Syllabus

 

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title:

College Algebra

Course Prefix & Number: 

MATH1314

Section Number: 

502

Semester/Year:

Fall 2017

Semester Credit Hours:

3

Lecture Hours:

48

Lab Hours:

 

Course Description (NCTC Catalog): In-depth study and applications of polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic functions, and systems of equations using matrices. Additional topics such as sequences, series, probability, and conics may be included.            

Course Prerequisite(s): Meet TSI college-readiness standard for College Algebra; or equivalent

Required or Recommended Course Materials:

Thinkwell College Algebra access (may be purchased directly via the Thinkwell content link in Canvas or through the NCTC bookstore)

Scientific calculator, TI-30X IIS is recommended

Graphing calculators and phone calculators will not be allowed on exams.

                 

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:

Benjamin Owens

Campus/Office Location:

Corinth Campus Room 320

Flower Mound Campus Room 108

Office Hours:

Corinth: (Rm. 320)

TR 9:30-11:30

Flower Mound: (Rm. 108)
T 12:00-12:30; 4:30-5:30

R 12:00-12:30; 3:30-5:30

Online: MW 11:00a.m. – 1:00p.m.

Or by appointment.  Please email if you would like to meet at a different time than those listed here or set up an online conference.

Telephone Number:

940-668-7731 x4501

E-mail Address:

bowens@nctc.edu

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

1

Demonstrate and apply knowledge of properties of functions, including domain and range, operations, compositions, and inverses.

2

Recognize and apply polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic functions and solve related equations.

3

Apply graphing techniques.

4

Evaluate all roots of higher degree polynomial and rational functions.

5

Recognize, solve and apply systems of linear equations using matrices.

 


 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements

Graded Course Elements

Percentage or Point Values

33

Homework (Thinkwell Quizzes)

10%

20

Quizzes (In Class or in Canvas)

10%

4

Tests

60%

1

Final Exam

20%

Grade Scale:   90 – 100% = A;   80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C;  60 – 69% = D;  Below 60% = F

 

Tentative Test Schedule

 

Test 1 – Thursday, September 14th

Test 2 – Thursday, October 5th

Test 3 – Tuesday, November 7th

Test 4 – Tuesday, December 5th

Final Exam – Thursday, December 14th

 

The final exam is a departmental comprehensive algebra exam and must be taken by all students. The lowest regular test grade will be replaced by the final exam grade.  The final exam will not be dropped.  At the end of the semester two Thinkwell homework assignments and 2 quizzes  will be dropped.  Due dates can be found in Canvas. 

 

COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments, Due Dates, and Grading Criteria)

 

 

In Class Topics

Homework due

Week 1

 

Solving Linear Equations (2.1)

Modeling with Linear Equations (2.2)

 

Quadratic Equations (2.3)

 

2.1

(2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3)

2.2

(2.2.1, 2.2.8, 2.2.9)

Week 2

 

Other Types of Equations (2.4)

2.3a / 2.3b

(2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.3.3, 2.3.4, 2.3.5, 2.3.6, 2.3.8, 2.3.10, 2.3.11, 2.3.12, 2.3.13)

Inequalities (2.5)

 

2.4

(2.4.1, 2.4.3, 2.4.4, 2.4.6, 2.4.9)

Week 3

 

Review for Test 1

2.5

(2.5.1, 2.5.5, 2.5.6, 2.5.12)

Test 1 – Ch. 2

 

Week 4

 

Coordinates and Graphs (3.1)

Slope and the Equation of a Line (3.2)

 

Variation (3.3)

Functions (3.4)

 

3.1

(3.1.2, 3.1.7, 3.1.8, 3.1.10, 3.1.11)

3.2

(3.2.1, 3.2.3, 3.2.4, 3.2.5, 3.2.6, 3.2.8)

Week 5

 

Graphs of Functions (3.5)

Transformations of Functions (3.6)

 

3.3

(3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.3, 3.3.4, 3.3.5, 3.3.6)

3.4

(3.4.1, 3.4.3, 3.4.4, 3.4.5, 3.4.7)

Combining Functions (3.7)

Inverse Functions (3.8)

3.5

(3.5.1, 3.5.2, 3.5.3, 3.5.4, 3.5.8)

3.6

(3.6.1, 3.6.2, 3.6.3, 3.6.4)

Week 6

 

Review for Test 2

3.7

(3.7.2, 3.7.3, 3.7.4)

3.8

(3.8.1, 3.8.2, 3.8.3, 3.8.4, 3.8.5)

