Course Syllabus

College Algebra, Math 1050, Fall 2007

Instructor: Dr. Seth Armstrong, ELC 402, 865-8059, armstrong@suu.edu. Please use email or my cell phone at 590-4516 (the Math Hotline) to contact me, as I check voice mail on my office phone every Easter or so. I post many things on my web page at www.suu.edu/faculty/armstrong.

Meeting Times and Office Hours: We will meet M-Th, 10-10:50 a.m., in SC 228. My office hour will be daily at 2:30-3:30; please try your best to make your visits during this time. If my office hour is not possible for you to make I will be happy to schedule another appointment.

Prerequisite: Intermediate Algebra (Math 1010) with at least a C or a math ACT of 23

Required Text: College Algebra, 7^th ed. by Michael Sullivan, Prentice Hall

Objectives: To explore the concept of functions: linear, polynomial, rational, inverse, logarithmic and exponential, with an emphasis on graphing and applications; to study polynomials and the fundamental theorem of algebra; to solve systems of equations using matrices; to learn conic sections. A graphing calculator will be used in the course.

Policies and Procedures:

1. Attendance is required. I will be unwilling to go through material that you miss without excuse. You may drop your lowest test score (see #3) if you have four or fewer unexcused absences.

2. Complete each homework (HW) assignment the day it’s listed if your schedule allows – this will facilitate understanding of the next day’s lecture. You should do your HW as independently as possible. That is, do all you can first on a problem before seeking outside help. This is because struggling through a problem for a while on your own is the best way to learn difficult material, something such as…hmmm…math! Homework from the previous week’s material (meaning M-Th assignments, not the Monday night just before hand-in) will be collected, however, only each Tuesday at the beginning of class. It should be neat, in order and show complete work to receive credit. Because you have Th-M nights between the last HW assignment and handing it in, I will not give any time extension on the HW unless it’s excused. Late unexcused HW will not be accepted.

3. Only three of your four exam scores will count toward your grade, that is, unless you have too many absences (see #1). Should you fall ill or have to be gone for some legitimate excuse the day of the test, talk to me ASAP to schedule a makeup test. If you wait more than one day to contact me, then the score on the test you miss will simply be a zero regardless of excuse (i.e., so if you have been absent less than the allotted days, you can drop that one). Excuses that merit a makeup test would be such things as sickness, a funeral (including your own), a family wedding (not including your own), a school-excused absence, and such like. On the other hand, sleeping through an alarm, a busy week, an appointment with a doctor that can reasonably be rescheduled and so on are not compelling excuses for me to give you a makeup exam. I recommend that you do not plan on dropping any tests so if you get a lower score on a later exam you don’t have to count that score toward your grade.

4. Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent. HW plagiarism (copying from a solutions manual or someone else’s HW) will result in a zero on any assignment; if it is repeated, you will get a zero on the entire HW score (of 50 points).

5. Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustment, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Support Center, room 206F, Sharwan Smith Center, 865-8022. The Disability Support Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these services and aids.

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, and 150 from the final exam. The grading scale will be the following: Please note that I cannot raise a grade because of need, so it is up to you to get the grade you want.

A	92	B	81	C	71	D	62
A-	88	B-	78	C-	69	D-	60
B+	86	C+	76	D+	67	F	0

Date

Section

Homework Assignment

Aug. 27

Chapter R

Exponents (Not turned in)

Chapter R

Polynomials (Not turned in)

Chapter R

*: Throughout, eoo means every other odd, as in 1,5,9,… or as in 3,7,11,…

Rational expressions (Not turned in)

1.1,1.2

1.1: 9-53 eoo*; 1.2: 49-69 eoo*

Sept. 3

J Labor Day Recess J

1.2,1.3

1.2: 9-45 eoo; 1.3: 9,11,19,23,47-77 eoo

1.4

9-49 eoo,73,75

1.5

11-15 odd,25-73 eoo,89,91,93

1.6

9-53 eoo,61,65

1.7

17,19,23,25,29,35,41

2.1

17,23,29,33,3541,61,65

2.2

15,17,21,27,31,33,39,45,53

2.3,2.4

2.3: 9,15,21,27,31; 2.4: 7,9,11,17,19-25 odd

2.4,2.5

2.4: 37,41,47,49,53,65; 2.5: 19-27 odd,31

Review

Exam 1 in Class (Chapters 1-2)

3.1

3-27 eoo

3.2

1-11 odd,15,17,21,25-43 eoo

3.2

9-21 eoo,23,27,31

3.3

11-25 odd,29,33,47,49,51,57,67

Oct. 1

3.4

9-16,17-41 odd,47

3.5

7-33 odd,35,31,49,51,65

3.6

1,3,7,11,15,19,27

4.1

11-17 odd,27,31,35,39,43,53,55,77

4.2

11-25 odd,31-71 eoo,81

4.3

11-31 eoo,39,41,45,47

4.4

7,11,17,23,33,45,47

Review for Exam 2

Exam 2 in Class (Chapters 3-4)

4.5

5-25 eoo,31,35,39,53,55

4.6

11-19 odd,33-61 eoo,69,73

4.7

7-43 eoo

J Harvest Recess J

Extra Chapter 4 day

5.1

7-47 eoo,65

5.2

9-57 eoo,71,79

5.3

11-79 eoo,97

5.4

9-103 eoo

5.5

9-85 eoo

Nov. 1

5.6

1-49 eoo

5.7

3-47 eoo

5.8

1,11,13,19,21

Review for Exam 3

Exam 3 in Class (Chapters 5-6)

6.2

11-59 eoo

6.3

13-61 eoo

6.4

13-57 eoo

7.1

7-39 eoo,55,59,61,67

7.1

41,43,45,49,53,69,75

7.2

5-41 eoo,51,53

21-23

J Thanksgiving Recess J

7.3

5-17 odd

7.4

7-51 eoo,59