W 5:45 – 8:15Christian Brothers UniversitySpring 2012
Algebra 110 (Hybrid Algebraic Expressions) Syllabus
Instructor: Sandra DavisEmail:
Office: CW316Website:
Office hrs: MWF: 10-12; M: 1-1:30;TR: 10:45-12Phone: 321-4113
W: 4:30-5:30
Course License: For this course you will purchase a site-license (fee payable at the bookstore). The license fee
also includesthe PAN (Academic Systems Personal Academic Notebook: Elementary Algebra)
that is an integral part ofthe course. A validation code is contained in the PAN. You should not
open the PANpackage until you are sure that you will remain in this course. Once you have
entered the validation code into the computer the license is not refundable. You will have until
January 19th , 2012to enter the validation code. After that date you will not be able to work
online until you enter the validation code.
Catalog Data:The course gives the student fundamentalquantitative and algebraic skills needed in other
mathematics andsciencecourses. Topics include: real numbers, algebraic expressions,
exponents, polynomials andrational expressions.
Prerequisite: one year of high school algebra.
Goals:The goals of the course are to build your confidence in your mathematical ability and prepare you for other math and science courses.
Overview:You must take an active role in your own instruction to be successful in this course. To achieve these goals, the course uses an interactive approach in which you learn by doing problems and evaluating your knowledge on what you learned after each lesson. Learning mathematicsrequires doing mathematics. This course uses theInternet as one of its teaching tools and grading tools. The online program contains interactive multimedia lessons about selected topics in algebra. The course uses several approaches to appeal to different learning styles. The PAN (personal academic notebook) can act as a traditional textbook for those who prefer hard-copy. Your style of learning allows you a choice between using the internet or the PAN to learn the material. While there are computer aided explanations and exercises, the instructor is an integral part of the course.
Classes include lectures, computer homework, two 1-hour examsand the final exam. At the end of each section there will be a quiz due the next Monday after the section was covered. The computer serves as a textbook for these topics as well as your PAN. Theinstructor will introduce the new topic for eachlesson, then the students will work on the computer (in class if time permits or on your own time), completing each on-line quiz by the due date. Thequiz grades will be sent to me via internet as soon as you log off. So make sure you log off after each session. There will be a class-widequestionand answer session at the beginning of each class (approx. 10 min.) over the previous class’s section covered. If time permits, the instructor provides you with individualized helpwhile the class works on computer lessons. Ideally, homework and quizzes should take you about 2 hours a weekper sectionoutside of class, depending on your understanding of the lesson.
Materials: Bring to class: your book, pencil or pen, paper, headphones (optional). Tests must be done in pencil.
Free Tutoring:The Math Center located in CW 324offers free tutoring in math. The centers schedule is listed on the CBU website.
Attendance:I will take roll at the beginning of every class. You should attend class regularly. Missed class work is your responsibility.
On-line quizzes:At the end of each computer lesson you will complete a quiz that is graded by the computer. You are expected to take these quizzes on your own, without help from books, notes or other students. You may take each online quiz up to three (3) times by the due date. Due dates are by the following Monday Evening after the section is covered or by the test day for that section, whichever comes first. Your highest quiz score is your final score for that lesson. If you do not log off at the end of your computer session, your work for that session will be lost. I will be checking quiz grades on Tuesday mornings.
Quizzes can not be saved in the middle of a session, so make sure you have enough time to complete a quiz before you start (20-30 minutes).
Homework:For extra credit only. Homework will be assigned by the computer program for each section. You need to have a score of 85% or better on a section to get 1 credit point towards the quiz grade.
Homework is due by the following Monday. I will be checking the homework onlineTuesday mornings. Late homework will not be accepted.
Tests:Tests will be in-class paper tests made up by me. Use a pencil only. You can not make up the final exam.
Syllabus:TopicSectionBox in PlatoClasses (Tentative)
Getting StartedA
Real Numbers
The Real Numbers1.1D2.5
Factoring and Fractions1.2D3.5
Arithmetic of Numbers1.3D4.5
Algebraic Expressions2.1E2.5
Algebraic Equations2.2E3.5
Intro to Graphing3.1F2.5
Test 1 (1 hour).5
Exponents6.1I2.5
Polynomial Operations I6.2I3.5
Polynomial Operations II6.3I4.5
Factoring
Factoring Polynomials I7.1J2.5
Factoring Polynomials II7.2J3.5
Test 2 (1 hour).5
Rational Expressions
Rational Expressions I8.1K2.5
Rational Expressions II8.2K3.5
8 total classes
Grades: On-Line Quizzes:25%
2 (1 hour)In-Class Exam:50%
Final Exam(Comprehensive):25%
Grading scale:A 90-100%,
B 80-89%
C 70-79%
D 60-69%,
F below 60%
No food or drinks are allowed in the classroom.
Algebra 110 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Week / Date Wednesday / Section Covered / Quiz Due Date1 / 1/11 / Intro/Plato / 1.1,1.2 / 1/16 (1.1, 1.2)
2 / 1/18 / 1.3, 2.1 / 1/23 (1.3, 2.1)
3 / 1/25 / 2.2, 3.1 / 1/30 (2.2, 3.1)
4 / 2/1 / Test 1, 6.1 / 2/6 (6.1)
5 / 2/8 / 6.2 / 6.3 / 2/13 (6.2, 6.3)
6 / 2/15 / 7.1 / 7.2 / 2/20 (7.1, 7.2)
7 / 2/22 / Test 2 / 8.1 / 2/27 (8.1)
8 / 2/29 / 8.1 / 8.2 / 3/2 (8.2)
Final Exam / 3/3 Saturday 1:30 / 2 hours
Syllabus: M101: Intro to Math & Science, Fall 1999