RIVIER COLLEGE
MA100B: Mathematics 1
Fall 2006
Mondays &
Wednesdays 4:00-5:15 pm, classroom MEM103
Instructor:
Dr. Vladimir Riabov, Associate Professor, STH-312
Contact information:
Tel: 603-897-8613, E-mail: vriabov@rivier.edu
Office hours: Please
let me know whenever you need help. You
are invited to stop by my office whenever I am there or make an appointment. My
regular hours are Mo 5:15-7:00 pm, Wed 5:15-7:00 pm, and Th 2:00-5:30 pm. Office hours will take place in
STH-312. I will also respond to
questions via e-mail.
Required textbook and supplement:
Introductory Algebra: A Real World
Approach, 2nd edition, by Ignacio Bello, New York: McGraw-Hill,
2006, packaged with Math Zone access.
Required materials:
o
Notebook
paper for taking notes and completing assignments (graph paper is also
acceptable and will be useful at times).
o
Sharpened
pencils
o
Calculator
with exponents (
, 
, or ^) and square roots 
that displays large
numbers in scientific notation. If you plan to take MA112, MA130, or MA165, a
graphing calculator such as TI-83 will be required in those courses. MA110
requires a calculator with statistical capabilities.
o
Access
to a computer with web access (use the campus lab if you don’t have your own!)
o
OPTIONAL: Math Zone account (Use the login and password [that
came with your text] the first time you access it). After the logging in, use
the Student Section Code: FA9-89-5D5.
o
Binder
or notebook to keep your notes, handouts, quizzes, and tests organized.
o
Ruler
with inches and centimeters.
o
Small
stapler.
Optional supplement:
Some texts are packaged with a bilingual DVD for a small extra fee.
Course description: This course is designed for
students with little or no background in algebra, as well as students needing a
review of basic algebra. The principal objective of the course is to develop and
to strengthen the basic skills necessary for subsequent courses. The course
does not fulfill the general education mathematics requirement. It is not
available for credit to students who have successfully completed a course
equivalent to MA 112 or higher.
Course Objectives: A student successfully completing this course should be able
to
§
perform
multi-step calculations involving whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and
signed numbers.
§
convert
between percentage, decimal, and fractional representation.
§
identify
when two fractions are equivalent.
§
recall
and apply basic geometric formulas for perimeter and area.
§
translate
a verbal problem into mathematical notation and solve the problem.
§
use
proportions, percents, and averaging to solve verbal problems mathematically.
§
interpret
and construct basic relational tables and graphs.
§
use
mathematical strategies to address loosely defined problems.
§
use
variables to represent unknown quantities.
§
simplify
expressions involving variables, radicals, and/or exponents.
§
combine
binomial expressions by addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
§
solve
linear and quadratic equations of one variable.
§
work
with functional notation.
§
graph
a linear function and identify its slope and intercepts.
§
graph
a quadratic function and identify its vertex and intercepts.
§
apply
his/her mathematical skills to real world problems.
§
engage
in mathematical thinking, logical reasoning, and mathematical discussions.
Teaching Strategies:
·
Review
and presentation of arithmetic and algebraic techniques.
·
Reinforcement
and exploratory activities that engage students in developing and applying
skills
·
OPTIONAL:
Web-generated assignments with immediate feedback
·
In
class interaction, assignments, and assessment
·
Tests
and quizzes to measure students’ understanding of material covered
·
Satisfactory
completion of homework assignments.
·
Active
participation and engagement in full-class, small-group, and individual
activities.
·
Regular
attendance at class meetings.
·
Quizzes
and tests.
