MATH 120 – Intermediate Algebra
Spring 2015
Class Meetings:
Text:
Instructor:
Text:
E-Mail:
Web Page:
Student Help Hours:
MTuWTh
9:15 am - 10:20 am
FL4-137
Class meets from Tues, 1/20/15 until Wed, 5/13/15
Intermediate Algebra, 8th edition, by Bittinger & Ellenbogen
Joy Fuson
Phone: 608-6504
Office:
FL1-142
530-362-8405
fusonj@flc.losrios.edu
www.flc.losrios.edu/~fuson
Mon, Wed & Thurs
8:45 am – 9:15*am
*in our classroom
Mon & Wed
12:15 pm – 1:05 pm
Tues
12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
And by appointment…please email me a week in advance to request an appointment
Student help hours are not designed for repeating a lecture. They should be used to ask for assistance on
specific homework problems or questions from the text and notes. Always prepare by bringing your notes
and the work you have attempted on a problem so that we can see where you were going wrong and correct
the error.
Required materials:
 The textbook is required and must be brought to class every day.
 A pencil is also required and must be brought to class every day.
 A packet of Math 120 handouts is required. It can be purchased at the bookstore. You must bring the
necessary handouts to class each day.
Pre-Requisite:
You must have completed Math 100 with a C or better or placed into Math 120 via the assessment
process. The registration process does not allow students to enroll in a class unless they have satisfied the
pre-requisite. You are responsible for knowing all pre-requisite material and will have a hard time succeeding
in Math 120 if you have not mastered the material.
Classroom Expectations:
Arrive on time and leave when class is over. After the first week of school, I may lock the door when class
begins. Those who arrive late will not be allowed to enter. This means you will not be allowed to turn in
homework and will have an absence. Additionally, if you leave during class, you may not be allowed to reenter.
Bring a pencil, paper, and your textbook to class every day. If you fail to bring these things to class, you may
be penalized. All work in Math 120 must be done in pencil.
Act like you are in an institution of higher learning. You are expected to behave in a courteous manner both
toward your classmates and me at all times. Profanity and rudeness are unacceptable.
Hats are not allowed in class. Please remove all headwear when you enter the classroom. If you have a
situation that you feel requires accommodation, please see me during office hours.
I do not allow any electronic devices such as laptops, calculators, cellular phones, earbuds, etc. in the
classroom. If I see one in class, hear a phone ring or vibrate, or become aware of you using one, a pop quiz
may result. You may apologize to the class for the disruption by bringing donuts/treats for the class at the
next class meeting. If your cell phone rings a second time or during a test, you will be penalized points on the
test as well as lose the ability to turn in any extra credit assignments as well as the opportunity to use the
final to replace an exam grade (if you have earned it).
If you are behaving in a manner that inhibits me from teaching or anyone around you from learning, you will
be asked to leave. Not paying attention will be considered a disruption and you will be asked to leave. Before
you leave each day, please pick up any refuse and dispose of it. Leave the classroom as neat, or neater,
than when you came in.
I will be communicating with the class via email at numerous times during the semester. Please make sure
that the school has a current email address for you and that you check it at least a few times each week. If I
ever need to cancel class, I will notify the class via email.
Course Objectives/Requirements:
This is a five-unit course that meets for 5 hours each week. Credit for this course is not transferable (for
questions about degree applicability, please see a counselor). This course reviews and extends some
concepts of elementary algebra and introduces numerous new topics, with problem solving skills emphasized
throughout. Topics which are reviewed and extended include: linear and quadratic equations, factoring
polynomials, rational expressions, exponents, radicals, equations of lines, and systems of equations. New
topics include: absolute value equations and inequalities, rational exponents, translations and reflections of
graphs, function notation and function operations, exponential and logarithmic functions, graphs of quadratic
and simple polynomial functions, quadratic inequalities, non-linear systems of equations, and an introduction
to conic sections and emphasizes fundamental operations on polynomials, integers, decimals, and fractions.
