COURSE SYLLABUS, Spring 2012
COURSE SYLLABUS, Spring 2016
AMS 320(online)
Mathematical Systems Applied to Technology
(Formally Applied Math and Science)
Great BasinCollege
Instructor:Dr. Gary Hanington
Office:Lundberg Hall Room 123C (in back of 123)
School Phone:(775) 753 – 2330
School Fax:(775) 738 – 8771
School email: (notice the ".")
WebCampus:Use Canvas Conversation
Office Hours:MW:1:00 - 2:30 PM
Friday:3:45 -4:45 PM
Course Number:1001-LEC (32203)
Class Meeting Times:online
Submission Time:All assignments (homework and lab reports) are due in by Sunday NIGHT 11:55 PM using WebCampus Do not hand in anything late! See the schedule at the end of the syllabus for due dates.
Prerequisite:Completion of MATH 126 or 127 or 181 or 182
(Formally: Completion of Associates Degree and AMS310)
Textbook:One textbook is required. It has been Updated for 2016
Textbook: (Course Textbook)updated version
(make sure you purchase the updated version)
Name:Twelve Experiments in Applied Math and
Science
Author:Gary Hanington
Edition:1st - updated 2016
Publisher:Presto Print
Copyright:2015
ISBN:978-0-9911715-0-7
MUST SAY "UPDATED"
in Blue letters
New edition for 2016
Rev: - A
Catalog Description:AMS 320 Science and Engineering in Technology (3)
Applications of the principles of physical science and engineering in technology. Combines concepts in physics, chemistry, and the environment for practical problem solving in business and industry.
Prerequisite: Completion of of MATH 126 or 127 or 181 or 182.
Course Description and Objectives:
This course is an upper level science course in which we mathematically examine aspects of the physical world around us. The first three weeks of this course will be a math refresher. We will cover algebra, word problems and graphing. On the fourth week we will begin to examine specific areas of science. The textbook will correspond to the weekly material that we cover.
As an example, on Week 4 we examine the science behind falling objects and learn how to determine the velocity and the distance an object obtains when in free fall. There will be an experiment presented via video in which we actually time a metal sphere as it falls. From the graphs we generate we can extract the acceleration due to gravity of the falling object. That will be the lab experiment for Week 4.
There is weekly homework dealing with the experiment that we perform, a lab report is required to be written and there will be a quiz on this material in two weeks after the lab report and homework are graded.
By adding an experiment to a basic science lecture, the student will find that mathematics is an indispensable tool when it comes to understanding and modeling natural and scientific systems. Techniques that are learned in this class can be directly applied to other fields such as business, accounting, finance and science technology by the student. This class forces the student to THINK.
The topics to be covered in this 15 week course may include problems in mechanics, energy, properties of matter, oscillations, heat, electricity, nuclear physics and weather science. A more specific outline of the topics and planned schedule is included at the end of this syllabus. In all of our experiments we will endeavor to obtain confirmation of specific and common physical laws of nature by extracting trends and parameters using simple data plots.
It goes without saying that the student must have the required math skills for this class to be able to succeed and understand the material. In this class we will use basic algebra, simple geometry, the exponential function, logarithms, powers and roots. Since the student must have passed pre-calculus prior to enrolling in this class, it is expected that that he or she has retained the math skills necessary for both this class and the working world when they graduate.
Expected Course Outcomes (Objectives) and Measurements:
Listed below are the expected learner outcomes of the course, and the methods that will be used to measure students’ success in achieving these outcomes.
OutcomesMeasurements (MT = Midterm)
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1. Be able to work simple algebraic problemsHW1, QUIZ1, MT,FINAL
2. Be able to work simple word math problemsHW2, QUIZ2, MT, FINAL
3. Be able to design and plot a simple chart and extract informationHW3, QUIZ3, MT,FINAL
4. Be able to solve a basic free fall problem.HW4, QUIZ4, MT, FINAL, Lab
5. Be able to solve a simple pendulum problem.HW5, QUIZ5, MT, FINAL, Lab
6.Be able to determine the GPE and MKE of simple systemsHW6, QUIZ6, MT, FINAL, Lab
7. Work a simple beam bending problem. HW7, QUIZ7, MT, FINAL, Lab
8.Be able to solve a simple mass- spring oscillator problem.HW8, QUIZ8, FINAL, Lab
9.Describe a simple technique to determine the size of a molecule. HW9, QUIZ9, FINAL, Lab
10.Be able to determine the specific heat of an object with known parameters.HW10, QUIZ10, FINAL, Lab
11.Work a simple Newton's Cooling problem.HW11, QUIZ11, FINAL, Lab
12.Explain a radioactive half life problem. HW12, QUIZ12, FINAL, Lab
13.Be able to utilize a positive exponential function. HW13, QUIZ13, FINAL, Lab
14.Be able to work a Stefan-Boltzmann problem.HW14, QUIZ14, FINAL, Lab
15 Be able to calculate humidity from wet/dry bulb thermometer data.HW15, QUIZ15, FINAL, Lab
16.Organize and clearly present data, draw and use graphs (using aAll Lab Reports
spreadsheet programsuch as Excel), apply basic statistics to evaluate
laboratory data, and produce lab reports which are clear, concise and
accurately assess the results of the experiment with emphasis on safety.
