NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Course Title: Pre-Calculus Math
Course Prefix, Number and Section Number: MATH 2412 0311
Semester/Year of Course: Fall 2024
Semester Start and End Dates: 8/26/2024 – 12/14/2024
Modality: Asynchronous Online
Class Meeting Location: Everywhere
Class Days and Times: All Day, Every Day
Semester Credit Hours: 4 (Lecture hours: 80)
Course Description: In-depth combined study of algebra, trigonometry, and other topics for calculus readiness.
Course Prerequisites: MATH 1314 College Algebra with a grade of “C” or better, or the equivalent preparation
Course Materials:
- OPTIONAL Textbook: Precalculus, Jay Abramson, Arizona State University, 2nd edition, Openstax
- REQUIRED Scientific calculator, TI-30X IIS is recommended (NOTE: Graphing calculators and any device with internet capabilities will not be allowed on exams.)
Name of instructor: Jason Rutledge
Office location: Flower Mound Room: 107
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 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.
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 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
List of graded assignments:
Tests (Including Final Exam) 6 Tests (Lowest grade dropped) 100% (Each test is 20%)
Final grade scale: 90 – 100% = A; 80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C; 60 – 69% = D; Below 60% = F
Tests and Final Exam:
There will be 5 tests and a comprehensive Final Exam. All tests (including the Final Exam) will be completed at an NCTC campus and NOT online. You will be required to come to an NCTC Campus for each test. Make-up tests will be administered according to the guidelines spelled out in the “Information about Assignments (Math 2412 – Online)” document posted in Canvas. Of the 6 tests, only the top 5 will be used to calculate your final grade. So each test is worth 20% of your overall average in the course. (This does mean you could be exempt from the Final Exam.) Each test will be officially administered from 6pm to 8pm at Flower Mound Campus (1200 Parker Square, Flower Mound, TX 75028) on the following dates:
Test #1 (Chapters 1 and 3) Wednesday, September 11th
Test #2 (Chapter 4) Wednesday, October 2nd
Test #3 (Chapter 10) Wednesday, October 16th
Test #4 (Chapters 5 and 6) Wednesday, November 6th
Test #5 (Chapters 7 and 8) Wednesday, December 4th
Final Exam (Chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10) Wednesday, December 11th
Homework:
Homework is NOT calculated as a part of your course grade. All homework comes straight from the book and there are selected problems assigned with the “Homework for Precalculus” document. As you finish these problems, bring/send your solutions to the instructor for feedback. There are a LOT of problems selected and you are not expected work every problem, unless you need to. You work enough problems to master the material...that is it.
Quizzes:
Quizzes are NOT calculated as a part of your course grade. Review the document “Information about Assignments (Math 2412 - Online)” for more details.
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.
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)
We will assume a week refers from Monday to the following Sunday. As such to be “Present” for each week you must send me an email, either through Canvas or your NCTC student email, BEFORE 11:59pm on that Saturday. This email must contain one significant question from the material of that week. Otherwise you will be counted as “Absent” for that week. I will respond to every email as quickly as I can, but if you do not get a response from me then you will be counted as “Absent”. (Basically, because I never got an email from you.) If your email ARRIVES after 11:59pm on the Saturday for that week, for any reason, you will be counted as “Absent”. I am looking for questions with substance, so it is best to get those to me early each week in case you need to dive a little a deeper to get that attendance credit. If you have questions about constitutes “substantive”, let the instructor know and they can clarify that for you. Of course, if you have any other questions or concerns about any of this, let me know.
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, November 4, 2024
Student Learning Outcomes: At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate and apply knowledge of properties of functions.
- Recognize and apply algebraic and transcendental functions and solve related equations.
- Apply graphing techniques to algebraic and transcendental functions.
- Compute the values of trigonometric functions for key angles in all quadrants of the unit circle measured in both degrees and radians.
- Prove trigonometric identities.
- Solve right and oblique triangles.
Core Objectives:
ü Critical Thinking û Teamwork
ü Communication û Personal Responsibility
ü Empirical and Quantitative û 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 (from NCTC)
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 STATEMENT (from the Math Division)
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.
AI STATEMENT (from the Instructor)
While there are many great resources available to you, keep in mind that for this class ChatGPT, Desmos, Wolfram-Alpha, Chegg, Symbolab, and similar programs should only be used to help you understand the material we are covering in the class. Any student suspected of submitting work that is not their own (whether it is copied from another student or from technology) will be required to meet with me. If a student is found to have presented work that is not their own, they will be subject to the academic integrity policy. If you would not be able to explain to me how to work a similar problem, you should not submit the solution as your own.
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 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