Mt. San Jacinto College Name:_________________________
Fall 2009 Bring this syllabus to every class
Syllabus Display
Homework Schedule
Mathematics 050
Room
652 12:30 – 1:50 pm M/W - except for 9/7
Monday, 11/11 Wednesday
Instructor: David Vandewater
Office Hours: Associate Faculty Instructors do not have office hours. However:
As my schedule permits, I will meet
students for 10 minute appointments M/W 2:00-3:00pm
Phone Number: Please use e-mail for all communication
E-mail: dvandewater@msjc.edu
Web site: http://www.msjc.edu/math/dvandewater,
for syllabus, grades, powerpoints
Required Text:
Essential Mathematics by Barker/Aufmann/Lockwood,
7th edition
containing Math Study Skills 3rd edition, by Nolting (≈$107 new)
Optional
materials: courseware
CD purchased with a new textbook,
A
calculator may be used for checking homework, but never on a test
Course
Objectives:
Upon successful completion
of this course:
In Arithmetic, the student
will be able to do the following without the aid of a calculator:
1. Express whole numbers and decimals in words and in standard form and round them to a given place value;
2. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, fractions, and decimals and solve related application problems;
3. Use the Order of Operations Agreement to simplify expressions containing whole numbers and fractions;
4. Write whole numbers in prime factored form and determine factors of a whole number;
5. Convert decimals to fractions and vice versa;
6. Identify order relations between whole numbers, fractions, and decimals;
7. Solve proportions and related application problems.
In Study Skills, the student will be able to do the
following:
1. Recognize what math anxiety is, where it comes from, and
what solutions work;
2. Learn math study skills and test-taking strategies and apply them successfully.
Attendance Policy
The purpose of the attendance policy is to help
reduce disruptions to the learning environment.
Your timely, consistent attendance is required for effective learning.
You WILL be dropped immediately after missing the
equivalent of FOUR full class meetings.
If
you arrive to class late, you will be marked absent for ½ of a class meeting. If you leave for any reason before class is dismissed, you will be marked absent
for ½ of a class meeting. When arriving late or leaving before dismissal, you
must sign the Participation Problems List.
If
you know ahead of time that you must leave a class early, please sit near the
classroom exit.
Drop Dates
The
last day to drop a full-term course and get a refund is August 28, 2009.
The
last day to drop a full-term course without
a "W" grade issued is September
4, 2009.
The
last day to drop a full-term course with a "W" grade issued is November 20, 2009.
While the
attendance policy permits the instructor to drop a student (before November 20),
it is the student's responsibility to drop a course if he or she no longer
wishes to be enrolled in that course.
Contact Enrollment Services if you wish to obtain an add/drop slip.
After
receiving two final grades of D’s or F’s, students will NOT be allowed to enroll
in that course again for credit.
Students only have a total of three attempts (D’s, F’s or W’s) to pass a
course.
Mt.
San Jacinto College abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prohibits federal and state agencies
or programs from discriminating against qualified individuals with
disabilities. If you have a documented
disability that limits major life activity which may have some impact on your
work in this class and for which you may require accommodations, please notify
the Disabled Students Program and Services. DSPS is located in room 1019B. You may call 639-5305 to arrange for verification
of your disability and for reasonable accommodations.
Classroom
Behavior
You
must turn off cellular phones, i-pods and pagers before class begins. As a courtesy to fellow students as well as the
instructor, you should remain quiet during class time unless you are asking the
instructor a question or answering a question posed by the instructor. If you are disrupting the class, you will be
given only one warning. If you disrupt
the class again, you will be excused from class for the remainder of the
day. You will be marked absent for that entire
meeting.
As
is the case with the attendance policy, the purpose of the classroom behavior
policy is to help reduce disruptions to the classroom environment. Classroom
disruptions include, but are not limited to, speaking to anyone other than the
instructor during class time, using phones, texting, i-pods or pagers, and interrupting the
instructor or a fellow student while that individual is speaking.
Sleepy
or Uncomfortable? Go to the back of your
row to stand and stretch or flex silently.
Class Structure
- Roll
call starts promptly at 12:30; arrive by end of roll call or be marked late.
- Presentations are interactive; You are expected to follow the flow of
discussion and you will be asked many questions. Consistently saying “I don’t
know” is an unacceptable response
pattern.
- Usually, a Homework Warm-Up Session
is held before class dismissal.
Your Course
Grade
The
scores you earn on ten (10) homework assignments, five (5) tests, any extra
credit and a final exam will determine your course grade. The points possible for each of these items
are as follows:
Item Points
Possible
5 Tests (140 each) 700
Final Examination 200
Homework 100 up to 10 pts possible for extra
credit
Total 1000
Course Grade Points Earned Percentage(s)
A 1000 - 900 90 - 100
B 899 - 800 80 – 89.9
C 799 - 700 70 – 79.9
D 699 - 600 60 – 69.9
F 599 - 0 0 – 59.9
You can access your grades within the instructor’s
website.
