Rowan University
Math 123
Fall 2014
College Algebra – Math 123 – 01123 – Sec. 8 – CRN #41959
Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:00-9:15 pm, James 2101
Instructor: Vincent Mateescu (call me Vince)
Preferred e-mail: mateescu@rowan.edu
Office Hours: Beginning Thursday 4-Sep; in addition to the below, by appointment also
MW 6:45-7:15 Rowan University Bookstore, 2nd Floor
TR 1:15-1:45 Robinson 228A
Textbook: The textbook for the semester is Axler, Sheldon: College Algebra, published by Wiley. The
choices are listed below in the order of most to least expensive:
1. The paperback version with ISBN 978-1118556252 is $117 plus a ~35% markup of price at the
Rowan University Bookstore.
2. The loose-leaf binder version with ISBN 978-1118562390 is $80 plus a ~35% markup of price at
the Rowan University Bookstore.
3. Wiley Plus is an online interface valued at $80 with no markup at the Rowan University
Bookstore (both the paperback and loose-leaf versions come with Wiley Plus), as it is sold direct
from Wiley. Buying it is tantamount to obtaining a code to access it online, so you will be given
a unique code upon purchase for you to use throughout the semester. Wiley Plus contains an
electronic version of the textbook together with online quizzes and practice problems, among
other features. If you don’t mind a paperless version of the textbook, then this option is the
way to go.
The syllabus: You can access a copy of this syllabus anytime mid-September or later by visiting my home
page. Simply point your browser to the following URL:
http://www.rowan.edu/colleges/csm/departments/math/facultystaff/Adjuncts/Mateescu/index.html
In addition, a copy of the syllabus is available on Blackboard – I will say more on Blackboard later.
Course description: This course is designed to help students prepare for Statistics I or Calculus
Techniques & Applications. The contents include: a brief review of intermediate algebra, the structure of
the real number system, elementary analytic geometry, and algebraic, exponential and logarithmic
functions (including their inverses and related functions). Graphs of functions are also studied. A
graphing calculator is required, namely the TI-84 Plus or TI-Nspire. The prerequisite for this course is
Intermediate algebra or its equivalent. Note that this course is by no means remedial.
Contemporary Mathematics: Because this course is intended chiefly for students who will go on to Stats
I or Calc T&A, in the event you plan on taking neither of these course, I strongly recommend checking
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with your advisor today to ensure that this course, specifically, is needed for your future studies. If this
course isn’t needed, then my strong recommendation is to drop this course today and enroll in
Contemporary Mathematics (Math 115) instead. This latter course is intended for those students who
only need one math class and nothing else for their major. What’s more, I will tell you right now that
Contemporary will pose much less of a headache than this course will. College Algebra will not only be
really difficult, but will also move quickly. Hence, my advice is: in the event you don’t need College
Algebra, switch to Contemporary Mathematics today. I keep saying “today” because the deadline to
drop classes is coming up soon: Monday, September 8th.
Course objectives: At the end of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to:
(i) perform different operations involving algebraic expressions including
exponential expressions,
(ii) graph linear and quadratic functions,
(iii) solve equations and inequalities algebraically and graphically,
(iv) graph polynomial, rational, algebraic, exponential and logarithmic functions,
(v) solve exponential and logarithmic equations, and apply exponential and logarithmic models.
Assessments: Your final course grade will be determined by way of the following assessments, with
weights of the grade as indicated:
Three (3) Exams 30%
Workshops 10%
Homeworks 10%
Participation 10%
Final Exam 40%
More information about each assessment is discussed below.
Exams (30%): There will be three exams during the semester that will be based on the lecture notes,
homeworks, and any workshops leading up to that point since the previous exam (more on workshops
will follow later); or, in the case of exam 1, the beginning of the semester. Unlike periods during which
there won’t be an exam, you are allowed to leave exams early. However, this is not recommended, as
you are urged to work on your exam carefully. Part of this means checking your work multiple times, as
even if you are 100% sure you did a problem right, it is very possible you made a small, yet costly, error
on it. Thus, check your work. I cannot emphasize this enough.
