NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Course Title: College Algebra

Course Prefix, Number, and Section Number: MATH 1314 0340

Semester/Year of Course: Spring 2024

Semester Start and End Dates: 1/16/2024 – 5/11/2024 (16-week session)

Modality: Asynchronous online

Class Meeting Location, Days, and Times: Everywhere, Everyday, All Day

Support Course (if needed): None

Semester Credit Hours:  3 (Lecture hours: 48)

Course Description:  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 Prerequisites:  Meet TSI college-readiness standard for College Algebra or equivalent

Course Materials: 

1. REQUIRED: Registration in the course automatically adds a textbook fee to your NCTC tuition and fees which gives you access to the online learning platform and e-book needed for MATH 1314 (MyLab Math). You do NOT need to purchase a separate access code. Instructions on how to get your access code can be found in a document on the Course Homepage. (see *Inclusive Access below for more information)
2. REQUIRED: Scientific calculator, TI-30X IIS is recommended. (NOTE: Graphing calculators and any devices with internet capabilities will not be allowed on exams.) REQUIRED
3. OPTIONAL: College Algebra, Lial/Hornsby/Schneider/Daniels, 13^th edition, Pearson, 2021

Name of instructor: Jason Rutledge

Office location: Flower Mound Room: 107 (Corinth Room: 206)

Telephone number: NA

E-mail address: jrutledge@nctc.edu (or send messages via Canvas)

STUDENT HOURS (OFFICE HOURS)

Each week instructors have time set aside to meet with students outside of class. (Traditionally these times have been called “office hours”.) This is a time when a student may ask questions regarding the class, or discuss a particular problem/topic with an instructor one-on-one.  Student hours may be held in-person or online.  See below for instructions on where/when/how instructors will offer student hours in this class.

Email is the best way to contact the instructor. From there you can request a face-to-face meeting, online via WebEx or set up a time for a phone conversation. (WebEx is a real time video conference application adopted by NCTC.) Any issues related to content, grading, technical issues or any other aspect of the class can be dealt with through email if meets the need of both the student and instructor.

MATH TUTORING LAB

Students who need help with any math class can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance.  There are math tutors available on every campus and online.  This service is free for all students enrolled in an NCTC math class. Sign up for an appointment or see the most current tutoring hours for all campuses at https://www.nctc.edu/math-lab.  

SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER

The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.

SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

List of graded assignments: 

MML (MyMathLab) Quizzes                 31 Quizzes                     the average of the quizzes is 20% of the final grade

Tests                                                           3 Tests                            the average of the tests is 60% of the final grade

Final Exam                                                 1 Final Exam                  the final exam is 20% of the final grade

MML Quizzes: (20% of overall grade)

All quizzes are completed online and outside of the regular class time. You will be allowed up to 5 attempts for each quiz and each attempt must completed within one sitting, i.e. you cannot start the quiz, leave it and continue to work on it later. Canvas records your highest of those 5 attempts and the 5 lowest quiz scores will be dropped from the calculations of your final overall average. All of the due dates and times for the quizzes are given in Canvas and MyMathLab. 

Tests and Final Exam: (80% of overall grade)

All tests and the Final Exam will be completed in class and NOT online. You will be required to come to an NCTC Campus for each test. There will be 3 tests and a comprehensive Final Exam. Each of these 4 assessments account for 20% of your final overall average. (4 x 20% = 80%) Make-up tests will be administered according to the guidelines spelled out in the “Information about Assignments (College Algebra) – Online” document posted in Canvas. The Final Exam will be required for all students enrolled in the class. Each test will be administered from 6 to 8pm at the Flower Mound Campus on the following dates:

Test #1 (Chapter 1 and Sections 2.2 and 2.3)        Tuesday, February 13^th

Test #2 (Sections 2.4 to 2.8 and Chapter 3)          Tuesday, March 26^th

Test #3 (Chapters 4 and 5)                                        Tuesday, April 30^th  

Final Exam (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)                      Tuesday, May 7^th

MML Homework: (0% of overall grade)

The MML Homework is NOT a graded component of this course. Its purpose is to supplement the course lectures and other provided materials used to be successful in this class. Your goal should be to work as much of the homework as you need to master the material. If this means earning 100’s on every homework assignment…so be it. If this means never opening any homework assignment whatsoever…so be it. Or if there is some middle ground that is best for you, do that.

The only way to access the homework is to:

1. Log into our Canvas course.
2. Click on the “MyLab and Mastering” tab on the left side of the screen.
3. Click on the big yellow button to open a new window to the Pearson website. (Make sure your pop-up blockers are turned off.)
4. In the new tab/window, click on the “Assignments” tab and scroll down. There you will find all of the

homework assignments for this course.

Late work policy: No late work is accepted.

SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.

Final grade scale:  90 – 100% = A;   80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C;  60 – 69% = D;  Below 60% = F

COURSE POLICIES

Academic Integrity Policy:

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation, and collusion.  The use of online math solvers with submitted work is considered academic dishonesty.  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 Code of Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.  

Consequences for academic dishonesty may include:

1. Zero on the assignment
2. Failing grade for the course

Attendance Policy:

Regular attendance is expected and necessary for student success in this course. For more information on attendance regulations please see the 2022-2023 NCTC Catalog.  (https://www.nctc.edu/catalog; Click on 2022-2023 CATALOG and go to page 138 to see Attendance Regulations)

Attendance will be taken each Saturday. By that time you should have worked on the MML homework/quizzes. To receive credit for being marked as “present” each week it is the student’s responsibility to start either the MML homework or quizzes before noon on that week’s Saturday. Nothing needs to have been completed at that time, just some evidence that sufficient work has been attempted. (Contact the instructor for a better definition of “sufficient work”, if needed.) If you have any questions or concerns about this attendance policy, do not hesitate to contact the instructor.

Withdrawal Policy

A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.

Last day to withdraw from a 16-week course with a “W” is: Monday, April 1, 2024

Student Learning Outcomes:  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.

Core Objectives:

ü          Critical Thinking                                                     û           Teamwork

ü          Communication                                                     û           Personal Responsibility

ü          Empirical and Quantitative                                 û           Social Responsibility

COLLEGE POLICIES

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.

To access Student Handbook go to NCTC homepage (www.nctc.edu), scroll to bottom and click “Student Handbook”.

ADA STATEMENT

NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations.  See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.

STUDENT SERVICES

NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students.  See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.

*Inclusive Access

The NCTC Bookstore and Pearson Education have partnered to provide the best learning resources on the first day of class so that students can gain access to Pearson’s adaptive online platform with the latest version of the eBook at a discount. If students would like to purchase a physical copy of the textbook, they can purchase it through the bookstore.

Students who drop before the add/drop date will have their book fees credited back to their student account, and students who remain in the course will be charged a materials fee by the school to have continued access of the online platforms.  If you remain enrolled in the course but wish to opt-out of access to the book please email the NCTC Bookstore within the first two weeks of class with your name and student number.

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS