Fall 2010
PRECALCULUS -- MATH 250 (Sec. 15/16)
MTF 2:00-2:50, R 1:00-2:50; IraAllen 005
Instructor: David P. Lang, Ph.D. (Math.), Ph.D. (Phil.)
Office: Ira Allen 004; email: langd@wit.edu
Office Hours: MTF 1:15-1:45; R 12:15-12:45; by appointment only MRF 4 pm
Textbook: MyMathLab Online Course for Algebra & Trigonometry (8th ed), by Michael
Sullivan
You must purchase ($75.00) an online access code for ISBN-10: 0-13-232167-X, which can be
gotten at www.pearsonhighered.com or www.mypearsonstore.com/bookstore
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Study of the properties of the elementary functions used in calculus, together with applications.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the conclusion of the course, the student should be able to analyze functions in terms of
domain and range, intercepts, asymptotes, symmetry, and transformations -- in particular, linear
functions, quadratic functions, exponential functions, logarithmic functions, trigonometric
functions, and inverse trigonometric functions. The student should be able to solve basic
equations involving these functions by employing their inverse functions. The student should
understand some of the main applications of these functions.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGIES
Lecture notes, handouts, in-class problems to be worked on individually or in groups, and
MyMathLab homework assignments. During class we will do – as models for the homework
exercises – selected problems from the textbook (to be written on the board or handouts) that are
similar to those in MyMathLab. A scientific calculator is required for this course for homework
and tests. A graphing calculator is allowed, but all crucial steps must be shown in order to get
credit for a correct result on a test. Answers alone, lacking justification, will receive zero credit!
ATTENDANCE POLICY
You are expected to attend each class. In fact, attendance will be weighted as 5% of your course
grade, with each of the five 50-minute sessions per week counting as a class. Missing 15% of
class meetings constitutes grounds for withdrawal from the course due to absenteeism (WA
grade). Thus, if you decide to stop coming to class, you might as well drop the course. If you
enter the room late after roll-call is taken, tell me at the end of the period to avoid being marked
absent. If you must leave a bit early, it is polite to inform the instructor before the class begins.
According to the WIT Catalogue, “Students must wait at least twenty minutes from the scheduled
beginning class time for the instructor to arrive.” If class is canceled for some reason and there is
no substitute instructor, any quiz planned for that day (Thursday) will be postponed until the next
class meeting (which would then be Friday). According to the WIT Catalogue, “It is the
responsibility of the student to provide documentation regarding illness or anticipated absence.”
GRADING POLICY
(1) Homework: All sections of the Precalculus course at WIT are now required to use the online
system MyMathLab for homework, which must be counted as 10% of the course grade. (The
two lowest homework scores will be dropped in computing the homework grade at the end of the
semester, which would include a zero incurred by failing to do a particular homework
assignment.) Problem solving cannot be learned merely by watching other people solve
problems; you must practice enough exercises yourself to absorb the concepts! Therefore,
selected exercises will be assigned from each section covered in the textbook for you to do in
MyMathLab, with each teacher having direct access to all information about which students in a
class tried the homework and exactly which questions were troublesome. During class we will
do – as models for the homework exercises – selected problems from the textbook (to be written
on the board) that are similar to those in MyMathLab. Besides opportunities to ask questions
during class and to see me during office hours, free tutoring is available in the Learning Center
(Beatty 402) and a Facilitated Study Group is usually held one evening per week from 5 to 8 pm.
Important! When logging in with your personal code, user name, and password,
to register for and access MyMathLab for this section of Precalculus, use Course ID:
lang05293
(2) Quizzes: Closed-book, closed-notes (all basic material should be memorized!), and held
during the last 25 minutes of each “lab” period on Thursdays (beginning September 16). Each
quiz will be on topics covered during the previous Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday
lecture periods – not on any new topic that may be started during the lecture period that day. The
quizzes will be worth a total of 65% of your overall semester numerical average. No make-ups
without written proof (not an email message) of some genuine emergency, from a doctor, nurse,
or college authority. The lowest quiz score will be dropped (which includes a zero score incurred
by missing a quiz with no authoritative written excuse). You should keep a copy of each quiz to
study for the final exam. [NO MIDTERM EXAM, thus exonerating this course from midterm
stress!]
(3) Final Exam: A mandatory, cumulative test (including the entire courses subject matter),
worth 20% of your course grade. Save all your quizzes to study from, because the Final Exam
will be based on these, as well as on a sample or “practice” final exam handed out near the
courses end.
Wentworth Grading System
96-100=A (4.00), 92-95=A-(3.67), 88-91=B+(3.33), 84-87=B(3.00), 80-83=B-(2.67),
76-79=C+(2.33), 72-75=C(2.00), 68-71=C-(1.67), 64-67=D+(1.33), 60-63=D(1.00),
<60 =F (0.00).
Make-ups Policy
Require a legitimate excusing reason. Will contain harder problems in fairness to those who took
the test at the scheduled time.
DROP/ADD
The drop/add period for day students ends on Friday of the first week of classes. Dropping
and/or adding courses is done online. Courses dropped in this period are removed from the
student’s record. Courses to be added that require written permission (e.g., closed courses) must
be processed using a Drop/Add form that is available at the Student Service Center. Nonattendance does NOT constitute dropping a course! If a student has registered for a course and
subsequently withdraws or receives a failing grade in its prerequisite course, then the student
must drop that course. In some cases, the student will be dropped from that course by the
Registrar. However, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure that he or she meets the course
prerequisites and to drop a course if the student has not successfully completed the prerequisite.
The student must see his or her academic advisor or academic department head for schedule
revision and to discuss the impact of the failed or withdrawn course on the student’s degree
status.
Academic Support
Besides opportunities to ask questions during class and to see me during office hours, free
tutoring is available in the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in Beatty 402. The CTL
assists all Wentworth students with academic challenges in the areas of math, science, technical
course specific to majors, and writing. The CTL is a supportive and safe learning environment
for students looking to improve or maintain their academic standing. In this student-based
learning environment, students can receive individual help with their studies, meet and work in
study groups, or go online to find resources to assist them in meeting their goals for academic
success. It includes tutors in many subjects, online writing assistance and workshops. Make
appointments at www.wit.edu/academics/resources or through Lconnect.
Academic Honesty Statement
“Students at Wentworth are expected to be honest and forthright in their academic endeavors.
Academic dishonesty includes cheating, inventing false information or citations, plagiarism,
tampering with computers, destroying other people’s studio property, or academic misconduct”
(Academic Catalog – see your catalogue for a full explanation)
Student Accountability Statement
Test answers unsupported by detailed work are unacceptable, due to the possibility of somehow
glimpsing an answer on someone elses test paper. Also, for this reason no caps/hats with visors
shielding the forehead (and roving eyes) will be permitted during any test. Furthermore, neither
laptop computer nor cell phone nor IPhone nor headphone use of any kind will be permitted
during a test, lest someone attempt to communicate during a test or pre-record more information
than what is on the Rules sheet.
Disability Services Statement
Any student who thinks he or she may require a disability-related accommodation for this course
should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. Disability Services coordinates
reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. They are located in
Watson 003 (the Counseling Center) and can be contacted at 617-989-4390 or
counseling@wit.edu. For more information on acceptable documentation and the Disability
Services process, visit the Disability Services website at www.wit.edu/disabilityservices.