COURSE SYLLABUS
Raritan Valley Community College
Department of Business & Public Service
Business Mathematics (BUSI 161)
Spring Semester, 2012-13
99V
Section:
Lecture
Location:
Class Day:
Class Time:
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hours:
W. Michael Fagan
H323
Mondays 10:30A – 11:30A
Mondays 4P – 5P
Wednesdays 1P – 2P
Thursdays 12N – 1P
Thursdays 4P – 5P
Sundays 7:00P – 8:00P (on-line)
908-526-1200, x8435
908-218-8878 (Business & Public Service Dept. office)
wfagan@raritanval.edu
Office Number:
Email:
The syllabus is subject to change on prior notice of the instructor.
Course Description:
This course helps to enhance a student's analytical skills, while reinforcing basic principles of arithmetic.
The student will develop a solid foundation and apply their knowledge to problem solving techniques in
disciplines most common to the business environment. Areas of study include review of decimals,
equations, percentages, discounts and pricing, simple and compound interest, inventory, depreciation,
installment buying and business statistics.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
1. Identify business math terms.
2. Apply fundamental math concepts used in business situations.
3. Explain the effect compounding has in an investment and lending environment.
4. Apply business math concepts to “consumer” matters.
5. Outline costs involved in home ownership.
6. Discuss elements of a company’s balance sheet and income statement.
Class Materials:
Text: Business Math, 9th edition, Cleaves & Hobbes, Prentice Hall (comes bundled with the access code
for the MyMathLab at the Golden Lions Bookstore).
NOTE: The 9th edition is the only acceptable version of the text that may be used in this course. There
have been changes in the material and its location in the text; therefore older versions will not be
appropriate for the course.
Use of MyMathLab is required for this course. If you purchased a used copy of the 9th edition, you can
buy an access code for MyMathLab from the publisher.
Calculator: You need a calculator that can do square roots and exponentiation.
Course Routine:
This class is conducted on-line. The class has been set up to cover one to two chapters per week in the text.
In each chapter, the student should:
1.
Read the assigned chapter in the text. You should include in your readings the Learning Outcomes,
“How To” sections, Key Terms, Tip and Did You Know? boxes, Examples, and Chapter Summary.
For maximum comprehension, try the Stop and Checks, the Section Exercises, Exercise Sets A and B,
and the Practice Test (the Exercise Sets and Practice Test are located at the end of the chapter). The
answers for both odd- and even-numbered Stop and Checks and Practice Tests are in the back of the
book; the answers to the odd-numbered Section Exercises and Exercise Sets are also in the back of the
book. Most of these materials are also available on the MyMathLab webpage for the course.
2.
Review that chapter’s session in the Timeline tab of WebStudy. Each chapter session has a written
summary / explanation of the material covered, with special emphasis on material that might be more
difficult to understand. Most chapter sessions also include some additional video materials. Each
chapter session also has a link to that chapter’s Forum in WebStudy where questions about the chapter
material may be posted.
3.
Go to the MyMathLab webpage for the course, and review the material for the chapter, including the
PowerPoint slides, learning videos, and practice exercises. This material is voluntary, but may improve
your comprehension of the material. Information on how to register for MyMathLab appears under the
MyMathLab Access Information link in the Course Introduction session of the Timeline tab in
WebStudy.
4.
Do the on-line homework for the chapter (click the Homework button on the MyMathLab webpage).
These assignments will typically be 15-20 objective questions corresponding to material in the chapter.
Homework will be available during the entire week that the chapter is on the scheduled, but not
beyond.
EXCEPTION: To give you a little extra time to get started in the course, you have two weeks to
complete Chapters 1 & 2. Therefore, the deadline for the Ch. 1 & 2 homework is 02/01/13. Homework
is open book/open notes, with no time limit, and you can take it an unlimited number of times during
the week. The results are immediately viewable as you do each question.
The deadline for homework each week is 11:30P on Friday.
IMPORTANT: You must score 70% on the homework for a given chapter in order to be able to
take its quiz. Since you can take the homework an unlimited amount of times, this should not be too
tough of a requirement, but you need to allow enough time to score the 70% or better on the homework
before trying the quiz.
5.
Take the quiz for the chapter (click on the Quizzes & Tests button on the MyMathLab webpage). The
quizzes will typically be 10-15 objective questions corresponding to material in the chapter. Quizzes
will be available during the entire week that chapter is on the schedule. They are open book/open
notes, but you are limited to one attempt, and there is a time limit of 45 minutes to complete the quiz.