Tests: October 16, November 8, and December 6, 2006
Final Exam: Comprehensive! FRIDAY, December 15, 2006,
11:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Help with math: All students are encouraged to seek help from peer tutoring
or the instructor whenever they have questions on a section. The tutors and the
instructor will not do your homework for you, but rather assist you in learning
the material needed to complete the assignments. Come during the tutoring hours
or office hours or talk to your instructor if you need a different time. Be
sure to bring your text, pencil, paper, and calculator with you. Your
classmates can also be a great resource. Perhaps you can help your friend with
some sections and he/she can help you with others. You are also welcome to
access the Net tutoring sessions that accompany the Math Zone site with the
goal of learning the mathematics.
Homework: Ten homework assignments will be offered. Assignment #7 (Chapter
7) is optional.
Assessment and
computation of grades:
Homework, assignments 15%
Quizzes 15%
In class activities and discussions 5%
Three Tests 45% (15% each)
Final Exam 20%
Classroom Policies:
Workload: This course does require a significant amount of work outside of class;
we cannot do it all in just 2.5 hours a week.
There will be some days in which two sections will be covered in class.
It is your responsibility to reinforce your understanding of the material in
class by reading the chapters in the text. In addition, you will need to
complete the web-based assignments for each chapter with a score of 75% or
better (Try for better!). You may find it helpful to use some of the other
study sources available in Math Zone.
Attendance
and Punctuality: Active participation requires attendance and arrival
to class in time to be prepared for work when the class period begins. You are
expected to attend all classes. Much of the learning will take place in
classroom activities that cannot be duplicated easily outside of class. If you
miss class, you are responsible for doing all classroom activities you missed,
getting the notes from a classmate, and turning in all work on the day it is
due. If you miss more than two classes, your absences will be reported to the
registrar and you must meet with the professor to discuss the advisability of
your remaining in the course for the remainder of the semester. Students who
miss three classes may be withdrawn from the course and receive disciplinary
action from the college (see Rivier College attendance policy). If you
anticipate that job-related duties or prior commitments will cause several
absences, please discuss the matter with the instructor outside of class.
The
Statement of Attendance: The classroom is the heart of
the educational experience at Rivier College because it provides, uniquely, a
formal setting for the important exchanges among faculty and students. Regular
and punctual attendance at all classes, essential for maximum academic
achievement, is a major responsibility of Rivier College students. Failure to
attend and contribute to the classroom environment significantly and
demonstrably reduces the quality of the educational experience for everyone in
the classroom. As a result, absences almost always impact the quality of
performance.
As part of its commitment to
a quality educational experience for all members of the Rivier community, the
College formally requires specific attendance policies to be developed by its
professors and reviewed by the Division Head and Academic Dean. Any attendance
policy used by an individual professor as a criterion for evaluation must be
specified in the course syllabus and presented to students during the first
week of classes. These policies can be found in respective course syllabi, and
may include reasonable penalties and sanctions for excessive absences.
In the event of prolonged
illness, accident, or similar emergency, it is the responsibility of the
student to notify both the professor and the Office of the Academic Dean.
Students must remember that it is always their responsibility to make up the
work they may have missed during an absence from class. Students are directed
to confer with their professors when their absences jeopardize satisfactory
progress. Whenever a professor is absent without notification, students are
expected to wait fifteen minutes before leaving and to sign an Attendance List,
which a class member delivers to the Office of the Academic Dean.
Instructors are required to
record attendance and alert the Registrar when a student fails to attend the
equivalent of two weeks of courses (2 absences for a course meeting once a
week, 4 absences for a course meeting twice a week, 6 absences for a course
meeting three times a week). The student will then be alerted that he/she is in
danger of falling under the 'habitual non-attendance policy" (see below).
Habitual
Non-Attendance Policy:
Habitual non-attendance is
defined as an absence in any course (for any reason whatsoever) equating to
three full weeks of missed class sessions (3 absences for a course meeting once
a week, 6 absences for a course meeting twice a week, 9 absences for a course
meeting three times a week).
