Department of Mathematics & Statistics - Loyola University Chicago
MATH 118 Precalculus II - Fall 2015
COURSE SYLLABUS & GROUND RULES
INSTRUCTOR: Cristina Popovici
OFFICE: BVM Hall 616
E-MAIL: cpopovici@luc.edu
WEB PAGE: http://www.math.luc.edu/~cpopovici/
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday & Thursday 10:00AM - 11:15AM, Friday 4:15PM - 5:15PM
CLASS MEETS: TuTh 8:30AM - 9:45AM in Cuneo 109
DISCUSSION SECTION - MATH 118D Wednesday 4:00PM-5:30PM in Mundelein 204
COURSE WEB PAGE: http://www.math.luc.edu/~cpopovici/Fall2015MATH118-008.html
TEXTBOOK: Axler, Sheldon. Precalculus: A Prelude to Calculus, 2nd Edition (packaged with WileyPlus), Wiley, 2012. Alternatively, a student may purchase only WileyPlus since an online version
of the entire textbook is included. Note: WileyPlus IS REQUIRED. Please ensure that any online
purchase includes access to WileyPlus.
COURSE DESCRIPTION & TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: The course begins with a quick
review of algebra, lines, circles, quadratic expressions, and functions, followed by the definitions and
properties of exponential functions and logarithms. The bulk of the course will cover material from
chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the textbook: Sequences, Series, and Limits, Trigonometric Functions,
Trigonometric Algebra and Geometry, and Applications of Trigonometry. For a more detailed description see the attached “Course Schedule”. PREREQUISITES: MATH 117 College Algebra (with
a grade of “C−” or better), or Math Placement Test.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The main goal of the course is to provide an understanding of selected
topics in precalculus and its applications. Conceptual and computational skills will be developed, with
an emphasis on understanding concepts.
HOMEWORK: Homework assignments will be posted weekly and their due dates will be announced
in WileyPlus. Your lowest homework score will be dropped; the remaining homework scores will be
averaged and the homework average will account for 20% of your final score for the course. If you
have difficulties with any of the assigned problems or any other problems in your textbook please see
me during office hours as soon as possible.
EXAMS: There will be three in-class Midterm Exams (closed books and notes) and a comprehensive
Final Exam (closed books and notes) which will be given according to the following schedule:
MIDTERM EXAM # 1 - THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
MIDTERM EXAM # 2 - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
MIDTERM EXAM # 3 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19
FINAL EXAM - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 9:00AM - 11:00AM
GRADES: The breakdown of your final grade will be as follows:
Homework: 20%; Midterm Exam #1: 20%; Midterm Exam #2: 20%; Midterm Exam
#3: 20%; Final Exam: 20%
Your final letter grade for the course will be determined according to the following scale:
95-100 → A; 90-94 → A-; 85-89 → B+; 80-84 → B; 75-79 → B-; 70-74 → C+
65-69 → C; 60-64 → C-; 55-59 → D+; 50-54 → D; 0-49 → F
1
DISCUSSION SECTION - MATH 118D: This is a non-credit, ungraded supplement to the
course which is available to all students in MATH 118 regardless of the section. The discussion section
is intended to be a forum in which students can go over problems and course material. Registration in
LOCUS for MATH 118D is recommended but not required for students to participate in the discussion
section. The discussion section will be held on Wednesdays 4:00PM-5:30PM in Mundelein 204, and
will be led by Aleksandr Goltsiker.
TUTORING: The Center for Tutoring & Academic Excellence (CTAE) offers FREE tutoring services
to all LUC students. CTAE’s tutoring model includes small group tutoring and tutor-led study halls.
The small groups meet once per week throughout the whole semester and are led by a trained peer
tutor who has successfully completed study in the course material. Students are placed into a group
with other students who are taking that same course and who share the same professor. Drop
in Study Halls are offered throughout the week for many LUC courses and begin the first week
of classes. CTAE’s study hall schedule can be found online at: www.luc.edu/tutoring. To learn
more about CTAE’s services or to request small group tutoring, please visit the CTAE online at
www.luc.edu/tutoring or drop by the Center during normal business hours, Monday through Friday,
9:00AM-7:00PM. CTAE is located in the Sullivan Center, 2nd floor, Room 245.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: The common syllabus for the course and other course resources
(textbook and WileyPLUS information, sample MATH 118 final exams, etc.) can be found online at
http://www.luc.edu/math/courseresources/math118/.
