MGF1107

Mathematicsfor LiberalArtsMathIIFALL 2017

MEETINGINFORMATION:

CourseLocation:MTJC205

MeetingDays:Tuesday

ClassTimes:8am – 9:15am

InstructorNydia N. NelsonOffice MTJC 308

Email Phone

727-614-7274

Math

Dept

Nydia N. Nelson, AcademicChair

MTJC 308 727-614-7274

JimmyChang,Dean

SP/Gibbs SA215 727-341-4305

Office

Hours

Uselinkto my instructorpagelocatedatthetopofthe coursematerials pageinour

MyCourses Course

Requisites:

Prerequisite: MAT 1033

or

Prerequisite: MAT 1100 with a minimum grade of C

or

Prerequisite: appropriate score on the SPC mathematics placement test

Course Description:

This course presents topics demonstrating the beauty and utility of mathematics to the general student population and to provide knowledge and skills useful for college, life, and career. The course will include topics related tohistory of mathematics, financial mathematics, linear and exponential growth, voting and apportionment methods andgraph theory. Mathematical connections with music, art, architecture and nature will be explored. Critical thinkingskills, problem solving strategies and appropriate use of technology will be used throughout the course.This coursesatisfies three credits of the mathematics requirements outlined in the General Education Requirements, but is not aprerequisite to any other mathematics course. MGF 1106 and MGF 1107 may be taken concurrently.

Course Topics:

None

Learning Outcomes and Objectives:

  1. The student will employ historical aspects of mathematics by:

a. using early and modern systems of numeration to write numbers.

b. expanding another number system in terms of the base 10 system.

c. converting numbers between base 10 and other base systems.

d. constructing the Fibonacci sequence of numbers and identifying the occurrence of Fibonacci numbers in nature.

e. calculating the Golden Ratio and describing its relationship to the Fibonacci sequence.

f. identifying uses of the Golden Ratio in art and architecture.

g. utilizing modular arithmetic to determine congruence of numbers and dates.

  1. The student will apply fundamental concepts of linear and exponential modeling as well as their

applications to practical problems in today's society by:

a. identifying and modeling change with linear and exponential functions.

b. determining an appropriate linear model and predicting future outcomes given a set of data.

c. determining an appropriate exponential model and predicting future outcomes given a set of data.

  1. The student will apply fundamental concepts of graph theory as well as their applications to practical problems in today's society by:

a. distinguishing between graphs, paths, and circuits.

b. creating and employing Euler and Hamiltonian paths and circuits.

c. solving problems using spanning trees.

  1. The student will apply financial mathematical concepts by:

a. calculating and comparing simple and compound interest rates.

b. comparing different investment strategies and types of loans.

c. analyzing the terms of credit card agreements and finance charges.

d. determining the cost of home ownership including down payments, mortgages, monthly payments and interest.

5. The student will apply voting and apportionment methods by:

a. using preference tables to illustrate the results of an election.

b. using the plurality, Borda Count, plurality with elimination and pairwise comparison methods to determine the

outcome of an election.

c. comparing and contrasting the voting paradoxes.

d. calculating standard divisors and standard quotas for use with apportionment methods.

e. comparing and contrasting the different apportionment plans.

f. comparing and contrasting the apportionment paradoxes.

Course Materials:

MyMathLab Access Code: Required:ISBN: 9780321199911

TheMyMathLab site contains ae-textbookthat is identical to the printed textbook.

Toenrollinourclass,accessMyMathLabfromourMyCourses

Coursehomepage.

Printed textbook:Optional:MyCourses, Abbott,Runde. A Surveyof Mathematics with Applications. ISBN: 0-13-411210-5

You will also needa scientific calculator.

My personal courseInformationandrationale:

In this coursewewillcover avarietyof topics inmathematics, rangingfrom critical thinking,problem solving

to financial mathematics. Thetextbook, A Surveyof mathematics with Applications, will serve as thebasisfor the coursebut manyother materials will be usedto reinforcethe courselearningobjectives. Idesigned the courseto makeyou moreawareof mathematics in theworld aroundyou.

WewilluseMyMathLab(MML), an onlinerepositoryofcoursematerials and assessments forthis class. The coursetextbook, A Surveyof Mathematics with Applications, is available as an e-book in MMLandwillserve as the basisforthecoursebut manyother materials will be used to reinforcethe courselearningobjectives.

Ibelievethatactive learning, particularlycooperativelearning, is a veryeffectivemethod forstudents to learn mathematics. In our course,activelearningwillbe accomplishedusingclassroom activities andthrough the use of teams. Teamsareused in all facets of our societyand results from SPC employer surveys showsthat employers needworkerswho can behighlyproductivein a team environment.

The chapter projectsmustbe completedas team projects. Teams willbeassigned beforethefirst project.

All members of each team will receive thesamegradefor theprojectunless theteam self-assessments indicate that oneor moreteam members did not contributeequallyto theproject report. Ifyour team’s dynamics arenot working well, pleasenotifymeas soon as this becomes apparent so wecantryto resolve theunderlyingissues or reassign students to otherteams.

You mayuse anyof thecomputers in the libraryorlabs on campus. Ifyouuseyour home computer,you must haveaJava enabledInternet browser. In particular,Firefox is the recommended browserto use with MyCourses. Ifyouareexperiencingtechnical challenges in thecourse,first reviewthe information, resource, at

For help withMyCoursesor other technical issues, contact theSPC Technical Help Deskat (727)341-4357, or e-mail . Makesureyoucan describethe problemcompletely.

