CONTEMPORARY MATHEMATICS

TEXTBOOK: Blitzer, Robert. Thinking Mathematically. 4^th Ed. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Prentice Hall, 2008.

UNIVERSITY MISSION STATEMENT:
Lee University seeks to provide education that integrates biblical truth as revealed in the
Holy Scriptures with truth discovered through the study of the arts and sciences and in
the practice of various professions. A personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior is the controlling perspective from which the educational enterprise is carried out.
The foundational purpose of all educational programs is to develop within the students
knowledge, appreciation, understanding ability and skills which will prepare them for
responsible living in the modern world.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
A survey of mathematical topics designed to develop an appreciation of the uses of
mathematics. Selected topics will include problem solving, mathematical modeling,
logic and sets, statistics, and the mathematics of finance.

PREREQUISITES: Students scoring below 18 on the mathematics portion of the ACT
must take appropriate pre-core courses before enrolling in Contemporary Mathematics.
Three Credit Hours

I. PURPOSE: The purpose is to present the basic fundamentals of mathematics, to give
students a general mathematics background so that they will be able to meet the needs
of mathematics in everyday life, and to develop in students the ability to think and
work accurately in terms of quantitative relationships and logic.

II. OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE
A. GENERAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The goals of this course are that students:
1. Learn to value mathematics and its contribution to society and other
disciplines.
2. Develop confidence in their ability to use and make sense of
mathematics.
3. Develop the ability to become mathematical problem solvers in real life
situations.
4. Learn to communicate mathematically through representing concepts in
variety of ways and through writing.
5. Learn to reason mathematically-making conjectures, gathering
evidence, and building arguments.

B. SPECIFIC BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES
As a result of this course the student should be able to:
1. Demonstrate understanding of the differences between inductive and
deductive reasoning as it relates to mathematics and the physical sciences.
2. Demonstrate an ability to solve problems using ratio, proportion, and
variation.
3. Use the rules of logical conclusion in a mathematical argument.
4. Work with sets and subsets.
5. Use and understand tables and graphs developed from statistical data.
6. Demonstrate an appreciation of the role that mathematics plays in society,
both past and present.
7. Interpret Venn diagrams and their applications to sets.
8. Demonstrate understanding of the structure of the number system.
9. Identify and utilize the properties of the number systems.
10. Solve linear and quadratic equations of a single variable.
11. Solve word problems using mathematical models (equations)
12. Utilize the basic properties of probability and statistics.
13. Solve everyday problems of finance.
14. Use percent in the solution of everyday problems.
15. Graph using the rectangular coordinate system.

III. TOPICS TO BE COVERED
A. PROBLEM SOLVING AND CRITICAL THINKING
 1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
 2. Estimation
 3. Problem Solving
B. SETS
 1. Definition and concepts of sets and subsets
 2. Set operations
 3. Venn diagrams
 4. Applications of sets
C. LOGIC
 1. Statements and logical connectives
 2. Truth tables
 3. Valid arguments
 4. Equivalent statements and variations of the conditional
D. NUMBER REPRESENTATION AND CALCULATION
 1. Types of systems of numeration
 2. Place-value
 3. Introduction to different base systems
E. NUMBER THEORY AND THE REAL NUMBER SYSTEM
 1. Prime and Composite numbers
 2. Order of Operations
 3. The Rational Numbers
 4. The Irrational Numbers
 5. Real Numbers and Their Properties
 6. Exponents

F. ALGEBRA: EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES
 1. Algebraic Expressions and Formulas
 2. Solving Linear Equations
 3. Applications of Linear Equations
 4. Ratio, Proportion, and Variation
 5. Solving Linear Inequalities
 6. Solving Quadratic Equations
G. CONSUMER MATHEMATICS
 1. Percent
 2. Simple Interest and Compound Interest
 3. Installment Buying
H. PROBABILITY
 1. The nature of probability
 2. Empirical and Experimental probability
 3. Tree diagrams and sample space
 4. Theoretical probability
 5. "OR" and "AND" problems of combined probability
 6. Applications
I. STATISTICS
 1. Measures of central tendency
 2. Measures of dispersion
 3. The normal curve
 4. Applications

IV. INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
A. Introductory and summary lectures, on all subjects, with visual support
B. Reading assignments (to prepare for daily pop quizzes)
C. Daily assignments of homework problems
D. Class discussions
E. Peer tutoring and cooperative learning
F. Electronic communication

V. RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS
A. Attend class. Regular attendance is essential to realize the purposes of this
course. You are expected to attend every class. Read the university catalog
concerning attendance.
B. Remember to bring to class the following resources: textbook, notebook, scientific
calculator, and pens or pencils. Be ready for class.
C. Execute reading and homework problem assignments (promptly and timely).
D. Read the textbook and write summary notes on each section’s keywords.
E. Take notes in class.
F. Prepare for daily pop quizzes and exams.

VI. EVALUATION
A. Evaluation Activities
1. Daily pop quizzes worth 16% of the final grade
2. Four (4) Exams worth 64% of the final grade (16% for each exam)
3. A Comprehensive Final Exam worth 20% of the final grade

B. Grading Scale
90-100 A
87-89 A-
83-86 B+
80-82 B
77-79 B-
73-76 C+
70-72 C
67-69 C-
63-66 D+
60-62 D
0-59 F

VII. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITES:
Lee University is committed to the provision of reasonable accommodations for
students with disabilities, as defined in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973. Students who think they may qualify for these accommodations should
notify their instructor immediately. Special services are provided through the
Academic Support Program.

VIII. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
As a Christian community of scholarship, we at Lee University are committed to
the principles of truth and honesty in the academic endeavor. As faculty and
students in this Christian community, we are called to present our academic work
as an honest reflection of our abilities; we do not need to defraud members of the
community by presenting others’ work as our own. Therefore, academic
dishonesty is handled with serious consequences for two fundamental reasons: it
is stealing – taking something that is not ours; it is also lying – pretending to be
something it is not. In a Christian community, such pretense is not only
unnecessary; it is also harmful to the individual and community as a whole.
Cheating should have no place at a campus where Christ is King because God
desires us to be truthful with each other concerning our academic abilities. Only
with a truthful presentation of our knowledge can there be an honest evaluation of
our abilities. To such integrity, we as a Christian academic community are called.

IX. READING LIST:
A. Required: The Textbook
B. Supplemental: None

Notes:
1. Each student is responsible for all activities assigned or due in her or his absence.
2. To facilitate daily pop quizzes and discussion in class, each student will read the
appropriate section before coming to class and write summary notes on each
section’s keywords. (Please see the attached “Keywords for Sections” to help you
focus on the important ideas.)
3. Make-up pop quizzes will not be administered; however, as necessary, the
professor reserves the right to peruse a student’s notebook for the summary notes,
previously written on each section’s keywords, and give partial credit for the quiz
or quizzes missed.
4. Make-up exams will be given provided that the student contacts the professor (by
phone, e-mail, or other viable means like a school administrator) prior to the exam
time and a documented excuse (EX. From a doctor, choir leader, coach, and so
on) is given to the professor at the time the make-up is administered. It is the
student’s responsibility to make arrangements with the professor in advance and
finish the make-up exam within 48 hours of the scheduled exam. In the case
where an exam falls on a Friday, the student will complete the make-up before 5
p. m. on the Monday that follows.