SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
EASTERN CAMPUS – MATH & SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
COURSE OUTLINE
Fall 2012
COURSE MAT 125 – Fundamentals of Precalculus II
CRN 94850
PREREQUISITE C or better in MAT 124 (Precalculus I) or equivalent.
PROFESSOR Dr. Jean Nicolas Pestieau
OFFICE Shinnecock 223
CONTACT
548-3585 (Office) 548-2628 (Dept. Secretary)
WEBPAGE http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/pestiej
OFFICE HOURS Monday & Wednesday 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Tuesday & Thursday 12:30pm – 1:00pm
Students are also encouraged to make appointments with the professor.
COURSE DESCRIPTION (from the College Catalog)
Concept of function used throughout course. Topics include trigonometric functions and inverses, identities and equations, laws of sines and cosines, De Moivre’s Theorem and complex numbers, polar and parametric equations, systems of linear equations and inequalities, partial fractions and the conics.
COURSE GOALS (from the College Catalog)
A. Extend the study of functions that began in MAT 124.
B. Develop methods of geometry and analytic geometry needed in calculus and physics courses.
C. Extend the study of trigonometry that began in MAT 124.
D. This course satisfies the SUNY general education requirement for mathematics.
COURSE OBJECTIVES (from the College Catalog)
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. understand the trigonometric functions, their graphs, and their inverses;
2. verify trigonometric identities;
3. solve trigonometric equations and the general triangle, and find the area of a triangle;
4. write and do basic computations with complex numbers in both rectangular
and trigonometric form including the use of De Moivre’s Theorem and the nth root theorem;
5. analyze, compare and graph polar functions, conic sections and parametric
equations;
6. solve problems involving both linear and nonlinear systems of equations and inequalities;
7. express and analyze both arithmetic and geometric sequences and series
(optional);
8. use the principle of mathematical induction to prove identities involving
summations, including the binomial theorem (optional);
9. use a graphing calculator to perform computations and to graph a variety of
functions.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
· Students are responsible for all material taught, assigned, distributed, or posted on the webpage, as well as for any announcements made in class. Should a student miss a class, it is the student’s responsibility to consult the webpage and/or obtain any missed assignments from a classmate or from the professor.
· Students are required to behave in accordance with the student code of conduct, as outlined in the student handbook. An atmosphere of mutual respect will be maintained at all times in the classroom. Any student who is disruptive or violates proper classroom decorum will be asked to leave the classroom at once.
· In order to pass this course, students must demonstrate a reasonable understanding of the subject topics. Students should then be capable of performing the course objectives cited above. An overall assessment of the student will be made based on the grading formula given below. Final grades will be decided based on the median class performance (roughly corresponding to a C+ grade) and a reasonable class grade distribution. All exam averages will be posted on the webpage and announced in class.
· Students are responsible to follow registrar procedure for withdrawal. Students who neglect to do so and stop attending the course will receive a failing grade. No student will be allowed to withdraw past mid-semester. Exceptions will be made only for extenuating circumstances and at the discretion of the professor.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Students are expected to attend every class and are responsible for all that transpires in class, whether or not they are in attendance. Should a student have a valid reason to miss class, he/she should notify the professor at once.
College-Wide Attendance Policy
The College defines excessive absence or lateness as more than the equivalent of one week of class meetings during the semester. Excessive absence or lateness may lead to failure in, or removal from, the course.
CALCULATOR POLICY
A scientific calculator with graphing capabilities, such as the TI-83/84, is required for the course. These calculators will be used in class and during exams. Students should be familiar with the basic capabilities of these machines. Any student having difficulty operating these machines should come at once for assistance.
Use of any other electronic device in class is strictly prohibited. Students will turn off any cell phones, computers, tablets, etc. Failure to do so may result in immediate removal from the classroom.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Precalculus: Enhanced with Graphing Utilities (6th Edition)
Sullivan and Sullivan
Pearson
ISBN-13: 978-0-321-79546-5
ISBN-10: 0-321-79546-6
HOMEWORK AND EXAM POLICY
· Four exams and a cumulative final exam will be given this term. The first three exams will be given in class while the last exam will be a take-home assignment.
· The lowest exam grade (not including the final) will be dropped.
· For the exams given in class and the final exam, the student is permitted to bring one handwritten 8´´x 12´´ sheet with all the formulas, properties, figures, etc. that the student considers important.
· Corrections to all the exams will be posted on the webpage and/or distributed in class. Students are strongly encouraged to review these documents as they become available.
· Homework problems will be assigned throughout the semester and posted on the webpage. While this homework will not be collected or graded, all students are expected to be diligent with the assigned work. The student should try doing these problems at home and, if necessary, ask questions about them at the beginning of each class (or outside class during office hours).
GRADING FORMULA
It is the student’s responsibility to come to each of the exams, or to notify the professor of an absence in due time should he/she have a valid reason to miss one. If an exam absence can be justified, arrangements with the student will be made.
The final grade will be determined according to the following formula:
70% of Exam Average Grade
+ 25% of Final Exam Grade
+ 5% of Class Participation Grade ______
= Final Grade
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Free tutoring and use of computer software is available at the Academic Skills Center, in Room 224 of the Montaukett Learning Resource Center.
OUTLINE OF TOPICS
A. Precalculus Review
General properties of functions; periodic functions; right triangle trigonometry.
B. Trigonometry (§6.2 – 6.6, §7.1 – 7.6)
§ Domain, range and graphs of the primitive and reciprocal trigonometric functions.
§ Amplitude, period, frequency, and phase shift of sinusoidal functions.
§ Domain, range and graphs of inverse trigonometric functions.
§ Trigonometric equations
§ Trigonometric identities, sum and difference formulas.
§ Double-angle and half-angle formulas.
C. Applications of Trigonometry (§8.1 – 8.4, §9.3)
§ Right triangle trigonometry and applications.
§ Laws of sines and cosines.
§ Area of a triangle.
§ The complex plane and De Moivre’s Theorem.
D. Polar and Parametric Equations (§9.1 – 9.2, §10.7)
§ Polar coordinate systems.
§ Graphs of polar equations.
§ Parametric equations and graphs of plane curves.
E. Conic Sections (§10.1 – 10.4, 10.6)
§ Standard and general forms of circle, parabola, ellipse, hyperbola.
§ Foci, directrix, focal length, eccentricity.
§ Rectangular and polar graphs of conics.
F. Systems of Equations (§11.1 – 11.2, §11.5)
§ Solution by graphing, algebraic methods
§ Gaussian elimination, augmented matrices
§ Partial fraction decompositions
G. Special Topics (§12.4, §12.5)
§ Mathematical induction
§ The Binomial Theorem
EXAM SCHEDULE
Note: all exam dates are tentative and subject to change.
Exam 1…………………………………10/08 (on topic B )
Exam 2…………………………………10/31 (on topic C)
Extra-Credit Assignment………………Due 11/12 (on topic D)
Exam 3…………………………………12/03 (on topic E)
Take-Home Exam 4……………………Due 12/19 (on topics F & G)
Final Exam……………………………..12/19 (cumulative)