Self Assessment of Course.
Upon completion of the course, students should meet the above listed expectations as a minimum. An assessment of these goals will be measured at the end of the semester by specific problems dealing with each line item occurring on the FINAL EXAM. From this data an analysis is performed by the instructor to determine the level of learning by the students for each listed outcome. This will be used as feedback to assess the teaching methods utilized in this course for that particular outcome. Historically, it has been the practice to devote more time to the two outcomes that show the lowest level of success – as determined from Final Exam measurements.
Method of Instruction:
This course is online. The textbook has been carefully designed to provide numerous examples of the material being covered. It is also a laboratory course that presents in video format a weekly experiment from which the student must gather data and analyze it. There will be:
1.Weekly Homework
2.A Weekly Quiz
3..Weekly Lab reports
4.One Presentationthat will be posted about a famous scientist that you choose
5.A MIDTERM Exam that is proctored
6.A FINAL EXAM that is proctored
New lessons start every week. It is your responsibility to check the schedule (attached to this syllabus) to see what is required and when the assignment is due. You should print out the schedule and constantly refer to it so you do not miss a deadline to turn material in. Everything is turned in using WebCampus. Do not wait until the last minute. The deadlines for this course are immutable.
Homework: (Measurement)15 % of your final grade
Starting with the first week, weekly homework assignments will be given with WebCampus. There are important rules governing this aspect of the course:
1.Homework will be five problems from the material being covered that week. You will use the GBC WebCampus system to answer the questions. Since you have a week to complete the homework and it is an open-book environment, no partial credit can be given. You answer the questions using your computer using the WebCampus function. Homework must be turned in by the cutoff time. It cannot be late. The cutoff time is always every week at Sunday Night 11:55 PM (including holidays). Everyone must be able to use WebCampus. There are no exceptions to this rule, do not bring me the homework, do not fax it in, do not email it to me directly, do not turn it in to my mailbox.
2.You will be able to see your homework grade on Monday using WebCampus.
3.A published list of your Homework grade will be uploaded in WebCampus and posted in the Lundberg Hallway outside of the physics/geology classroom. The list will show your grade in comparison with other students in the class. Due to the idiotic FERPA Act of 1974 (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), GBC cannot post your grades and name together so a impractical code system is used. You will be given a codename the first few days of class. This asinine directive by the US Government takes away desire to strive for success. You should always check the Weekly Posted Grade list for accuracy. This list is made directly from the professor's gradebook.
(Homework continued):
4.With WebCampus you have the ability to open the homework, close it and open it again. You can do this multiple times. You do not need to leave it open on your computer. However, once you officially submit your homework on your computer, it is gone, it cannot be re- submitted.
5.Homework problems will be multiple choice format. Homework questions will be selected from a database on a random basis. In other words, the questions on your homework assignment may be different from those of the next student.
6.The rules about missing a homework assignment are explained further on in the syllabus.
Hopefully Helpful Hints:
Make sure that your computer configuration is compatible with a WebCampus class. Go over the information provided by WebCampus. If you have technical questions go to the Technical Help Desk at your facility (e.g. HighTechCenter in Elko). The phone number of the Elko HTC is: (775) 753-2160. It is a good idea to start the homework early in the week and turn it in by Friday. If a problem occurs, at least you have two days to solve the computer error. There is nothing that can be done if you have computer trouble at the last minute before the assignment is due and cannot turn it in. If you do not turn it in on time it will be recorded automatically as a zero. Always save your files just in case a problem occurs!
The Weekly Quiz :(Measurement) 15% of your final grade
A Weekly Quiz will be given starting on the third week we meet. There are important rules governing this aspect of the course:
1.The Quiz will be five questions of increasing hardness from the material we covered two weeks prior. You will take the Quiz online. Since you take the Quizat home they are open-book and open notes and because of this no partial credit can be given - either you have the correct answer or you do not. The Weekly Quiz will usually be open for taking at least by Friday night.
2.The Weekly Quiz will be timed. You will have 60 minutes to complete your Quiz.
3.You will get your graded Quiz back the following Monday night.
4.A published list of the Weekly Quiz grades will be uploaded in WebCampus and posted in the Lundberg Hallway outside of the physics/geology classroom. The list will show your grade in comparison with other students in the class. Just like the homework grade list, GBC cannot post your grades and name together so the impractical code system is used here as well.
5.Quiz problems will be multiple choice format selected from a database on a random basis. In other words, the questions on your Quiz may be different from those of the next student.
