NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title: Beginning Algebra   Math0305.100 MW 8am to 9:20 MSS809
Course Prefix & Number: MATH 0305	Section Number:  100	Semester: Fall 2018
Semester Credit Hours: 3	Lecture Hours: 48	Lab Hours: 0
Course Description (NCTC Catalog): This course includes basic algebraic concepts and notations; algebraic expressions and equations, factoring polynomials and graphing. Some algebra is required. This course does not count toward graduation at NCTC.
Course Prerequisite(s): Appropriate placement score on TSI or other approved assessment test.
Required: MyLabsPlus  Access code – required  If you bought MLP access code last semester, do not buy a code for MML for Pearson with change those codes over to the new system. Recommended Course Materials: Elayn Martin-Gay: Beginning & Intermediate Algebra, Pearson, 2017, 6th ed. (etext book in MML) Calculators are permitted.  *** NO GRAPHING CALCULATORS NOR CELL PHONE CALCULATORS ALLOWED – ONLY SCIENTIFIC CALCULATORS ALLOWED. *** TI-30X IIS is highly recommended.

 

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:	Clara Ward
Campus/Office Location:	Gainesville 800 Building Rm 809
Office Hours:	MW 9:30-10:50 AM
Telephone Number:	Use Canvas email
E-mail Address:	cward@nctc.edu

 

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements	Graded Course Elements	Percentage or Point Values
Approx. 38-40	Homework	15%
Approx. 13-15	Quizzes	5%
4	Chapter Tests	60%
1	Final Test	20%

Grade Scale:   90 – 100% = A;   80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C;     Below 70% = F

Please plan to take the tests on time.  If you do miss a test let me know you will be gone and arrange to make it up with a week.  The Final Exam grade may be used to replace the lowest test score.

 

CLASS RULES:

1.  Turn off all electronic devices prior to entering the class.
2. Do not read or send text messages during class.
3. Being on unapproved websites such as Facebook, or homework for another class, and you will be asked to leave class and be counted absent.
4. This class will run from Mon. to Sun. each week.  The homework may be turned in late.  The quizzes need to be turned in on time.  At the end of the semester the Quizzes will re-open so you may raise your grade.  If you fall more than a week behind you may not be able to finish the class and may receive an “F”.
5. When I am giving a lecture, do not be logged into a computer.
6. Be courteous to your fellow classmates.
7. Maintain a positive attitude.
8. Ask questions, get involved and Do Your Homework.  Ask For Help Early.
9. You will not pass the class if you only work during class hours. Please schedule at least 3 to 5 hours per week outside of class to complete homework, quizzes, and pre-tests.
10. You may not use notes or the text while taking tests and quizzes.
11. The final exam is comprehensive and required of all students.
12. This is a working Syllabus and subject to change.

 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

	At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
1.	Define, represent, and perform operations on real numbers.
2.	Recognize, understand, and analyze features of a function.
3.	Recognize and use algebraic (field) properties, concepts, procedures (including  factoring), and algorithms to combine, transform, and evaluate polynomial expressions.
4.	Identify and solve polynomial equations.
5.	Identify and solve linear inequalities.
6.	Model, interpret and justify mathematical ideas and concepts using multiple representations.
7.	Connect and use multiple strands of mathematics in situations and problems, as well as in the study of other disciplines.

 

All students at NCTC are assigned a student email address, also known as Lion Pride email. Lion Pride email can be accessed on the NCTC home page by clicking on MyNCTC, then the link “Lion Pride Email” to the left. After clicking the Lion Pride Email link, the Microsoft Office 365 window will open.
1. Enter your NCTC student e-mail address. (for example, Smithj123456@student.nctc.edu)

2. Enter your password (your NCTC Student ID Number, either 7 or 9 numbers).

3. From the list of Microsoft icons, choose MAIL.

4. You will be asked to set your language and local time zone (Central Time). Your account is now activated.

 

**It is the student’s responsibility to activate and regularly monitor the assigned NCTC (Lion Pride) e-mail account. Important announcements and notifications from the Admissions office, Financial Aid, or other college staff will be sent via the Lion Pride student email system.

