Intermediate Algebra - 4 Units
Connect Math Sections
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Thomas Gummo (MrG)
Contact Info - EMAIL:
NO Office Hours or School Phone Number – Part Time Adjunct Instructor
Syllabus Math-90 - 1
Math-90 on Mondays and Wednesdays
Sections / Time PM / Building / Room56321 / 1:00 – 3:05 / 30 / 6
56340 / 3:15 – 5:20 / 30 / 10
Math-42 on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Section / Time AM / Building / Room56290 / 10:00 – 11:50 / 30 / 6
Syllabus Math-90 - 1
SPRING CALENDER:
February 16 Spring 2016 Semester Begins
March 25 Spring Break Day Holiday
April 11 – 15 Spring Break Week Holiday
May 30 Memorial Day Holiday
June 11 Semester ends
STATEMENT OF ACCESS: Students with special needs are encouraged to meet with instructors to discuss the opportunity for academic accommodation and be referred to disabled student program (DSPS) and services per Administrative Procedure (AP 3440).
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Class attendance is not a measure of performance or proficiency. Whether a student is just physically present in the class is not a valid basis for grading. Reference Title 5 Section 55002 of the California Code of Regulations: (A) Grading Policy. The course provides for measurement of student performance in terms of stated course objectives and culminates in a formal, permanently recorded grade based upon uniform standards in accordance with section 55758 of this Division. The grade is based on demonstrated proficiency in the subject matter and the ability to demonstrate that proficiency, at least in part, by means of written expression that may include essays, or, in courses where the curriculum committee deems them to be appropriate, by problem solving exercises or skills demonstrations by students.
TUTORING HELP: You are strongly encouraged to get tutoring or go to the Math Success Center, study in groups, and see me for help outside of class. All of these are free! Students that get help outside of class are typically much more successful than those that do not. Regular Math Success Center hours are: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (starting the second week of class). The Math Success Center is located in building 42 (the Academic Commons). Outside of these those hours, please go to the information booth at the east end of the Tech building to sign infor tutoring help.
PREREQUISITE: Math 42 or Math 50 (or BOTH Math 50A and Math 50B) or Math 63 with a grade of 'C' or better.
THIS IS A CONNECT MATH WEB-ENHANCED CLASS. There is no way to game the system as your homework will be done on this Internet site. Buy the CONNECT MATH ACCESS CODE! Don’t buy a used book; the access code will be no good, as it only works once and is good for only about a year.If you are repeating Math-90 and used Connect Math before, there is a chance that your account is still active and can be used again (check the dates on your account). Don’t buy a book as it is included with Connect Math access unless you really need to hold a book in your hands. There is a button on the web site which allows you to download the chapters of the book onto your computer.
TEXTBOOK: Intermediate Algebra 3rdEdition by Miller, O’Neill, Hyde
Choice #1: Purchase CONNECT MATH access online for $100.00, tax included. Electronic access to text included.(Good for 52 weeks) (Costs are the best that I know at this time.)
Choice #2: Purchase CONNECT MATH access from VVC bookstore for more. Electronic access to text included.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to serve as preparation for the study of College Algebra, Statistics, Trigonometry and other college mathematics courses. Topics include a review of the real number system, an introduction to imaginary and complex numbers, the solution of first degree, quadratic and systems of equations, polynomials, rational expressions, exponents and radicals, graphs of functions (both linear and nonlinear) and of relations, and exponential and logarithmic functions.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of the course the student can:
1. Find the domain of polynomial, radical, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions.
2. Express sets and inequalities using set notation and interval notation.
3. Choose an appropriate method (graphing, substitution, elimination, row reduction of matrices, or Cramer’s
Rule) to solve a system of equations or an application involving a system of equations and determine
whether the solution is reasonable.