Each exam will be worth 10% of your course grade. The good news is that I will allow usage of an 8 ½-in
by 11-in formula sheet (e.g. a piece of computer printing paper) that you can use on the exam.
However, the formula sheet must be your work, and your work only. I will require you to hand in your
formula sheets at exam time along with the actual exam. Not surprisingly, your grade will be penalized
if there is considerable overlap between your formula sheet and that of another student in the class.
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Math 123
Fall 2014
Homeworks (10%): In order to access and hand in the homeworks, you will need to be able to log on to
Wiley Plus. Simply point your browser to the following URL, which is our unique URL for this section:
http://edugen.wileyplus.com/edugen/class/cls413844
Wiley Plus is about more than just homework assignments and later on, I will tell you more about its
features. Right now though, over the course of the semester, I will e-mail you, announce during class in
advance, etc. when a homework is due. Make sure to hand in the homework on time, as the only access
you will have after the due date/time for a particular assignment is only for obtaining worked-out
solutions to the problems therein. Under no circumstances will I grant extensions to due dates/times of
homeworks!
At the end of this syllabus, you will find a list of practice problems for each section – I will select some of
them to be handed in for homework on Wiley Plus. Of course, you probably won’t do well on the exams
if you do the homework problems only and none of the other practice problems, so staying on top of the
latter will be your responsibility this semester. Even though all of the practice problems won’t be
collected, it will be imperative to know how to solve them if you are to succeed on the exams.
Workshops (10%): Workshops are activities I will pass out a few times this semester in which you will
work with 1-2 partners, usually the student(s) seated next to you. They will be designed to tie in the
material you just learned with the material to come. While workshops are taking place, your
participation is critical. What I don’t want to have happen is for me to pass out the workshops, after
which there is silence in the room. In the event this happens, you can expect massive deductions to
your workshop grade. Instead, I would like you to talk through workshops. Interact with the material on
the workshop and discuss it with your partner(s). In the event you have questions, ask your neighbors
or myself.
Participation (10%): Are you participating during class? Do you see me during office hours in the event
you have any questions? Are you e-mailing me with questions? As long as you are an active participant
in the sense of the preceding questions, you can be guaranteed to receive full credit, participation-wise.
To this end, it is awfully hard to participate in class if you’re not present, and so I will implement the
following policy this semester. While I will tolerate 1-2 unannounced absences on your part, I reserve
the right to lower your final course grade by a third of a letter (e.g. from a B+ to a B) in the event you
have 3 or more unexcused absences this semester. Keep in mind that in the event you are late to class
and don’t sign in (more on attendance will follow later), it will count as an absence.
Final Exam (40%): The final exam for the course will cover everything we’ve studied this semester. As
was the case with the 3 exams before it, you will be allowed a formula sheet to use on the exam.
What’s more, you need not stay the entire final exam period, but once again, this is not recommended.
The university Registrar will announce via e-mail the date of our final sometime towards the end of the
semester, so be on the lookout for that.
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Other miscellany: In this section of the syllabus, I discuss other features of the course that may also
apply to your other classes here at Rowan.
Check your e-mail! This is super important. Over the course of the semester, I will be using a web
interface called Blackboard in which you can retrieve your homework assignments, submit them, and
more. Simply point your browser to the following URL:
http://blackboard.rowan.edu
I will be using another web interface this semester called the Rowan Success Network (RSN). Also
known as Starfish, you will receive updates from the RSN if you don’t have good attendance, you’re not
doing well on homeworks and exams, and so forth – these are called “flags”. On the RSN, you can also
receive what are called “kudos” that simply recognize a job well done. Expect to receive notifications on
flags and kudos from the RSN throughout the semester. Even though you may end up not receiving any
at all, keep an eye out for them anyway. You may find more information on the RSN by visiting the
following URL:
http://www.rowan.edu/provost/academic_affairs/atp/success
I mention Blackboard and the RSN because updates for both will come to you via your e-mail. What’s
more, make sure to check your e-mail often for updates that pertain to neither Blackboard nor the RSN.
