Springfield Technical Community College
Division of Mathematics, Science and Engineering Transfer
Department:
Course Number:
Course Title:
Credits:
Semester:
Mathematics
MATH 124
Mathematics in a Modern world
3
Spring 2015
Instructor:
Office:
Office Phone:
E-mail Address:
Course Website:
Julianne Kinsman
17/301
755-4672
julikin@stcc.edu
www.courses.bfwpub.com/fapp8e
Office Hours:
Monday, Wednesday 8:00- 8:50
Tuesday, Thursday 8:30-9:20
Or by appointment
Textbook:
None – there is an e-book on the website
Required: For all Practical Purposes - Math Portal Access Card
(available at the cashier’s desk in the STCC Bookstore). The text is
optional because it is available online at the course website.
Prerequisite:
Completion of ALGB083, ALGB087 with C- or better, or placement at
college level.
Students who have not completed the prerequisite will be withdrawn from
the course.
Course Description:
This course is designed primarily for Liberal Studies students. It is intended to provide a
background in the contemporary applications of mathematics to a wide variety of problems.
There is an attempt to bring the excitement of contemporary mathematical thinking to the nonspecialist, to develop the capacity to engage in logical thinking and to read critically the technical
information, which is abundant in contemporary society. Students will use mathematical models
to solve problems in two broad areas: Management Science and Statistics.
Course Methodology:
Instructor presentations are supplemented by computer-assisted learning, and problem solving.
Time with be allotted for problem solving activities in the classroom, and students are expected
to complete problem solving assignments outside of class. All homework assignments are
offered online.
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Attendance Policy:
Class attendance is required for successful completion of this course. Students who have an
unexcused absence for an exam or for 2 quizzes may be withdrawn from the course. Students
who are absent for an exam, must contact me prior to the time of the exam to explain the reason
for absence. Points will be deducted from quiz and exam scores for those with unexcused
absences. Make-up exams must be completed within one week, at the discretion of the
instructor.
Grading Policy:
There will be 3 scheduled exams covering the content of multiple chapters, counting for a total
of 60% of the course grade. Exam questions will be multiple choice and short answer in format.
Quizzes will account for 30% of the grade. Attendance, homework and class participation will
count for 10% of the course grade. Participation includes preparedness for class as well as
participation in class discussion. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped for those students who
complete all the homework for the course.
Special Needs:
In compliance with Springfield Technical Community College's policy and equal access laws,
disability-related accommodations or services are available. Students who desire such services
are to meet with the professor in a timely manner, preferably the first week of class, to discuss
their disability-related needs. Students will not receive services until they register with the Office
of Disability Services (ODS). Proper registration will enable the ODS to verify the disability and
determine reasonable academic accommodations. ODS is located in Building 27 on the 2nd
Floor and can be reached at 755-4785.
Course Outline:
Unit 1: Management Science
Chapter 1:
Urban Services
Chapter 2:
Business Efficiency
Exam 1: Chapters 1, and 2
Chapter 3:
Planning and Scheduling
Exam 2: Chapters 1, 2 and 3
Unit 2: Statistics: The Science of Data
Chapter 5:
Exploring Data: Distributions
Chapter 6:
Exploring Data: Relationships
Chapter 7:
Data for Decisions
Unit 3: Your Money and Resources
Chapter 22: Borrowing Models
Final Exam: Chapters 5-7 and 22
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Course Objectives:
1.
Identify features of graphs
2.
Apply theories pertaining to circuits and trees
3.
Apply theories and solve problems relative to scheduling and bin-packing
4.
Describe sampling methods used for generating data for statistical analysis, explaining
research implications of such methods
5.
Identify and apply methods of summarizing data, including mean, median, quartiles,
histograms, scatterplots, and regression lines
7.
Use methods of statistical inference to draw conclusions from data
8.
Describe different models for generating interest on borrowing
9.
Apply formulas to calculate simple interest, compound interest, present value, and annual
percentage yield
10.
Describe different types of loans
11.
Apply formulas for percentage rate and amortization
Course Website: www.courses.bfwpub.com/fapp8e
The publisher provides a website corresponding to the textbook. This site offers resources for
review and practice of content covered in class. Students are encouraged to make use of the
following recourse materials.
Applets:
Interactive Learning Exercises
Chapter 1:
Euler Circuit
Eulerizing a Graph
Chapter 2:
Nearest Neighbor Algorithm
Sorted Edges Algorithm
Kruskal’s Algorithm
Chapter 5:
Mean and Median
Chapter 6:
Correlation and Regression
Chapter 7:
Simple Random Sample
Vocabulary Flash Cards; Interactive learning tool for all chapters
Homework Exercises: Homework assignments are created online and available on the course
website
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