Course Syllabus, Intermediate Algebra

Math 1010, Fall 2009, Southern Utah University

Instructor:  Dr. Seth Armstrong, ELC 402, 865-8059, armstrong@suu.edu (cell: 590-4516). Please relay information to me by email if possible; I don’t guarantee a quick reply with voice mail. Often there will be things posted on my web page, including this syllabus, at www.suu.edu/faculty/armstrong.

 

Meeting times and Office hours: We will meet daily from 12:00-12:50 in SC 228. Consultation in my office will be 2:30-3:30 daily. If it is not possible for you to visit during my office hour, I will schedule another appointment with you. There is also a Math Lab in the Student Success Center that I highly recommend for your use.

 

Prerequisite: Math ACT score of at least 18 or Math 0990 or Math 1020 or equivalent

 

Required Text: Intermediate Algebra, 8th ed., by Charles McKeague

 

Course Objectives: Linear equations and inequalities and their graphs, absolute value equations and inequalities, factoring, rational expressions, exponents, radicals, quadratic equations, exponential and logarithmic functions, and an introduction to sets, functions, and complex numbers

Policies and Procedures:

1.       Attendance is required. I will be unwilling to go through material that you missed unexcused. You may drop your lowest test score (see #3) only if you have two or fewer unexcused absences; I will check attendance by sending around a roll. You do not have to tell me beforehand each time you have an absence with excuse; only come see me to have me sign the roll for you when you return.

2.       Homework (HW) assignments are listed on the next pages of this syllabus, and should be completed as much as possible on the day they’re listed. We will often have extra Friday time for HW questions. Try to keep up nevertheless to make the next day’s lecture understandable. Do all you can on a problem before seeking outside help; struggling through a problem on your own is the best way to learn a difficult concept. Homework will be collected each Tuesday at the beginning of class from the previous week’s (M-F) material. It should be neat and show complete work to receive credit. Late unexcused HW will not be accepted. For maximum benefit, please read the material we will cover in class before coming to class.

3.       If you can work problems independently that are similar to those from the lectures and the HW then you are prepared for a test. Only three of your four exam scores will count toward your grade unless you have too many absences (see #1). If you have to miss a test, arrangements for a makeup exam must be made as early as possible and will usually be after the test is given. Be prepared to document an excuse for a missed test. Sleeping through an alarm, a busy week in school, an optional appointment with a doctor or dentist and so on are not valid excuses to merit a makeup exam. I recommend that you do not plan on dropping any test since the material will haunt you again on the final if you didn’t get it the first time anyway. You may not reschedule the final exam for any reason except those listed in SUU policy. For example, you may not take it early to leave for vacation early.

4.       Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted fully. HW plagiarism (copying from a solutions manual or someone elses HW) will result in a zero on any assignment. Repeated twice, it will result in a zero on the entire HW score of 50 points.

5.       A student with medical, psychological, learning or other disability desiring academic adjustments, accommodations or auxiliary aids should contact the Coordinator of the Student Support Center, Carmen Alldredge, in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or call 865-8022. The Student Support Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

6.       Grading The total will be 500 or 600 points, including a total of 50 points from HW, 300 or 400 from the one-hour tests (see #1) and 150 from the final exam. The grading percentage you need to get for a given grade is below. Please note that I cannot raise a grade because of need. After grades are assigned, there is nothing you can “do” to get a higher grade unless I have made some recording error.

 

A

92

 

B

81

 

C

71

 

D

62

A-

88

 

B-

78

 

C-

69

 

D-

60

B+

85

 

C+

76

 

D+

66

 

F

uhh..

 

 

 

Date

Pre-reading

Assignment

Aug. 24

2.1

1-13 odd,33,37,47-67 odd

25

2.2

1-7 odd,9-31 odd,33-41 odd

26

2.3

1,3,5,7,19,23,29,31, 33

27

2.4

1-15 odd,25-33 odd,37-41 odd,47,49

28

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

31

2.5

1-17 odd,29,35,39,41,47,53

Sept. 1

2.6

1,3,7,17-27 odd,31,33,35

2

3.1/3.2

3.1: 1,3,13,15,17,23,25; 3.2: 1,3,7,9

3

3.2/3.3

3.2: 19,21,23; 3.3: 1-39 odd

4

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

7

 

J Labor Day Recess J

8

3.4

1,5,9,13,17,21,25

9

3.5

1-29 odd

10

3.6

1-45 odd,33-39 odd

11

3.7

1-23 odd, 27,29, 33,35,39,41

14

Review

 

15

Exam 1

Chapters 2-3

16

4.1

1-39 odd

17

4.2

1,3,5,7

18

4.3

1-27 odd

21

4.4

1-11 odd

22

4.5

1,3,5,7,13,15,17,21,23

23

5.1

1,3,25,29-39 odd, 49-57 odd,61,63,69,73

24

5.2

1-21 odd,39,41

25

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

28

5.3

1,5,7-17 odd,19,25,31,33,41,45,47

29

5.4

1,5,15,19,21,23,25,27,33,35,39

30

5.5

1,5,7,11,13,15,21,23,25,31,33,39

Oct. 1

5.6

1,5,9,13,15,21,25,33,35,41,49,55,57

2

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

5

5.7

1,5,9,…,63 (multiples of 4, plus 1)

6

5.8

1-7 odd,23,31,33,35

7

6.1

1-9 odd,15

8

Review

 

9

Exam 2

Chapters 4-5

12

6.1/6.2

6.1: 21,27,33,35; 6.2: 1,5,9,13

13

6.2

17,21,25,27,31

14

6.3

1,5,7,11,13,15,21,23,25,31,33,39

15

6.4

1,5,11,17,23,25,31,55,57

16

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

19

 

J Harvest Recess J

20

6.5

1-9 odd,13,19,25

21

6.6

1,5,9,13,17,31,33

22

7.1

1-9 odd,25,41,49,53,55,57,61

23

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

26 

7.2

1,5,9,13,19,23,35,41,45,53,55

27

7.3

1-9 odd,15,19,25,29,31,45,51,59,61,65,67,69

28

7.4

1,3,17-25 odd,33,35

29

7.5

1-7 odd,23,29,31,33,39,45,51,55

30

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

Nov. 2

7.6

1-9 odd,13,15,23,29,31,37,43

3

7.7

1,3,9,11,15,21,25,29,45,47,67,71,75

4

Review

 

5

Exam 3

Chapters 6-7

6

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

9

8.1

1-13 odd,19-27 odd,29,35

10

8.2

1-11 odd,29,31,43

11

8.3

1-11 odd,13,17,23,25,29

12

8.4

1,3,5,7,11,13,17,19,25

13

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

16

8.5

1,5,9,13,17,21,25,29,35

17

9.1

1-11 odd,15,17,19,29

18

9.2

1,5,9,13-23 odd,29,31

19

9.3

1,5,9,…,57 (multiples of 4, plus 1)

20

 

Extra catch-up/homework day

23

9.4

1,5,9,…,45 (multiples of 4, plus 1)

24

9.5

1,5,9,…,57

25-27

 

J Thanksgiving Recess J

30

9.6

1-19 odd

Dec. 1

Review

 

2

Exam 4

Chapters 8-9

3

 

Final Review

4

 

Final Review

 

Wed, Dec. 12

11:00 - 12:50

Final Exam in Class