It is the responsibility of
the student to notify the College of any intention to withdraw from a course or
withdraw from the College. The College will attempt to resolve the issue of
habitual non-attendance with the student; however, the College reserves the
right to withdraw students who are no longer attending classes. Habitual
non-attendance in one or more classes may result in administrative withdrawal
from the class or classes affected, withdrawal from the College or, in cases
with extenuating circumstances, an administrative leave of absence. In such
cases a grade of W of NF will be assigned to the classes affected according to
the appropriate date published in the academic calendar.
Students who have attended
no class sessions of a course or courses from which they are registered by the
end of the drop/add period will be dropped from each class not attended. If a
student never attended any courses during the drop/add period, the student will
be withdrawn from his/her full schedule of courses.
Honesty
Policy: Plagiarism and cheating are serious breaches of
academic honesty. In general, plagiarism is defined as the presentation of
someone else’s work in whatever form: copyrighted material, notes, film, art
work, reports, statistics, bibliographies, and the like, as one’s own, and
failing to acknowledge the true source. Quoting word-for-word, or almost so, or
using the argumentation of another source without acknowledging this dependence
also constitutes plagiarism. Cheating is defined as the giving or attempting to
give or to receive unauthorized information or assistance during an examination
or in completing an assigned project. Submission of a single work for two
separate courses without the permission of the instructors involved is also a
form of cheating.
If students are unsure
whether a specific course of action would constitute plagiarism or cheating,
they should consult with their instructor in advance.
Penalties for plagiarism and
cheating vary with the degree of the offense and may take the form of the
following academic sanctions:
·
the grade of F for the
work in question;
·
the grade of F for the
course;
·
notification of the
department chair and/or Academic Dean of the College of the misconduct of the
student;
·
recommendations that
the student be suspended or dismissed from the College.
Making
up tests: If unavoidable circumstances keep you from attending
class on the day of the test, you must contact the instructor promptly to explain
the absence and to schedule a make-up if one is approved. Documentation of the reason for absence is
advised. Make-up quizzes, if approved by the instructor, must be completed
prior to the class.
Cell
phones: Cell phones should not be used during class. If you
need to be available for emergency phone calls, talk to the instructor in
advance and set the ringer to silent or vibrate. Leave the room to answer. Your calculator must be a separate
device.
Asking
questions: Questions are encouraged both in and out of class.
All students have a right and responsibility to ask questions and give insight
related to the understanding of course content. However, the instructor is also
expected to cover a significant amount of material to prepare you for future coursework.
For this reason, students having a large number of questions or significant
difficulty with a topic are expected to seek help from the instructor outside
of class. It is in your best interest to ask questions as soon as you have
discovered and confirmed that you do not understand something.
Honesty
policy: All work turned in on tests, quizzes, and the final
must be entirely your own. Behavior contrary to this will result in a grade of
F on the test. Serious infractions may result in an F for the course. Similarly, the paper you write for your
project must not be plagiarized. See library discussion on plagiarism. Regarding homework, the instructor will not
give you credit for any work that is copied from another source (from a
classmate, instructor, a text, the answer key, web assistance, tutor, etc.).
Take notes while getting help, but put aside the notes as you attempt to do the
problems on your own.
Netiquette: You are encouraged to exercise good writing and social behavior when
corresponding via e-mail or discussion boards. Too often I receive e-mails from
students that are difficult to comprehend due to missing punctuation, sentence
fragments, and abbreviations. Reread your message before hitting send to make
sure that the message will not be misinterpreted. Use complete English (not IM)
sentences. Avoid criticizing other individuals especially in a public forum or
discussion.
Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA): Rivier College wants to provide reasonable
accommodations to students with disabilities. To accomplish this goal
effectively and to ensure the best use of our resources, timely notice of a
disability must be provided to the Office of Special Services for verification
and for evaluation of available options. Any student whose disabilities fall
within ADA should inform the instructor within the first two weeks of the term
of any special needs or equipment necessary to accomplish the requirements for
the course. To obtain current information on this procedure, contact the Office
of Special Services at phone extension 8497.