Grading:Your coursegradewillbedeterminedbythefollowingcomponents and scale.

Component / Weight in Final Grade
ReflectionsQuizzes(drop lowest)Mycourses / 15%
Section Homework in MML(drop lowest) / 25%
Three Unit Projects / 30%
Final Project / 20%
Attendance / 10%

A:90-100% B:80-89% C:70-79%D: 60-69% F: 0-59%

Note: A gradeof “C”orbetter must be earned in this courseto satisfytheGeneral EducationRequirements for the AA degree.

ReflectionsQuizzes(15%of grade): Reflections aresubmitted each week and aredueonMonday,11PM. Thereflections includequestions about the concepts covered in listed sections. Thereflection willprovide feedback to me about thematerials tobe coveredin class. You should carefullyconsiderwhatyou’veread,whatyouare havingtrouble understandingand include that in yourreflection.

Homework(25%of coursegrade): Thereis MMLhomework assigned foreachchaptersection. MML homework has duedatesas shown in MMLand MyCourses. This means unlimited attempts on homework!

ChaptersProjects(30%of coursegrade) and Final Project(20%of coursegrade): Teamwork for projects is required. Individual submissions forprojects will notbe accepted.Allgroup members willreceivethesame gradefor theproject unless theself-assessment indicates that all membersdid notcontribute equallyas

discussed previously. Instructions and agradingrubricwillbeprovidedfor each project.

Chapterprojects submitted after theduedate will be accepted,however, thescore forthe project willbe dropped byonelettergradefor everydaybeyondthe duedate. For example, if aprojectis due onWednesday, February15 and itis submitted on Thursday, August17, the projectgradewillbelowered by1 letter grades sincethe project was submitted 1 daylate. Ifyoumiss a project, themissed project will begiven a zero inyour overallgradecalculation. Thefinal project reportmustbesubmitted onthe last dayof class.

Attendance:

Attendance: Regularattendanceisencouraged. If you miss more than three days, then you will be administratively withdrawn October 19, 2017.Attendancewillbetakenduringthefirsttwoweeksof classandduringtheweekfollowing October 19,2017.Youwillbeadministrativelywithdrawnifyouarenot activelyparticipatingintheclassduringthesetimes. Pleasenotethatwithdrawalsfromthisclasscan ONLY be initiated by thestudent. TheinstructorCANNOT withdraw you fromthe class.

Active class participationis definedas attending everyclass and completingallassignments ontime. Students who aresuccessfulinthis classarethestudents who actively participate. Attendanceand assignmentgrades willberecorded in theMyCoursescourse.

WITHDRAWALS:Students maynot changefrom creditto audit aftertheend ofthe firstweek ofclasses. The last daythatastudent can withdraw and receive arefundis January13, 2017. Thelast daythat astudent may withdraw with a coursegradeof“W”isOctober 19, 2017. Students maynotchangefrom creditto audit after

theend ofthe first weekof classes. October 19, 2017, students willbegiven thegradethat theyearn in the class:NO W’S ARE GIVEN AFTEROctober 19, 2017.

It istheresponsibilityof the studentwishing towithdrawfromthe courseto do so byOctober 19, 2017. Anystudentwishingtowithdrawfrom thecoursemustdoso hisor her selfonlineinthe MYSPC registration areafoundat Allstudentsregisteredin thecourse afterOctober 19,2017willreceiveagradeas outlinedinyour syllabus.

Ifthisisyourthirdtimetakingthecourse, youcannotwithdraw(StateofFloridaregulation),andnotmeetingthe attendance requirementwillresultinagrade ofF. Studentswhoabandonthecourseordonotwithdraw themselves byOctober 19, 2017 aresubject toreceiveagradeofFor WF.

Helpoutsideofclass/Tutors:

I am available to helpyou duringmyofficehourslisted on myinstructor webpage. Youcanalso contact meby usingour MyCoursescourse email. TheLearningSupport Center (LSC)orInformation Commons at each campus provide freemathtutoring. Staff and student tutors areavailable to helpyouwithyour mathematics problems. At the Gibbs campus,the AcademicResourceCenter (ARC)islocated in TE200 andthehours will be: Monday-Thursdayfrom 7:30 am-9:30 pmand Friday-Saturdayfrom 7:30 am-3:00 pm. Thefront desk phonenumbers are727-341-3512 and 727-341-3511. TheARCwebsiteliststhe availabilityof tutors.

Learner Support:

Accessibility: TheOffice ofAccessibility Servicesis available to assistyou ifyou have a documented disabilityor thinkthatyou mayhave adisability. Please make an appointmentwiththe Accessibility Coordinatoron yourcampus oronline. Registeringwith AccessibilityServicesisespeciallyimportantifyouare on campus and willneedassistance duringan emergency classroomevacuation.Academic SupportServices:

On-Campus Support:

Online Support:

Student Services and Resources:

Syllabus Addendum:

Library: Students mayaccessthe servicesontheonline libraryfromtheMyCourses homepage, lowerrightside.

STUDENT SURVEY OFINSTRUCTION

Everystudent is expectedto completethe StudentSurveyof Instruction survey(SSI)which willbeavailable onlineabout threequarters ofthe waythrough the class. Thesurveyis used to determinethe strengths and weakness ofthe course materialand instruction. It is anonymous, and students will be ableto checkNA to everyquestion iftheywish to do so. Therewill be a point in thisclass, however, wherestudents willnot be permitted to moveon to thenext partof the coursewithout completing the survey, and wehopethatallstudents will takethe timeand provide us with the evaluation feedbackwhich is sohelpful in improving our courses and College.