KLAMATH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Course Syllabus
[Summer, 2018]

 

Mission: Klamath Community College provides accessible, quality education and services in response to the diverse needs of the student, business, and community. The College supports student success in workforce training, academic transfer, foundational skills development, and community education.

Course Prefix/Number/ Section:	Mth 70
Course Title:	Introductory Algebra I
Credit Hours:	4
Meeting Times/Location:	Bldg 8, Rm 817 8:00-9:20 am  Monday through Thursday
Instructor Name:	Damon Langley
Instructor Phone/E-mail:	langleyd@kcsd.k12.or.us        541.591.4660
Office Location/ Hours:	N/A
Course Description:	Math operations and order of operations with rational numbers. Solving linear equations and inequalities. Evaluating or solving basic formulae for a specified variable. Plotting points on the Cartesian Coordinate system. Graphing linear equations and inequalities. Solving a system of linear equations by various methods. Polynomial operations. An introduction to factoring polynomials.
Prerequisites:	Placement Test or Math 20
Required Text(s) and Ancillary Materials:	Introductory and Intermediate Algebra for College Students, Fourth Edition. Blitzer. Other materials needed: Scientific calculator, graph paper notebook.

 

Course Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course the student should be able to--  demonstrate and apply their knowledge of terms and procedures by:

1. Use math operations and order of operations accurately with rational numbers.
2. Solve linear equations and inequalities using algebraic procedures.
3. Evaluate and solve a formula for any specified variable.
4. Plot points in the Cartesian coordinate system.
5. Solve and graph linear equations and inequalities with different methods. (table, intercept, slope-intercept.)
6. Write equations of lines for varying slope and/or points.
7. Solve systems of linear equations by graphing, substitution and addition.
8. Operate with polynomials by applying the multiplication and division rules for exponents.
9. Factor polynomials using the greatest common factor, by grouping and by trial and error.

 

Communication Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing)

Students will describe and convey mathematical procedures both orally and in writing.  Student will use correct mathematical terminology when presenting orally and when writing.

Apply Critical Thinking to Problem-Solving
(Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, and Quantitative Reasoning)

Students will develop critical thinking and problem solving skills by:

1. interpreting and using mathematical symbolism and terminology,
2. observing patterns,
3. applying previously studied procedures,
4. utilizing alternative approaches,
5. translating situations into the language of mathematics,
6. solving a situation using mathematical procedures,
7. determining if an answer is logical and reasonable.

                                                                         

Community and Global Awareness: Students will discuss ways in which math applies to their lives, the community, and the world.

 

MATH 70

Klamath Community College

4 credits

 

Summer term, 2018

MTWTh 8:00-9:20 am

KCC campus, Building 8, room 817

 

Instructor:      Damon Langley

                     541.591.4660 (text messages only)

                   langleyd@kcsd.k12.or.us    (PREFERRED!)(messages I’ll get in a timely fashion!)

 

Text:  Introductory and Intermediate Algebra for College Students, Fourth Ed., Blitzer.

 

Also Required:  A graph-paper composition book for use as your class notebook.  You will take notes, solve warmup problems, do in-class assignments, etc., in this notebook and it will be collected and graded periodically.

 

Recommended supplies:  Scientific calculator

 

Pre-requisites:  appropriate placement scores.

 

Course Description and Objectives:

Math 70 covers solutions of linear equations and inequalities in one and two variables, systems of linear equations, exponent rules, operations with polynomials and an introduction to factoring polynomials.

 

POLICIES AND GRADING:

Syllabus:  I will assume that you have read this syllabus thoroughly. Please ask for clarification of any statements or policies that are not clear to you.  The attached assignment guide is subject to change. You are responsible for keeping your assignment guide accurate as changes are announced in class.

 

          Attendance:  Your presence in class is necessary for success.  Attendance records must be kept due to financial aide requirements.  Report reasons for absences to the instructor.  (If you are unable to attend class, please notify me by phone or email prior to class time.  Treat it exactly as if it were a job.)  If you have compelling reasons to miss more than two class sessions, you should strongly consider withdrawing from the course. These reasons may include illness, family commitments, job conflicts or a variety of other things that can crop up.  In past terms my data shows that each absence is usually accompanied by an 8-12% drop in your homework and test scores.  College math classes move quickly and each class you miss negatively effects your understanding of the subject matter. 

