Math 120
Fundamentals of College Math
Great Basin College Spring Semester 2011 3 credits
Instructor:
Class meeting time:
Classroom:
Call number:
E-mail:
Web Assign Site:
Teri Kellum
Tuesday and Thursday 5:30 – 6:45 PM
HSCI 106
12382
Please use Web Campus email to contact me
www.webassign.com
Catalog Description:
Topics include real numbers, consumer mathematics, variation, functions, relations,
graphs, geometry, probability, and statistics. The course is broad in scope,
emphasizing applications. This course fulfills the lower-division mathematics
requirement for a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Course Description:
This semester, we will cover chapters 1-5, 7 and 10 in the textbook. Generally, we will
cover two to four sections every week, and there will be an in-class test given after
every two chapters. Homework is due at regular intervals throughout the semester on
the webassign.com site. Students must enroll in the course at www.webassign.com
with the class key, which will be given to students at the start of the semester.
Prerequisite:
MATH 096 within two years, satisfactory placement exam, or SAT/ACT score.
Required Materials:



Textbook: Mathematics, A Practical Odyssey, 6th ed. by Johnson ISBN:
9780538788083
Scientific calculator
Internet access
Course Objectives, Learning Outcomes, and Measurements:
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
Objectives
1. Solve a variety of applied problems
using problem-solving techniques
from a variety of areas including
logic, algebra, set theory,
probability, statistics, and number
theory.
2. Communicate mathematical
concepts in writing
3. Use financial formulas to find
interest, future value, present value,
monthly payments, and construct
an amortization schedule.
4. Follow appropriate mathematical
format and use proper
mathematical notation in solving
problems.
Measurements
1. Daily assignments, quizzes, tests,
and the final exam
2. Student paper
3. Daily assignments, quizzes, tests,
and the final exam
4. Daily assignments, quizzes, tests,
and the final exam
Methods of Instruction:
This class will utilize several methods of instruction, including classroom lectures and
classroom discussions.
Attendance Policy:
It is highly recommended that students attend and participate in class.
Course Requirements and How to Turn in Assignments:
Assignments will be completed through webassign.com. You can stop in the middle of
an assignment and resume it later. All assignments must be submitted by 11:59 PM
Sunday evening of the specified week. You may complete and submit each assignment
up to three times, and the highest score will be chosen as your grade for the
assignment. If you choose to submit an assignment only once, the score on that one
attempt will be your grade for the assignment. The scores will be released once all the
questions have been graded.
Tests and the final exam are graded on both content and form. Just showing the
answer is not acceptable; you must show your work as well. No credit will be given
for an answer without the corresponding steps leading to the answer.
Grading Policy:
Grades will be based on seven homework assignments, worth 25 points each; two
tests, worth 50 points each; an essay, worth 30 points, enrolling in webassign.com,
worth 5 points; and the final exam, worth 100 points. There are a total of 410 points
possible for the course. You may notice that there are actually eight homework
assignments and three tests listed; the homework and test with the lowest scores will
both be dropped from your final grade total. Note: Late assignments will NOT be
accepted. Except for medical emergencies, make-up tests will not be allowed.
Other excuses might NOT be accepted in general.
Grades are distributed as follows:
94 – 100%
90 – 93%
87 – 89%
84 – 86 %
80 – 83%
A
AB+
B
B-
77 – 79%
74 – 76%
70 – 73%
67 – 69%
64 – 66%
C+
C
CD+
D
60 – 63%
DBelow 60% F
Consult the GBC catalog for information on “I” grades and withdrawals.
Essay: A short, 1-2 page essay will be due by Monday, November 29. Although this
is a math class, one of the requirements is that you are able to write clearly and
effectively. You will be graded on how well you write and how well you substantiate
your opinion. Your essay needs to have these characteristics:



Effectively addresses the prompt
Displays well-written, easy to understand sentences
Shows thoughtful consideration of the material
ADA Statement:
Any student with a disability who is requesting accommodations should contact the
Student Services Office in Elko at 775.753.2279 as soon as possible.
Academic Dishonesty / Plagiarism Statement:
The University and Community College System of Nevada expressly forbids all forms of
academic dishonesty, including (but not limited to) all forms of cheating, copying, and
plagiarism. Students who are discovered cheating, copying, or plagiarizing will be
subject to discipline as outlined in the GBC catalog.
Schedule of events: Fall 2010
Week
1
Date
Tues. Jan. 25
Thurs. Jan. 27
Tues. Feb. 1
Thurs. Feb. 3
Tues. Feb. 8
Thurs. Feb. 10
Section(s)
1.1
1.2
Labor Day
1.3
1.4
1.5
4
Tues. Feb. 15
Thurs. Feb. 17
2.1
2.2
5
Tues. Feb. 22
2.3, 2.4
6
Thurs. Feb. 24
Tues. Mar. 1
Test 1
3.1, 3.2
Thurs. Mar. 3
3.3
7
Tues. Mar. 8
Thurs. Mar. 10
3.4
3.5
8
Tues. Mar. 15
Thurs. Mar. 17
Tues. Mar. 22
Thurs. Mar. 24
Tues. Mar. 29
Thurs. Mar. 31
Tues. Apr. 5
Thurs. Apr. 7
3.6
4.1
Spring
Recess
4.4
4.5
Test 2
5.1, 5.2
12
Tues. Apr. 12
Thurs. Apr. 14
5.3
5.4
13
Tues. Apr. 19
7.1, 7.2
14
Thurs. Apr. 21
Tues. Apr. 26
Test 3
10.0A
Thurs. Apr. 28
10.0B
Tues. May 3
Thurs. May 5
Tues. May 10
Thurs. May 12
10.1
10.2
2
3
9
10
11
15
16
Topic
Deductive vs. Inductive Reasoning
Symbolic Logic
No class
Truth Tables
Conditionals
Analyzing Arguments: Assignment 1 is
due by Sun., Sept. 19
Sets and Set Operations
Applications of Venn Diagrams;
Assignment 2 is due by Sun., Sept. 26
Intro to Combinatorics; Permutations and
Combinations
Chapters 1 & 2
History of Probability; Basic Terms of
Probability
Basic Rules of Probability; Assignment 3
is due by Sun., Oct. 10
Combinatorics and Probability
Expected Value; Assignment 4 is due by
Sun., Oct. 17
Conditional Probability
Population, Sample, and Data
No Class
The Normal Distribution
Polls and Margins of Error;
Chapters 3 & 4
Simple Interest; Compound Interest;
Assignment 6 is due by Sun., Nov. 14
Annuities
Amortized Loan; Assignment 7 is due by
Sun., Nov. 21
Place System; Arithmetic in Different
Bases
Chapter 5 and 7.1, 7.2
Review of Properties of Exponentials; The
essay is due
Review of Properties of Logarithms;
Assignment 8 is due by Sun., Dec. 5
Exponential Growth
Exponential Decay
17
Tues. May 17
Final exam