Thus, stay on top of your e-mail! This is something else I cannot emphasize enough.
Lastly, we will use a third web interface, Wiley Plus, for the duration of the semester – the URL to access
this is on the third page of this syllabus. Regarding Wiley Plus, by no means do I recommend using it for
handing in homeworks and nothing else – Wiley Plus is much more than that! There are self-quizzes you
can use to test your knowledge on the material, as well as videos explaining the topics in the book. I
highly recommend you explore Wiley Plus and get the most out of it this semester. Should you run into
trouble when using Wiley Plus, I ask that you please contact the Wiley Plus technical team at
http://www.wileyplus.com/support
They have an excellent reputation of helping students in a timely manner. The only technical thing I will
tell you when using Wiley Plus is to use the buttons within Wiley Plus itself – using your browser’s
“back” button, “forward” button, “refresh” button, etc. will, in many cases, result in the system
automatically logging you off.
In addition to accessing Wiley Plus via the URL on the third page of this syllabus, you may alternatively
point your browser to:
http://www.wileyplus.com
Wiley Plus has a grace period of 14 days in which you may log in for free after creating a Wiley Plus
account. After the grace period, however, you will need the code you obtained when purchasing the
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Math 123
Fall 2014
text in order to access Wiley Plus – please refer to the first page of this syllabus for pricing and other
info.
Expectations: Come to class with your textbook (unless you purchased Wiley Plus only), writing
implement, and notebook as well as with your cellular device on silent or off. At the start of class, I will
pass around a packet with the names of every student in the class on it – simply sign next to your name
to ensure you will be counted for attendance for the class.
As for out-of-class expectations, keep at it. I mean it. In the event you’ve spent at least a year in
college, this is something you most likely know, but if you’re a first-year student, you will quickly learn
that you will hardly survive in college if your approach to your learning is merely pedestrian. When
people classify being a college student as a full-time job, it is just that: full-time. This means your
learning transcends the classroom and that a great deal of behind-the-scenes work will be expected of
you.
To that end, I understand that in your effort to understand the material, things can go wrong. This is
inevitable. What is important, however, is how you react when something does go wrong. If you do
nothing, I can tell you right now: you’re not going to swim, you will sink. Thus, be proactive in obtaining
help outside of class. The following is a list of suggestions in the event you need assistance.
Getting help: Before describing the different avenues available to you should you need assistance, here
is something I want to emphasize. Be sure to seek assistance immediately in the event you have a
question. Given the cumulative nature of mathematics, any misunderstanding, however small, will
eventually snowball if you don’t resolve it right then and there. Thus, it is much more advisable to seek
help sooner rather than later.
One avenue available to you is office hours and e-mail. Please contact me anytime with questions!
Another possibility is tutoring at Savitz Hall. They usually start up a few weeks into the semester, but in
the event you need assistance, they have tutors there who can help you with the material. Note that
this is a free service, and you can walk in – no appointment required!
Another free resource is the Rowan University Math Team. Like tutoring at Savitz Hall, no appointments
are required for the Math Team – simply walk in! The Math Team meets at Robinson Hall in the
Department of Mathematics in Robinson 228 and can help you with questions pertaining to many math
courses here at Rowan. Like tutoring at Savitz Hall, the Math Team starts up a few weeks into the
semester, so a schedule with tutor availability will be posted on the math department door at that time.
Finally, note that this list of resources to turn to is hardly exhaustive. Chances are there are more
avenues that are out there for seeking assistance. Regardless of where you turn to in the end, however,
what is important is that you nip it in the bud and seek assistance in the first place. Remember, your
priority is to resolve any small misunderstandings, lest they expand into large ones!
