Instructor:   Mike Dellens
Office:  RGC 333
Office Phone: 223-3291 e-mail:  dellens@austin.cc.tx.us
Office Hours: MWF 11am-12pm,      TuTh 1:50pm-2:50pm

Text:  Elementary and Intermediate Algebra for College Students by Allen Angel
Optional:  Shrink-Wrapped Bundle with Text, Solutions Manual and Math Pro
Supplemental Materials:  Rectangular coordinate graphing paper, scientific calculator
Prerequisite:  C or better in Basic Math Skills (MATD 0330) taken in Spring 2000 or later, or C or better in Prealgebra (MATD 0350), or its equivalent knowledge, or a passing score on the MATD 0370 placement test.
Welcome to Elementary Algebra:  Elementary Algebra is designed to provide you with the mathematical foundation and personal confidence to enable you to use mathematics in your future academic career.  This course is designed to prepare you for MATD 0390 Intermediate Algebra and the algebra-based courses which follow it.  It also may provide you with sufficient preparation to be able to pass the math portion of the TASP test.  It also offers you one way to prepare for MATH 1332 and 1342, after you have passed the math portion of the TASP test.

    Calendar

 Week 1  Intro., 1.1-1.4, Appendix A & B
 Week 2  Pretest, 1.5-1.10
 Week 3  2.1-2.4
 Week 4  2.5, 2.6, Test #1
 Week 5  3.1-3.4, Appendix C
 Week 6  3.5, 4.1
 Week 7  4.2, 4.3
 Week 8  4.4, Test #2
 Week 9  9.1-9.3
 Week 10  9.5(part), 5.1, 5.2
 Week 11  5.4, 5.5, Test #3
 Week 12   6.1-6.3
 Week 13  6.4, 6.5
 Week 14  6.6, Test #4, Quadratic Formula
 Week 15  5.3, 5.6(part)
 Week 16  Review, Test #5

Attendance Required:  You are responsible for the material covered for any class period that you miss.
Withdrawal policy:  Make sure that you understand the consequences of withdrawing.  If you wish to withdraw and stop attending, it is your responsibility to fill out the necessary paperwork.  I have the right to withdraw you for lack of attendance, lack of progress toward the course objectives, failure to do required work in the course, or other reasons, but I am not required to do so.

Reinstatement Policy:  Students who withdrew or were withdrawn generally will not be reinstated unless they have completed all course work and tests necessary to place them at the same level of course completion as the rest of the class.

Incomplete grades:  Incomplete grades (I) are given only in very rare circumstances.  Generally, to qualify for a grade of "I", a student must have completed at least 80% of the course, including all exams, homework, and assignments, have a passing grade, and have a personal tragedy occur within the final 20% of the course which prevents course completion.

TASP Warning:  If you are taking this course to comply with Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) requirements, Texas law requires that:
i) if you are not "continually in attendance" in this course, you may be withdrawn from the course by you instructor,
ii) if you withdraw yourself from this course or are withdrawn by your instructor, you will be automatically withdrawn from all of your other college courses if this is the only TASP-mandated course you are taking.

If you are unsure whether or not this warning applies to you, see an ACC advisor immediately.

Pretest:  The pretest is in the testing center.  The deadline for taking the pretest is Thursday, September 4.

Tests:  There will be 5 tests.  The first four tests will be in the testing center and the last test will be in class.

 Test 1:  Covers Chapters 1 and 2 (Thursday, Sept 20 - Tuesday, Sept 25)
 Test 2:  Covers Chapters 3 and 4 (Thursday, Oct 18 - Tuesday, Oct 23)
 Test 3:  Covers Chapter 9 and Sections 5.1, 5.2, 5.4 and 5.5
(Thursday, Nov 8 - Tuesday, Nov 13 )
 Test 4:  Covers Chapter 6 (Tuesday, Nov 27 - Thursday, Nov 29)
 Test 5:  Covers entire course (Thursday, Dec 13)
 
 
 
 
 

No Make-up tests:  No make-up tests will be allowed; however, students may raise their lowest score on the first 4 tests by scoring higher on the comprehensive Test #5.  Your lowest score on the first 4 tests will be replaced with your score on the comprehensive Test #5.  You will be able to use this policy to replace only one test score (the lowest).  There will be no make-up test available for Test #5.

If you miss one of the first 4 tests for any reason, your score on the missed test will be the score of your comprehensive Test #5 and that will count as the one test you replace.  If you miss 2 of the first 4 tests, you will have a permanent 0 for one of them.

Daily work:  During every class meeting there will be time to work on problems.  This time will be distributed throughout the entire class period.  Every class you will receive a daily work grade based on the percentage of your participation in daily work that day.  If you are in class on time and stay until the final problem is completed you will receive 100% for that day.  If you are late to class or if you leave early (for any reason), you will receive the corresponding percentage of work done for that day.  If you miss class, you get a 0 for that day.  I will throw out your 4 lowest daily work grades before I figure your final daily work average.

Homework:  Each class I will collect the homework assigned during the previous class.  I will check it to see that it is complete and that you have shown all the necessary work.  You will receive a 0, 1 or 2 for each homework assignment.  No late homework will be accepted.  If you plan on missing a class, you can turn in your homework early.  Also, if you miss a class you should work the homework that is due when you return.  I will throw out your 4 lowest homework grades before I figure your final homework grade.

Grading Scale: Pretest:   2%
   Daily work  7%
   Homework  7%
   Test average 84%
 
A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 70-79 D = 60-69 F = below 60

Outside of Class Help:
-Free tutoring is available at the Tutoring Centers (Learning Labs) at most ACC campuses.

-Videotapes that follow each chapter and cover all topics can be checked out for use in the Learning Resource Centers (libraries) at various campuses or in some cases to take home.  The Tutoring Centers (Learning Labs) at Rio Grande, Northridge, Riverside, Cypress Creek, Eastview, and Pinnacle provide computer tutorials.
 
 

Lab class information:  Labs for developmental mathematics courses are in the schedule, but you must register and pay.  If you want more support in learning mathematics or score low on the pretest, register for a developmental mathematics lab class.

Final Note:  Please do not eat or drink anything in the classroom.  This is an ACC policy.

   Eight Attributes of Success

Successful Students     Struggling Students

1.  Accept responsibility for creating their lives. 1.  See themselves as victims.
2.  Discover a motivating purpose characterized 2.  Have difficulty choosing a
     by meaningful goals and dreams.        purpose, often experiencing
            depression and/or resentment.
3.  Consistently plan and take effective actions. 3.  Seldom identify the specific
            actions needed to accomplish a
            task.
4.  Build mutually supportive relationships.  4.  Are solitary, seldom requesting
            assistance.
5.  Gain heightened self-awareness and  5.  Remain in the thrall of a
     develop empowering beliefs.        disempowering life script that
            carry them far off course.
6.  Become life-long learners.    6.  Tend to resist learning new ideas
                       and skills.
7.  Develop emotional maturity characterized by 7.  Live at the mercy of their
     optimism, happiness, and peace of mind.       emotions.
8.  Believe in themselves, feeling capable,  8.  Doubt their personal value.
     Lovable, and unconditionally worthy.