Math 090 Winter 2011 Syllabus

MTH 90 – Elementary Algebra – Winter 2011 – Section L – 5 Credits
Saturdays, 9am-11:50am, and 1:00pm-2:50pm, BHL 135

David C Froemke Office: BHL 110
Office Hours: Saturday, 3pm-4pm or by appointment
Email: dfroemke@clark.edu PH 503 / 686 - 5040
Class Page: http://davemath.blogspot.com

Course Description
Numeric and algebraic expressions, linear equations and inequalities, the coordinate plane, functions, lines, systems of linear equations, integer exponents, polynomials. Designed for the student who is prepared to take algebra at an accelerated pace. Prerequisite: A grade of "C" or better in MATH 030 or recommending score on placement test. This is the first of two classes in the series (the next is Math 95).


Text
Elementary & Intermediate Algebra, 4th ed., by Tussy and Gustafson, 2006.


Grading

10% Daily Quizzes
10% Written Project
50% Two Exams (25% each)
30% Final Exam

No extra credit of any sort is available. I follow the standard percentage break-down for letter grades (94% and up is an A, 90-93.9% an A-, 86-89.9% a B+, 83-85.9% a B, 80-82.9% a B-, and so on).


Daily Quizzes
Most days will have two quizzes of some sort – either I’ll collect one of the in-class activities, or give a quiz from the homework due that day. The lowest three quiz scores will be dropped; no make-ups are given.


Exams
I’ll distribute a study guide the week before the three exams. Make-ups will only be given in the case of dire emergencies and with proper documentation. Exams are given during regular class periods, and will take place during the first half of class. Exams will be graded and returned the next class period; missed questions can be redone for partial credit. The schedule of exams is:

• Saturday, January 29
• Saturday, February 26



Project
We’ll have a written project due February 19th. I’ll hand out the project assignment the third week of class (January 22rd), and a writing sample to show the kind of work I’m looking for. The projects will be returned Feb 26th, and you can re-write it once to improve your grade.


Final Exam
The final exam is Saturday, March 12th, at 9am in our regular classroom. The final is comprehensive. No make-up is available for the final.


Homework and Class Flow
We’ll have a homework assignment every day. The class will start with discussing the homework in small groups, comparing your answers with your neighbors. The rest of our time together (unless we have an exam) will be spent between lecture, discussion, and group-work activities. Keeping up on the homework is necessary for success in this class! Since we only meet once a week, we’ll cover an extensive amount of material in one class session – make sure to pace yourself with the homework over the week between class sessions. Every day after class I will make a blog post to http://davemath.blogspot.com that will include the material covered, upcoming sections, and the homework assignments.


Academic Dishonesty
Don’t cheat! I follow the college guidelines for academic dishonesty.


Resources and Suggestions
It’s a good idea to plan for 10 to 15 hours of work doing homework and studying every week. That’s 2-3 hours a day! The course moves quickly, and later sections build off of previous material; keeping up on your studying is necessary for success. Besides my lectures and the book, my office hours and the Math Help Center (http://web.clark.edu/math/helpsess.htm, in BH 107) are invaluable resources.
If you have a disability and need an accommodation, please make arrangements to meet with me outside of class. Disability Support Services can be reached at (360) 992-2314, or on the web at http://www.clark.edu/student_services/disability_support.php
You are responsible for the material in the book, and anything covered in class; this includes any in-class announcements that might be made (such as any changes to the schedule). Attendance is not taken, but is expected, and regular attendance is crucial for your success with this material.


A final note
This class moves QUICKLY, and covers a lot of material. Keeping up on things, and doing some math almost every day, is crucial to your success. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or frantic, or lost in the material, please don’t hesitate to contact me – by email or during office hours are the best. My job is to make this class a comfortable and appropriate place for you to learn the mathematics, so let me know how I can best help you with the material!