Math 114 Quantitative Reasoning
Spring 2008 Section 16 Class Number 7246
Tuesday, Thursday 9:35 – 10:50 am Room 148
Matt Fahy Instructor
523-6864
AMB 133
http://oak.ucc.nau.edu/mpf6/
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday 9:00–9:45 and 10:35–11:20
Wednesday 9:00–9:45 and 10:35–11:20
Thursday 11:00–11:40
Friday 9:00–9:45 and 10:35–11:20
Others by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to give students exposure to and experience in the application of numerical, visual and symbolic reasoning for the purposes of drawing inferences, understanding phenomena and making predictions. Successful completion of an Intermediate Algebra course (or the equivalent) or adequate placement on one of the necessary tests is required for enrollment in this class (please see me if you have questions).
TEXT AND COVERAGE: For All Practical Purposes, Mathematical Literacy in Today’s World, Seventh Edition, COMAP, W. H. Freeman and Company, 2006, with some supplementary material as needed. During this semester we will cover three main content areas:
Probability and Statistics Chapters 5 – 8
Management Science Chapters 1 – 3
Modeling and Finance Chapters 21 – 23
Exact topics will be selected by the instructor as time permits.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Organize and summarize data graphically and numerically, analyze data and critically assess claims based on data.
2. Set up simple probability models, make basic probability calculations, and apply simple probability concepts such as the mean value of an experiment in making decisions.
3. Interpret statistical data and claims such as margin of error in polls in writing and make simple statistical inference such as the construction of confidence interval estimates of population proportion.
4. Identify data with a linear or exponential pattern and develop and apply a suitable model to determine consequences of this information.
5. Use simple models to better understand issues of personal finance, especially in the areas of mortgages and retirement planning.
6. Design simple graph models or use existing models for applications in such areas as scheduling, organization of information and optimal strategies, and discuss results and interpretations in writing.
ASSESSMENT AND GRADES:
Homework will be assigned and collected regularly. It will vary in nature, some being from the book, some through online resources.
Quizzes will be given sporadically, occasionally without notification. Some of these may be take-home quizzes. Some quizzes will be computational, testing your mastery of techniques we’ve learned in class, but others will be conceptual, based on readings from the text and other sources.
A few projects will be assigned during the semester, varying in size and weight. The projects will be an opportunity to study certain topics in more depth than is possible during class and to gain exposure to software and resources valuable in other areas of study. These will typically be done in groups.
Four in-class examinations and a comprehensive final exam will be administered during the semester. Tentative dates for the four in-class exams are
Test 1 Tuesday, January 31
Test 2 Tuesday, March 4
Test 3 Thursday, April 3
Test 4 Tuesday, April 22
I’ll do my best to have these tests line up with breaks in the content, but I can’t promise anything. Also, there is a very good chance new material will be covered between the fourth test and the end of the semester.
The final exam will be *Tuesday, May 6 at 7:30 am*.
The above requirements will be distributed as follows:
Homework/Quizzes/Projects 35%
Exams 40%
Final exam 25%
Grades will be based on your combined percentage from the above categories, with the usual 90%, 80%, 70%, 60% cutoffs. I reserve the right to lower these cutoffs, but I wouldn’t count on it if I were you.
OTHER:
Regular attendance is expected. Test make-ups are acceptable if you schedule them with me beforehand, but not if you don’t. A scientific calculator is required for this course (anything with a log button will work). Additional information throughout the semester will be posted on my website.
I’ve done my best to be concise, clear, and correct here, but if changes need to be made, they will be and you will be notified. All other university policies outlined in other official documents apply to this class and will be enforced accordingly.
“The sun’s not yellow, it’s chicken,” B. Dylan