MATH 1110
COLLEGE ALGEBRA


Course Captain: Roxanne Byrne
Roxanne.Byrne@cudenver.edu

Text Book: Sullivan/Sullivan, Algebra & Trigonometry Enhanced with Graphing Utilities, 2nd edition, Prentice Hall and MATHPAK that goes with the text; ISBN: 0-13-091937-3

You also need a graphing calculator that has regression utilities like the TI-83.

MATH 1110-3: College Algebra. Topics in algebra designed for students who intend to take the calculus sequence. Functions, domains, ranges, graphs, data scatter plots and curve fitting, solving equations and systems of equations, polynomial functions, rational functions, and selected other topics. Graphic calculators and/or computer algebra systems are used extensively. Applications are emphasized. Student must have a graphics calculator capable of fitting a curve to a linear, power, exponential, logarithmic and logistic function. (The TI-83 satisfies these requirements.) Prereq: intermediate algebra and placement test. No joint credit with MATH 1070 or 1130.
SYLLABUS
DATES CHAPTERS HOMEWORK DATES QUIZ DATES
1/22-2/14 1 and 2 2/19 2/16-2/22
2/18-2/28 3 3/8 2/28-3/5
3/4-3/7 Midterm n/a Your class day on 3/6 or 3/7
3/11-3/28 4 4/2 3/30-4/5
4/1-4/11 5 4/16 4/13-4/19
4/15 - 5/2 6 5/7 5/2-5/10
5/5-5/11 7 UNIFORM FINAL EXAM 5/11 from 9-noon on the Auraria Campus

MATH 1110 POLICIES AND REQUIREMENTS

HOMEWORK GRAPHING UTILITY EXAMS
MIDTERM AND FINAL WEB SITES OFFICE HOURS
OTHER HELP CHEATING GRADES
PLACEMENT TEST

PLACEMENT TEST:

All students are required to take a placement test. To do this, go to the MERC (Math Education Resource Center in Sci 130), and tell the TA on duty that you are in Math 1110 and need to take the algebra placement test. It will take between 1/2 hour to 1 hour of your time. For this semester, you will NOT be disenrolled from the course if you get a low score. However, if your score is low, you should seriously consider reviewing Intermediate Algebra before you continue.

HOMEWORK:

The text book comes with a CD that has exercises and tutorials and explorations. You are to do a minimum of 3 exercises for each objective in each section of each chapter that we cover. If you cannot do the problems, you can have the program guide you through a solution or have it work a similar problem for you. There are also problems in the text associated with each example. Work these problems. Then work at least three of the application problems in each section. You do not have to hand these in.

At the beginning of the chapter, go to the MERC and login to the testing program (ask the TA on duty for help the first time you do this.) Choose the homework for that chapter and print it. Work on it as you go through the chapter and the CD. When you have a few of the answers, stop by the MERC and record the answers you have. Continue to do this until you have done all the problems. You may change an answer you have already entered if you desire. Submit you homework once you have finished. If you understand how to do all the homework problems, the lab exams will be no trouble for you. The homework is worth 30% of your grade

GRAPHING UTILITY:

You need a graphics calculator like the TI83 for this class. Any good graphing calculator will do. Just make sure it has the linear, quadratic, power, exponential, logarithmic and logistic regression equation on it.

EXAMS:

Since College algebra is so important to courses that have it as a prerequisite, the department of mathematics is making every effort that students that pass the course do so with at least a minimum level of basic skills. Therefore, all chapter tests will have two components. The first component will be taken in the MERC (Math Education Resource Center in Sci 130) on the computer and has a time limit of 50 minutes. This exam will be worth the first 80 percentage points of the chapter exam. It is over material that a high C student should know. No books, cheat sheets, calculators, etc., will be allowed on this portion. However, there is a simple calculator in the exam to do arithmetic. Your grade on this portion will be the percentage you receive with a maximum of 80%. This means you do not have to get every problem correct to get full credit. However, you do need to get at least 80% of them correct.

