MAT/NME1020.20

Communicating Quantitative Information General education: mathematics/quantitative reasoning
Natural Sciences 3003. Phone: 251-6679.
Office hours: MR: 12:30pm – 2:25pm or by appointment.
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Students in this course will learn basic concepts in quantitative reasoning and the acquisition and evaluation of quantitative information. The material for the class will be actual news stories and current event topics, past and current. The course will serve directly the goal of preparing students for civic engagement by using current events as the focal point of study.

You are required to read The New York Times every day. It is available at various sites around campus. From time to time, you also will be required to read, listen or view other news sources. This will be a mixture of scanning to find articles with "math" content and seeking out coverage of particular topics. Topics covered may change depending on what occurs in the news. Materials (weekly schedule, with due dates, updated as necessary; lecture charts; practice tests) are posted on-line (http://faculty.purchase.edu/jeanine.meyer.) There is no required textbook, but I will indicate useful books and websites. In addition, we will make use of moodle.purchase.edu, an instructional support system. You are required to make specific postings to Discussion Forums on this site throughout the term. You also can make extra postings at any time. You share the names of any sources you discover with the rest of the class by making postings. For standards relating to academic integrity: http://www.purchase.edu/Policies/academicintegrity.aspx

Original postings on news (minimum 5: quality counts! Start early!) / 5
Responses to other postings: at least one original or response each week / 15
Spreadsheet + chart / 15
Presentation + 1 page abstract, chart/diagram, sources / 15
Midterm / 10
Visualization / 10
Excel HELP exercise / 10
Personal finance process report / 5
Final / 15

Attendance is required. Coming to class on-time and ready to participate is required. You are expected to check the on-line sites prior to each class. The posting assignments on moodle are required—not optional.

Students with documented physical, learning, psychological and other disabilities are entitled to receive reasonable accommodations. If you need classroom or testing accommodations, please contact the Office of Special Services (Student Services third floor; 251-6035) or the Counseling Center (Module 1 on Lincoln Ave., 251- 6390) and ask them to contact me ASAP.