4. Translate application problems into algebraic equations.
MY CLASS NOTES AND THIS SYLLABUS can be found inside Connect Math, select the TAB – RESOURCES, then select TAB – Course Files, then select file you want to download. Lecture Notes for each Chapter has its own file. Files are in PDF format. Notes were done for my use during class; there are few typos and mistakes, use at your own risk. I recommend that you print out the notes and bring them to class. This way you can concentrate on the lecture and just add little notes as needed. Several addition files are also included. For your entertainment, there is even a file with an article in which I was listed as one of the author’s greatest instructors (written for an Air Force Safety Magazine).
CLASSROOM POLICIES (in no particular order):
1. Tests and Final (30 to40 questions) are based primarily on material presented in lecture and CONNECT MATH material. NO CALCULATORS, NOTES, or “CHEAT SHEETS” will be allowed for Tests (A“NON GRAPHIC” Scientific calculator can be used when students reach the logarithmic material.). Students arriving late on test day, will be given NO EXTRA time to complete them. NO CELL PHONES or ELECTRONIC DEVICES will be allowed on your desk or your lap during exams. Students are expected to COMPLETE ALL TESTS DURING CLASS ON THE DATES AND TIMES SCHEDULED. NO MAKE-UP OR RE-TAKE TESTS WILL BE GIVEN (one low test score will be dropped so if you miss one test you are still OK). No-Notice Quizzes will cover current material covered in class. One or two quizzes will be dropped, depending on the number of quizzes taken.
2. Class starts exactly at the scheduled time. Do not bring friends, children or your mother to class. Students will sign the attendance roster at the start of each day (your job, NOT MINE). Turn off cell-phones and iPods type devices during class time.
3. Do not hesitate to ask questions in class or after the lecture. There will be about 15 minutes at the end of each class available for you to ask questions. Use this time wisely.
4. Academic honesty is expected of all students at all times!! College procedures with respect to probation, suspension or expulsion will be followed in cases of cheating.
5. You are required to attend class every day. After 4 hours of absence (TWO class periods), I have the ability to drop you from the class. Check your Student Handbook for details. As a rule I don’t drop you for attendance only but add any other reasons, I might drop you. Missing 2 tests, I WILL drop you from this class. Two ZERO as test grades make it impossible for you to pass the class. It is your responsibility to keep your enrollment status current. Your grade will be an “FW” if you stop attending without officially withdrawing. Students who have not created a Connect Math account by March 7, 2016 will be dropped (date of first test).
6. Grades are based on Chapter Tests, CONNECT MATH Homework, Quizzes, and a cumulative Final Exam. Any test not taken will be as a zero.
Event / Percent of Grade / Number / Grade / Percent***Quizzes / 5 / No-Notice / A / 90.0 - 100
Homework / 25 / 64 assignments* / B / 80.0 - 89.99
Chapter Tests / 50 / 5 Tests* / C / 70.0 - 79.99
“Final” Exam / 20 / 1 Final** / D / 60.0 - 69.99
* ONE low Test score and FIVE low Homework assignments will be dropped.
**Final is mandatory.
*** Connect Math Grade Book will calculate your percentage grade. / F / 0.0 – 59.99
7. It is expected that you have a minimum 2 hours of homework for each hour in classroom (about 6 hours per week is normal, so 102 hours over the 17 weeks is minimum). CONNECT MATH homework is done online. HW is based on problems from each section in the book and matches the sections covered during the lectures. When you select Assignments, all the assignments will be displayed along with their due dates. Homework for the chapters being tested are due on TEST Day. LATE homework will not be accepted - PERIOD. The computer will not allow you to work on homework due after 1:00 PM on test days. Practice is a vital component in learning mathematics. Students are to read each section in the e-book and do the assigned work. Videos for each section in the course may be found in two places: first, by choosing the Resources tab at the top of your Connect window, or second by going to http://www.millerhelp.com. You may take each homework assignment as many times as you wish, (only have to redo missing problems) and only the highest grade for each assignment will be recorded.