The second portion will be a take home exam on which you will be allowed to use technology. This exam will be the last 20 percentage points of the chapter exam. You may not give or receive help on either portion of the exams. If you do, you will receive an F for the course.

The first part of the first exam is over material you should have covered and should have REMEMBERED for intermediate algebra, which is a prerequisite for this course. If you do porly on this exam, you are strongly encouraged to drop the course and review you intermediate algebra. . There will be no make-ups for exams so don’t wait till the last minute!

Click here for Directions for taking the exam

The exams are worth a total of 30% of your final grade.

MIDTERM AND FINAL:

There will also be a midterm and a uniform final exam. They are both in class exams and you will be allowed to use your calculator as well as a half sheet of 8.5x11 sheet of paper of notes. The uniform final is given to every student registered in MATH 1110 and is given on Saturday 8 December from 9 to noon. Only very extraordinary events will excuse you from this Saturday exam. Going on vacation, having to work (you have plenty of time to arrange a day off), going to a friends wedding, etc., do not count as ertraordinary circumstances. Religious restrictions are considered valid excuses. Registering for the course means you agree to come that day.

The midterm and final are each worth 20% of your final grade.

OFFICE HOURS:

You may go to the office hours of any of the instructors that teach MATH 1110. The times are listed below:

  • Bruce MacMillan - bmacmill@carbon.cudenver.edu
          **
  • Roxanne Byrne - rbyrne@math.cudenver.edu
          Wednesday - by appointment
  • Carey Jenkins - cjenkins@math.cudenver.edu
          **
  • Dennis Shepherd - dennisshepherd@attbi.com
          **


OTHER HELP:

A source of examples that is often overlooked is the library. There are usually many algebra texts on the shelves. Find them and read the examples from the appropriate sections. Five different books will probably yield five or more different worked examples over each topic. The Auraria Library has copies of the video series that goes with this course.

The Center for Learning Assistance provides free tutors. Go to NC-2006 to apply.

The math departments on the Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder campuses of the University offer online tutoring. This is staffed by math graduate students. There is a tutoring session every night of the week. This is a free service. The we site is http://onlinetutor.cu.edu/

There are a set of video lectures made by the authors of our text in the Media Center in the library. The call numbers are:

CALL NUMBERSECTIONSCALL NUMBERSECTIONS
RV568IntroductionRV5787.5 - 7.7
RV5691.1 - 1.7RV5798.1 - 8.7
RV5702.1 - 2.4RV5809.1 - 9.5
RV5713.1 - 3.4RV58110.1 - 10.5
RV5724.1 - 4.4RV58211.2 - 11.5
RV5734.5 - 4.8RV58311.6 - 11.8
RV5745.1 - 5.5RV58412.1 - 12.5
RV5755.6 - 5.8RV58513.1 - 13.4
RV5766.1 - 6.7RV586Sec. Review
RV5777.1 - 7.4  

There is plenty of help for you. You just need to take advantage of it. You should realize, however, that all the help will be useless if you wait till the last minute to learn the material. Do you work early so that if you get stuck, you have time to take advantage of the various resources.

CHEATING:

As has been mentioned previously, all the work on the exams, the midterm and the final are to be your own. If you are caught cheating you will receive an F in the course. You may discuss your homework problems freely by email or in study groups.

GRADES:

Your course average will be

0.30(quiz average) + 0.20(uniform final exam) + 0.20(midterm) + 0.30(homework average)

Your grade will be based upon a 10% spread. That is, 90 - 100% = A, etc.

No incomplete will be given unless you have finished at least 13 weeks of the course with a passing grade and the documented reason for not finishing the course is verified to be beyond your control.

WEB SITES:

If you feel you need more help than your text and the tutorials, videos and explorations on your CD-Rom, here are some web sites that might prove useful.