This section will be using MyMathLab, an interactive
computer program on which you will do your
homework. If you do not have access to the internet, you will want to talk to me
as soon as
possible, and you may wish to change to another section.
Course: MTH 131 - Intermediate Algebra
Course Description: Students study literal expressions, real and complex
numbers, rational
exponents and laws of exponents ; first and second degree equations and
inequalities; linear and
non-linear systems of equations ; functions including linear, quadratic,
exponential and logarithmic;
coordinate graphing; and problem- solving using mathematical modeling.
Attendance: Your success in this Math class will depend on your
consistent attendance in all class
sessions. Students who attend on a regular basis will gain the full benefit of
the class and will
generally do much better than those that miss class sessions. I will reserve the
right to withdraw you
from this class if your attendance becomes excessive enough that I believe that
you can not keep up
with the required material. However, do not rely on me to drop you. This is your
responsibility.
College Closing: Usually the College does not close due to inclement
weather. Any cancellation of
classes will be announced on the local radio stations. In the event that a test
would fall on a day
when school is canceled, the test will be given on the next scheduled class
meeting.
Grading Policy: The students grade for the term will be determined by
their performance on Tests,
Quizzes (announced and unannounced) and homework. The percentage weighting of
each is as
shown below.
GRADES: Your final course grade will be determined as
follows:
|
Tests |
70% |
|
Quiz & Homework |
30% |
The final percentage will be converted to a 4.0 scale
according to the following table:
| Percent Grade |
Numerical Grade |
 |
Tests are to be taken on the day established for
the test. In general make-up tests will not be given.
Also note, that no electronic devices will be allowed to be used during the
tests except for an
approved calculator .
Homework: The homework assigned that relates to each exam will be found
under My Math Lab
(MML). The due dates will be assigned, and late work will not be accepted. The
purpose of the
homework is to get you prepared for each unit test, and as such doing it “late”
is not in your best
interest.
MAKEUP POLICY:
If you must miss a class session during which an exam
is scheduled or homework is due, it
will be your responsibility to make timely arrangements to take the exam and
submit the
assigned work early. In the event that this is not possible the following
provisions apply:
• Exams/Quizzes cannot be made up.
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: If an emergency precludes you from taking an exam as
scheduled you must contact me prior to the test (office phone mail messages are
suitable).
Quizzes will not be allowed to be made up. Any quiz that you miss will
receive a score of zero . I
will, however, drop 1 of every 5 quiz scores. As a result of this, if you happen
to not be in attendance
during a quiz I will use the “zero” from this missed quiz as the one that I drop
for the final grade
calculation.
FINAL EXAM: Each student will be required to take the Comprehensive Final
Exam to be
administered during the last week of classes. The final exam will be discussed
prior to the exam and
it will be designed to cover the key material of the course.
Office hours will be posted on my office door during the first week of classes.
Associate Degree Outcomes
The ability to comprehend and use information including written and oral forms
(ADO 2)
Computational Skills and understanding appropriate to the program of study (ADO
3)
Critical thinking and problem solving (AD0 4)
Facility in the use of computers and other technologies appropriate to the
program of study (ADO 7)
A knowledge of science and technology (ADO 11)
Suggestions: Students who do well in college courses will generally do
the following things.
* Take notes and study from them.
* Read the text book to ensure you reinforce your understanding of the material.
* Seek help from the instructor, tutors and classmates as soon as you find some
difficulty with the material - waiting can often spell disaster.
* Do all of the required homework, in a timely manner.
* Study the material on a regular basis.
* Participate in class discussions.
* Attend all class sessions.
Mathematics courses demand that you practice your skills
thoroughly. Something that appears
simple on the board during a lecture can appear impossible to perform on a test
if you’ve never tried
to do it on your own. Do not wait for an exam to practice these skills.
You will find that it will take
approximately 2 hours of study time for each hour that your math class meets.
This is a CRITICAL
ELEMENT to your success that is often discovered too late into the
semester. Do yourself a favor
and make a schedule up for yourself during the first week of classes that
takes the above into
account. The time you spend carefully studying the material early on will be of
a huge benefit as the
semester progresses. Lecture will be the primary mode of instruction while one
on one and group
work will be utilized when appropriate. Students are also encouraged to take
advantage of the Math
tutoring available in the Math Lab (located in JM-244 of McDivitt Hall).
Additionally instruction via
video tape and Computer Tutorial Programs are available for some courses as
well. Making a friend
(or friends) in class and studying together is also strongly encouraged. One of
the best ways to learn
is by helping one another. Additionally, The Center for Student Success
(Bert Walker Hall – BW-
123) has student tutors that are available for help you with your math
questions. All the tutoring
services above are FREE to you as a student at JCC.
Schedule: The attached schedule is to be considered tentative. I will
reserve the right to revise any
part of this syllabus as I deem necessary throughout the semester.
I wish you all the best!
