Math 97, F01 Syllabus & Calendar

MATH 115: PRECALCULUS IFall Quarter, 2002

Welcome to Math 115: Precalculus I!

The packet you have before you contains some of the most important information you’ll receive from me. The cover letter you are now reading will (hopefully!) give you the big picture for the class. It describes what you are expected to learn as well as my teaching philosophy. The rest of this packet is the formal syllabus for the course – all the details on how to reach me, the materials you need, my class policies, my grading system, and a daily schedule for the quarter. Read this entire packet carefully – it is a CONTRACT between you and I, and you have already agreed to it by signing up for my class.

So, what is the goal of this class? In a nutshell, it gives you an introduction to the basic properties and types of functions. Functions are the mathematical objects that allow us to convert one number to another in a predictable way; for example, the instruction “When a number is provided, multiply it by seven.” describes a function. Functions allow people to describe how things change with time, something algebraic equations cannot do. So even though most of your prior math training focused on equations, much of your future math coursework will revolve around functions.

The list below describes all of the skills the college and state expect you to have at the conclusion of Math 115. You should be able to

• understand the concept and notation of functions, as well as be able to graph them and identify a specific function’s domain, range, and inverse,
• recognize and graph polynomial functions, as well as be able to find or approximate the zeros of polynomials (especially using synthetic division),
• recognize and graph rational functions,
• recognize and graph absolute value functions,
• recognize and graph exponential functions,
• recognize and graph logarithmic functions,
• apply the above knowledge to verbal problems,
• compose proofs by mathematical induction,
• understand the basic topics relating to sequences and series,
• and use a graphing calculator to help you accomplish the above tasks.

You can see from this list that I wasn't kidding about this course focusing on functions. I also need to call attention to a particular entry in the above list – “compose proofs by mathematical induction.” This course objective should be viewed as a serious wake-up call! It signals the fact that Math 115 emphasizes mathematical THEORY, and NOT just mechanical techniques. This will be hard for many students in the class because it means a person can't just learn these ideas by simply following examples, which is exactly how most people have learned math up until now.

To help you learn in this new way, I will do a number of things. First, I will set aside class time to help you learn to read and understand the way math books present theoretical ideas. I will expect you to regularly ask questions about the descriptions (NOT the examples or homework) in the textbook as part of class discussions. Second, I will try to clearly indicate when you should be focusing on a skill and when you should focus on an overall concept. It will help me remember if you ask when you are not sure. Third, I will require you to participate in an online discussion group (like a chat room) as a way to help questions get answered and ideas get clarified outside of the limited time we have in class. Fourth and finally, I will evaluate you using a “portfolio” approach that provides an opportunity for revision.

Again, welcome to my class, and I look forward to working with you.

-Erik

Instructor:Erik Scott

Office:Building 18, Office 109

Office Ph#:(206) 878-3710, ext. 3113; FAX: (206) 870-4850

Email:

Web Page:

Office Hours: 11:00 – 11:50 M – F in my office, and by appointment

Class Time and Location:1:10 – 2:13 M – Th in Bldg. 17, Rm. 103

Text: Precalculus: Functions and Graphs, 5th ed., by Barnett, Ziegler, and Byleen ($104.75 new/$78.50 used at the bookstore in Building 6)

Other Required Materials/Fees: A graphing calculator (TI-83 Plus preferred, TI-86 okay), which may be rented from the mathematics department for $20 per quarter. (The TI-83 Plus costs about $100.)

Prerequisite: Completion of Math 97 with at least a 2.0, COMPASS Algebra score above 70, or an approved equivalent course.

Course Overview

Math 115 is intended to expand your vocabulary of mathematical functions. Just as equations have been the central object of study in your previous math classes, functions will be at the center of much of your remaining mathematical training. This course will help you become skilled at using function notation and creating new functions using algebraic operations. You will also learn how to identify where functions are valid (domains and ranges) as well as key features (zeros and asymptotes). Finally, you will be introduced to methods for deriving formulas and working with infinity through your exploration of sequences and series.

Class Policies (subject to revision as needed)

• Class Participation – As you probably know, learning math is a lot like learning a foreign language – you learn and understand it best by trying to use it. I will therefore have you spend a lot of class time working on problems and activities. At different times you will work on your own, with your neighbors, or in preassigned groups.