Up to 10 extra credit
points may be earned by completing all 11 homework submissions.
To be determined: Up to 40
extra credit points may be offered for special projects.
Tests and
Final Exam
There
will be five 70 minute tests and a 110 minute final examination. The five tests and final examination will be
written examinations consisting primarily of exercises comparable in difficulty
to those included in the homework assignment list. You must show all your work to a solution to
receive full credit for that exercise.
Partial credit may be given for a partial solution. The final
examination will be comprehensive.
You may not use books, detailed
notes or calculators when taking any test or exam.
All electronic devices must be put away.
You
are allowed one 3”x5” card for notes per test. Label it with the test number
and your name.
It
is the instructor’s intent to provide complete solutions in class when graded
tests are returned. When this occurs, it
is important to compare your answers with those of the solutions immediately. If you have questions regarding your test
score or the way a particular solution was graded, you must ask the
instructor before leaving the classroom.
Once you have left the classroom, the test score is permanent. During
the test review, only make notes on your returned test using a pen rather
than the pencil originally used.
Cheating: If you are caught cheating on a test or on
the final examination, you will receive a score of zero points for that
examination and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.
Make sure to save your tests and the solutions so
that you can use them to study for the comprehensive final examination.
Absence
Tests and the Final cannot
be taken early.
If you are
absent on a test day …
If you miss class the day a
test is given, you have until the beginning of the next class meeting to take
the test in the Learning Resource Center, 800 Building.
You are allowed to use this opportunity
only once.
Taking the missed test in the Learning Center counts as attending a full class
meeting.
If
you don’t take a test at all, the score for that test will be 0.
The
second (and subsequent) time you are absent on a test day, you will be given a
0 for that test.
If you are
absent for the final examination…
Your
final will be scheduled between December 14-16;
Make sure that you are available.
If you do not take the final examination, you will receive a 0 and you won't
earn a grade better than "D" for the course. Therefore, if you miss the final examination
for a justifiable reason, you should contact enrollment services to obtain an
incomplete grade application form and arrange to talk with the instructor as
soon as possible. Travel plans are no
excuse.
It
is the student's responsibility to initiate the process to apply for an
incomplete grade.
If you are
absent for any other class day…
Read the assigned chapter sections, and do the
homework.
Instructor
Website: To access the online
syllabus, interactive powerpoints, the latest grades and homework schedule, go
to your class web pages within your instructor’s website: http://www.msjc.edu/math/dvandewater
New Student
e-mail: Directions on how to
activate and login to your new student e-mail
can be found at http://www.msjc.edu/golive
If
the instructor has to unexpectedly cancel a class meeting, a note will be sent to
your student e-mail.
Blackboard: To access some course documents, you may need to go
to the MSJC Blackboard web site
https://my.msjc.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp Logging in requires knowing your username and
password. Your username is your first initial of your first name, followed by
your last name in all lower case letters and followed by the last three numbers
of your student identification, e.g. John Doe with a student identification
number of 08257891 would be jdoe891. Your initial password is the
(mmddyy) of your birthdate, e.g. someone born on February 26, 1977 would have
the password 022677.
Outside of Class Appointments are shared
between all students in all my classes:
To prevent monopolization, students are limited to
two concepts or homework problems per 10 minute appointment. If you miss a class, do not expect me to
re-teach it to you individually; study the textbook section completely and try
some homework problems before you ask questions.
Homework
The
homework assignment list is attached.
Note that homework is assigned most class meetings, and collected for
grading about once a week. You are
required to check your solutions with the answers that are in the back of your
book so that you can accurately self-score your homework.
There
will be a total of ten (10) required homework submissions. Each submission
consists of 3 to 6 section assignments, and is worth 10 total points. Incomplete submissions will receive fewer
points. You must show your work,
complete all sections, have accurate answers, with correct format and scoring
to receive full credit. I will be collecting 11 homework submissions; the last submission
is worth up to 10 extra credit points.
Late submissions will be accepted for half credit, but they must
be turned in within one week of the original homework due date.
How to Format and Score Your Homework:
- Start each section on a new page with your name and assigned problems in the
upper right corner.
- Within a section you can use both sides of sheets, but leave a little space
between problems.
- Each problem: Write down original problem, show enough work steps, circle the answer.
- Check each answer in the back of the textbook. If it’s wrong, correct it or mark a big X
over it.
- When done, Score each section:
Count correct problems. Check how many were assigned.