          It is imperative that you not simply stop coming to class.  If you do not wish to continue in the course, you must withdraw through the student services office or your grade will be an “F” and this grade will appear on your transcript which represents a permanent record of your college work.  An important part of your final grade will come from work done in class each day.  Good attendance will help ensure a good grade.  Poor attendance can hurt your grade badly.

 

          Daily Work and Homework:  I will assign homework which I feel is necessary to your success in this class, and I will make every effort to keep these assignments to a sensible length.  Keeping current on homework is critical.  Do not save assignments up until the end of the week or allow them to “snowball” in any way.  Homework will always be discussed in class and you will have a chance to ask questions and receive help in working out some of the more difficult problems.  (Take advantage of this learning opportunity!)  Once each week, typically on Thursday night, a Homework Quiz will be given.  I will select 6-12 of the problems you have been assigned over the last week and ask you to submit your work to me on a Homework Quiz form.  Time limit to complete the quiz will be a strict 10 minutes.  If you have kept current on the homework assignments these quizzes will be a simple matter of transferring your work and your answers to the quiz form.  You may use your homework assignments and notebook when taking the Homework Quiz.  I will accept one late HW Quiz during the term.  Other than that, late work is not accepted.  Homework should be done on normal notebook paper, not in your math notebook. Show supporting steps and work for your answers on all Homework Quizzes.  HW Quizzes  with answers only will not receive any credit.

 

          Participation:  Class participation will make up 10% of your class grade.  You will earn 5 points per class session for good participation.  This means volunteering answers when appropriate, asking questions to clarify your learning, arriving on time, using appropriate classroom etiquette, working actively with a partner(s) when asked to do so, laughing at my jokes, etc. 

 

          Quizzes and Tests:   We will cover part or all of chapters 1-6.  Chapter tests will be given at the end of chapters 2,3,4 and 5.  Tests will generally be taken in the testing center, in order to preserve classroom time for instruction. Tests will cover both the material learned in class and the material from the text.  A comprehensive final exam covering all the material will be given during finals week.  There may also be short quizzes spaced between the chapter tests.

 

          Calculator Use:  The purpose of this course is to learn to operate algebraically with numbers, symbols, expressions and equations.  You will be expected to know how to perform all operations both with and without the use of your calculator.  Generally speaking, a calculator should only be used to check for accuracy or to perform computations that would be extremely time-consuming if done by hand.  In Math 70 you will learn some concepts that can only be done with a calculator and others where a calculator cannot or should not be used.  Exams may have both non-calculator and calculator-allowed sections, depending on the subject matter.  Having a calculator with you in class each day will be essential for many of the problem solving situations you will encounter.

 

          Notebook:  You are required to have a graph-paper composition notebook for this class.  You will take notes in it, solve warmup problems, and do all your in-class problem solving in it.  You will not do homework assignments in it. Notebooks will be collected and graded on the day of the final exam.  Your notebook score will be weighted as part of the 20% grade that includes daily work.  To ensure maximum scores on your notebook, always begin each entry with the date and a title.  Separate one entry from the next by drawing a line between them.  When I grade notebooks, I am looking for evidence that you are using your notes outside of class.  Judicious use of hi-liter and some sort of quick-reference tab system are two good ways to demonstrate this.

 

          Grading:  Grades will be weighted 20% Daily Work (homework, notebook, warm-ups, problem solving), 10% Class Participation and 70% Tests and Quizzes.  Then your final grade will be determined on the following scale:  90-100% = A,  80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, 0-59% = F.

 

          Make-up Work and Late Work:  You are responsible for all make-up work and initiating arrangements for make-up work.  Handouts may be used  so be sure to ask for copies upon your return or arrange ahead of time for a partner to get extra copies for you.  If you need extra time in meeting due dates, please talk with me as soon as possible.  I will accept one late homework quiz or notebook collection per term.  This late homework will be graded for full credit, but other than that, late work is not accepted for any credit.  Chapter tests, quizzes and Final Exams cannot be made up or taken late unless you have made arrangements with me PRIOR to the date of the test.  No exceptions will be made. 

