NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Course title: Mathematics for Business & Social Sciences
Course prefix, number, and section number: MATH 1324.0391
Semester/Year of course: Summer 2025
Semester start and end dates: 6/9/2025 – 7/10/2025 (1st 5-week session Summer I)
Modality (Asynchronous online/Hybrid):
Class meeting location, days, and times: Every Monday from 9:00 to 11:00 am
Semester credit hours: 3 (Lecture hours: 48)
Course Description: The application of common algebraic functions, including polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, and rational, to problems in business, economics, and the social sciences are addressed. The applications include mathematics of finance, including simple and compound interest and annuities; systems of linear equations; matrices; linear programming; and probability, including expected value.
Course prerequisites: Meet TSI college-readiness standard for College Algebra or equivalent
Required course materials:
MyLab Math access code (e-text included in MyLab Math access)
Scientific calculator, TI-30X IIS is recommended
Graphing calculators and phone calculators will not be allowed on exams.
Optional course materials: Mathematics with Applications in the Management, Natural, and Social Sciences, Lial/Hungerford/Holcomb/Mullins, 13th edition, Pearson, 2024
Name of instructor: Marla Owens
Office location: COR 206 (not in the office this Summer)
Telephone number: NA
Email address: mowens@nctc.edu
When emailing, please use your Canvas email, give your name (first and last)
STUDENT HOURS (OFFICE HOURS)
Each week instructors have time set aside to meet with students outside of class. (Traditionally these times are 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.
Online student hours: All office hours will be held online this semester. Students can set up an appointment by emailing the instructor. Your emails are important to me and I look forward to communicating with you. In general, an email sent during the week will receive a response within 24 hours. Emails sent over the weekend will receive a response within 48 hours.
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 most campuses 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
**Homework Assignments are Online in MyMathLab**
** All Tests and Final Exam will be in person. **
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.
Check your understanding (CYU): CYU will only be given on Mondays during lecture time. While lecturing, I will give you CYU problems. You will need to write them (completely worked out) on a separate sheet of paper. Then scan and post them in Canvas, 15 minutes after class that Monday. You will not be allowed to turn them in late nor make them up. This is also how I will take attendance.
Tests: One test will be given according to the tentative calendar. Test will be taken in a PROCTORED environment. The tests will be given by the testing center. There will be one attempt, and a time limit. There are no make-up tests.
This schedule is tentative and will most likely change as the semester progresses. It is provided so that you have a general idea of the order and speed with which we will be covering the material.
- Test 1 Thursday, June 19
- Final Exam Thursday, July 10
Late work policy: Homework may be worked past the original due date with a 20%
penalty up until the test for that section. There is no need to ask the instructor to modify due
dates because of this policy.
Final Exam:
The final exam will be comprehensive and is required of all students. The final exam will be completed before or on Thursday, July 10. No exceptions. The final exam is comprehensive and must be taken by all students. No work will be excepted after the final exam.
SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.
List of graded assignments:
# of Graded Elements Title of Graded Element Percentage
5 Attendance 20%
Approximately 35 Homework 15%
1 Car project 15%
5 Check your understanding 15%
(CYU)
1 Test 15%
1 Final Exam 20%
Final grade scale: 90 – 100% = A; 80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C; 60 – 69% = D; Below 60% = F
*The final exam is a departmental comprehensive algebra exam and must be taken by all students.
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:
- Zero on the assignment
- 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 2024-2025 NCTC Catalog. (https://www.nctc.edu/catalog)
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 Summer I course with a “W” is: Monday, June 30, 2025
Student Learning Outcomes: At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Apply elementary functions, including linear, quadratic, polynomial, rational, logarithmic, and exponential functions to solving real-world problems.
- Solve mathematics of finance problems, including the computation of interest, annuities, and amortization of loans.
- Apply basic matrix operations, including linear programming methods, to solve application problems.
- Demonstrate fundamental probability techniques and application of those techniques, including expected value, to solve problems.
- Apply matrix skills and probability analyses to model applications to solve real-world problems.
Core Objectives:
X Critical Thinking
X Communication
X Empirical and Quantitative
Teamwork
Personal Responsibility
Social Responsibility
COLLEGE POLICIES
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.
AI STATEMENT
Absent a clear statement from a course instructor, use of or consultation with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other similar technologies shall be treated analogously to assistance from another person, agency, or entity. In particular, using generative AI tools to substantially complete an assignment or exam is not permitted. Students should acknowledge the use of generative AI (other than incidental use) and default to disclosing such assistance when in doubt.
When students use generative AI to replace the rigorous demands of personal engagement with their coursework, it runs counter to the educational mission of the college and undermines the heart of education itself. Artificial Intelligence, large language models, and other such technologies hold promise for deploying knowledge in service to others and accelerating the discovery of new knowledge. However, such technology poses new challenges to pedagogy and to integrity. Within the context of the teaching mission of the college and consistent with the Student Code of Conduct, the authority to define the appropriate use, study, and deployment of these technologies rests with the faculty.
Individual course instructors, in coordination with their divisions, set policies regulating the use of generative AI tools in their courses, including allowing or disallowing some or all uses of such tools. Course instructors will set such policies in their course syllabi and clearly communicate such policies to students. Students who are unsure of policies regarding generative AI tools are encouraged to ask their instructors for clarification.
AI MATH DIVISION STATEMENT
Many online calculators, equation solvers, and graphing tools exist that may aid students in computing and visualizing math problems. These tools are a great resource for helping better understand how to work problems and can be a huge help in studying. However, these tools can be misused/overused. Math classes require students to develop a certain level of skill that a student must be able to demonstrate without the aid of these tools. Often a student may become reliant on these tools or have false sense of confidence in their knowledge and skills. Generally, if a student is using tools or resources to help learn material, eventually they must take away those resources to ensure they are able to work problems with only the tools allowed in the class. In short, we encourage students to use whatever tools they find useful in developing their knowledge and skills. But, these tools must be used thoughtfully so that true understanding and proficiency are developed.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
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.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
The student should contact the instructor to deal with any questions, concerns, or complaints specific to the class. If the student and faculty are not able to resolve the issue, the student may contact the chair or coordinator of the division. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may proceed to contact the instructional dean.
Name of instructor: Marla Owens
Office location: COR 206 (not in the office this Summer)
Telephone number: NA
Email address: mowens@nctc.edu
Name of Chair/Coordinator: Ben Owens
Office location: Corinth 174
Telephone number: 940.498.6209
E-mail address: bowens@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean: Mary Martinson
Office location: Gainesville 1403
Telephone number: 940.668.7731 ext. 4377
E-mail address: mmartinson@nctc.edu