 

For communicating with classmates and instructors, students also have an option to communicate through Canvas. Canvas messaging is NOT the same as Lion Pride e-mail. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mails (either in Lion Pride or in Canvas) is no excuse for not complying with the College Prep Attendance Policy or any other school policies. Be sure to regularly check BOTH the Lion Pride email as well as the Canvas inbox for important messages and information.

At North Central Texas College, students who test but do not meet the passing scores in ALL sections of the TSI Assessment or any other THECB approved testing measurements are required by state law to obtain TSI advising and continuously enroll in a formal college preparatory studies (developmental) program every semester until all TSI requirements are satisfied. TSI program attendance is MANDATORY. Non-compliance with the rules of attendance will result in a student being WITHDRAWN from the college preparatory course and possibly being placed on academic hold at North Central Texas College. Withdrawals are subject to college policies as set forth in the college catalog.

 

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all College Prep classes for which they have registered. There are NO excused absences.  Faculty teaching College Preparatory courses will notify students of absences on a regular basis and one courtesy warning e-mail notification will be sent to the students’ current NCTC student e-mail address (Lion Pride email and/or Canvas email) when the student accrues 1 week absence (not necessarily consecutive days) in a course. Please check your NCTC student email (Lion Pride) frequently to ensure that you are receiving notifications from the college and from your instructors. Some faculty may send notifications in Canvas as well. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mail (Lion Pride) is no excuse for not complying with the Attendance Policy. It is the student's responsibility to maintain correct and current e-mail and local and permanent addresses with the college.

 

After a student has been absent from class 2 weeks (not necessarily consecutive days), the student may be dropped. After a student receives an F/W in the same College Prep course twice, the student will receive an academic hold so that the student is blocked from enrolling in any other course except the required College Prep courses in the subsequent semester. This hold will be enforced even in summer.

Inform the instructor in writing during the first week of class of any religious holidays observed this semester. Documentation must be given to the instructor at the class following the holiday.

Also, since punctuality has become a problem in recent semesters, three tardies may be considered one absence. Coming in late disrupts the class. Occasions do occur that you will need to be tardy, but not on a consistent basis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall2018

NCTC

MATH 0305.100

Tentative Weekly Schedule

Please have all homework and quiz assignments completed before each section test day.

 

Date	Starting	Topic	Assignment
Week 1	Aug 27, 2018	Introduction; Review of Chapter 1 Real number Review Order of Operations Fraction Review Exponent Review	Read and understand syllabus and course expectations Chp 1 Review due before class next week.
Week 2	9/3 Labor Day - September 3rd - College Closed	2.1 Simplifying Algebraic Expressions 2.2 The Addition & Multiplication Properties of Equality 2.3 Solving Linear Equations Quiz 2.1 – 2.3	Buy the MML code before Financial Aid in the Book Store closes Sept 7
Week 3	9/10	2.4 An Introduction to Problem Solving 2.5 Formulas & Problem Solving 2.6 Percent & Mixture Problem Solving Quiz 2.4 – 2.6	Check your Lion Pride Email
Week 4	9/17	2.7 Further Problem Solving 2.8 Solving Linear Inequalities Quiz Review Chapter 2 TEST: Chapter 2	Quiz chapter 2 review Complete quiz before the test.
Week 5	9/24	5.1 Exponents 5.2 Polynomial Operations Quiz 5.1 – 5.2
Week 6	10/1	5.3 Multiplying polynomials 5.4 Special Products Quiz 5.3 – 5.4
Week 7	10/8	5.5 Negative Exponents & Scientific Notation 5.6 Dividing polynomials (monomial only) 6.1 Greatest common factor Quiz 5.5-5.6 & 6.1
Week 8	10/15	6.2 Factoring Trinomials Quiz Review Chapter 5 & 6 TEST: Chapter 5 & 6	Quiz review Chp 5 &  6
Week 9	10/22	Intro to Statistics (supplemental) Reading tables & graphs Quiz Tables and Graphs Appendix F – mean, median, mode Analyzing Data – range, midpoint Simple Probability (coin toss, cards) Quiz Review Intro to Statistics	Quiz review Intro to Stats Check Lion Pride Email
Week 10	10/29	3.1 Reading Graphs & the Coordinate plane 3.2 Graphing lines 3.3 Intercepts 3.3 Slope & Rate of Change Quiz 3..1 – 3.3
Week 11	11/5	3.4 Slope & Rate of Change Quiz Review Chp 3.1 – 3.4 TEST STAT & CHP 3.1-3.4 Paper test	**Last Day to Drop with a W  is Nov 8**
Week 12	11/12	3.5 Equations of Lines 9.4 Graphing Inequalities
Week 13	11/19	3.6 Functions Quiz Section 3.5- 3.6 & 9.4 (part 1 test review) Reset date	Thanksgiving Holiday Nov 21-24
Week 14	11/26	4.1 – 4.3 Systems of equations (basic only) Quiz Sections  4.1 – 4.3 (part 2 test review) TEST: Chapter 3.5 -3.6 & 4.1 - 4.3 & 9.4 Paper test	This is a paper test and will be given on the second day. Test is the second day.
Week 15	12/3	HW Review for Final Exam	You may take one missed or failed test.
Week 16	12/10	Final’s week Paper test Only go to your class on the day of your final.	This final should be on Tuesday, starting at 8am.  This date has not been posted on NCTC website.

