MAC 1105 – College Algebra (Fall 2011 Syllabus)
Tallahassee Community College
Instructor: Lina Williams
(Goal is to help her students mature academically in order to be successful in the college environment)
http://faculty.tcc.fl.edu/scma/williaml
Class
Website
You will find announcements, handouts, take home quizzes, homework, notes, and/or other
information for your convenience here.
TR 10:05 – 11:20am (Rm SM129)
Attendance will be taken at least once every day. Being tardy and/or leaving class early will
count as half an absence.
Class
If you are tardy, stay after class so that you do not get a full absence. If you are absent, you need
Meeting
to contact me ASAP. You must catch up on your own before the next class time (refer to the
pacing on the website).
&
Attendance
th
You will be academically withdrawn from class any time before Tuesday, November 8 if
you have more than 4 recorded absences and a bad current test grade.
If you have any concerns, please contact me as soon as possible.
You should treat class as if it was a job. An academic mature student rarely misses class.
Office: SM 283
Email: williaml@tcc.fl.edu
Phone: 201-8367 (leave a message)
(See Office Schedule and Office Hours handout on website) Use them!
If you have any concerns, please contact me as soon as possible.
Learning Commons: In case I am unavailable, the TCC Learning Commons (located in
Office
Hours
and other
Resources
LC 30, www.tcc.fl.edu/learningcommons, 850.201.8193) provides one-stop convenient access
to expanded learning assistance and resources. The Math and Science area offers support in
mathematics and science. Students can work independently or in small groups while having
access to resources including: trained tutors, specialists and learning assistants, videos,
textbooks, calculators, an open-access computer lab and much more.
The TCC Learning Commons is open:
Monday – Thursday
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Smarthinking: Online tutoring service available to TCC students via blackboard (see website).
Along with the library and math center, rooms AC210, AC211, & CT206 have MyMathLab.
****It is your responsibility to seek help and exhaust all resources available to you in
order to do your absolute best in learning the class material.
Give it your best! No question is a bad question!
1. Textbook: Algebra: Graphs and Models, Bittinger/Belcher, Fourth Edition;
Addison Wesley, 2009. (Available at the Learning Commons for use)
You are required to purchase MyMathLab, a computer software
that gives you access to the online homework that you must do for this course.
Course ID: williams32503. An online textbook is included in MyMathLab
(See “Registering for MyMathLab/Course Compass” handout)
Required
Materials
2. Calculator:
A graphing calculator is required. Calculators that do symbolic algebra, such
as TI 89, TI 92, HP 48, etc. are not allowed. Cell phones cannot be used as
calculators. (See Using Calculator Handout on website)
3. A Notebook: Syllabus, notes, homework, quizzes, tests, and any other class handouts need
to be with you in class at all times. The notebook is to contain material
related to this class only. This protects your grades.
4. Pencil and Eraser: All work must be done in pencil. Work must be neat so being able to
erase is essential. Only turn in college level work.
5. ID: A photo ID is required for tests and the final exam.
Prerequisite
One of the following must be satisfied:
i)
scored 550+ on SAT
ii) scored 21+ on ACT
iii) scored 88+ on CPT
iv) passed the TCC course, MAT 1033 with a grade of A, B, or C
v) Transfer credit with a grade of a least C in course equivalent to MAT1033
THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THE ABOVE PREREQUISITE POLICY.
I suggest that you consider taking a liberal arts math class such as MGF1106 or MGF1107 if
your major does not require MAC1105. You should check on that as soon as possible. Feel
free to ask me for help if you are not sure how to find out.
You should shoot for an A or a B if this is a prerequisite for another class that you plan to take
such as precalculus, trigonometry, business calculus, and some science classes.
You will be expected to know your algebra well in these classes.
Major topics include characteristics of functions in general; inverse functions; linear, quadratic,
Course
Description absolute value, exponential and logarithmic functions and equations; systems of equations and
inequalities; and applications.
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Final Exam Final exam is on Tuesday, December 13 from 12:30 – 2:30pm. Photo ID Required.
It counts 25% of entire grade. The room will be announced in class, website, and posted
handouts on the last week of classes.
Tests
There will be a total of three tests. The test dates are Thurs. Sept. 22, Thurs. Oct. 20, and
Tues. Nov. 22. You have exactly one week to make up a test. I take the same amount of time
to grade your tests. Only one make up test is allowed if the student has current good standing in
the class, a valid reason, and proof (valid reason is determined by me as well as loss in points).
Photo ID Required.
