MAT 03 –05 (40675) Beginning Algebra (3 unit) Fall 2012

Room, and time: SBS F117, MW 10-11:15AM
Instructor: Dr. Sally Moite
Office: NSM E-116
Office drop-in hours: Tuesday 11AM-1PM, Wednesday 1-2:15PM
Phone: (310) 243-2064 (during office drop-in hours)
Email: smoite@csudh.edu
Web Page: http://www.csudh.edu/math/smoite
Online Tutorial and Homework: http://www.connectmath.com Course Code: CNHHP-F9WQC
Text: Messersmith, Beginning and Intermediate Algebra, 3^rd Edition
(The textbook is optional, but the card for access to the online homework and eBook is required.)
Calculator: A scientific calculator is required.

The Entry Level Math (ELM) requirement Most MAT 03 students take the course to satisfy part of the ELM requirement. Students may satisfy the ELM requirement by earning CR grades in our math sequence MAT 03 and MAT 09. 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.

Preparation for Courses for Math and Science Majors MAT 03 & MAT 09 are not enough to prepare students for the more demanding courses like MAT 153 Pre-Calculus or MAT 191 Calculus I that are required in math and science majors. MAT 03 & 09 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.

Course Description 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 03 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.

Prerequisites MAT 03 has no prerequisites and is intended for students who scored less than 42 on the current ELM exam.

Student Learning Outcomes After completing MAT 03 the student will be able to:

• Perform arithmetic with signed numbers and fractions.
• Translate sentences into equations with variables.
• Use the distributive law to transform expressions.
• Solve simple linear equations and inequalities.
• Model realistic problems with simple linear equations.
• Graph linear equations and inequalities.
• Calculate slopes of lines and understand what they mean.
• Find an equation for the line given two points on the line, or one point and a slope.
• Graph two-variable inequalities in the plane.
• Add, subtract, and multiply polynomials
• Use and understand integer exponents (including negative exponents).
• Factor by grouping or patterns and factor trinomials

Method of Evaluating Outcomes Evaluations are based on homework, class participation, quizzes, and scheduled examinations covering students' understanding of the topics covered in MAT 03. MAT 03 is a CR/NC class.

Grading Policy:

10% of grade =	Online Homework.
10% of grade	“You Try” Exercises
10% of grade =	Quizzes and Online Quiz Followups
5% extra credit	Class participation
70% of grade =	2 Midterms (20% each) 1 Final (30%)

Exams Midterms and the final exam are cumulative common exams written and graded by the math department. Online homework, extra problems, and practice tests are common. You Try exercises are in the eBook or textbook, are checked and corrected by the student, and shown to the instructor to check off as done. Quizzes and quiz follow-ups are written and graded by the instructor. To receive credit for the course, a minimum score of 70% is required.

Midterm dates are listed on the calendar at the end of this syllabus. Final exams are given according to the CSUDH final exam schedule. There are no makeup exams.

Homework and Class Participation

Online Homework Through Connect: Times of completion are listed for each assignment, generally before the next class session after the topic is covered. Take homework seriously! It is the main vehicle for learning in math classes.

You Try Exercises: Several “You Try” exercises appear in each section of the eBook or textbook. Do these exercises in a notebook, showing your work. Then check your answers against the answers at the end of the section and correct as needed. At the beginning of the class after the section has been covered, instructor will check that you have done the exercises and give you your credit. Again, take homework seriously! It is the main vehicle for learning in math classes.

Attendance: Students are expected to attend every scheduled class, arriving on time, and staying to the end of class. It is the student’s responsibility to keep informed of any announcements, syllabus adjustments, or policy changes. Students who miss the first week of classes will be dropped. Missing class, or arriving late or leaving early will have negative impact on your grade.

Behavior: The most important rule for this class is RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS. Therefore, no disruptive behavior will be permitted during class time; this includes but is not limited to discussing non-class matters with other students, use of cell phones or other communication devices (such as the ringing of phones or alarms) and listening to music. All cell phones, IPODs, and other communication devices must be turned off and remain out of sight.

Participation: Student participation is expected such as contributing to group and class discussions, and putting problems on the board.

5 Minute Meeting: All students are required to meet with their instructor for a 5-minute meeting within the first three weeks of the semester.

