Course Syllabus

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Math 25, Precalculus Algebra, Section 4585,

Spring 2022 Course Syllabus

 

Course Description

Topics from college algebra, including analytic geometry, functions and their graphs, complex numbers, sequences and series.

Student Learning Outcomes

The Student Learning Outcomes can be found at this URL: https://portal.santarosa.edu/srweb/SR_CourseOutlines.aspx?CVID=49596&Semester=20217  

Class Meetings

The class will meet Mondays and Wednesdays 3:00 - 5:00 PM in PC 245.

Instructor Contact

Tracey Jackson

Email: tkkjackson@yahoo.com or via Canvas message

Student Hours: 

During these times you are encouraged to visit and chat about whatever is on your mind about this course. This means you may ask me questions about the class content, share any concerns you have, or show me something cool that you learned. You may even just drop-by to say hello!

  • My Zoom student hours have a waiting room, and if someone needs to have a private conversation, you may have to wait a bit before being let in. If this happens, please be patient.
  • You do not need an appointment to visit during student hours, just stop by. If you cannot make it during my open student hours, email me, and we will set up an appointment for a different time.
  • Appointments are also available to you if you want to ensure you have a private meeting.

On Monday-Thursday, I will generally check my e-mail at least once a day, so you should get a response within 24 hours.  If you have a question Friday-Sunday, a response may take longer, but you should have a response by Monday at the latest.  I am human, so if you do not receive a response within that time period, please contact me again as I may have missed your message.

Course Online Content

Students will use the Canvas course web site for the online homework, access to the reading, class and assignment schedule, supplemental assignment instructions, submitting those assignments, and viewing grades. Classes will be conducted in person.

Textbook

We will use College Algebra, a free open resource textbook available for download here: http://www.stitz-zeager.com/szca07042013.pdf (Links to an external site.)

You can purchase a hard copy of the textbook from the bookstore if you really need one. 

The textbook is also available at the Reserve Desk in the library: QA154.3 S75 2013

Calculator Recommendations

Graphing Calculators are not required, but may be useful.  If you are taking further math courses, I would recommend a TI-92, TI-86, or a TI-89 if you are planning on taking .  A graphing calculator with 3d and vector graphing capabilities will be helpful in this and future calculus classes.  For examples in class we will often use a TI-83 or TI-84, which also works well for Statistics in particular.  In addition, we will discuss various options such as freely available online resources or emulators.

We will be using other programs that are freely available online and further information/links will be provided as they are discussed.

Important Dates

Important add/drop dates from SRJC academic calendar
Day Class Begins: Wednesday January 19th
Day/Time of Final Exam: Final Exam: Monday 5/23 1:00-3:45 PM
Last Day to Add without instructor's approval: Tuesday, January 25
Last Day to Add with instructor's approval: Sunday, February 6
Last Day to Drop and for course fee refund: Sunday, January 30
Last Day to Drop without a 'W' symbol: Sunday, February 6
Last Day to Drop with a 'W' symbol: Sunday, April 24
Last Day to Opt for Pass/No Pass: Sunday, February 27

Dropping the Class

If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it. A student may be dropped from any class when that student's absences exceed ten percent (10%) of the total hours of class time. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than one class/homework deadline in a row that you contact the instructor to avoid being dropped from the class.

Attendance

We will be holding class at our scheduled time in person.  Attendance and participation are worth 5% of  your overall grade.

Students who fail to attend the first class meeting may be dropped by the instructor.

Instructors are required to drop all No-Show students immediately following the second class meeting. A No-Show is an enrolled student who has not attended any class meeting of the course or not completed any of the assignments in the first two weeks.  If you fail to attend class several weeks in a row without contacting me about your absence, instructors can drop you from the course then as well.

Instructor Announcements

The instructor will post announcements on the Announcements page in Canvas throughout the semester. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences. (You don't want to miss any important communications from your instructor!)

Set your Notification Preferences

Using Canvas on your mobile device - On mobile devices, Canvas is designed to be used within Canvas mobile applications. Be aware that not all features are fully supported in the app. (It's recommended you do "sophisticated" tasks like taking quizzes and submitting assignments using a regular web browser.)

Homework Assignments

The homework is assigned, and submitted in Canvas.  I expect that you get to work on your assignments early and consistently, therefore, last minute disasters will not be grounds for assignment extensions!  When the assignment is posted, download the assignment and you are allowed and encouraged to print out the assignment and work on the solutions away by hand and in study groups.  Then enter in your answers in the system when you are done.  You only get one submission per problem, then you get a new version of the problem.  If you get an unaccepted answer after several attempts, go seek help with the problem!    All hard copy assignments will be due in class on the due date and all online assignments will be due Wednesdays at 11:59 PM, a week after we cover the material in class, unless stated otherwise.  HW questions will be answered in class on Mondays.  I will drop the lowest HW at the end of the semester.