Calculators will not be allowed in this course.
Student Learning Outcomes: The Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for this course are available online at
www.flc.losrios.edu/~flcmath. Simply click on the Student Learning Outcomes link and then Math 120.
Grading:
All work done in this class must be done in pencil.
Letter grades will be calculated based on the following percentages:
A: 90% - 100% B: 80% - 89% C: 70% - 79%
D: 60% - 69%
F: below 60%
Scores will be weighted as follows:
Exams & Quizzes
60%
Homework
15%
Final Exam
25%
Monday, May 18th 8:00 am – 9:50am
Please note that I do not round grades. In order to earn a C, you must have 70% or higher. At the end of the
semester if your score is 69.7%, you have earned a D.
You will find grades posted on my website. You should know where you stand in the course at all times.
Homework:
Homework assignments will be assigned each lecture and, generally, will be due twice a week. Homework is
due at the beginning of class: 9:15 am. I will not be able to answer homework questions during class. Late
homework (after 9:15 am) will be accepted until 9:20 am. After that time, no homework will be accepted.
There are two types of homework in this class. The first are a set of (mostly) odd problems which anyone who
is interested in passing should do. After each problem, you should check the answer in the back of the book
to ensure that you are doing them correctly. These problems do not get turned in, although I am happy to
answer questions or provide feedback during Student Help Hours.
The problems that will be turned in are almost exclusively even problems. They will be submitted on the form
indicated on the homework assignment sheet (homework forms are part of the handout packet that you
purchased at the bookstore). What you turn in should be a picture-perfect solution with each step clearly and
neatly written out. Your solutions should look exactly like what I write on the board when we do problems in
class. The first assigned problem goes in the box in the upper left corner, the next in the upper right, etc.
No homework will be accepted on paper other than the homework forms. No points will be given if the wrong
form is used.
See the “Homework Guidelines” handout for grading criteria. When grades are tabulated, the total points
possible will be decreased by one homework score (there is built in forgiveness since I only accept homework
for 5 minutes after class starts). Calculators will not be allowed in class under any circumstances and should
not be used on homework.
Exams & Quizzes:
Quizzes may be given during the semester to check your progress. Quizzes may be unannounced and take
place at various times during the class meeting and may be open or closed book, notes and homework. If
attendance drops off or tardies become a problem, quizzes may be given to remedy these issues. Quizzes
may not be made up for any reason. You will also be given class work assignments that may be individual or
group assignments. These may be collected and graded. Again, classwork may not be made up for any
reason.
Exams will be given approximately every three chapters and will be announced in advance. Calculators and
notes will not be allowed on exams.
The final exam will be cumulative. Please note: Information from this syllabus will be fair game on any tests
and quizzes. You should know and understand all class policies.
Makeup exams will not be given. However, if you have earned a score of 80% or higher on the homework
portion of your grade at the end of the semester, I will replace your lowest exam score with your score from
the final exam (if it helps you).
Academic Integrity:
Cheating will be punished swiftly and severely. If you are caught cheating on an exam, you will receive a zero
on the exam and not be allowed to replace your score or take any kind of makeup. I will do everything in my
power to ensure that your dishonesty becomes part of your permanent record at FLC and is punished by the
college. Further, you will not be allowed to receive any points from extra credit work.
When you are taking a test it is your job to cover your work so that no one else can see what you are doing.
Keep your eyes on your own paper and make it abundantly clear to me that you are working alone. I may
assign seating during tests or ask you to change seats during exams. During an exam, you should not speak
to anyone other than me. You may not have any materials other than a pencil and the scratch paper I give
you out on your desk. All notes, books and electronic devices are prohibited.
Attendance:
FLC policy states that you may be dropped after missing 6% (4 class meetings) of the class meeting time. If
you have missed this much class time (either by being tardy or absent or leaving early) you may be dropped
from the course at my discretion. If you reach the 6% absence after the drop date, you will lose the chance to
earn an exam replacement opportunity. You should be in class ready to learn on time every day. For
purposes of attendance, two tardies (or early departures) will count as one absence.
