SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
Spring 2010
Math 8: College Algebra and Trigonometry
Section:
Days:
Time:
Room:
Instructor:
Office:
Email:
Website:
Office Hours:
05
TuTh
12:00 - 13:15 pm
MH 224
Rachel Zadok
Science Building 321A
zadok@math.sjsu.edu
http://www.math.sjsu.edu/~zadok
TuTh 3:00 – 3:30 pm
or by appointment
Text:
College Algebra and Trigonometry, Fourth Edition (2007), by
M. Dugopolski (Addison Wesley).
Topics in college algebra, trigonometric functions and identities, solution of
trigonometric equations and applications for trigonometry. 3 units.
Catalog Description:
Prerequisites:
Satisfaction of ELM requirement.
Course Objectives:
 Develop skill in algebraic manipulations to solve equations.
 Understand functions and graph elementary functions, specifically polynomial and trigonometric
functions.
 Learn the trigonometric functions, their inverses and graphs, laws of sines and cosines.
Exams:
There will be 3 Midterms, and a comprehensive final exam. No make-ups will be given.
Grading Policy:
Homework
Each Midterm
Final Exam
21%
13%
40%
Final Exam: Wednesday, May 19
09:45-12:00
I’ll let you know at least a week in advance before a Midterm.
Grading Scale (tentative):
A+ will be given only to outstanding students
A: 90% or higher, A-: 88-89:, B+: 84-87, B: 80-83, B- 77-79, C+ : 74-76,
C: 68-73, C-: 63-67, D+: 58-62, D: 55-57, D-: 53-54, F: Below 53%
Textbook Reading: Students are responsible for reading and mastering all material in the text
relating to the topics covered in class and the homework.
Homework:
HW will be assigned every week, and collected on Thursdays. It is important that you do
your HW by yourself and not copy another student’s. No late HW will be accepted.
Tutoring:
The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) located in Student Service
Center (SSC) in Room 600 offers free tutoring at all levels of mathematics. Their phone number is
408-924-2587.
Calculators:
Calculators are NOT allowed for exams.
Participation: During class, feel free to stop me at any time to ask questions. One purpose of this
course is to develop in the student a critical and inquiring instinct. There is no such
thing as a bad question!
Cell phones:
Students must either turn off their cell phones or put them on vibrate mode while in
class. Phones may not be answered in class. In addition, pagers, headphones, iPods,
and iPhones may not be used during class. No phone may remain on a student’s desk
during a quiz or exam.
University Information:
(a) Academic integrity statement (from Office of Judicial Affairs):
“Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State
University and the University’s Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all
your academic course work. Faculty are required to report all infractions to the Office of
Judicial Affairs.”
The policy on academic integrity can be found at:
http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/SO4-12.pdf
(b) Campus policy in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act:
“If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need
special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment
with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03
requires that students with disabilities register with DRC to establish a record of their
disability.”
Topics covered
Chapter
P.4
1.2-1.4,
1.6
2.1-2.5
3.1, 3.2,
5.1-5.6
6.1-6.6
7.1-7.2
Topics
Prerequisites: Complex numbers
Equations and modeling: Construction of models to solve problems,
equations and graphs in two variables, linear equations in two
variables, quadratic equations. (regard as review)
Functions and graphs: Functions, graphs of relations and functions,
families of functions, transformations, and symmetry, operations with
functions, and (inverse functions briefly).
Polynomial and rational functions: quadratics, zeros of polynomials.
Trigonometric functions: angles and their measurement, trigonometric
functions and their graphs, inverse trigonometric functions, right
triangle trigonometry.
Trigonometric identities and equations: basic identities, verifying
identities, sum, difference, double angle, half angle, product and sum
identities (solving trigonometric equations briefly)
(Applications of trigonometry: law of sines and cosines briefly)