ATTENDANCE: Attendance will be taken every lecture. You need to have 80% attendance to be
eligible for extra-credit.
EXTRA CREDIT: At the end of the semester, between 0 and 10 points can be earned as extracredit by submitting a notebook containing the statements and the solutions of all the homework
problems assigned during this semester.
COURSE POLICIES
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: All work in this course must be completed in a manner consistent with
the accepted standards of academic integrity. In particular, cheating may result in the instructor
assigning the grade of “F” and notification of the appropriate Dean. Cheating includes, but it is not
limited to, copying another student’s work, allowing another student to copy your work, using unauthorized references, collaborating with another student during exams, etc. The Code of Academic
Integrity will be enforced in all areas of the course. More information regarding the relevant policies
and procedures, including information about your rights and responsibilities as a student, is available
at http://www.luc.edu/academics/catalog/undergrad/reg.shtml.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS: The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for students with disabilities or other special needs. Students who need
accommodations at the University are advised to contact the Coordinator of Services for Students
with Disabilities. For more information, please visit www.luc.edu/sswd. Students eligible for special
accommodations are strongly encouraged to share their concerns or requests with me at the beginning
of the semester, or as soon as possible thereafter. I will be happy to make appropriate arrangements.
CLASS ATTENDANCE: Class attendance is expected. You are solely responsible for missed handouts
or announcements made during lecture. If you cannot attend a particular lecture, make sure that you
stay informed regarding the information provided during that lecture.
HOMEWORK: You are allowed discuss the homework problems with your classmates. You may form
study groups to work on the homework problems or similar ones together. However, it is important
that you first attempt to solve the homework problems on your own, and that you only input your
own work in WileyPlus.
EXAMS: The midterm exams and the final exam are to be written individually, any collaboration is
prohibited. Make-ups will be given only in case of a legitimate, documented excuse. If for some reason
you are not able to take a particular exam at the scheduled time, you are required to inform me in
advance.
Fall 2015 Academic Calendar:
http://www.luc.edu/academics/schedules/fall/academic_calendar.shtml
2
Department of Mathematics & Statistics - Loyola University Chicago
MATH 118 Precalculus II - Fall 2015
Instructor: Cristina Popovici
COURSE SCHEDULE
WEEK 1 (August 24-28)
Review
Assessment Exam-THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
WEEK 2 (August 31 - September 3)
4.1 The Unit Circle
4.2 Radians
WEEK 3 (September 7-11)
4.3 Cosine and Sine
4.4 More Trigonometric Functions
WEEK 4 (September 14-18)
4.5 Trigonometry in Right Triangles
4.6 Trigonometric Identities
WEEK 5 (September 21-25)
Review for Exam # 1 - Tuesday, September 22
Exam# 1- THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
WEEK 6 (September 28- October 2)
5.1 Inverse Trigonometric Functions
5.2 Inverse Trigonometric Identities
WEEK 7 (October 5-9)
No Class on Tuesday, October 6 - Mid-Semester Break
5.3 Using Trigonometry to Compute Area
WEEK 8 (October 12-16)
5.4 The Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines
5.5 Double-Angle and Half-Angle Formulas
WEEK 9 (October 19-23)
Review for Exam # 2 - Tuesday, October 20
Exam # 2- THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
WEEK 10 (October 26-30)
5.6 Addition and Subtraction Formulas
6.1 Transformation of Trigonometric Functions
WEEK 11 (November 2-6)
6.2 Polar Coordinates
6.4 Complex Numbers
3
WEEK 12 (November 9-13)
6.5 The Complex Plane
7.1 Sequences
WEEK 13 (November 16-20)
Review for Exam # 3 - Tuesday, November 17
Exam # 3- THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19
WEEK 14 (November 23-27)
No Class Thursday, November 26 - Thanksgiving Break
7.2 Series
WEEK 15 (November 30- December 4)
7.3 Limits
Review For the Final Exam
4