Fall, 1998

Math O99 -Intermediate Algebra

Instructor - Larry Curnutt

How to contact me

• Come to my office in L200-M. I'll be there from 9:30 to 10:20 everyday and most afternoons from 2:30 to 5:00.

• Call me. My office phone number is 641-2412.

• Send me an e-mail: lcurnutt@bcc.ctc.edu

• You can find out more about the Mathematics Department and about me on the World Wide Web. The Math Web Site is at http://SciDiv.bcc.ctc.edu/Math/ and my homepage is at http://SciDiv.bcc.ctc.edu/LC/.

Textbook

Modeling, Functions, and Graphs: Algebra for College Students
by Yoshiwara, Yoshiwara & Drooyan

Content

We will study substantial chunks of Chapters 1 - 8. On the average, we will cover about one section per day, moving quickly through early, familiar material so that we can slow down a little on some more demanding, unfamiliar topics that come later. Math 099 has three major purposes: 1) to give you another opportunity to practice the mechanical techniques of algebra that you learned in previous algebra courses; 2) to extend some of these techniques (e.g., fractional exponents & systems of 3 equations with 3 unknowns) and introduce you to a few new ones (e.g., functions & logarithms); and 3) to provide you with lots more experience with applications of algebra (that means "word problems!") and graphs. Of the three , #3 is certainly the most profound, and in the long run, it will prove most useful to you.

Prerequisites

elementary algebra and a scientific calculator (a graphing calculator like the TI-82 is recommended)

Daily Assignments

The following activities may require three hours each day.
1. Attend class.
2. Study the textbook.
3. Ask questions. Explain what you're working on out loud or in writing.
4. Reflect on the work you do.
5. Solve lots of problems. Click on this line to see a list of suggested problems.

Extra help

There is nothing wrong with getting stuck; it happens to all of us. Butting your head against a stone wall is even good for you in small doses. Though you shouldn't run for help at the drop of a hat (or a crumby little minus sign), don't let things get desperate. There is lots of support available.
1. Classmates; study groups
2. Me
3. Math Lab in C204
4. Odd answers in back of text
5. Weekly help sessions

Exams

Fifty-minute midterms are worth 100 points each.
Monday 10/12
Monday 11/2
Monday 11/23

The two-hour departmental final is worth 100 points.
Thursday 12/10

Quizzes

Every week that we don't have a midterm, we will have a 20-minute quiz worth 20 points. Your best five quiz scores will count toward your final grade.
Monday 9/8
Monday 10/5
Monday 10/19
Monday 10/26
Monday 11/9
Monday 11/16

In-class assignments

Approximately once each week, unannounced, you will be asked to assemble in teams of 3 or 4 people and complete an assignment in 20-30 minutes of class time. Each assignment will be worth six points, and up to fifty of these points will count toward your final grade.

Attendance checks

Every day we do not have an exam, a quiz or an in-class assignment, you will be asked to turn in the solution to one problem. Each of these problems will be worth one point, and up to thirty of these points will count toward your final grade.

There will be no make-up exams, quizzes, in-class assignments or attendance checks!
However, a low midterm exam score or a missed midterm exam, may be compensated for by increasing the value of the final exam.
All exams and quizzes will be comprehensive.

Grades

A > 90% > B > 80% > C > 70% > D > 60% > F

A letter grade may be augmented with a 'plus' or 'minus' (+/- = 0.3 gp).

Friday, 11/6, is the last day that you may withdraw (grade = W).