Quizzes will not be available beyond the week in which they are scheduled.
EXCEPTION: To give you a little extra time to get started in the course, you have two weeks to
complete Ch. 1 & 2. Therefore, the deadline for the Ch. 1 & 2 Quizzes is 02/01/13. The deadline each
week is 11:30P on Friday.
Scores for the quizzes will be available immediately once you finish the quiz. You will not be able
to see the questions and answers, though, until the availability period has concluded. For example, the
Quizzes for Ch. 1 & 2 are available 01/22/13 through 02/01/13; once you take your quiz, you can get
your score right away, and the questions and answers for those assessments will be available for your
viewing beginning 02/02/13.
Please make sure you have a reliable computer and Internet connection. You only get one attempt to
take any given quiz, and I will not accept (on a consistent basis) the excuse that "my computer locked
up" or “I lost my Internet connection”.
Please make sure you ask questions if you are confused about any concepts in the chapter, either via Email,
voice mail, or visiting me at my office.
Please note that all times in the course refer to the Eastern Time zone.
Grades:
The evaluation weighting for the final grade will be as follows:
Homework
Quizzes
Mid-Term Exam
Final Exam
15%
25%
30%
30%
(drop lowest)
(drop lowest)
The mid-term exam will cover chapters 1-8; the final will cover chapters 9-12, 15, 16, 19, and 20. Exams
will held on-campus only, and will be open book/open notes. Notes are defined as original handwritten
notes that you have created – they do not include printouts of the homeworks, quizzes, or any reference
material other than your text.
Use of calculators will be permitted but you may not use cell phones or any other computing devices. If
you live further than 50 miles from RVCC, and do not want to come to campus for the exams, you will
have to find a local college test center willing to proctor the exams for you. You will be responsible for any
proctoring expenses this may incur.
When the course is complete, grades will be assigned on the following basis:
Grade
A
B+
B
C+
C
D
F
% range
90 – 100
85 – 89.9
80 – 84.9
75 – 79.9
70 – 74.9
60 – 69.9
0 – 59.9
There will be no makeup exams. Any issues you have with not being able to take the exams or quizzes
during the week they are available must be discussed with me in advance. I will not accept requests to
retake exams, quizzes and homeworks when the requests are made after their due date.
Extra Credit:
The only extra credit opportunity available in this course is if you participate in one of the following
college programs:


Service Learning
RVCC Internship
If you provided documentation from the coordinator of either program (Lori Moog for Service Learning; or
Linda Levitt for the RVCC Internships) that you have participated, then you will receive 5% extra credit in
calculating your final grade.
No other extra credit opportunities will be provided.
Discussions:
At the bottom of each chapter’s session in the Timeline tab in WebStudy is a link to that chapter’s Forum.
Clicking on this link takes you to the discussion forum for that chapter. If you have any questions or
comments about the material or homework for a given chapter, please post them there. I will review the
discussion forums each day, and post replies to questions.
Please do not post any entries about questions on the Quizzes until after the week is over. Questions can
always be sent to me via WebStudy Email, though.
Dates of Note:
01/22/13
Semester begins
02/23 – 03/02/13
Mid-term exam
03/09 – 03/15/13
Spring break
05/04 – 05/11/13
Final exam
Ch. 1 – 8
Ch. 9-12, 15, 16, 19, 20
Attendance and Withdrawal:
In all cases, the responsibility for withdrawing from the course is the individual student's. Failure to
withdraw may result in an "F" grade for the course. Those who simply stop participating in the class may
receive an "F" grade for the course.
Reasonable Accommodation:
Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or
services) for this course MUST provide documentation of accommodations from the RVCC office of
Disability Services, C143. No accommodations will be made without this documentation.
Getting Help:
If you experience difficulties at anytime during the course, there are many ways of getting help.
a. Your textbook and MyMathLab. Aside from the text, MyMathLab has an on-line tutoring service. From
the MyMathLab main page, click on the “chapter contents” button on the left menu. From the page that
opens, click on “Pearson Tutor Services” at the top of the page. The publisher provides one 30 minute
tutoring session for free.
b. SmartThinking. In addition to the on-line tutoring available in MyMathLab, the college subscribes to a
service called “SmartThinking”, which also offers on-line tutoring. See the separate Email sent in
WebStudy Email about how to access SmartThinking.
c. Office Hours. The purpose of these office hours is to provide time for me to help and interact with all of
you. If the office hours are not convenient for you, contact me to set up an appointment. There are also online office hours Sundays from 7P – 8P using the Live tab of the Timeline.