 

Some other policies that you need to know about:

 

• Each of you deserves a learning environment that is conducive to learning and good teaching.
  • Talking and visiting during instruction will not be tolerated and may result in loss of participation points for that class session.
  • Use good timing. Know the difference when it is ok to talk or visit and when not to.
  • Class will start promptly, on time each day. Please be on time. Arriving late may cause forfeit of participation points for that class session. If you are running a little late (up to 10 minutes), enter quietly. If you are more than 10 minutes late, college etiquette dictates that you not disrupt a class in progress by entering. See you next class session.
  • Cell phones, Blackberries, IPods, etc. will be turned off or silenced and will not be used during class time. Texting during class will result in loss or reduction of participation points.
• You are responsible for your learning when you study at the college level.
  • Don’t let problems snowball.
  • Seek help from a tutor at the LRC right away if you start to struggle.
  • Form study groups or partnerships right away.
  • Be prepared to wrestle and struggle with the material. Only you can conquer it for yourself and create real understanding.

 

  MATH 70 ASSIGNMENT GUIDE, Summer Term, 2018

This guide is subject to change.  Announcements regarding changes will be made in class.  You are responsible for updating your assignment guide to reflect announced changes.

 

WEEK 1

6/25                 Intro to syllabus,  In-class problem solving

6/26                 Read 2.2. Do P.130 (3-72 every 3^rd.)

6/27                 Read 2.3. Do P.141 (3-90 every 3^rd.)

6/28                 Read 2.4. Do P.152 (3-60 every 3^rd). HW Quiz

 

WEEK 2

7/2                   Read 2.5.  Do P.165 (3-60 every 3^rd)

7/3                   Read 2.6.  Do P.177 (3-60 every 3^rd)

7/4                   NO SCHOOL

7/5                   Read 2.7. Do P.195 (3-69 every 3^rd.).  HW Quiz.  Take Ch. 2 Test at testing center by 7/6.

 

WEEK 3

7/9                   Read 3.1. Do P.220 (3-84 every 3^rd.)

7/10                 Read 3.2.  Do P.231 (3-60 every 3rd)

7/11                 Read 3.3. Do P.241 (3-45 every 3^rd.)

7/12                 Read 3.4. Do P.251 (3-63 every 3^rd.).  HW Quiz.

 

 

 

WEEK 4

7/16                 Review Ch. 3.  Take Ch. 3 Test at testing center by 7/13.

7/17                 Read 4.1. Do P.285 (3-42 every 3^rd.)

7/18                 Read 4.2. Do P.294 (3-36 every 3^rd.)

7/19                 Read 4.3. Do P.304 (3-60 every 3^rd.).  HW Quiz.

 

WEEK 5

7/23                 Read 4.4. Do P.319 (1-20)

7/24                 Read 4.4.  Do P.321 (21-48 every 3^rd)

7/25                 Review Ch. 4.  Take Ch. 4 test at testing center by 7/25.

7/26                 Read 5.1. Do P.350 (3-72 every 3^rd.).  HW Quiz.

 

WEEK 6

7/30                 Read 5.2. Do P.360 (3-78 every 3^rd.)

7/31                 Read 5.3. Do P.369 (3-69 every 3^rd.)

8/1                   Read 5.4. Do P.377 (3-66 every 3^rd., 78, 80)

8/2                   Read 5.5. Do P.387 (3-69 every 3^rd.).  HW Quiz.

 

WEEK 7

8/6                   Read 5.7. Do P.414 (3-126 every 3^rd.)

8/7                   Review Ch.5.  Take Ch. 5 test at testing center by 8/4.

8/8                   Read 6.1. Do P.433 (3-90 every 3^rd.)

8/9                   Read 6.2. Do P.442 (3-72 every 3^rd.).  HW Quiz.

 

 

 

 

WEEK 8

8/13                 Read 6.3. Do P.449 (1-15)

8/14                 Read 6.3. Do P.449 (18-72 every 3^rd.).  HW Quiz

8/15                 Final Exam Review

8/16                 Final Exam Review

 

FINALS WEEK

8/20                 Final Exam date and time TBA. 

8/21                

8/22

8/23

 

Here’s a big hint for using this assignment guide to your best advantage:  Take for example the date 6/28.  It says “Read 2.4.”  This means that I will be teaching that section on 6/28 and you should have read through that section BEFORE coming to class on that day.  If you have read through the examples and definitions in that section, and even taken a few notes for yourself in your notebook PRIOR to hearing my lesson, you will find that the material makes more sense and you will be able to learn the concepts more quickly and remember them more efficiently.  Reading the section BEFORE the lesson sets up a framework in your mind that will help you make sense of the lesson. Then when it says “Do P.152 (3-60 every 3rd)” , this is the homework assignment you will be able to do after hearing the lesson on 6/28.