Syllabus for MAT 101
Fall 2009
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Course Title: |
Beginning Algebra |
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Credit Hours: |
3 |
Prerequisites: The prerequisite for this course is a grade of "C" or better in
Mat 032 or the appropriate placement scores.
The instructor will assume that a student registered for the class has
the appropriate prerequisite, and the class will be taught at a level conducive
to those prerequisite skills. It is the
student's responsibility to verify that he/she has the appropriate
prerequisite. If the student does not
have the appropriate prerequisite, it is in his/her best interest to withdraw
immediately and see his/her advisor for appropriate placement in the math
sequence. If the student has any
questions concerning his/her prerequisite level, he/she should discuss this
with his/her advisor or the instructor immediately.
Required Materials:
1. Mat 101 bundle: Developmental Mathematics: College Mathematics and
Introductory Algebra,
7th edition, by Bittinger and Beecher, Addison Wesley, 2008.
2. A TI 83, TI 83+, or TI 84 graphing calculator
is required.
3. The
The
above materials are required for the course. Students who do not have the
required materials and/or who are not enrolled in the approved electronic
course management system by the end of the second Friday of the semester may be
withdrawn by the instructor.
Course Description: This course includes the study of rational
numbers and their applications, operations with algebraic expressions, linear
equations and applications, linear inequalities, graphs of linear equations,
operations with exponents and polynomials, and factoring.
Course Objectives and Competencies: The
purpose of this course is to provide the student with an understanding of basic
algebraic concepts and skills such as graphing and solving equations and to
give opportunities to practice problem-solving skills. Real life applications are emphasized. The instructor for the course may
present additional topics at his/her discretion. After successfully
completing the course, the student should be able to:
- Use
mathematical symbols and terminology appropriately.
- Classify numbers.
- Perform operations with rational numbers.
- Solve applications involving rational numbers.
- Use properties of equality to solve linear
equations and inequalities.
- Solve application problems involving linear
equations and inequalities.
- Express solutions of linear inequalities using
graphical and set builder notation.
- Plot ordered pairs.
- Recognize the general form of a linear equation.
- Calculate slope.
- Graph a linear equation by plotting points,
plotting x and y-intercepts, and slope-intercept form.
- Write linear equations.
- Determine whether a pair of linear equations
represents parallel or perpendicular lines.
- Use the product, quotient, and power rule to
simplify expressions with integer exponents.
- Simplify expressions with negative exponents.
- Define and perform multiplication and division
with numbers written in scientific notation.
- Add, subtract, multiply, and
divide polynomials.
- Factor by the following methods: greatest common
factor, grouping, difference of squares, sum and difference of cubes, and
trinomial techniques.
- Solve quadratic equations by factoring.
- Solve
real-world application problems using algebraic techniques.
- Use appropriate technology to
solve problems and communicate results.
Instructional Methodology: The course material will be presented using multimedia or
chalkboard illustrations, class
discussion and interaction, graphing calculator demonstrations, and online
tutorial and/or assessment materials.
Course Evaluation: The overall course grade will be
weighted as follows:
3 to 6 tests……………………………..……….. 60%
In-class exercises
and homework. ……… 15%
Quizzes and projects ………………………... 5%
Final Exam …………………………………….
20%
The course
letter grade will be assigned based on the student’s weighted average as
follows:
A …….94 < weighted average
< 100%
B …….87 < weighted average
< 94%
C …….80 < weighted average
< 87%
D …….70 < weighted average
< 80%
F …….weighted average less than 70%
A, B, or C
grades reflect a successful completion of the course. A cumulative average of 80% or better is
required to advance to the next course. All students must take the cumulative
final exam. In order to take the final,
all other course requirements must be completed by the time and date described
under “Testing Schedule” below. If
course material is not completed, the student will not be allowed to take the
final exam, and a grade of “F” will be assigned for the course. Hub students who have failed to complete
course requirements will NOT be given a grade of “I”.
Testing Schedule (HUB): Students
will test (pre/post) on an individual schedule. A pretest will be taken for
each chapter before any exercises
for the given chapter can be completed. If the required score for the chapter
is attained, the pretest score will then be credited as the posttest score for
the given chapter and the student will proceed to the pretest for the next
chapter. In the event that the required score is not achieved, the student will complete all exercises for the given
chapter and then take the chapter posttest. If the student does not attain the
required score on the 1st posttest, the student will then complete the
prescribed Study Plan. Upon completion of the Study Plan, the student MUST
retake the posttest for the given chapter a 2nd time and attain the
required score before going to the next chapter. If the student does not attain
the required score on the 2nd posttest, the student will then complete the
updated prescribed Study Plan. Upon completion of the Study Plan, the student
MUST retake the posttest for the given chapter a 3rd time and attain
the required score before going to the next chapter. The student will continue working
on the given chapter until the required score is achieved on the posttest. The
final exam will be given during exam week for Fall/Spring terms. All work must
be completed with mastery (HW., projects, quizzes, and chapter posttests) by
the end of your last scheduled Hub meeting in order for you to take the final
exam for fall/spring terms. The final exam will be given on the last scheduled
day of class for Summer term and all work must be completed with mastery (HW.,
projects, quizzes, and chapter posttests) by the last regularly scheduled HUB
period before your final exam. NO
EXCEPTIONS! The Hub will not be open
during exam week. Every student is required to take the final exam. The final
exam will be comprehensive. The use of an appropriate calculator will be allowed for the final
exam. This course is a part of a five-year study related to FDTC’s Quality
Enhancement Plan. The plan involves the implementation of the
Outside Activities: Outside activities will be assigned
to reinforce concepts and give practice of techniques. Outside activities are
defined to be homework, projects, quizzes and tests done outside of class
lecture time. All assignments to include homework, quizzes, projects and/or
tests are due by instructor-established deadlines and following
instructor-established guidelines and criteria. It is the student’s
responsibility to schedule testing appointments in the
Outside Assistance: Your instructor will be in his/her
office during scheduled office hours and at other times by appointment.