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Math 123
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Table of material to be covered and when
Lecture date
Weds 3-Sep
Section(s) in the text
1.1, 1,2
Mon 8-Sep
1.2, 1.3
Weds 10-Sep
2.1, 2.2
Mon 15-Sep
2.2, 2.3
Weds 17-Sep
2.3, 2.4
Mon 22-Sep
3.1
Weds 24-Sep
3.2
Mon 29-Sep
Weds 1-Oct
Mon 6-Oct
N/A
Ch. 1-2, Sec. 3.1-3.2
3.3
Weds 8-Oct
3.3
Mon 13-Oct
3.4
Weds 15-Oct
3.4
Topics to be covered
1.1: Rational and
irrational numbers
1.2: Expanding nonfractional expressions
1.2: Simplifying nonfractional and fractional
expressions
1.3: Absolute value,
solving absolute value
equations, interval
notation
2.1: Distance formula
2.2: Slope of a line,
slope-intercept form,
point-slope form
2.2: Midpoints
2.3: Equations of circles,
completing the square
2.3: Number problems,
extreme values
2.4: Area formulas
What a function is,
evaluating functions
numerically and
graphically,
difference quotients,
domain of a function
Domain and range of
transformations of
functions, writing
equations of
transformed functions
Catch up and review
Exam 1
Determining function
compositions
numerically and
algebraically
Recognizing function
composition
Evaluating inverses of
functions
Domains and ranges of,
and formulas for,
6
Practice problems
1.1: #1-8
1.2: #5-22
1.2: #23-44
1.3: #1-8, 15-32
2.1: #1-20
2.2: #1-8, 29-40
2.2: #45-48
2.3: #13-18, 35-38, 4549
2.3: #51-58
2.4: #1-20
#1-14, 23-54, 59-64,
forthcoming problems
involving the difference
quotient
#1-42
N/A
N/A
#1-18
#25-42
#1-14
#15-24, 29-38
Rowan University
Math 123
Mon 20-Oct
3.5
Weds 22-Oct
3.5
Mon 27-Oct
Weds 29-Oct
Mon 3-Nov
N/A
Sec. 3.3-3.5
4.1, 4.2
Weds 5-Nov
4.3, 4.4
Mon 10-Nov
5.1, 5.2
Weds 12-Nov
5.3, 5.4
Mon 17-Nov
6.1
Weds 19-Nov
Mon 24-Nov
Weds 26-Nov
N/A
Ch. 4-5
6.1
inverses of functions
Increasing and
decreasing functions
Tables of values for
compositions of
functions
Catch up and review
Exam 2
4.1: Compositions and
graphs of exponential
functions
4.2: Sums, differences,
products, and
compositions of
polynomial functions,
solving polynomial
equations, factoring
polynomials
4.3: Domains, sums,
differences, products,
and composition of
rational functions
4.4: Sums, differences,
products, quotients,
and conjugates of
complex numbers
5.1: Compositions of
fractional exponential
functions, properties of
powers
5.2: What a logarithm
is, solving elementary
logarithmic equations,
composition of
logarithmic functions
5.3: Properties of
logarithms, solving
logarithmic equations
5.4: Compound interest
Evaluating ln of a
number, equations
involving ln
Catch up and review
Exam 3
Domain, range, and
composition of
functions involving ln
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Fall 2014
#1-14
#15-38
N/A
N/A
4.1: #37-64
4.2: #1-16, #19-24
4.3: #1-20
4.4: #1-34
5.1: #33-38, 47-52
5.2: #1-34, 67-74
5.3: #13-32
5.4: #21-30
#1-26
N/A
N/A
#35-48
Rowan University
Math 123
Mon 1-Dec
6.2
Weds 3-Dec
Mon 8-Dec
6.3
6.3
Weds 10-Dec
N/A
Approximations with e
and ln
Exponential growth
Continuously
compounded interest
Catch up and review
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Fall 2014
#1-14
#1-16
#21-28
N/A