- To the left of your name, write the fraction that shows (number correct) / {number assigned}
Your
understanding of the day's concepts and vocabulary, as well as your
recollection of the steps necessary to successfully complete the related
homework exercises, will probably decrease with time. Do the homework assigned for a class meeting
as soon after that class meeting as
possible.
To
be successful in the course, you must pass most of the exams. To prepare for an examination, you should
complete your homework in a timely fashion and review those problems associated
with the material over which you will be tested. To prepare for each class meeting, you should
study the examples and memorize the definitions and theorems in the text
section(s) to be covered that day. This
will prepare you to contribute to the class discussion. Specifically, if after memorizing the definitions
and theorems you cannot understand the solutions to example exercises in the
text, you will be better prepared to ask meaningful questions when the
instructor solves similar exercises in class. By asking questions, you should
have a better understanding of how to do your homework. Remember: no matter how simple an exercise solution
appears as your instructor presents it in class, you won't have an accurate
estimate of the mathematics you can do yourself
until you try the homework!
If you find yourself
struggling to complete a homework assignment before the next class meeting, you
are encouraged to privately employ a tutor, form a study group with students in
your class, or use the walk-in tutoring available in the Learning Resource
Center in the 800 Building.
Since
exam problem instructions will be very similar to those of the exercises in the
homework assignment list, doing all your homework is the best way to prepare
for an examination. In particular, to
ensure that you will understand test problem instructions, you should work
exercises in the text until you are confident that you understand how to
successfully complete exercises with those instructions without the aid of the
textbook, your notes or another person. Similar-looking problems with different
instructions typically have different answers!
Taking Notes: Writing and
Watching
It
is important to take notes during class.
It is particularly important to make detailed notes as problems similar
to those you'll be doing for homework are worked in class. That way, you can refer to your notes for
help if you forget how to complete a solution to a homework problem.
Try
using the Three-Column Note Taking System:
It
is also important to watch, without taking notes, as a problem is worked from
start to finish. That way, you'll be certain
that you know and understand all steps necessary for a complete solution. You
should take notes for all problems introduced during the classroom discussion,
use these notes to do your homework before the next class meeting, and
then watch, without taking notes, as solutions to homework problems are
presented at the beginning of the next class meeting.
Often
your instructor will utilize whiteboard pens of different colors. For example, when solving an equation, your
instructor will sometimes use one color to write the equation and another color
to do the "same thing" to both sides of the equation. You may find it helpful to use at least two
colors when taking notes. That way, if
you mimic the instructor's use of color, you will quickly remember and more
fully understand the steps utilized in a solution when you later use your notes
to do your homework or study for an exam.
Homework
Example:
17
19
. 1-11odd, 21-69eoo {19}
X
work steps
answer
3. Original problem
work steps
uncorrected wrong answer
(assume in this case that only one other answer was wrong or missing – 17 were
done correctly)
Success Checklist
If you have had trouble with
math classes before, ask yourself the following questions:
□
"Am I willing to change some of my study habits?"
□
"Will I get to class on time?"
□
"Will I attend every class meeting?"
□
"Will I stay in class for the entire meeting?"
□ "Will I take
notes for one problem and then watch without taking notes, while a similar
problem is explained?"
□
"Will I complete each homework assignment before the next class
meeting?"
□ "If I am usually
unable to complete my homework, will I get extra help (from a classmate, LRC
walk-in help, Math Center, a tutor, etc.)?"
□ "Will I read/skim
the sections to be covered at the next class meeting before attending it?"
□ “Am I willing to spend at least 3 hours outside
of class (doing homework, reading the text, studying class notes, and getting
help from the instructor or a tutor) for every hour spent inside
the classroom?”
□ “Am I able to use materials from the previous
course to help refresh my knowledge?”
□ “Will I listen to the in-class presentation
instead of trying to do homework at the same time?”
If the answer to any of these
questions is "no", your understanding and performance should improve
as you change each "no" to a "yes"!
Math Savings Account:
Do you plan to take Pre-algebra or Introduction to Algebra? Save all materials from this course (text,
class notes, homework, tests, and test solutions) for use in the next course.