Tutoring is available through the
Attendance Policy: The
Florence-Darlington Technical College Attendance Policy states that a student
may be absent no more than 10% of the total class hours. If a student exceeds
the 10% absences (excused or unexcused), the instructor may withdraw the
student for excessive absences. Thus
students may miss no more than 3
lecture or Hub class periods during Fall/Spring terms; students may miss no more than 2 lecture or Hub
class periods during Summer term. A student is expected to follow the course
schedule for which he/she registers. If
you do miss class, it is your responsibility to determine what materials,
assignments, and announcements you have missed.
Withdrawals: You may
withdraw from this course on or before (see date on Student Important
Information Sheet published each semester), and receive a “W” for the
course. Any withdrawal after this date will be an “F” except in certain
instances which effectively prevent the student’s completion of the
course. Approval of the appropriate Academic
Dean is required to receive a “W” when a student withdraws after the designated
withdrawal date. If you wish to
withdraw, be sure to complete the appropriate paperwork. If you fail to do so, you may be subject to a
grade of “F” at the end of the semester.
Additional Information:
1.
“All forms of academic dishonesty including, but not
limited to, cheating on tests, plagiarism,
collusion and falsification of information will be subject
to disciplinary action.” Cheating is
defined to include, but is not limited to, the following:
- Copying another student’s work or test.
- Using unauthorized materials during a test.
- Collaborating with another during a test or on
assignments.
- Knowingly obtaining, using, buying, selling,
transporting, or soliciting in whole or in part contents of a test or
other work.
- Bribing another person to obtain tests or
information about tests.
- Substituting for another student, or permitting
another to substitute for oneself.
Plagiarism is defined as the appropriation of any other
person’s work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own
work offered for credit.
Falsification of information is defined to include, but is
not limited to the following:
A. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of college
documents, records, or identification.
B.
Destruction of evidence with the intent to deny its presentation to the
appropriate hearing or panel.
*In the hub, falsification of attendance by either having
someone scan into the computer in your absence or scanning someone else into
the computer in his/her absence will be subject to disciplinary action.
Any proven cases of academic dishonesty will result in an
“F” for the assigned work or test and may result in administrative withdrawal
from the course, with a grade of “F” assigned after an administrative hearing.
Additional sanctions, including administrative probation or suspension,
appropriate to the incidents may be imposed pursuant to the Student Code and
Grievance Procedures.
2. If an instructor
is late to class, his or her students are expected to wait for ten
minutes. If the instructor has not
arrived within ten minutes after normal starting time for the class the
students are free to go.
3. The Program
Accessibility Committee (PAC) serves as an advocate for students who
self-identify, ensuring that they have the physical and programmatic access to
all college programs that will affect their mainstreaming into the campus
community. Official documentation of a
disability may be required to determine what kind of special aids or adaptation
may be helpful on campus. Students MUST identify themselves with his/her
instructor early in the semester to receive accommodations. If you have a documented disability and
require accommodations, please contact Vivian Gallman-DeRienzo, Director of
Student Services, in Room 114.
4. If your section
of this course is offered online or uses Desire2Learn-based materials, please
consider the following: All content in Desire2Learn courses is protected by
United States copyright law, with restrictions pertaining to downloading,
copying, distributing, and other unauthorized use. Content is to be used
only in support of instructional activity by enrolled students and faculty as
part of this course. For further information refer to http://www.fdtc.edu/Library/AboutUs/ViewCopyrightPolicy.asp
.
5. Electronic
Communication Devices in Classrooms/Laboratories: To minimize
classroom/laboratory disruptions and protect the integrity of lectures and
test-taking, activated electronic communication devises such as pagers and
cellular telephones are not permitted.
All electronic communication devices must be silenced or turned off and
put away upon entering the classroom. If an electronic communication device is
activated and rings during a lecture class, laboratory, or exam, the
student/owner will be asked to leave the classroom and counted absent for that
class period. If a student has an
electronic communication device on their desk or table during an exam, he/she
will receive a zero that that exam. Special circumstances (such as on-call
emergency personnel, or extreme medical emergencies) are to be approved by the
instructor prior to the class period.
Calculating Your Grades: Grades/average can be seen at any hour of the semester
online in the online gradebook at www.coursecompass.com
Refer to your MML course site for
further information.