d. Academic Support Center. RVCC provides its students with mathematics tutors, free of charge, in the
Academic Support Center. Tutoring at the Academic Support Center generally begins in the second week
of classes. When you go to the Academic Support Center, make sure you sign in at the front counter. Tutors
will be at the front counter and also working at the tables. The telephone number for the Academic Support
Center is 908-526-1200 Ext. 8393.
e. A study group. You can form a study group to motivate yourself and your classmates. Study groups can
work on homework or study for exams and quizzes together.
f. Testing Skills and Math Anxiety Workshops. The RVCC Counseling Center offers workshops on many
topics and concerns, including test-taking skills, math anxiety, time management, stress management. The
schedules and locations of these workshops can be obtained from the Counseling Center.
Academic Integrity Policy:
Academic freedom is a fundamental right in any institution of higher learning. Honesty and integrity are the
foundations of ethical conduct and civility and are necessary preconditions of this freedom. Consequently,
the maintenance of academic integrity is the obligation of every member of the Raritan Valley community,
and breaches of academic integrity constitute serious offenses.
Student Academic Code of Conduct
Raritan Valley Community College requires independent, honest work on the part of its students, and
students are expected to conduct themselves with scholarly integrity. Academic integrity can be breached
by students in one or more of (but not limited to) the following ways (from the RVCC Student Handbook):
1) Copying graded homework assignments from another student.
2) Working together on an assignment without being authorized by the faculty member to do so.
3) Looking at another student's paper during an exam.
4) Copying another student's computer program or class project and submitting it as one's own.
5) Stealing or borrowing all or part of an exam's questions or answers.
6) Entering a computer file without authorization.
7) Giving someone answers to exam question while the exam is being given.
8) Giving or selling a term paper, report, drawing, or computer program to another student for submission
to the faculty member.
9) Deceiving a faculty member to improve one's grade.
10) Falsifying data or a source of information.
11) Use of any technology to gain access to test answers, test questions or prohibited materials such as
notes, online data bases and web sites during a test.
12) Submitting work for a grade that was executed in another class or previous semester without the
instructor's permission.
Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to:
1) Copying answers from a textbook to submit for a grade.
2) Quoting text or other works without citation when requested by the faculty member to present one's own
work.
3) Submitting a paper or essay obtained from a term paper service or taken from the Internet.
4) Submitting a paper or report written by another student, a spouse, or a colleague as one's own.
5) Submitting another student's project, essay, research paper, or computer program as one's own.
6) Submitting a paper wholly or in substantial part using the exact phrasing of source material.
7) Submitting a paper closely paraphrased from source material, where the original source material is
simply edited with perhaps minor word changes occurring.
8) Submitting a paper closely paraphrased from source material, splicing together sentences from scattered
segments of the original.
The following penalties for confirmed cheating and plagiarism apply:
 First offense: The faculty member will have the authority to issue a failure on the paper, exam,
assignment, or course on which cheating or plagiarism was established. In general, plagiarism that
the faculty member considers to be serious and proven shall result in failure for the course.
 Subsequent offenses(s): As with the first offense, the faculty member will have the authority to
issue a failure on the paper, exam, assignment, or course on which cheating or plagiarism was
established and must report the violation. Upon confirmation of the student's subsequent offense
by the Dean of Academic and Student Services, the student will be subject to suspension from the
college.
The current college catalog and student handbook are important documents for
understanding your rights and responsibilities as a student in the RVCC classroom.
Please read your catalog and handbook as they supplement this syllabus.
TOPICS COVERED
Period covered
Chapter
01/22 – 02/01/13
01/22 – 02/01/13
01/26 – 02/01/13
01/26 – 02/01/13
02/02 – 02/08/13
02/02 – 02/08/13
02/09 – 02/15/13
02/16 – 02/22/13
03/02 – 03/08/13
03/16 – 03/22/13
03/23 – 03/29/13
03/30 – 04/05/13
04/06 – 04/12/13
04/13 – 04/19/13
04/20 – 04/26/13
04/27 – 05/03/13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
15
16
19
20
Topic
Review of Whole Numbers and Integers
Review of Fractions
Decimals
Banking
Equations
Percents
Business Statistics
Trade and Cash Discounts
Markup and Markdown
Payroll
Simple Interest and Simple Discount
Consumer Credit
Building Wealth Through Investments
Mortgages
Insurance
Taxes