Spring, 2012
PROF. HELINGER
MAT 098
Prealgebra
SEMESTER HOURS: 3
OFFICE: ROOM
535M
CREDIT HOURS: 0
OFFICE HOURS:
Rm 535M
Mon.- 10:00-10:50 A.M. ;12-12:50P.M.
Tues. 2:00-2:50 P.M.
Wed. 10:00-10:50 A.M.
Fri. 10:00-10:50
A.M.
TELEPHONE:
(518) 562-4196
e-mail
mailto:helimg@clinton.edu
I.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course reviews fundamental mathematical skills in
preparation for introductory college algebra. Course topics include set theory;
the study of real numbers including integers, fractions and decimals; algebraic
expressions; linear equations and an introduction to graphing on the coordinate
plane.
PREREQUISITE: MAT 096 or by placement.
II.
TEXTBOOK:
Prealgebra, 6th edition; K.Elayn Martin-Gay. Pearson/ Prentice-Hall. (Required)
ISBN #0-321-62886-1
OTHER MATERIALS:
Students are required to have a calculator with at least square and square root functions.
III. SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES: N/A
ASSESSMENT: N/A
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
As the result of instructional activities, students will be able to:
IV.
COURSE ORGANIZATION AND METHODS:
The material shall be presented by a combination of lecture together with class discussion. The final grade will be computed by taking 60% of the average of 3 1-hour exams, 30% of the Final Exam grade, and 10% of the average of announced and unannounced quizzes.
V.
GENERAL TOPICS OUTLINE:
1.
Whole Numbers and an
Introduction to Set Theory (textbook chapter 1)
including introduction to the whole numbers, operations with whole
numbers, prime factors and exponents, order of operations, solving simple
algebraic equations with whole numbers, set notation, subsets, complement, Venn
diagrams
2.
Integers (textbook
chapter 2)
including introduction to the integers,
operations with integers, order of operations involving integers, solving
equations involving integers
3.
The Language Algebra
(textbook chapter 3)
including variables and algebraic expressions, evaluating algebraic
expressions and formulas, simplifying algebraic expressions, simplifying
expressions to solve equations
4.
Fractions and Mixed Numbers (textbook chapter 4)
including the Fundamental Property of Fractions, operations with
fractions and mixed numbers, order of operations and complex fractions, solving
equations containing fractions
5.
Decimals (textbook
chapter 5)
including review of operations with decimals, solving equations
containing decimals, square roots
6.
Introduction to Graphing (textbook chapter 6)
including the rectangular coordinate system, graphing linear equations
7.
Percent
(textbook chapter 7)
including percents, decimals, and fractions, solving
percent problems
8. Introduction to geometry (textbook chapter 9) including basic definitions, polygons, perimeter and area of geometric figures, volume of solids
Final Grades—. The final grade will be computed by taking 60% of the average of 3 1-hour exams, 30% of the Final Exam grade, and 10% of the average of announced and unannounced quizzes. Sixty (60)% of your final grade will come from the average of your three (3) one-hour exams. These hour-exams will be announced at least one week in advance, and a complete outline of the hour exams will be given in class. There will also be an optional review class before each exam.
Beginning with the return of the first hour-exam, students may earn up to 10 points back on their hour tests by doing your corrections. With the exception of the third hour test, corrections will be due one week after the return of the graded exam. Corrections for the third exam will be due the day of your final exam. Credit will only be given for completely corrected problems. Actual points earned will be calculated by dividing the total points of corrected problems by the total wrong and then multiplying by 10. Thus, if you correct half of your mistakes, you get 5 points re-added to your hour test. If you don’t get at least 5 points from your corrections or get back to 100, you do not qualify to submit corrections for any subsequent exam.
In accordance with the College policy in the catalog, credit will be
taken off for incorrect spelling. Repeated errors in the same word on the same
exam will not be taken off more than once.
If these errors appear on Part I, they will result in loss of all credit
for that particular part of a problem.
Abbreviations will not be permitted as a substitute for correct spelling.
The next 10% of your final grade will come from your average on the numerous quizzes. These quizzes will be announced or unannounced. If it is unannounced it can only go back one week in our work. The quizzes will vary from extremely simple quizzes to very difficult quizzes to determine class comprehension and retention. Hour tests will be graded one week after the hour exam, but quizzes will be graded at the earliest convenience of the instructor, usually before the relevant hour exam.
Mid-semester Grades—Your mid-semester grade will be based on a straight percentage of the points accumulated thus far from both quizzes and hour tests. For example, if there had been a one-hour exam and fifty points of quizzes by mid-semester, the total possible would be 150. To get an “A” at mid-semester you would need 90% or 135 points in any combination. Thus, you could get 85 on the hourly and 50 points on the quizzes and have an “A” for mid-semester.