24/7
Blackboard Technical Support: All students have
the ability to access Blackboard technical support on a 24/7 basis. Students
have many different options for obtaining support, including phone, online
technical library, or Live Chat with a customer service representative. The
support can be accessed by following this link: http://supportcenteronline.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=3250
Mathematics is not a spectator
sport. Just as one doesn’t become a great athlete by
watching games, one can’t develop the skill of mathematics by watching the teacher.
Give it a try! Take a break and come back to work at it some more. With
practice will come understanding. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish!
Be sure to come see me whenever you need a little coaching or pep talk. I’m
here for you!
|
SESSION |
DATE |
TOPIC |
READING |
HOMEWORK |
|
1 |
Sept. 06 |
Introduction, Optional Quiz #0 |
Ch. R |
|
|
2 |
Sept. 11 |
Fractions, Decimals, and Percents |
Ch. R, Ch. 1 |
|
|
3 |
Sept. 13 |
Real Numbers and Their Properties |
Ch. 1 |
|
|
4 |
Sept. 18 |
Equations, Problem Solving |
Ch. 2 |
Homework #1 due |
|
5 |
Sept. 20 |
Quiz 1 (Ch. 1); Inequalities. |
Ch. 2 |
|
|
6 |
Sept. 25 |
Graphs of Linear Equations |
Ch. 3 |
Homework #2 due |
|
7 |
Sept. 27 |
Quiz 2 (Ch. 2); Graphs of Linear Eqs. |
Ch. 3 |
|
|
8 |
Oct. 02 |
Exponents |
Ch. 4 |
Homework #3 due |
|
9 |
Oct. 04 |
Quiz 3 (Ch. 3); Polynomials |
Ch. 4 |
|
|
10 |
Oct. 09 |
NO CLASSES |
|
|
|
11 |
Review of Chapters 1-4 |
Chs. 1-4 |
Homework #4 due |
|
|
12 |
Oct. 16 |
TEST #1 (Chs. 1-3) |
Chs. 1-3 |
|
|
13 |
Oct. 18 |
Quiz 4 (Ch.
4); Factoring |
Ch. 5 |
|
|
14 |
Oct. 23 |
Factoring |
Ch. 5 |
|
|
15 |
Oct. 25 |
Rational
Expressions |
Ch. 6 |
Homework #5 due |
|
16 |
Oct. 30 |
Quiz 5 (Ch.
5); Rational Expressions. |
Ch. 6 |
|
|
17 |
Nov. 01 |
Graphs, Slopes, and Inequalities |
Ch. 7 |
Homework #6 due |
|
18 |
Nov. 06 |
Inequalities & Applications |
Ch. 7 |
|
|
19 |
Nov. 08 |
TEST #2 (Chs. 4-5) |
Chs. 4-5 |
HW #7 (option.) due |
|
20 |
Nov. 13 |
Solving Systems of Linear Equations |
Ch. 8 |
|
|
21 |
Nov. 15 |
Solving Systems of Linear Equations |
Ch. 8 |
|
|
22 |
Nov. 20 |
Quiz 6 (Ch. 8); Roots and Radicals. |
Ch. 9 |
Homework #8 due |
|
23 |
Nov. 22 |
NO CLASSES |
|
|
|
24 |
Nov. 27 |
Roots and Radicals. |
Ch. 9 |
|
|
25 |
Nov. 29 |
Quadratic Equations |
Ch. 10 |
Homework #9 due |
|
26 |
Dec. 04 |
Quiz 7 (Ch. 9); Quadratic Equations |
Ch. 10 |
|
|
27 |
Dec. 06 |
TEST #3 (Chs. 6, 8-10) |
Chs. 6, 8-10 |
Homework #10 due |
|
28 |
Dec. 11 |
Final Exam Preparation |
Chs. 1-10 |
|
|
29 |
Dec. 13 |
READING DAY |
Chs. 1-10 |
|
|
30 |
Dec. 15 |
FINAL EXAM (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM) |
Chs. 1-10 |
|