• Attendance – I do not include attendance in my grading scheme. However, missing opportunities to discuss the ideas with others will make it very difficult to understand some concepts. It is not my (or your classmates’) responsibility to teach you the material you missed! Furthermore, you can only earn credit for in-class activities by actually being in class. (Amazing how that works, huh?)

• Late Arrival/Early Departure – All of us have reasons to arrive late or leave early once in a while. If you must do so, please respect your fellow students and me by moving yourself and your belongings quietly and generally not being a distraction.

• Cell Phones/Pagers – Allowing your cell phone or pager to ring in class is disrespectful to your classmates and the instructor, and it interferes with people's ability to learn. DO NOT answer a phone call in the classroom. Turn your phones and pagers off or to silent mode when you come to class. Please tell me before class if you expect an important call. If this becomes a problem, I may reduce the grade of those students whose phones or pagers interrupt class.

• Cheating – In this class, there are times when you will work with others, and times when you will work alone. When I am trying to determine what you understand, I cannot allow copying of other students’ work. If you are caught doing so, you will receive a zero on that evaluation. I encourage you to work with others on homework assignments, though each person must turn in his or her own solutions. If you are unsure about whether you must work alone, please ask me or work by yourself.

Grading (percent of total grade is given in parentheses)

• Homework (20%) – Homework will generally be assigned and due twice a week. The purpose of homework is to provide you with a chance to practice both skills and concepts. The absence of a short time limit and your ability to have questions answered should make this the least stressful of your evaluations. Note that the speed at which we cover material limits the number of problems I can assign in each section. I will almost always assign fewer problems than you need in order to fully understand the ideas – it's up to you to do extra problems until you have mastered the skills. This part of your grade also includes all other evaluations not specified below.

• Quizzes (15%) – Quizzes provide a way for me to measure how well each individual student understands the skills we cover. You will take a 10 to 15-minute quiz almost every week. You will only be allowed to make up a quiz if I am notified in advance, and the absence is for a significant (documentable) reason, such as a family member in the hospital.

• Discussion Web Participation (5%) – This is my crafty way of encouraging you to discover how much you can learn by conversing with your peers. You can access it through the course page at and will find details about acceptable postings provided on the discussion web itself. To earn full credit, you will need to make an acceptable posting to the discussion web once per week.

• Midterm Portfolio (30%) – I need a way to evaluate how much of the material you've retained over a longer period of time, and I know that just taking a big exam leaves a lot of people feeling like they haven't shown what they've learned. The writing department uses portfolios so students have a chance to revise their work and show improvement throughout the quarter. My version of the portfolio does this by having you submit revised versions of two quizzes (to demonstrate mastery of skills), a midterm exam (to check your knowledge of concepts), and a self-assement in which you examine your learning of the material. Full details will be provided later. As with quizzes, only an extreme, unexpected, and documented hardship will be allowed for accepting the portfolio late.

• Final Portfolio (30%) – Again, because I realize it takes longer for people to learn the underlying concepts than it does the skills, I will use a portfolio approach for your final evaluation. It will be similar to the midterm portfolio, and will include two additional revised quizzes, a final exam, and another self-assessment of your learning. The final exam will be given on Tuesday, December 10th, from 12:30 – 2:20, and will be given in the regular classroom.

• Grade Calculation – Final grades will be computed using an approximately linear scale with a 4.0 given to scores above 95%, and a 0.0 given to scores below or approximately at 50%. The grade scale will fluctuate slightly with the class mean.

Other Information

• Access Services – If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, you have emergency medical information to share, or you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please provide me with the Letter of Accommodation you have received from the Office of Access Services, which is located in the Student Development Center in Building 6.
• Tutoring – Highline has a free tutoring center available to students in this and other courses. It is located in Building 26, Room 319, and is an excellent source of help. The hours are 7:30AM – 7:30PM Monday – Thursday, and Fridays between 8:00 – 1:00 and 2:00 – 4:00.
• Student Rights and Responsibilities – A summary of your rights and responsibilities are contained in the document Student Rights and Responsibilities Code (WAC 1321-1210) in the college catalog. This addresses a number of issues related to student and faculty conduct.

Preliminary Daily Schedule

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