If you are having trouble with online homework access and display, you need to run a browser check.  Go to the following link and follow the directions: https://www.myopenmath.com/checkbrowser.php

Any non-book homework assignments will generally have a 10% per day late penalty.

Class Meeting Participation and Activities

Class meetings are mandatory and I will record attendance, often based on classwork, quizzes, or other activities.  During the class meetings, there will be group activities.  I will assign the groups and you will typically work on the activities before leaving the class meeting.  I will drop the lowest of the classwork scores and the lowest quiz score so if you have to miss a class or two, you won't need to worry about missing a those points.

Quizzes

Quizzes will be given about once every week or two.  These will consist of 1-3 problems related to the reading, discussions, homework, or other activities related to the class.  The format of these quizzes will vary.  They may be similar in format to the in class exams or may be online and involve writing out a problem and uploading your solution as an image on Canvas.  These quizzes are intended to briefly check for understanding and are usually intended to take about 15 minutes although you will generally be given more time than that to complete them.  The lowest quiz score will be dropped at the end of the semester.

Exams

There will be 3 midterm exams.  The midterm exams are tentatively scheduled for the following dates:  2/16, 3/16, and 4/27.  No make-up exams will be given.  I will drop the lowest midterm score at the end of the semester.

Final Exam

The final exam is comprehensive, so it covers all the material from the entire semester.  There will be two components to the final exam:  the final exam and a final reflection.  The final exam is on Monday 5/23 1:00-3:45 PM.  The final reflection will be due during finals week and that assignment description will be handed out near the end of the semester.

Grading Policy

Click the “Grades” link in Canvas to keep track of your grades.

Approximate grade breakdown: 20% (Homework) + 20% (Quizzes) + 5% (Online Class Meeting Participation) + 30% (3 Midterms) + 25% (Final exam) = 100%

Grades will be assigned as follows:

A

90 - 100%

B

80 - 89%

C

70 - 79%

D

60 - 69%

Tutoring

  • FREE Tutoring: The Computer and Mathematics Lab in Kunde Hall is all online! Santa Rosa Campus's Tutorial Center (first floor of library) and Petaluma Campus's Tutorial Center located in Kathleen Doyle Hall, 2nd Floor, Rm 247. For any student who has declared a Calculus based science major, you can join MESA, located in Bertolini, room 4832.  http://mesa.santarosa.edu/  They have tutoring services and so much more!
  • Study Groups: Not only can you help one another by working together, but it can be a lot of fun to discuss mathematics. Since I do not grade on a curve, there is no reason to compete with one another. Let me know if you need assistance setting up a study group, I would be happy to help.
  • NetTutor: You all have 10 free hours of tutoring online per semester through the NetTutor link found in your Canvas Course menu.
  • Private Tutors: The Math Department has a list of private tutors. This list can be found on the Math Department web site at http://mathematics.santarosa.edu/tutorial-resources

Standards of Conduct

Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.

Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. Students are encouraged to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:

SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism
SRJC's statement on Academic Integrity

Special Needs

Every effort is made to conform to accessibility standards for all instructor-created materials. Students should contact their instructor as soon as possible if they find that they cannot access any course materials. Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278).

Classroom Etiquette and Expectations

  • I expect you to come to class on time with the tools you need: class workbook, pencil, eraser, calculator, and paper.
  • Students are to act respectfully and pay attention while in class.  The best way to learn is through participation, listening actively, and by being polite even when we disagree with another student's viewpoints.
  • Cell phones, iPods, etc. are to be turned off, unless used for in-class classwork activities. Please note that a cell phone/smart phone is NOT a calculator, you will not be able to use them at any time on quizzes or exams.  During Exams, if your cell phone goes off, you are disrupting your classmates' concentration.  You will not be allowed to finish your exam later.
  • Students are expected to arrive on time, stay the entire class period, and not put course materials away before I have concluded class.
  • Sharpen your pencils and use the restroom before class starts.
  • Remember to wear your mask at all times while in class.  Please step outside of the classroom to get a drink of water, have a snack, etc., preferably during a break.
  • Since other students may find side conversations distracting, direct your questions to me during general class discussion, not to your neighbor.
  • If you use a laptop or tablet computer for note taking, please sit in the front row with the sound off.  You cannot do your homework, chat online, Facebook, Tweet, etc. during class, unless otherwise noted.
  • We will conduct ourselves in a manner that reflects our awareness of common standards of decency and the rights of others. All students are expected to know the Student Conduct Code, link found on the class's Canvas website for your reference, and adhere to it in this class. Students who violate the code more than once will be asked to leave the classroom and must schedule a meeting with me to explain to me why you should be allowed to return to class.  Repeated offenses and we will refer to the Vice President of Student Services for discipline.
    If you have any questions, please feel free to discuss them in class or during my student hours. I'll be glad to provide any help you need.

List of Assignments:

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due