Portland Community College—Southeast CampusMath 95, Fall 2017 (CRN 48623—4 credits)
P.O. Box 19000 Meets M/W 2:00pm-4:20pm in SCOM 234
Portland, OR 97280-0990
Office Hours: (see below for complete schedule)
Instructor: Noah DearIn the tutoring center:
Phone/Voice Mail: 971-722-6414M/W from 5pm – 5:30pm
Email: W from 12noon-1:00pm
Website: com
Prerequisite:
MTH 63, MTH 65 or MTH 70 and placement into WR 115.
Course Description:
Explores functions graphically, symbolically, verbally, and numerically with an emphasis on function notation. Investigates functions, equations, and graphs involving quadratic, rational, radical, and absolute value expressions. Integrates technology throughout.A more complete description may be found online at
Required Materials:
Intermediate Algebrawith Applications and Visualizationby Rockswold and Krieger, Fourth Edition, Pearson
ISBN-13: 978-0-321-77331-9, ISBN-10: 0-321-77331-4
Intermediate Algebra with Applications and Visualization Custom Edition for Portland Community Collegeby Rockswold and Krieger, Fourth Edition Customized for Portland Community College, Pearson
ISBN-13 978-1-323-19355-6, ISBN-10: 1-323-19355-3
Scientific Calculator or better: Anything with sine/cosine and log should do the trick. We will be using an online graphing calculator which you may access via a computer, a smartphone, or a tablet.
Important Dates:
Sept 29th– Last day to change to Audit grading option.
Sept 30th–Last day to drop with removal of tuition and fees (via My PCC).
Nov 18th – Last day to change grading to P/NP. Last day to withdraw.
Oct 25th – No class, Teacher In-service day.
Oct 23rd – Exam 1 (tentative)
Nov 15th – Exam 2 (tentative)
Dec 13th – Final (12pm – 1:50pm) *** Note this is on Wednesday!
Grading:
The following are approximations. I will provide extra credit assignments as deemed appropriate.
Homework400 points
Exam 1100 points
Exam 2200 points
Final300 points
Approximate Total: 1000
A: 90%+, B: 80%-89.99%, C: 70%-79.99%, D: 60%-69.99%, F: below 60%.
Your percentage will be calculated by dividing total points earned by total without extra credit.
The schools grading policy can be found at
Attendance:
Attendance will be taken for the first week of class and is mandatory. Any student who does not attend every day of the first week of class will be dropped from the course. After the first week, while I will not be taking attendance, I fully expect you to attend. Mathematics is NOT a simple game of number crunching, it is a beautifully constructed piece of logic whose nuances you need to be present for in order to understand. If you are unable to attend class, it is your responsibility to acquire any worksheets we may have gone over and complete the section covered before the next class. Missing a class does NOT excuse you from understanding covered material, being familiar with the language and notation, or doing the assigned homework.
Tardiness:
Be respectful of your time, your peer’s time and my time. Be on time. If you are late, please enter quietly without interrupting any more than you have to and find a seat towards the back.
Classroom etiquette:
You are expected to participate in the learning environment without becoming an obstacle for others’ learning. There will be no sleeping in class, cell phones must be silenced, laptops put away. Texting during class will not be tolerated. Learning is about paying attention, taking an active role and being respectful of the others trying to learn around you. Any student repeatedly disregarding these concepts will be asked to leave. The student code of conduct may be found at
Title IX
Portland Community College is committed to creating and fostering a learning and working environment based on open communication and mutual respect. If you believe you have encountered sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual assault, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, national origin, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, please contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion at (971) 722-5840 or .
Cheating:
Don’t do it. Cheating, plagiarism and other acts of academic dishonesty are regarded as serious offences. Depending on the nature of the offence, serious penalties may be imposed, ranging from the loss of points to expulsion from the class or the college. Failure to follow directions regarding working together/sharing work may result in a zero score for the assignment. Copying others’ work will not be accepted at any time, even when working together is allowed. Penalties are applied to both the copier and the one allowing the copying. Students are required to comply with the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. The Handbook, which can be found at includes the Code of Student Conduct and the Academic Integrity Policy.
ADA Accommodation:
Any student who feels he or she may need an accommodation for any type of disability should contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at 971-722-4341 or Please also see me during the first week of class to ensure that your needs are fully met in this class. Accommodations are not retroactive and only begin when I receive the OSD Approved Academic Accommodations form.
Learning Center:
PCC has a learning center that is free with your tuition. The Learning Center is located in the library on the main floor. I highly recommend that you go to the Learning Center to work on your homework, so that if any questions come up, you have a tutor right there to help you understand your problem.
Assignments:
I will assign homework almost every class to be completed by the beginning of the next class. I will cover homework questions the class following the assignment. Homework must be completed by the beginning of class every day.All homework will be collected thefollowingMonday.
You have an allotment of 4 late homework assignments. Further late homework assignments will not be accepted. For each class period an assignment is late, it counts as 1 late homework!
Extra Credit:
Extra credit assignments may be available during the term as I deem appropriate. These are not mandatory, but they sure do help! I do not accept late extra credit work.
Exams:
There will be exams on October 23rd (tentative), November 15th, and December 13th. If for some reason you are unable to attend one of these dates, you are required to let me know at least 2 classesBEFORE the exam in order to reschedule. If you have an emergency and are unable to attend an exam at last minute, I will require proper documentation in order for you to reschedule. You are required to take allexams and manageat least210 points on the final examto earna passing grade.
Formatting:
ALL graded work will be evaluated on mathematical correctness, syntax (use of symbols and notation of mathematics), format (organization and presentation), the clarity of your arguments and reasonableness of your answers. Answers are NOT enough; justify all work by showing process and presenting a logical argument. Verify results whenever possible.
You will be marked down for incorrect notation.
Changes to Syllabus:
The instructor reserves the right to modify course content, dates of exams and/or substitute assignments and learning activities in response to institutional, weather or class situations. If you come to class, you will be kept up to date on any changes. Changes will also be sent to the class via e-mail so be sure to check your PCC email (or have it forwarded to the email account you check the most often).
Assumptions I make about you:
- You have made an informed choice to be a member of this class. You understand that the syllabus represents the contract between the student and the instructor. You understand the workload required. On average, you should spend three hours on your own (reading, studying, making notes, working on assignments, etc.) for every hour that you are in class.
- You will do the required reading and homework. This means that you will often have to read something more than once in order to fully understand it (remember the 3:1 ratio in the first assumption).
- You understand that learning is a step by step process and involves overcoming challenges. When times get tough, you will take a breath and do your best to keep a positive attitude.
Assumptions you can make about me:
- I will give you the respect that I ask you to give me and the other members of this class.
- I will do my best to help you, but I cannot learn the material for you.
- I will challenge you to perform at your best.
Instructor Availability:
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday9:00 / MTH 111
Tabor 109 / MTH 111
Tabor 109
10:00
11:00
12:00 / Tutoring Center
1:00
2:00 / MTH 95
SCOM 234 / MTH 95
SCOM 234
3:00
4:00
5:00 / Tutoring Center / Tutoring Center
6:00 / MTH 251
SCOM 208 / MTH 251
SCOM 208
7:00
8:00
You may also always contact me by e-mail!