6.The rules about missing a Quiz are explained further on in the syllabus.
The MIDTERM EXAM: (Measurement)25% of your final grade
1.Will be available during middle of the term.
2.It will be a proctored exam - you must attend and take the exam in person. You will be required to set up a place and time to take the exam. You can bring in your textbook and notes when you take this exam. You can bring in a calculator but you cannot use your phone as a calculator for this exam. No phones allowed.
3.It will cover all chapters completed up until that date (7).
4.You can of course use your textbook and notebook.
5.It counts as 25% of your final grade.
6.If you miss the MIDTERM Exam you cannot make it up. You will get a zero for the MIDTERM Exam.
7.MIDTERM EXAMs will be different for each student.
The FINAL EXAM: (Measurement)25% of your final grade
1.Will be available during FINAL EXAM week.
2.It will be a proctored exam - you must attend and take the exam in person. You will be required to set up a place and time to take the exam. You can bring in your textbook and notes when you take this exam. You can bring in a calculator - you cannot use your phone as a calculator for this exam. No phones allowed.
3.It will be a comprehensive exam and cover all chapters.
4.You can of course use your textbook and notebook.
5.It counts as 25% of your final grade.
6.If you miss the FINAL Exam you cannot make it up. You will get a zero for the FINAL Exam.
7.FINAL EXAMs will be different for each student.
Labs: (Measurement)15% of your final grade
As mentioned earlier there will be eleven lab assignments. You will be required to turn them in using the WebCampus function. Your Lab report is based on the experiment performed in class by the instructor. AMS320 labs will serve to teach the method of scientific investigation and/or to demonstrate concepts being discussed during that week’s lesson. A sample lab will be provided with WebCampus. You may need to be able to utilize a spreadsheet program (such as EXCEL) to print charts and extract information from data taken from the lab video. There are important rules governing the lab aspect of the course.
1.Your lab report must be turned by the cutoff time using WebCampus. It cannot be late. The cutoff for the lab report is Sunday night 11:55 PM (including holidays) with the day for that lab listed.
2.Labs will be graded within a few weeks after turning them in. You will be able to use WebCampus to check your lab grade.
(Lab reports continued)
3.Please make sure that you provide everything that is asked for in the procedure. The procedure will list the point structure of the report grading. If you leave out required sections you can rest assured that you will not get the credit for those sections. You should check that you have incorporated every listed requirement prior to handing in your report.
4.Please turn in all assignments in Microsoft WORD. If you send it in any other format they cannot be graded. If the lab report cannot be graded you will get a zero. Remember, do not use WordPerfect, do not use any other program other than Mircosoft WORD. The college officially uses WORD. Do not turn your in report in EXCEL. If you use EXCEL to plot a chart, copy and paste the chart into your lab report. If you use POWERPOINT to draw a picture, copy and pastethat picture into your report. Do not give me a POWERPOINT file to look at. Do not send me a JPG file. I will only open your WORD file to grade so do not attach other files that you want me to open.
5.Please save the lab report file with a filename that has your name in it as well as the assignment.. For example: “AMS320LAB1.2016JillSmith.doc”. This makes it easier for both you and I.
6.Once you submit the lab report on your computer, it is gone, it cannot be re-submitted.
7.You CAN send me an EXCEL file (or other types) for me to look at ahead of time to make sure you are on the right track. But when you officially submit your report, it must be in WORD.
8.You CAN send in a preliminary lab report for me to look at ahead of time to make sure you are on the right track.
PRESENTATION: (Measurement)5% of your final grade
In addition to the above, one presentation will be required on a biography of a scientist, inventor, engineer of your choice. You will prepare at least ten Power Point slides for this assignment. This will be shared online with your fellow students. You will turn in your files before the due date.
WEBCAMPUS Gradebook is usually incorrect
Webcampus has a gradebook that complies your grades for homework, the weekly quiz and your lab reports. Since it does not have your Midterm grade or Final grade it will incorrectly calculate a "grade average" for you. Your real average is based on the weighting given to the components that make up our class. In other words, do not use the WebCampus grade average feature. If you turn in an assignment out of synchronization it may not show up on WebCampus gradebook but it will be logged into the professor's gradebook. Obviously, that is the important one.
About missing a Homework assignment, Lab report, Quiz or The Presentation: Here are the rules:
1.If you do not submit the assignment when due, or do not take the quiz or exams when given, you will receive a zero for that assignment. It cannot be made up. Please do not ask. It's not fair to the other students who turned in their assignments on time.
2.You can be excused and the due date shifted if you make prior arrangements with me. For example, you may have to go on a business trip where there is just no way you can complete an assignment being out of town. We will work it out but you must let me know ahead of time and not after the fact. You must email me before the due date (or examor quiz time). All will be fine as long as you let me know ahead of time and I respond that this postponement is acceptable!