Section T04: Tuesday and Thursday, 2:00-3:15, Hart 312
Instructor: Heidi Burgiel, hburgiel@bridgew.edu
Office Hours: T/R 3:30-4:30, W 2:00-3:00, Hart 223
Text: Blitzer, Precalculus Essentials, 2E
This course provides a review of algebraic fundamentals (exponents, logarithms, linear and quadratic equations, rational expressions) and a study of functions of various types (polynomial, rational, exponential).
The course will begin with a very brief review and continue through the text as far as exponential and logarithmic functions. Further review will be provided as necessary. Occasionally examples, pages, or entire sections of the text may be skipped. These will be announced in class at the appropriate times. The material will be covered at the rate of approximately one section per class period during the fall and spring semesters or two sections per class during the summer.
Note that trigonometric functions are not covered in this course, although some knowledge of trigonometry is needed in MA151, Calculus I.
Course web page: http://webhost.bridgew.edu/hburgiel/MA100/
Grades for the course will be computed on a curve. The final grade will be determined as follows:
Tests: Please bring a (working) scientific calculator, pencil and eraser to each exam or quiz. Devices with communication abilities -- like cell phone calculators and laptop computers -- may not be used during tests. You will be allowed one side of one page of notes for the midterm exam and both sides of an 8 1/2 by 11 page of notes for the final.
Approximately once a week there will be a group project or short (~20 minute) quiz. Each of these will account for roughly 4% of your final grade.
The midterm will be held on October 16 (10/16/08).
The final exam will be held on December 16 (12/16/08) from
2:00-4:00 in the usual classroom.
The last day to withdraw from this class is November 14 (11/14/08).
Make-up tests: There will be no make-up exams or quizzes. Instead, at the end of the semester there will be an opportunity to redo and resubmit one quiz or assignment and your lowest quiz or assignment grade will be dropped. If the grade on the resubmitted quiz is greater than the previous grade, the old grade will be replaced with the new.
Homework will be submitted electronically once or twice a week. As the pace of lectures may vary throughout the semester, check the due dates online before doing homework on subjects we haven't covered.
Attendance: Attendance will be taken in class and class participation counts for 5% of your grade. Please use common courtesy during class. Turn cell phones off, refrain from discussing subjects other than mathematics, and if you must leave early please notify me in advance and sit near an exit. Your attention in lecture will be noted and appreciated.
Materials: Pencil and paper will be required for in-class exercises. You will be using your laptops with Graphmatica in class to graph equations and functions; see the External Links section of the course Blackboard site for instructions on purchasing and installing Graphmatica or on using BSC's Citrix server.
Scientific calculators are permitted in this class. They can be very helpful on exams and are lighter than laptops (but their graphs are less detailed). Note that graphing calculators are required for Calculus I but not Elements of Calculus I.
Office hours: I will be available during these hours for consultation on a first-come-first-served basis. You do not need an appointment in advance. In addition, many brief matters can be handled directly after class and in special cases we can schedule appointments at other times.
I will check my email frequently but email is not a good way to get help on your homework. For help with the mathematics in this course I encourage you to visit me during my office hours. If you miss class, please either come to an office hour or contact a fellow student to learn what material was covered during class.
Academic integrity: The Academic Integrity Policy will be enforced in this class.