NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Course title:  College Algebra

Course prefix, number, and section number:  MATH 1314 0460

Semester/Year of course:  Spring 2024

Semester start and end dates: 1/16/2024 – 5/11/2024 (16-week session)

Modality:  Face to face

Class meeting location, days, and times: Mon & Wed 8:00 – 10:20 am, Corinth Room 264

Support course: NCBM 0214 0460

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

Required course materials: 

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 or in the course Modules. Instructions are located in CANVAS to help students redeem their already purchased access code.

*See Inclusive Access near the bottom of this document

Scientific calculator, TI-30X IIS is recommended

Graphing calculators and phone calculators are not allowed on exams.

Optional course materials: 

Paper Text Book: College Algebra, Lial/Hornsby/Schneider/Daniels, 13^th edition, Pearson, 2021

(an ebook is provided with access to MyMathLab).

Name of instructor: Mrs. Gossett

Office location: Cor 203

Telephone number: 940.498.6282 Ex 6233

E-mail address: mgossett@nctc.edu

Office hours for students: In Person COR Room 203 on Monday and Wednesday: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm, and 3:00 – 3:30 pm. 

Online/Virtual using Canvas Webex – By Appointment Only; Mon – Thursday nights.

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.

All office hours (as listed above) are on the Corinth Campus, or virtually by agreed upon appointment day and time (varies per student). Students are welcome to come by my office during those times listed above. Students are encouraged to send an email to verify the time, date and location, or to remind me that they are coming to my office. A brief explanation about the topic that the student is needing help with will help the instructor prepare for the meeting. Please bring notes and work with you for the instructor to help with and correct errors.

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: 

# of Graded Elements                            Title of Graded Element                                       Percentage

Minimum of 4                                                        Tutoring Hours                              5%

Approximately 30                                                  Homework                                                15%

              3                                                                  Tests                                                           60%

              1                                                                  Final Exam                                             20%

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

Homework:  All homework assignments are to be completed on the computer using MyMathLab (MML). Homework is an important component in student success for this course. Homework reinforces the topics from each section. Homework assignments in MML will have unlimited number of attempts and the highest score will be recorded.

Tutoring: Mandatory tutoring is part of the overall grade. Tutoring is an activity outside the normal class time. All students are required to have a minimum of 4 tutoring hours (one per exam and the final exam). The tutoring hours cannot be ‘carried over’ between the tests/final.

• If a student’s grade falls below 70% after an exam, then the student will be required to attend WEEKLY tutoring (1 hour per week).
• Students must stay for 60 minutes. There is no ‘rounding’ or half-credit for a tutoring session.
• Tutoring includes any combination of the following options–
  • Meet with the designated tutor for our class during specific hours.
  • Tutoring in the Math Lab on any NCTC Campus.
  • UPSwing On-Line Tutoring. Students must email a screen shot of the meeting along with the date/tutor name/topics covered/amount of time met in order to get credit.
  • Meet with your instructor during Office Hours.

***Note: As I would like to encourage students to get private tutoring if needed, private tutoring does not count toward tutoring hours for a grade.

Late work policy: Homework may be worked past the original due date with a 30% penalty up until the night before the test for that section. There is no need to ask the instructor to modify due dates because of this policy.

Tests: Three tests will be given according to the tentative calendar (See calendar located in CANVAS).  These are paper and pencil exams in the classroom. There is only one attempt on a test and it is timed.

There are NO Makeup exams.

Final Exam: The final exam is a departmental comprehensive algebra exam and must be taken by all students. The final exam may also be used to replace the lowest unit test grade only by students who meet the following qualifications:

• all MML Homework and Quiz assignments must be complete (with a score of at least 60%) and
• no more than four absences throughout the duration of the semester.

After the final exam there is NO more work a student can do to improve their grade.

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

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)

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:

X           Critical Thinking

X           Communication

X           Empirical and Quantitative

Teamwork

Personal Responsibility

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