Most MAT 003 (equivalent to MAT 011 through MAT 013), students take the course to satisfy part of the ELM requirement. Students may satisfy the ELM requirement by earning CR grades in our 4 unit remedial math sequence MAT 003 and MAT 014. MAT 003 lasts 16 weeks and MAT 014 lasts 5 weeks. The two courses can be completed in one and one-third semesters.
There are other ways to satisfy the ELM requirement. For example, one may satisfy the ELM requirement by earning a score of 50 or above on the ELM exam, or a score of 550 or higher on the math SAT. You may repeat the ELM exam as many times as necessary to earn a passing score. Please consult the University Advisement Center http:www.csudh.edu/uac/ or the Testing Office http://www.csudh.edu/testing/ for details.
If you pass the ELM test with a score of 50 or above during the term you may leave the course. Let your instructor know. They will check your ELM score and give you a Credit for MAT 003.
Preparation math courses MAT 003 & MAT 014 are not enough to prepare students for the more demanding courses like MAT 153 College Algebra and Trigonometry or MAT 191 Calculus I that are required in math and science majors. MAT 003 & 014 are designed only to prepare students for general education math courses MAT 105 and MAT 131 and general education science courses. Students with rusty math skills who are planning to major in science or math should take a full course in Intermediate Algebra at a local community college.
Preliminary Concepts such as arithmetic with signed numbers and fractions, linear equations and inequalities, applications, graphs of linear equations and inequalities, systems of linear equations, exponents, polynomials, scientific notation, rational exponents and radicals, complex numbers, factoring, rational expressions, complex fractions, word problems, and applications.
MAT 003 meets for three hours of lecture per week for sixteen weeks. It is a pre-collegiate course. It is graded on a CR/NC basis and does not count toward the Bachelor's degree.
MAT 003 has no prerequisites. MAT 003 is intended for students who scored less than 42 on the current ELM exam.
(From the Math Dept syllabus)