NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Course title:  Contemporary Mathematics

Course prefix, number, and section number:  MATH 1332 0100

Semester/Year of course:  Spring 2024

Semester start and end dates: 1/16/2024 – 5/11/2024

Modality:  Face to face

Class meeting location, days, and times: 12:30 – 1:50 Tuesday & Thursday Room 809

Support course (if needed):  NCBM 0132 0100 attendance required.

Semester credit hours:  3 (Lecture hours: 48)

Course description:  Intended for Non-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors. Topics include introductory treatments of sets and logic, financial mathematics, probability and statistics with appropriate applications. Number sense, proportional reasoning, estimation, technology, and communication should be embedded throughout the course. Additional topics may be covered.

Course prerequisites:  Meet TSI college-readiness standard for Contemporary Mathematics; 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 1332 (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. (see * Inclusive Access below for more information)

Recommended:

Scientific calculator, TI-30X IIS or TI-36XPro is recommended

Graphing calculators and phone calculators will not be allowed on exams. Three ring notebook with folder dividers, graphing paper, number 2 pencils, ruler, and highlighter.

Optional course materials:  Thinking Mathematically, Robert F. Blitzer, 8^th edition, Pearson, 2023

Class Rules:

No electric devices while class is in session.  The use of laptops and cell phones by permission or OSD accommodation.

No profanity

Be kind to your follow classmates.

Read all assigned reading before class, you may wish to print the lecture sheet before class.

Name of instructor: Kathryn Fritz

Office location: Gainesville room 821

Telephone number:

E-mail address: Use Canvas email, if you use kfritz@nctc.edu include your name and class.

Student office hours and professional development

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.

The student hours listed above are in person in the rooms listed.  If you wish to set up an appointment, please use Canvas to email me. Friday is faculty meetings only. 

I will not reply to student emails from Friday noon until Monday morning at 8 am.

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: 

Three-chapter tests 60%

Homework 15%

Quizzes and Attendance 5%

Final mandatory 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 exam and must be taken by all students. The final exam will be used to replace the lowest failed chapter test grade.

Late work policy:

Homework and Quizzes:

Each semester life seems to get into the way of students being able to complete their MyMathLab assignments each week by Sunday night by 11pm (MML cannot tell time and shuts of an hour early). 

There are two due dates in MML:

Soft due dates- each week’s assignments will close at 11 pm on Sunday night.

Set-in-stone due dates- all assignments per chapter test will shut the last day of the test. This means that assignments due on Sunday night may be worked late without penalty until the last day of the test.  Students need to complete all assignments for each chapter test at least by the day before the schedule test. 

Chapter Tests: Special permission must be obtained from the professor before any late test will be given.  All late testing will by in the NCTC Testing Center on the Gainesville campus.  Students are required to schedule their test at least on day prior to testing.  There will be a 10-point deduction for testing late. Students will lose the opportunity to test late after the graded test is passed back to the class.

See Canvas modules 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 the 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. Apply the language and notation of sets.
2. Determine the validity of an argument or statement and provide mathematical evidence.
3. Solve problems in mathematics of finance.
4. Demonstrate fundamental probability/counting techniques and apply those techniques to solve problems.
5. Interpret and analyze various representations of data.
6. Demonstrate the ability to choose and analyze mathematical models to solve problems from real-world settings, including, but not limited to, personal finance, health literacy, and civic engagement.

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