAY BE USED ON TESTS. The only webpage that may be opened during a test is the
testing page. Opening any other website during testing will be treated as academic misconduct.
10. An MTLC staff member must be present when your test is submitted for a grade: if it does not store correctly it is at risk for getting LOST.
11. You will be allowed to review your test before you leave the lab. You may not write down any information pertaining to test questions to take
with you when you leave the MTLC after an exam. You may not share any test information with anyone who hasn’t taken the test. Violators
will be charged with academic misconduct.
Math Course Login Information: (The MTLC sets up the login information for each student. If you cannot login with this following
information, then please come to the MTLC for assistance.) Website: ua.mylabsplus.com
Your username: UofA email address
Your password: CWID
example: jksmith@crimson.ua.edu
example: 12345678
NOTE: You will find your current course under the Alabama Spring 2010 Term
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Quizzes and Homework have expiration dates. These dates will not be extended for any reason. Note that the
homework deadline is 7 pm and the quiz deadline is 8 pm for each section!
Meeting
1/12 Tue.
Orientation
Lab Wk 1
1/14 Thur.
Class #1
1/19 Tue.
Class #2/Lab Wk 2
1/26 Tue.
Class #3/ Lab Wk 3
2/2 Tue.
Test 1 Material: Test 1 is Thursday 2/4
Section Title
Orientation/ Prep Work (is a non-drop HW grade!)
Syllabus Quiz – Must be taken in the MTLC
1.5
More on Functions
1.6
The Algebra of Functions
1.7
Symmetry and Transformations
2.1
Linear Equations, Functions and Models
2.2
The Complex Numbers
2.3
Quadratic Equations, Functions, and Models
2.4
Analyzing Graphs of Quadratic Functions
Review for Test 1 & cover 2.5
Completion Deadline
Friday 1/15
Friday 1/15
Thursday 1/21
Thursday 1/21
Monday 1/25
Monday 1/25
Thursday 1/28
Thursday 1/28
Sunday 1/31
Class #4/ Lab Wk 4
Test 2 Material: Test 2 is Thursday 2/25
Section Title
2.5
More Equation Solving
Meeting
2/2 Tue.
Completion Deadline
Thursday 2/11
Class #4/ Lab Wk 4
2/9 Tue.
Class #5/ Lab Wk 5
2/16 Tue.
Class #6/Lab Wk 6
2.6
4.1
4.2
4.3
2/23 Tue.
Solving Linear Inequalities
Inverse Functions
Exponential Functions and Graphs
Logarithmic Functions and Graphs
Review for Test 2 & cover 4.4
Thursday 2/11
Monday 2/15
Thursday 2/18
Sunday 2/21
Class #7/Lab Wk 7
Test 3 Material: Test 3 is Thursday 4/1
Meeting
2/23 Tue.
Section
4.4
Properties of Logarithmic Functions
Completion Deadline
Thursday 3/4
Class #7/Lab Wk 7
3/2 Tue.
Class #8/Lab Wk 8
3/9 Tue.
Class #9/Lab Wk 9
3/16 Tue.
3/23 Tue.
Class #10/Lab Wk 10
4.5
4.6
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3/30 Tue.
Solving Exponential and Logarithmic Equations
Applications and Models: Growth and Decay
Polynomial Functions and Models
Graphing Polynomial Functions
No Class – Spring Break
Polynomial Division, The Remainder and Factor Theorem
Theorems about Zeroes of Polynomial Functions
Review for Test 3 & cover 3.5
Thursday 3/4
Monday 3/8
Thursday 3/11
Thursday 3/25
Thursday 3/25
Sunday 3/28
Class #11/Lab Wk 11
Test 4 Material: Test 4 is Thursday 4/22
Meeting
3/30 Tue.
Section Title
3.5
Rational Functions
Completion Deadline
Thursday 4/8
Class #11/Lab Wk 11
4/6 Tue.
Class #12/Lab Wk 12
4/13 Tue.
Class #13/Lab Wk 13
4/20 Tue.
3.6
8.2
9.4
8.8
Polynomial and Rational Inequalities
System of Equations in Three Variables
Nonlinear Systems of Equations
Partial Fractions
Review for Test 4
Thursday 4/8
Monday 4/12
Thursday 4/15
Sunday 4/18
Class #14/Lab Wk 14
4/27 Tue.
Class #15
Review for Final Exam - Dead Week
Comprehensive Final Exam is Monday 5/3, Tuesday 5/4, Wednesday 5/5, Thursday 5/6, or Friday 5/7.
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