 

**Final exam is scheduled: _____________________________________

 

 

Helpful suggestions for passing the class:

 

• Do not miss any lectures.  If you miss a lecture, you need to review the completed lecture sheets located in Canvas to see how to do the assignment(s).  Remember it may take 5-15 hours to complete assignments for a class you missed.
• Print off lecture sheets in Canvas before you come to class.  Note: Week 1, Chapter 1 review is not a lecture in class.  You are to complete these assignments on your own over the first weekend. The chapter 2 assignments will be locked until you make at least 70% on each of the Chapter 1 reviews. These reviews will count as homework grades.  
• Take notes in class.   While working the math concepts in class, students make the mistake of thinking it’s easy, and they will remember the how’s and why’s of each concept later at home.  At home, most students find they are lost on how to do the problems, SO  take notes in class. The secret to taking good notes is to write the important facts in class.  Then re-read and fill in the notes later that day.
• Homework.  If you use “View an Example” to solve a homework question, click on “Similar Question” until you solve the question without looking at your notes. 
• Quizzes.  Do not use any notes while taking a quiz. If you do poorly on a quiz, go into the Gradebook in MathLab, click on Review and see what you missed.  Use “View an Example” to learn the concept(s) that you missed. You may take a quiz up to 15 times
• Complete all assignments before taking the chapter test.   I noticed over the semesters that most students that fail my class do not do their homework or quizzes.  YOU must complete all homework and quizzes before taking each chapter test.
• RULE of THUMB: for every one hour of sitting in a math class, expect to do homework for 3 -5 hours.  This means a class meeting 3 hours per week, expect to do 9 to 15 hours of homework each week.  A class meeting 5 hours per week, you need to expect doing 15 to 25 hours of homework per week.
• It is your responsibility to pass this class.   If you do not understand the concepts: get help ASAP!

 

 

 

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Thursday, November 8, 2018.

MATH LAB Students who need help with any math class can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance. No appointments are necessary. See the most current tutoring hours for all five campuses at http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/student-success/tutoring/mathematics-lab.html.

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-498-6207.

North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).   http://www.nctc.edu/catalog/north-central-texas-college-student-handbook/section-i/special-accommodations-office-students-with-disabilities/osd-department-contacts.html.  

 

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://www.nctc.edu/catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook/nctc-student-handbook.html.  

 

 

 

 

 

Name of Chair/Coordinator:	Elizabeth Howell
Office Location:	Corinth 236
Telephone Number:	940.498.6209
E-mail Address:	ehowell@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean:	Sara Flusche
Office Location:	Gainesville 1306
Telephone Number:	940.668.3351
E-mail Address:	sflusche@nctc.edu

 

Tobacco-Free Campus:  NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco, on campus property.

 

Campus Carry: Effective August 1, 2017, a license holder may carry a concealed handgun on or about the license holder's person while the license holder is on the campus of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education in this state. For more information, see the website at http://www.nctc.edu/police/campus-carry.html.