Quizzes
Expect online and in-class quizzes every class day. NO MAKE UP QUIZZES. Missing one
will not hurt your grade much. Miss several and your grade will significantly suffer. It is your
responsibility to check whether or not an in-class quiz was given during your absence.
It is your responsibility to be prepared for a quiz even when absent on the previous day (refer to
pacing on website).
Homework will be assigned on a daily basis and will be a mixture of supplements and
(MyMathLab) online homework (see Required Material section). I suggest you work on some
homework every day of the week, start each section the minute I start covering it in class and
have it done by due date.
Supplements are due at the beginning of class the following class day of finishing covering the
supplement (section).
Even if the due date does not show on coursecompass, you are responsible to keep up with your
online homework and have it done the class period following the end of the section.
I will reopen the online homework for a short window of a few days right before tests to help
you tie any loose ends and increase your online homework grade. While open, you can redo
problems as if you never missed them in the first place. I suggest you make it 100% before the
end of the semester. It should be the easiest grade for you since you have the most control.
Homework
Write down the section and number of problems that you need assistance on so that you know
what to ask as soon as class starts. I will help with any homework problem at the beginning of
class if time permits. Use all the resources like class notes, book, me, other class mates,
learning commons, ect that are available to you for help. Most ideal is to get help before
homework is due.
It is okay to spend a good deal of time on a problem. It is part of learning the material to the
best of your ability.
The website will give you a great indication on the sections being covered and in what order.
Absence is not an excuse for not having your homework neatly completed by due date. Better
safe than sorry, so cover more homework if not sure. You have many resources that can assist
you in doing so.
Same goes for Quizzes.
I suggest you bring future homework to class in case you are able to get ahead while notes are
being covered. This can save you time. If you have a labtop, sit in the back or as far from other
people as possible. You can print or write down your homework problems, bring them to class
and fill in the answers later. When printing MyMathLab, do not give the command to print
individual problems unless you mean to. There is a command to print the entire problem set,
saving paper.
Disabilities
Act
Tallahassee Community College (TCC) is committed to making all programs, services and
facilities accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities in order for students to obtain
maximum benefit from the educational experience and to effectively transition to our college
environment. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to register with the TCC Disability
Support Services Office which is located on the first floor of the Student Union.
Completing and understanding your homework and quizzes is the best way to study for tests.
More Tips
An academic matured student corrects all homework, quizzes, and tests in order to understand
the material better with or without being told to do so.
Study for a quiz as it was a test, study for tests as if it was a final, and never give up!!
Be neat, be ready, and be prepared!
WARNING: The two top deadly killers for college students are absences and procrastination.
Overcome these and you will surprise yourself how much simpler it is to go through college.
GRADING SCALE:
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D others F
FACTORS DETERMINING YOUR COURSE AVERAGE:
Evaluation
& Grading
Scale:
Test One
19%
Test Two
19%
Test Three
19%
Online Homework using My Math Lab 9%
Quizzes 9%
Cumulative final examination
25%
th
W Deadline The last day to withdraw is Tuesday, November 8 . You cannot withdraw online. You must
fill out paper work at the Registrar’s Office. You will be academically withdrawn from class
any time if you have more than 4 recorded absences and a bad current test grade.
You will receive an email from enrollment services verifying a W or AW.
If you have any concerns, please contact me as soon as possible.
Academic
Integrity
Policies
CLAS
You are expected to do your own work on exams taken in class. Providing information to
another student or receiving information concerning exam content is considered cheating and
will NOT be tolerated. If this should occur, disciplinary action will take place in one of the
following forms: a zero for the test, being dropped from the course, suspension, or expulsion
from school.
Disrespectful behavior toward anyone in the classroom such as tardiness, disruptive talking, cell
phone usage, smoking, etc. is not acceptable. Please place all trash in the appropriate container.
BE AWARE: Students are no longer required to earn a GPA of 2.5 or higher in your collegelevel mathematics courses. Completing both math classes with a C is sufficient to earn an AA
degree. The new placement test is called the FPERT.
"It is not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer"
- Albert Einstein
Finalized MAC1105 Learning Outcomes - May 3, 2010
1. Describe the relationship between the equation of a function and its graph with respect to domain, range, and
other characteristics.
2. Solve various types of equations or inequalities including quadratic, absolute value, exponential or
logarithmic.
3. Analyze the effect of transformations on the equation and graph of a function.
4. Use a graphing calculator to analyze characteristics of the graph of a function.
5. Solve applied problems using linear, quadratic, or other graphical models.
6. Determine inverse and composite functions and describe their characteristics.