MAT 003-01 - Beginning Algebra - Spring 2006

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Please, check for updates regularly.

Updated Tue May 09 12:09:00 PST 2006

There will be extra class meeting this Friday May 12, 8:30 - 9:45 AM in SCC 120 for 2 points of extra credit.

Read the letter from the dean (posted here) regarding students' behavior (classroom decorum).

Click here to access Blackboard and see your score so far.

Professor

Marek A. Suchenek, Ph.D.
NSM A-131
tel. (310) 243-2068
e-mail: [email protected]
Web page

Office hours for this course:
M, W 7:45 - 8:30 AM in SCC 120

Meetings

M, W 8:30 - 9:45 AM in SCC 120

Text

Introductory and Intermediate Algebra Custom Edition for CSUDH, by Lial, Hornsby, McGinnis. Addison Wesley. ISBN # 0536 86183. (Includes Algebra Review Cards and MathXL). MathXL is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment system that is available to students on the web at http://www.mathxl.com. (All the MathXL plug-ins have been installed in WH-D160, the Open Access Computer Lab.)
Supplementary Material on Units excerpted from Chapter 2. of the textbook Using and Understanding Mathematics (3rd ed.) by Bennett and Briggs, published by Addison-Wesley, used with the publisher's permission. I will provide you with a user name and password so that you may download this copyrighted material.

Grading

(3 unit class, CR/NC grading)

Homework, attendance, class participation, etc. = 30 pts total
Test 1 = 54 points (12 multiple choice problems @ 2pts ea, 6 show work @ 5 pts ea.)
Test 2 = 54 points (12 multiple choice problems @ 2pts ea, 6 show work @ 5 pts ea.)
Cumulative Final Exam = 90 pts (20 multiple choice problems @ 2pts ea, 10 show work @ 5 pts ea.)
Extra credit: Participating (not just showing up) in tutoring sessions = 23 pts total (23 hrs @ 1pt per hr.)
Passing score: 160 points or more.

Goals and Objectives

This remedial math course (followed by MAT 095) focuses on preparing students to succeed in MAT 105, MAT 131 and general education science classes. Word problems are the most important focus of the course. It consists of three components: part 1, 2, and 3. Each component lasts five weeks and ends with a common exam.

Syllabus

Below are the sections that will be covered in the tests, and some comments on them. Exam problems will be similar to exercises that are listed, plus there will be some problems on the supplementary material on units and conversions. (The exercise lists are just for information. The students are encouraged to solve all these exercises, however, only selected ones will be assigned.)

In the syllabus below, a listing like "1.5 #33-68. (signed numbers, difference, sum)" means that problems similar to exercises 33-68 in section 1.5 may appear on the exams. The comments at the end of the line describe the contents: signed numbers, differences, and sums.

Part 1

Supplementary material (see below) on units, "combining like terms", addition and multiplication, conversion from one unit to another. Review of multiplication and division, addition and subtraction of fractions, decimals, percents as in the review sections R1, R2. Students will be required to keep track of units and convert them (e.g. inches to feet) if necessary. There will be a focus on problems, mainly word problems.
1.4 #55-74. Signed numbers, addition.
1.5 #44-68. Signed numbers, differences, sum.
1.6 #56-77. Translating sentences into equations with variables.
1.7 #43-66. Distributive law.
1.8 Simplifying Expressions, distributive law, "combining like terms", etc. p. 90 #1-5, p. 92 #37-50, #51-58 translating English into math.
Chapter 1 review. #All
2.1 p. 110 #1,2 pp. 111-112 #18-44.
2.2 p. 118 #35-52
2.3 pp. 124-125 #19-48
2.4 pp. 133-136 #5-40 linear equations, easy word problems.
2.5 pp. 143-146 # All problems, mix of odd-even. Simple formulas, word problems.
Exam 1: Wed Feb 22. 1hr 15min. 12 multiple choice problems + 6 show your work problems.

Part 2

2.6 pp. 153-156 #All problems. Ratio and Proportion and Percent.
Chapter 2 review. #All.
Cumulative Review (Chapter 1,2). #All.
3.1 pp. 179-182 #All. Graphing inequalities: one variable.
3.2 pp. 191-194. #All. Graphing "compound" inequalities: one variable.
Chap. 3 Review pp. 212 #1-3 pp. 213 #1-22, #27. pp. 216-220 #all problems that don't use absolute value, especially word problems.
4.1 #All. Reading graphs. Include supplementary material as needed.
4.2 #All. Graphing linear equations.
4.3 Slope. #All.
4.4 Equations of lines. #All.
4.5 #All. Graphing inequalities in two variables.
Exam 2: Wed Apr 05. 1hr15min. 12 multiple choice problems + 6 show your work problems.

Part 3

5.3 #All. Algebraic solution of systems of equations.
5.4 #1, 5, 6, 13, 21.
5.5 #All. Systems of Linear Equations.
6.3 #All. Multiplying polynomials. A brief review of 6.1, 6.2.
6.5 #All. Integer exponents.
6.7 #All. Dividing polynomials with long division.
6.8 #All, especially word problems. Scientific notation.
8.1, 8.2. In 8.1 #25-36, 49, 50, 53-56, 59-72, in 8.2 #33-47.
8.4 #15-25, 31, 32. Solving rational equations. Only do problems where factorization is easy.
8.5 #All. Applications. Rate problems.
8.6 #All. Direct and indirect variation.
Cumulative Final Exam: Wed May 17, 8:30 – 10:30 AM. Includes material from all three parts of MAT 003. 2 hr. 20 multiple choice problems + 10 show your work problems.

Supplementary Material on Units

This material is discussed in Chapter 2 of Bennett and Briggs' book Using and Understanding Mathematics. Copies have been provided by our publisher, Addison Wesley. See the "Text" section above .

Supplementary material on the use of units and dimensional analysis will be integrated into the review material in chapter 1. The students should be able to answer questions similar to these:

How many inches are there in 3 miles?
If a man walks 3 miles per hour how many furlongs can he walk in a fortnight (if he never stops)? (1 mile = 8 furlongs and 1 fortnight = 14 days). What is his speed in yards per day?
How many gallons are there in a rectangular box that measures 3 ft. x 4 ft. x 5 ft. ? 1 US liquid gallon = 231 cubic inches.
If your car gets 20 miles per gallon and gas costs 6.71 Mexican pesos per liter then how much would it cost to buy enough gasoline to drive from Tijuana to Guadalajara, a distance of 2344 kilometers? 1 US dollar = 11.331 Mexican pesos, 1 mile = 1609.344 meters, 1 gallon = 1.3785 liters (approximately).

Resources on the Web

Math XL:

Math XL is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment system that is bundled with our text.

Graphs and Charts:

Bar graph

Attendance

Class attendance is obligatory even if roll is not called. Those absent or late may lose credit and miss assignments. It is student's sole responsibility to find out what was covered and assigned during the classes he/she missed.

Make-ups

No make ups for tests or final.

Academic honesty

Students are reminded of the university policy with regard to academic honesty. Submission (or an attempt thereof) of any assignment or examination that is not the student's original work or contains portions of someone else's work without being clearly and specifically identified as such will automatically receive zero credit and may also result in an NC grade in the course or in university disciplinary action, or both.

Classroom decorum

Student behavior in class ought to be respectful and appropriate and not disruptive to the learning environment. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior includes, but is not limited to: coming to class late, leaving class early, talking to other students while the professor is lecturing, leaving cell phones on, being rude and disrespectful to the instructor or fellow students, reading non-class materials (newspaper, magazines, etc.) while in class and sleeping in class.

Contact me if you have any questions.