8. This course requires a reliable computer and Internet access. As I understand current technology, Smart Phones are NOTUP to the task of this course. Please ensure your computer is in good repair at the start of the semester. It is suggested that before any major assignments, the computer be re-booted to clear any memory caches which may cause issues. While documented power outages and Internet failures may occur, it is the student's responsibility to meet all deadlines in this course. At the start of the semester, please go to www.connectmath.com/downloads and install the latest versions of many key plug-ins and movie players. If you ever find your computer running slow, sometimes the cause may be too many versions of Java running in your system. If this is the case, go into your Control Panel, uninstall both Java and Aleks. Then go to the download page mentioned above and re-install Java first, followed by Aleks. This will solve many of the issues that students typically face.
To register for Connect Math, you will need to follow these steps:
Go to: http://www.connectmath.com and click on the "SIGN UP NOW!" link located near the top of the page.
On the next screen, you will need to enter our course code: F6T9M – 3PLJ4. This will get you to our class.
On the next screen, verify you have the course, and then click “continue”. Course: Math-90 – Mr Gummo – 2016 SPRING. Instructor: Gummo
On the next screen, you will have three options:
1. If you have the $100 now, click on “purchase an online code online” for the least expensive option.
2. If you have purchased the access code at the bookstore, enter it into the boxes to gain your access.
3. If you will have one of the above in the next couple of weeks, but not right now, then…
There is a two-week free access code to get into Connect Math. It is C95D5 – E54C3 – 13305 – C0587 (Those are zeros, not the letter O).
4. Continue with the registration process until your account has been set up successfully. After you complete your account set up, you will be logged into CONNECT MATH.
If you use the FREE CODE: This code gives you temporary access to Connect Math for a two-week period. Once the code expires, you will be locked out of your Connect Math account until you purchase a regular Student Access Code. It is highly recommended that you purchase the Student Access Code BEFORE the two weeks expire to prevent interruptions with your Connect Math account. Homework Assignments not completed during any lock out periods will NOT be accepted. You can extend your Connect Math account at any time by clicking on “extend your account” and entering a purchased Student Access Code. If your temporary access expires before you purchase a Student Access Code, simply log in to Connect Math and you will be directed on how to extend your current account. You will then be able to continue your course where you left off before the temporary access expired. DO NOT create a new Connect Math account to continue your course.
PROPOSED SCHEDULE HW – Home Work is due, i.e., all the sections of the tested chapters are due on test day by 11:30 PM, after that, no HW will be accepted – PERIOD!
Syllabus Math-90 - 1
Week / Date / Lecture/Test1 / Feb 15 / NO CLASS
Feb 17 / INTRODUCTION
2 / Feb 22 / R – 2, 3, 4
Feb 24 / 1 – 1, 2, 3
3 / Feb 29 / 1 – 4, 5, 6
Mar 2 / 1 – 7, 2 – 1,2
4 / Mar 7 / Test CH R + 1
Mar 9 / 2 – 3, 4, 3 - 1
5 / Mar 14 / 3 – 2, 3, 4
Mar 16 / Test CH 2 + 3
6 / Mar 21 / 4 – 1, 2, 3
Mar 23 / 4 – 4, 5, 6
7 / Mar 28 / 4 – 7, 5 – 1, 2
Mar 30 / 5 – 3, 4, 5
8 / Apr 4 / 5 – 6, 7, 8
Apr 6 / Test CH 4 + 5
9 / Apr 11 / SPRING BREAK
Apr 13 / SPRING BREAK
10 / Apr 18 / 6 – 1, 2, 3
Apr 20 / 6 – 4, 5, 6
11 / Apr 25 / 6 – 7, 7 – 1, 2
Apr 27 / 7 – 3, 4, 5
12 / May 2 / 7 – 6, 7, 8
May 4 / Test CH 6 + 7
13 / May 9 / 8 – 1, 2, 3
May 11 / 8 – 4, 5, 6
14 / May 16 / 9 – 1, 2
May 18 / 9 – 3, 4
15 / May 23 / 9 – 5, 6
May 25 / 9 – 7, Extra Logs
16 / May 30 / MEMORIAL DAY
Jun 1 / Test CH 8 + 9
17 / Jun 6 / Review
Jun 8 / Final
Syllabus Math-90 - 1
Syllabus Math-90 - 1