The Final Exam has been scheduled for TBA
VII.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
The College policy on attendance states:
“When a student misses more than 15% of the class meetings for a particular course, his or her absence will be considered excessive. Excessive absence may result in a student being involuntarily withdrawn from the course by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor and may in turn affect financial aid. In such cases, the student will receive a grade of “W.”
In this course, students exceeding 15% absence will be required to meet with the instructor in his office to discuss reasons for absences and to evaluate the student’s situation and progress. If possible, a strategy for completing the course will be jointly drawn up and signed. Failure to comply with this procedure may result in the student’s being involuntarily withdrawn with a grade of “W.” When a student comes more than 10 minutes late, or leaves early for any reason, it will be counted as 1/3 of an absence. When a student misses more than ½ of the class it will be counted as an absence.”
In general, I do not give “W’s” for absences past mid-semester grades. If you disappear or exceed 15% absence after mid-semester grades, you can rest assured that you have an “F” for the semester. According to the Spring, 2012
Administrative Calendar, the last day to drop without penalty is APRIL 4, 2012. If you don’t want an “F” for a final grade, but have an average below 60%, you must accept the responsibility to WITHDRAW BY APRIL 4, 2012.
IF CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND YOUR CONTROL PREVENT YOU FROM COMING TO AN EXAM OR QUIZ, YOU MUST NOTIFY ME BEFORE THE TIME OF THE EXAM OR QUIZ OR AS SOON THEREAFTER AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT, IN GENERAL, YOU CAN TAKE THE EXAM OR QUIZ BEFORE THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED EXAM. MAKE-UPS WILL BE GIVEN ONLY FOR DOCUMENTED ACADEMIC CONFLICTS (e.g. field trips, athletic buses officially leaving before the exam) OR DOCUMENTED MEDICAL EMERGENCIES (e.g. I must see receipt signed by Doctor’s office stating you were there on the day and time of the exam), or DOCUMENTED MECHANICAL EMERGENCIES (e.g. a receipt from the tow truck that jump started your car or towed it out of the ditch that indicates that your vehicle was not in service on the day and time of the exam). APPOINTMENTS FOR MAKE-UPS MUST BE REQUESTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT NOT LATER THAN YOUR FIRST DAY BACK TO CLASS AFTER THE EXAM. IF YOU NOT REQUEST THE MAKE-UP BY THE END OF YOUR FIRST DAY BACK TO CLASS, THE CONSEQUENCE WILL BE A ZERO,0, FOR THE EXAM.
No more than one appointment will be scheduled per person per make-up, whether it is for an hour test or a quiz. If you miss your appointment for a make-up, you receive a zero for the grade.
FOR ANY ASSIGNMENT THAT MUST BE TURNED IN, I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE ASSIGNMENTS.
VIII.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
All students are expected to behave with academic honesty.
It is a serious matter (please see
College catalog- "Academic
honesty is expected of all
In this class students caught cheating will have three choices.
1. The student may take an immediate grade of “F” for the course.
2. The student may withdraw from the course immediately.
3. The student and I will go immediately to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and I will hand him or his secretary a copy of the evidence. I will then follow the recommendation of the Vice President in deciding the penalty.
IX.
GRADING SCALE
Numerical equivalents of letter grades for this course.
Letter Grade Numerical Interval
AN 90-100
BN 80-89
CN 70-79
DN 60-69
FN Below 60
X.
SPECIAL REMINDERS
If you have, or suspect you may have, any type of disability or learning problem that may require extra assistance or special accommodations, please speak to Laurie Bethka, Room 420M in the Tutoring Center, for further assistance.
Please remember to turn off all cell phones before coming
to class. CELL PHONES MUST BE
TURNED OFF BEFORE COMING INTO THE CLASSROOM.
The first time a cell phone rings in the classroom the entire class will
be warned. From then on, when a cell
phone rings, that person will be required to leave for the remainder of the
class. NO EXCEPTIONS. Other
electronic devices such as Ipods and MP3’s are also not permitted during class
nor exams.
Also, please be advised that I consider carrying on private conversations on cell phones or in person during class as disruptive behavior, and therefore, a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Such behavior can result in suspension from class.
Course
Continuity Plan
In the case
that the college officially closes because of an emergency which causes a short
term disruption of this course, we will utilize email to continue this course in
the short term (1-3 weeks). All students need to utilize their campus
email to receive course related information.