June 2007
To: MTH 101 Quantitative Literacy Instructors
From: Mary Ann Tuerk (mtuerk@elgin.edu)
Beginning Fall semester 2007, the text for this course will be “Using and Understanding
Mathematics: A Quantitative Reasoning Approach,” 5th Edition, by Jeffrey Bennett and
William Briggs. A committee made up of Professors Catherine Moushon, Nicole
Scherger and myself made this selection and rewrote the course outline during Spring
semester 2007. All of us have taught this course: Catherine at NIU, Nicole and I at ECC.
Teaching this course has been both a challenging and rewarding experience for all of us.
You may find yourself learning along with your students as the topics are not necessarily
part of a mathematics major’s standard curriculum.
Under the Illinois Articulation Initiative, ECC’s MTH 101 corresponds to the general
education mathematics course numbered M1 901. In writing the Learning Outcomes for
the course, we paid careful attention to the IAI course description while attempting to
reflect the specific goals and values of the ECC math department toward this course.
Outcome #7, regarding appropriate technology, still needs some clarification. In Fall
2007, we will take this question to the entire department and revise the wording if
necessary.
Regarding the topics to be covered in the Bennett and Briggs text, we faced the problem
of a super-abundance of worthwhile material that could be taught in order to achieve our
defined learning outcomes. Again, keeping a close eye on the IAI description, we came
up with three units where the material can be listed with some specificity. These are Units
I, II and III on the attached Topical Outline.
In Unit IV, we leave it up to the instructor to make his/her own choices. Everyone
seemed to have a favorite topic that they did not want to see excluded. An adjunct who
has used Bennett and Briggs at another school told me Chapter 4 was excellent. Here at
ECC, the material in Chapter 12 on voting theory is a perennial favorite, as is the
Traveling Salesman Problem in Chapter 13. But do make a choice, develop a unit and
include it in your syllabus.
Feel free to consult with the other instructors or with any of us who have previously
taught this course or material. I can put you in touch with current and previous instructors
if you want to set up a MTH 101 resource group, electronically or in person.
Have fun with it!
Addendum on Technology in MTH 101
While we were working on the course outline, Nicole Scherger attended a meeting at
DePaul University. She discussed our project with Dr. David Jabon who is the director of
DePaul’s Quantitative Reasoning Program. He sent us the link to his materials and said
we were free to use or modify them.
Their course has a strong component of using Excel and his materials include Excel
based activities that we feel would complement our learning objectives very nicely. The
link is http://qrc.depaul.edu/djabon/instructortemplate.
DePaul’s Activities #1 and #2 could be used for ECC’s Unit I.
Activities #5, #6, #18 and #19 would go with Chapter 5 of Bennett and Briggs.
If you would like to include these or similar activities in your section of MTH 101, feel
free to do so. If you need help in working with Excel, contact ECC’s Center for the
Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL). Faculty can sign up for a course or ask
for individual assistance in using software and technology in the classroom.
You can also schedule your classes one of our computer labs if they are available.
Addendum on Writing Standards in MTH 101
Instructors at ECC can and should require college level writing in all disciplines. In my
experience as a mathematics instructor, this comes up very directly in MTH 101. You
may want to include a statement about your expectations in your syllabus or as part of
assignments that require writing. (I have a handout “Guidelines for Oral Presentations
and Written Reports” that I am happy to share). Students can use the resources of “The
Write Place” for their written assignments.
Draft – Revised Course Outline – MTH 101 Quantitative Literacy
Summer 2007
This course outline was prepared by Professors Moushon, Scherger and Tuerk. It will be
brought to the department for approval in August, 2007. It is intended for use by all
faculty teaching MTH 101 beginning Fall 2007.
Course Description: A course designed to satisfy the general education requirement at the
university level. It provides a foundation for basic numeracy and quantitative literacy.
Develops skills in problem solving, logical analysis, use of mathematical models and
functions, statistical and graphical representation of data, and decision making.
Learning Outcomes:
Students should be able to:
1.Analyze logical statements; determine the validity of an argument or of quantitative
data.
2. Represent and analyze information using Venn diagrams.
3. Judge the reasonableness of quantitative answers by using techniques such as:
estimation, approximation, dimensional analysis, significant digits, order of magnitude
and error analysis.
4. Select and utilize appropriate approaches and tools in formulating and solving real
world problems.
5. Represent and analyze data through such statistical measures as central tendency,
dispersion, normal and chi-square distributions, and correlation and regression to test
hypotheses.
6. Represent and analyze data by graphing on the coordinate plane; identify appropriate
mathematical models (functions) to represent data.
7. Use appropriate technology in solving problems. (Technology can include graphing
calculators, computer software such as Excel, word processors, and the Internet).
Unit I: Logic Problem Solving and Quantitative Data
Required Sections:
Chapter 1
Thinking Critically
1A
Recognizing Fallacies
1B
Propositions and Truth Values
1C
Sets and Venn Diagrams
1E
Critical Thinking in Everyday Life
Chapter 2
Approaches to Problem Solving
2A
The Problem-Solving Power of Units
2B
Standardized Units: More Problem-Solving Power
2C
Problem-Solving Guidelines and Hints
Plus the instructor should choose 2-4 additional sections from:
Chapter 1
Sec 1D
Analyzing Arguments
Chapter 3
Numbers in the Real World
3A
Uses and Abuses of Percentages
3B
Putting Numbers in Perspective
3C
Dealing with Uncertainty
3D
Index Numbers: The CPI and Beyond
3E
How Numbers Deceive: Polygraphs, Mammograms, and More
Unit II: Statistics
Chapter 5
Statistical Reasoning
5A
Fundamentals of Statistics
5B
Should You Believe a Statistical Study?
5C
Statistical Tables and Graphs
5D
Graphics in the Media
5E
Correlation and Causality
Chapter 6
Putting Statistics to Work
6A
Characterizing a Data Distribution
6B
Measures of Variation
6C
The Normal Distribution
6D
Statistical Inference
4 weeks
4 weeks
Unit III: Mathematical Models and Functions
3 weeks
Chapter 8
Exponential Astonishment
8A
Growth: Linear versus Exponential
8B
Doubling Time and Half-Life
8C
Real Population Growth
8D
Logarithmic Scales: Earthquakes, Sounds, and Acids
Chapter 9
Modeling Our World
9A
Functions: The Building Blocks of Mathematical Models
9B
Linear Modeling
9C
Exponential Modeling
Unit 4: Solving Additional Real World Problems
4 weeks
Instructor should select topics from one or two of the following chapters and develop a
cohesive unit. This unit should be defined and described in your syllabus.
Chapter 4
Managing Your Money
4A
Taking Control of Your Finances
4B
The Power of Compounding
4C
Savings Plans and Investments
4D
Loan Payments, Credit Cards, and Mortgages
4E
Income Taxes
4F
Understanding the Federal Budget
Chapter 7
Probability: Living with the Odds
7A
Fundamentals of Probability
7B
Combining Probabilities
7C
The Law of Large Numbers
7D
Assessing Risk
7E
Counting and Probability
Chapter 11 Mathematics and the Arts
11A
Mathematics and Music
11B
Perspective and Symmetry
11C
Proportion and the Golden Ratio
Chapter 12 Mathematics and Politics
12A
Voting: Does the Majority Always Rule?
12B
Theory of Voting
12C
Apportionment: The House of Representatives and Beyond
12D
Dividing the Political Pie
Chapter 13 Mathematics and Business
13A
Network Analysis
13B
The Traveling Salesman Problem
13C
Scheduling Problems