Policy on Due Dates and Make-Up Work Assignments are due at the start of the class. There are no exceptions; no late or make-up work will be accepted. It is the student’s responsibility to do the online homework on time, and to bring the You Try exercises to class by the start of class on the due date. Quiz follow-ups must be done online by their due date. There are no makeup tests except in an extreme emergency, but then proof of the emergency must be provided when requesting a makeup and you must contact the instructor directly, by email, or voice mail as soon as possible; do not wait until the next class to ask about a makeup test since the test may be discussed during that class time.

Withdraw/Drop Information Last day to drop without record of enrollment is Thursday September 13. Even though the last day to drop a course with a “Withdraw” on the student’s record is Thursday November 15, the Mathematics Department will not grant a withdraw to any student under any circumstances unless he/she is withdrawing from the University.

Academic Integrity The mathematics department does not tolerate cheating. Students who have questions or concerns about academic integrity should ask their professors or the counselors in the Student Development Office, or refer to the University Catalog for more information. (Look in the index under "academic integrity".)

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Cal State Dominguez Hills adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations for students with temporary and permanent disabilities. If you have a disability that may adversely affect your work in this class, I encourage you to register with Disabled Student Services (DSS) and to talk with me about how I can best help you. All disclosures of disabilities will be kept strictly confidential. Please note: no accommodation may be made until you register with the DSS in WH B250. For information call (310) 243-3660 or to use telecommunications Device for the Deaf, call (310) 243-2028.

Creating Conditions for Successful Learning Research shows success in math class depends very much on two factors: the amount of time spent working on the material, and the student’s beliefs about mathematics and what it means to understand and do mathematics. With this in mind, here are some suggestions:

• Be in class, every class, and be on time.
• Be prepared to participate in group work and discussions every day so that class time is not wasted, and
• Spend at least 1 hour every day, not including class time, working on homework assignments, and studying.
• Realize that mathematics is not just a set of procedures, and that mathematical concepts involve a lot of thinking and reasoning. Consequently, being able to execute procedures accurately is only one part of doing well in this class.
• Realize that success in mathematics is less about “ability” and more about willingness to think and to work hard to make sense of things.

In addition, you need to have:

• your assignments with you and ready to turn in on the day they are due
• the phone numbers and emails of at least 3 classmates (preferably “study buddies”) who will work with you in partnership to collect any handouts and inform you of important information should you miss a class.

Classroom Norms As we will spend a lot of time working in partnerships, in groups, and in class discussions, here are some rules to help you navigate what may be an unfamiliar experience in a math class.

• Never call out an answer until the person leading the classroom has given permission. Raise your hand.
• This is a safe environment. That means that you should feel free to ask a question or offer an opinion or an answer, and no one will make fun of you for what you say.
• If you are working with classmates, work with them. Do not wait and hope that others will do your work for you, and do not move on to other assignments while your classmates are struggling to understand the current one.
• Be considerate of others. In addition to the ways to be considerate listed above, do not dominate group or class discussions. Remember that everyone needs an opportunity to share his/her ideas.
• Do not expect me to validate your answers or those of anyone else.  You are responsible for making sense of answers and solution methods, and you should always look for ways to verify your work.
• Cell phones should be off or set to “vibrate.” Do not place a call during class, and do not answer a phone call without first leaving the room.

These rules are meant to benefit the entire class, and to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute and to learn.

Practice Problems can be found in four locations. The first is online assignments, the second is You Try exercises within the text, the third is at the end of each section, and the fourth is either at the end of the mid-chapter review or the chapter review. It is highly recommended that you first view some of the online tutorial videos associated with each chapter before completing the online homework exercises. The advantage of doing online exercises for homework is that you will be provided with instant feedback and hints on how to properly complete the exercise.

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TORO Learning Center (TLC) The Toro Learning Center is CSUDH’s tutoring center.  Stop by our new center at our new location in LIB C532, the north side of the University Library.  The center offers free tutoring sessions for currently enrolled CSUDH students.  A valid CSUDH student ID card is required to access services and to schedule a 25 minute tutoring session.  Same day appointments can be made when available, but scheduling earlier is strongly recommended.  Peer tutors are available for on campus sessions to help students enhance and enrich their long term academic skills.  Please contact us at (310) 243-3827 or stop by the center in LIB C532.  Feel free to visit our website for more information, our hours of operation, and our tutoring policy: http://www.csudh.edu/studentaffairs/tlc

Revision history:

Prepared by J. Wilkins 2/17/00. Revised 7/7/01, 7/25/06 (G. Jennings), and revised 08/28/08 by D. Post with portions gleaned from syllabi of both M. Jones and S. Yoshinobu.