INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA

Course Overview
Five (5) units, 90 hours lecture. Includes the study of elementary algebraic theory and techniques carried into greater detail. Extends beyond elementary algebra in quadratics, rational functions, complex numbers, binomial theorem, ratio, proportion, variation, exponential and logarithmic functions, and conic sections (if time allows).  

Prerequisites:
Students will have completed MATH P055 Elementary Algebra (or the equivalent) with a grade of "C" or higher.

Disability Info
Students with a verified disability may qualify for alternate media, extended time testing, and other various accommodations provided by the Disability Resource Center. Please contact the DRC in AC105 or call 559-791-2215, or speak with your instructor for further information. Students should do this before the class starts!  

You are expected to have passed Elementary Algebra and have sufficient knowledge of the following topics:

• Commutative, associative, and distributive laws
• Fractions (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and reducing)
• Positive and negative numbers
• Exponential notation and order of operations
• Solving equations, formulas, inequalities, and applications involving these
• Graphing linear equations, rates, slopes, equations of lines
• Absolute value
• Properties of exponents
• Polynomials (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)
• Scientific notation
• Factoring
• Rational expressions (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)
• Solving systems of equations
• Radical expressions and equations

If you look through the textbook for this course, you will find quite a bit of overlapping topics from elementary algebra, namely the items listed above. Some of this overlap is unavoidable but in most other instances we can either skip them or move quickly through them so we can focus on other new and interesting topics. That said, we will not be covering Chapter 1 as this is a review of topics learned in MATH 55 Elementary Algebra. You may however want to review this material if you've been away from math for a while, especially Section 1.6, Properties of Exponents.

Required Textbook
Intermediate Algebra: Concepts and Applications, 7^th edition by Bittinger & Ellenbogen.

A graphing calculator is not required however a basic scientific calculator will be very useful.

Note: The Student's Solutions Manual is highly recommended!

What can students expect in the classroom?
This course will meet 2 days per week, 2 hours and 30 minutes each time. Each meeting our time together will be spent as follows:

• Discussing homework exercises, questions from the text, and journal entries as needed.

• Lecturing on new material and discussing how it fits in with what we have previously studied

• Working example problems, individually or in small groups, to illustrate new material and/or revisit old material

• Taking quizzes, 10-15 minutes in duration, in order to assess what we have learned and to be sure we stay on track.
   

Assessment
Your final grade will be determined by the sum of four weighted components: Four exams (40% of final grade), ten quizzes (30% of final grade), a final exam (20% of final grade), and homework (10% of final grade).

1. There will be 4 exams given throughout the semester. Exam 1 will cover chapters 2 and 3; Exam 2 will cover chapters 4 and 5; Exam 3 will cover chapters 6 and 7; Exam 4 will cover chapters 8 and 9. Each exam will be worth 100 points for a total of 400 points. You will have at most 90 minutes to complete each test. It may take up to a week before graded tests are returned. I prefer not to give make-up tests however I do understand that situations arise (illness, death in the family, sick child, etc.) that may necessitate your absence on a test day. If you cannot make it to class, please send me an email or give me a call and leave a message before the test so we can discuss a make-up test. All make-up tests will be given during the last week of classes (not the week of finals) and will have 15 points deducted automatically due to the increased time to prepare.

2. There will be 10 quizzes given throughout the semester. Quizzes are worth 10 points each for a total of 100 possible points. Quizzes are based on homework exercises and readings from the text.

3. There will be a final exam worth 100 points and which will represent 20% of the final grade.

4. Finally, I will be collecting homework assignments, worth 5 points each, randomly throughout the semester which will represent 10% of the final grade. Effective 11/9/2008 I will no longer be accepting late homework. Please have your homework completed and ready to hand in when it is collected.  

Note: Please consult the college's disciplinary policies for cheating and plagiarism. Consult your student handbook for details as well.

Grading
Your final grade will be determined by the sum of four weighted components: Four exams (40% of final grade), ten quizzes (30% of final grade), a final exam (20% of final grade), and homework (10% of final grade). I do not grade on a curve and I do not drop the lowest test score. The final grade percentages are as follows:

A = 90 - 100; B = 80 - 89; C = 70 - 79; D = 60 - 69; F = less than 60   

Attendance
Regular attendance is essential for your success in any course. You will not be penalized for being absent however it is in your best interest to attend each lecture. Be that as it may, please do not come to class if you are sick.

Note: It is important to remain flexible in the event of unforeseen circumstances therefore not every meeting may follow this exact format and any of the information contained herein is subject to change without prior notice.

Note: The use of cell phones, ipods, or other electronic devices is strictly prohibited during class.

Note: Food and drinks in the classrooms are strictly forbidden with the exception of bottled water! In addition to trash on the floor and spills that stain carpets, ruffling bags and chewing during class is pretty distracting!

FINAL THOUGHTS:

1. KNOW THE RISKS!
   Homework will be assigned after each section and then discussed the following meeting. Furthermore, in order to be well prepared for the next lecture, read each section the night before. The Homework page contains a list of sections I anticipate covering. It is important to keep in mind that each class period is 2.5 hours long therefore we will be covering quite a bit of material. At times, there will be an extensive amount of homework assigned. Gauge and plan a budget of your time to determine if you will be able to meet the homework requirements before enrolling. Remember that you may have other obligations such as work, family, other classes, or club activities. Plan wisely! As you plan your schedule, the list of homework assignments will assist you. Click the link on the left for Homework. These assignments are not necessarily written in stone. We must remain flexible so that if we need to spend more time on a certain concept or concepts, we can do so accordingly. Too, we may find it to our advantage to move through certain other concepts with no more than a cursory glance as was mentioned previously.

2. ATTITUDE: This one goes a long way! There is quite a bit of work to be done but I promise to do my best to make it fun, interesting, and meaningful. I will never waste your time! I do need your help though. I would appreciate it very much if you would (a) come to class on time ready to work and participate; (b) refrain from talking while I am speaking to the class, unless of course we are working in groups; (c) turn off your cell phone before entering the room so as to avoid any distractions and/or the temptation to text; and (d) know when it's time to have fun and when it's time to get busy...I like to have fun in class and share a laugh every now and again but some people...you know who they are...they don't know when to quit.

3. CELL PHONES: The majority of students know by now that cell phones ringing in class is just stupid and rude but texting while in class is rude too and it makes me feel like my efforts are not worth your time. To avoid any misunderstandings, let's agree to turn off all electronic devices during our time together. I know, I know...it seems inconceivable to be out of touch with civilization for 2 hours and 30 minutes but we will persevere and we will do it together!