Math 50
Presentation and Homework Schedule 9-25odd means do 9,11,13,15,17,19,21,23,25
(Tentative, subject to change) 9-25eoo means do 9, 13, 17, 21, 25 (every other odd)
Some additional PowerPoints: First Day, Reducing Fractions, Homework Format
|
Date |
C#: Section |
Topic |
Page |
Homework
Problems {# of problems} |
|
Aug 17 |
1:
Introduction |
Listening,
Taking Math Notes |
|
Read
Nolting: p51-59 |
|
Aug 19 |
2: Read
Chapter 1.1 |
Into to
Whole Numbers |
7 |
1-49odd {25} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Aug 24 |
3: Read
Chapter 1.2 |
Addition of
Whole Numbers, |
13 |
1-65eoo, 69-79odd,
84, 85 {25} |
|
Aug 26 H/W
Submission 1 due: 1.1 |
|
|
||
|
Aug 26 |
4: Read Chapter 1.3, |
Subtraction of Whole Numbers, |
21 |
1-105eoo, 109-117odd, 118, 119 {34} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Aug 31 |
5: Read
Chapter 1.5 |
Division of
Whole Numbers |
41 |
1-101eoo, 105-111-odd,
112, 118 {32} |
|
Sep 2 H/W
Submission 2 due: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 |
|
|
||
|
Sep 2 |
6: Read
Chapter 1.6 |
Exponents,
Order of Operations |
48 |
1-75odd, 77, 78 {40} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Sep 7 Holiday, no class, no H/W due |
|
|
||
|
Sep 9 |
Continue 1.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Sep 14 |
8: Review, Sample Test |
Reducing Test Anxiety |
|
Read Nolting p.42-49 |
|
Sep 16 H/W
Submission 3 due: 1.5, 1.6, 1.7 |
|
|
||
|
Sep 16 |
9: Test 1 |
1.1-1.7 |
|
|
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Sep 21 |
10: Read
Chapter 2.1 |
LCM and GCF |
67 |
1-67odd,
70, 71, 72, 74 {38} |
|
Sep 23 |
11: Read
Chapter 2.2 |
Introduction to Fractions, |
71 |
1-25odd, 27-71eoo
{25} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Sep 28 |
12: Read
Chapter 2.4 |
Adding
Fractions, Mixed Numbers |
81 |
1-97odd,
100 {50} |
|
Sep 30 H/W
Submission 4 due: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 |
|
|
||
|
Sep 30 |
13: Read
Chapter 2.6 |
Multiplying
Fractions, Mixed Num |
97 |
1-41odd, 43-99eoo
{36} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Oct 5 |
14: Read
Chapter 2.7 |
Division of
Fractions, Mixed Num |
105 |
1-35odd, 37-93eoo
{33} |
|
Oct 7 H/W
Submission 5 due: 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 |
|
|
||
|
Oct 7 |
15: Read
Chapter 2.8 |
Exponents,
Order of Operations |
112 |
1-47odd, 48
{25} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Oct 12 |
16: Review |
|
|
|
|
Oct 14 H/W
Submission 6 due: 2.7, 2.8 |
|
|
||
|
Oct 14 |
17: Test 2 |
2.1-2.8 |
|
|
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Oct 19 |
18: Read
Chapter 3.1 |
Intro to
Decimals |
131 |
1-57odd, 58
{30} |
|
Oct 21 |
19: Read
Chapter 3.2 |
Addition of
Decimals, |
135 |
1-29odd, 31,
33 {17} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Oct 26 |
20: Read
Chapter 3.4 |
Multiplication
of Decimals |
145 |
1-133eoo {34} |
|
Oct 28 H/W
Submission 7 due: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 |
|
|
||
|
Oct 28 |
21: Read
Chapter 3.5 |
Division of
Decimals |
155 |
1-55odd, 57-113eoo
{43} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Nov 2 |
22: Review |
|
|
|
|
Nov 4 H/W
Submission 8 due: 3.4, 3.5 |
|
|
||
|
Nov 4 |
23: Test 3 |
3.1-3.5 |
|
|
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Nov 9 |
24: Read
Chapter 4.1 |
Ratios |
177 |
1-33odd {17} |
|
Nov 11 Holiday, no class |
|
|
||
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Nov 16 |
25: Read
Chapter 4.2 |
Rates |
181 |
1-33odd, 34
{18} |
|
Nov 17 |
26: Read
Chapter 4.3 |
Proportions |
187 |
1-51odd, 53-69eoo
{31} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Nov 23 H/W
Submission 9 due: 4.1-4.3 |
|
|
||
|
Nov 23 |
27: Test 4 |
4.1-4.3 |
|
|
|
Nov 25 |
28: Read
Chapter 5.1 |
Introduction
to Percents |
205 |
1-75odd, 79,
80, 81 {41} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Nov 30 |
29: Read Chapter
5.2 |
Percent
Equations I, |
209 |
1-35odd {18} |
|
Dec 2 H/W Submission
10 due: 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 |
|
|
||
|
Dec 2 |
30: Read
Chapter 5.4 |
Percent
Equations III, |
217 |
1-33odd {17} |
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
|
|
|
Dec 7 |
31: Test 5 |
5.1-5.5 |
|
|
|
Dec 9 H/W
Submission 11 due: 5.4, 5.5 |
|
|
||
|
Dec 9 |
32: Review
before Final |
|
|
|
|
|
efghefghefgh |
|
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Dec 16 |
Final Exam 12:00-1:50p |
Wednesday Be there! |
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