Westchester Community College

Prealgebra

Course Requirements

Spring 2012

Professor Ted Cann Email:

Office Hours: before class by appt.

This course is designed to reinforce arithmetic concepts and help the student make the transition from arithmetic to algebra. Topics include the traditional arithmetic areas: whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, ratio and proportion, and measurement. Throughout the course, integers, introductory algebraic concepts, solving equations, and introductory coordinate geometry are introduced.

TEXTBOOK: Prealgebra, Sixth Edition, by Martin-Gay.

CALCULATOR: 4 Function Calculator

ATTENDANCE: Attendance will be taken each class. Any student who is absent at most twice will have their lowest test grade dropped.

CLASS PARTICIPATION: Please come to each class prepared with your textbook, notebook (preferably a graph notebook), worksheets and calculator. Preparedness is essential to participation. Please be prepared to participate in class at all times. Your grade will reflect your preparedness and participation.

LATENESS: Please arrive to class on time and be ready to learn. Lateness is a distraction to the class as a whole. Three times late equals one time absent.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS: Homework will be assigned at every class session. Be prepared to hand in your work for a grade at any time. This may or may not be announced in advance.

TESTS: Tests will be scheduled with a reasonable amount of notice. Therefore, there will be no make-ups allowed.

FINAL EXAM: All students will take a departmental final examination at the end of the semester. This is a minimum competency exam with a required passing grade of 70. The exam will be given in two parts – one part to be completed without the use of a calculator. Once the student has satisfied the minimum competency requirement, the course grade will be calculated according to the following:

GRADING POLICY: Final Exam 30%

Tests 40%

Quizzes/Projects 20%

Attendance/Participation 10%

COURSE WITHDRAWAL: Any student may withdraw from this course with a grade of W at any time until Friday, March 23, 2012. After then, a student who does not complete the course will receive a grade of F. The grades of WP, WF, and Incomplete are awarded only in exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control. This is in full compliance with WCC policy.

COURSE TOPICS

WHOLE NUMBERS & INTRODUCTION TO ALGEBRA /

•Place Value and Names for Numbers

•Adding Whole Numbers

•Perimeters

•Subtracting Whole Numbers

•Rounding and Estimating

•Multiplying Whole Numbers and Area

•Dividing Whole Numbers

•Exponents and Order of Operations

•Introduction to Variables and Algebraic Expressions

INTEGERS /
•Introduction to Integers
•Adding Integers
•Subtracting Integers
•Multiplying and Dividing Integers
•Order of Operations
•The Rectangular Coordinate System
EXPRESSIONS AND LINEAR EQUATIONS / •Simplifying Algebraic Expressions
•Solving Equations: The Addition Property
•Solving Equations: The Multiplication Property
•Solving Linear Equations in One Variable
•Perimeter, Area and Problem Solving
FRACTIONS / •Introduction to Fractions and Equivalent Fractions
•Factors and Lowest Terms
•Multiplying and Dividing Fractions
•Adding & Subtracting Like Fractions/LCD
•Adding & Subtracting Fractions with Unlike Denominators
•Solving Equations containing Fractions
•Introduction to Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions
DECIMALS /

•Introduction to Decimals

•Adding and Subtracting Decimals
•Multiplying Decimals
•Dividing Decimals
•Problem Solving
•Fractions and Decimals
•Ordering Fraction + Decimals
•Solving Equations containing Fractions
MEASUREMENT, RATIO AND PROPORTION / •Linear Measurement
•Ratios
•Rates
•Proportions
•Proportions and Problem Solving
PERCENT / •Percent, Decimals and Fractions
•Solving Percent Problems
•Application of Percents

Math 002 – Pre-Algebra

Course Calendar – Spring 2012

Wk / Sections / Topics
1 / Intro, 1.1
1.2
1.3 / Class Introduction, Course Syllabus & Calendar
Introduction, Place Value & Names for Numbers
Adding/Subtracting Whole Numbers, Perimeter
2 / 1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8 / Rounding & Estimating
Multiplying Whole Numbers & Area
Dividing Whole Numbers
Exponents & Order of Operations
Introduction to Variables & Order of Operations
3 / 2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4 / Introduction to Integers
Adding Integers
Subtracting Integers
Multiplying & Dividing Integers
4 / 2.5
2.6
Review / Order of Operations
Solving Equations: Addition & Multiplication Properties
Review Chapters 1 and 2
5 / Test
8.3
3.1 / Test
The Rectangular Coordinate System
Simplifying Algebraic Expressions
6 / 3.2
3.3
3.4 / Solving Equations: Rev Addition & Multiplication Transposition
Solving Linear Equations in One Variable
Linear Equation in One Variable & Problem Solving
7 / 4.1
4.2
4.3 / Introduction to Fractions & Mixed Numbers
Factors and Lowest Terms
Multiplying & Dividing Fractions
8 / 4.4
4.5
4.8 / Adding & Subtracting Like Fractions/LCD
Adding & Subtracting Unlike Fractions
Solving Equations Containing Factions
9 / Review
Test
5.1 / Review Chapters 3 and 4
Test
Introduction to Decimals
10 / 5.2
5.3
5.4 / Adding & Subtracting Decimals
Multiplying Decimals
Dividing Decimals
11 / 5.5
5.6
9.4 / Fractions, Decimals & Order of Operations
Equations Containing Decimals
Linear Measurement
12 / 6.1
6.2
6.3
Review / Ratio & Rates
Proportions
Proportions & Problem Solving
Review Chapters 5 and 6
13 / Test
7.1
7.2
7.3 / Test
Percent
Percent, Decimals & Fractions
Percent, Decimals & Fractions
14 / 7.5
Final
Rev / Solving Percent Problems
Comprehensive Final Review (Chapters 1, 2, 3)
15 / Final
Rev / Comprehensive Final Review (Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
Comprehensive Final Review