Please Note:
All information in this syllabus is subject to change if the instructor finds it necessary. Any change will be
announced during a class session and posted on my website. Absent students are responsible for any
announced changes to the syllabus. It is the student’s responsibility to determine from their peers what they
missed in class due to an absence. Do not email me and ask if you missed anything.
Resources:
If you have any special circumstances of which I should be aware, please notify me immediately.
If you plan to use DSPS services this semester, it is your responsibility to get your paperwork to me the first
week of class. It is also your job to schedule appointments with them and follow up with them to make sure
that they have given me the required paperwork. I will not do this for you. If you fail to do this, you may have
to take the exam with the rest of the class and accommodations will not be available.
The best resources for any student are classmates. Make a point of meeting a few people in class and
exchanging phone numbers or e-mail. They can help you fill in a missing point in your notes, compare
homework, study with you for tests and tell you what you missed if you were absent. There is also free
tutoring. The schedule is posted around campus (including my office). Additionally, I am available for
assistance, both during my office hours and by appointment if my office hours are not convenient for you.
How to Succeed:
This class is extremely fast-paced and many students find themselves quickly overwhelmed. What do you
need to do to succeed and thrive?
 Come on time and prepared EVERY DAY. If you are 5 minutes late, you will miss out on information
you need. You are going to need every minute of this class.
 Meet classmates right away and find friends with whom you can study and from whom you can get
notes if you miss class.
 Spend at least ten hours outside of class each week studying and doing homework for this course.
For an A or a B, that number will be at least 20 hours.
 It is extremely difficult to recover from a poor start so set good study habits right away and stick to
them.
 Read the sections in the book that we will cover in class BEFORE you come to class. It will seem
confusing at first but it will make class time much more productive for you.
 Do the homework right away! If you can, work on it right after you leave class. Even better, make
some friends in class and meet them after class for coffee and to do homework. Always have
homework done before the next class meeting or you will start getting very behind.
 Set time to study for class every day. Less time more often will result in more return on your study
time.
 If you have a question, get it answered! Ask me, a classmate, a tutor or hunt down the answer on
the web…just don’t let your questions snowball!
 Make a study plan and start studying for exams a week ahead of time. If you know that you struggle
with test anxiety, do some research to find out how you can overcome it (yes, it is possible). Any
time that you spend to learn how to be a better test taker will pay off enormously during your
college career.
 Keep in mind that learning is hard work. If you expect to need help and plan for time to study, attend
office hours, and utilize the tutoring services, you will be ready when you have difficulty.
Important Dates:
May 18th
Feb 1st
Feb 1st
Feb 22nd
April 19th
Final Exam 8:00 – 9:50 am
Last day to drop and receive a refund
Last day to drop without a notation on your record
Last day to petition for pass/no pass grading
Last day to drop with a W (without getting a grade on your transcript)
What should I know about being in college?
Please keep in mind that being a college student SHOULD be really hard work. Twelve units is a full time load
because it should take you at least 40 hours a week to pass 12 units of college course work.
College is not all about memorizing things (although you will need to do this), it is about learning how to think and
assimilate new information and apply ideas that you’ve learned to new situations. There will be questions on every
test that ask you to extend the knowledge you have.
You will not get all the information you need to complete your homework during class. You will get an introduction to
the key points and hopefully some examples from which to work. It is impossible for an instructor to cover each topic
to the point where everyone in the class understands. It is your job to go home and work through the homework and
re-read the notes until you do understand. This should be done before the next class meeting or else you will start
class the next day behind.
It is your job to manage deadlines and spend time each day working on math! If at any point you need help, please
ask. For anyone who is willing to work, I want to help you succeed. If you don’t want to work, you’re going to be very
unhappy in my class.