Test 2 – Ch. 3

 

 

Week 7

 

Quadratic Functions and Models (4.1)

 

 

Polynomial Functions and Their Graphs (4.2)

 

4.1

(4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.1.5,4.1.6, 4.1.7, 4.1.8, 4.1.9)

Week 8

 

Dividing Polynomials (4.3)

Real Zeros of Polynomials (4.4)

4.2

 (4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3, 4.2.4)

Fundamental Theorem of Algebra (4.5)

4.3

(4.3.1, 4.3.2, 4.3.3, 4.3.4)

4.4

(4.4.1, 4.4.2, 4.4.3, 4.4.4, 4.4.5)

Week 9

 

Graphing Rational Functions (5.1)

4.5
(4.5.5, 4.5.6, 4.5.7)

Exponential Functions (6.1)

Exponential Equations Part 1 (6.1b)

5.1

(5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.3, 5.1.4)

Week 10

 

Logarithmic Functions (6.2)

Properties of Logarithms (6.3)

 

6.1

(6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.1.3, 6.1.4, 6.1.5, 6.1.7, 6.1.8)

6.1b

(6.4.1)

Review for Test 3

6.2

(6.2.1, 6.2.2, 6.2.3,6.2.4, 6.2.7, 6.2.8, 6.2.10)

6.3

(6.3.1, 6.3.2, 6.3.3, 6.3.4)

Week 11

 

Test 3 – Ch. 4, Ch. 5, 6.1-6.3

 

Exponential and Logarithmic Equations (6.4)

Exponential and Logarithmic Models (6.5)

 

Week 12

 

Solving Systems of Two Linear Equations (7.1)
Nonlinear systems (7.2)

 

6.4

(6.4.2, 6.4.3, 6.4.5, 6.4.7, 6.4.8)

6.5

 (6.5.2, 6.5.3)

Multivariable Linear Systems (7.4)

Matrices and Systems of Equations (8.1)

 

7.1

(7.1.1, 7.1.3, 7.1.4, 7.1.5, 7.1.6, 7.1.7)

7.2

(7.2.2, 7.2.3, 7.2.4, 7.2.5)

Week 13

 

Operations with Matrices (8.2)

Determinants and Cramer’s Rule (8.3)

7.4

(7.4.1, 7.4.2)

8.1
(8.1.1)

Thanksgiving

 

 

Week 14

 

Sequences and Series (9.1)

8.2

 (8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.3, 8.2.5)

8.3

(8.3.1, 8.3.2, 8.3.5, 8.3.6)

Review for Test 4

9.1

(9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.1.3, 9.1.4)

Week 15

 

Test 4 – 6.4-6.5, Ch. 7, Ch. 8, Ch. 9

 

 

Review for Final Exam

 

 

 

 

Final Exam – Thursday, December 14th, 12:30 – 2:30

 

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies.  It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval by the faculty member.  Approved college-sponsored activities are also excused absences.  The instructor is responsible for judging the validity of any reason given for an absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless the absence is documented and excused by the instructor.  Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.    Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Thursday, November 9, 2017.

 

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

 

TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON TUTOR AVAILABILITY:

GAINESVILLE – 1403 (Library)

CORINTH – 186

FLOWER MOUND - 111

Mon

10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Mon through Thurs

9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Mon & Wed

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Tues, Wed, Thurs

9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Fri 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Tues & Thurs

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Fri 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Sat 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Fri 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Sunday 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

 

 

 

DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)

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/student-services/disability-services.html.

 

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)________      

 

o        Communication

x        Mathematics              

o        Life and Physical Science

o        Language, Philosophy & Culture

o        Creative Arts

o        American History

 

o        Government/Political Science

o        Social and Behavioral Sciences

o        Component Area Option

 


REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core)

 

x         Critical Thinking

x          Communication

x          Empirical and Quantitative

 

o           Teamwork

o           Personal Responsibility

o           Social Responsibility

 

COURSE TYPE

o           Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)

x         Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

o         WECM Course

 

STUDENT HANDBOOK

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

 

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”. 

Consequences for academic dishonesty may include:

  • Zero on the assignment
  • Failing grade for the course

 

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?

Division Chair :

Dr. Elizabeth Howell

Office Location:

Corinth 236

Telephone Number:

940-498-6209

E-mail Address:

ehowell@nctc.edu

Instructional Dean:

Sara Flusche

Office Location:

Gainesville 1306

Telephone Number:

940.668.3351

E-mail Address:

sflusche@nctc.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAMPUS RESTRICTIONS

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

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