Homework and Test Reviews

• Weekly schedule with assignments
• How to do your homework
• Homework handouts
• Test review sheets
• Taking Tests in the Testing Center

Weekly Class Schedule and Assignments: (detailed form)

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How to do your homework:

You will do most of your learning in this course by interacting with the computer software. However, it is important that you do paper-and-pencil problems as well, and the textbook provides a large number of problems for your practice. Before you start in on your homework, be sure to check the instructor's notes for that section (there are links on each section number in the schedule above you can click on as well.)

At the end of each computer lesson, a screen will give you a homework assignment. Ignore that and use the assignments given above instead. It is your responsibility to check your answers and use these intelligently to help you learn the material. Some of these are brief assignments because I assume you have worked a lot of problems in the software. But even all of this may not be enough. So, if you miss any problem in the homework, you must do at least a couple of additional similar problems for practice. See the example and instructions below.

Label each page with the section number (like 1.1, etc.) and, of course, make the problem numbers clear. It isn't necessary to put your name on every page, but do put it on the top page when you turn it in and staple all pages for each section together.

How to do it:

If you don't follow these rules about showing your work on appropriate problems, you may receive a substantial grade penalty on the homework. It will be an even more substantial grade penalty on later assignments if you continue to not show the necessary work. The point of doing the homework is to practice correct and useful methods of doing the problems.

Work each problem, showing your work and answer on the same page. For each problem you work, check your answer in the back of the book immediately (including checking to see if you have the right units for the answer, like dollars or feet). Put a check or an X by the problem in your homework.

If you got it wrong, go back to the examples in the text to find a similar problem and use that to understand your mistake. If that isn't enough help, then go back to the computer software and review. If that still doesn't answer your question, either post a message on the message boards asking for help or send me an email message with a question. When you understand your mistake, rework the problem correctly. Don't erase the first attempt, just lightly cross it out and put the corrected problem nearby.

It is important to practice more on the problems you did wrong. Find at least one more similiar problem in the exercises and do it and check it in the same way. Put this right in your homework assignment along with the original problem. Obviously, you should find an odd-numbered problem if possible, so it is easy to check the answer. But if the only similar problem you can find is even-numbered, you can do it, send your solution (or at least your answer) to me in an email message, and ask me about it.

Words:

On many applied problems, you need to give the units of the answer, such as dollars, feet, centimeters, percent, etc. Those units are given in the answer keys. Don't count your answers right unless you include them too.

Submit it:

Collect one entire homework packet together for each test (the first one is Lessons 1.1 - 2.3 plus the pretest and test reviews), write your name on the top page, staple it together, and put it in a sealed envelope with my name and your name in the appropriate places for the address and the return address. You may submit it by campus mail or US mail. I would prefer that you send it the same day you take the test. I understand that it will take a few days to reach me. It is unlikely that you need to pay extra postage for earlier delivery than normal. If you are concerned about that, email me and ask.

The address for mailing homework is:

Marcus McGuff
ACC Northridge Campus
11928 Stonehollow Drive
Austin, TX 78758

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Homework Handouts:

The extra homework handouts are available in two different formats: Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format (if your computer doesn't already have this installed, you can download the software for free from Adobe) and Rich Text Fomat (rtf, which can be opened in most word processors, including Microsoft Word or the Wordpad program included with all versions of Windows). These extra homework handouts are required for the course; see the schedule above for when each one is due.

Homework assignment	Acrobat files	RTF files
1.1	pdf	rtf
2.3	pdf	rtf
3.1	pdf	rtf
4.1	pdf	rtf
5.2	pdf	rtf
10.1	pdf	rtf
8.2	pdf	rtf

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Test Review Sheets:

The test review sheets are available in two different formats: Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format (if your computer doesn't already have this installed, you can download the software for free from Adobe) and Rich Text Fomat (rtf, which can be opened in most word processorts, including Microsoft Word or the Wordpad program included with all versions of Windows). These review sheets are required for the course; see the schedule above for when each one is due.

Test Review Sheet	Acrobat files	RTF files
Pretest ("Review for the Elementary Algebra Pretest / Prerequisite Review")	pdf	rtf
Test 1	pdf	rtf
Test 2	pdf	rtf
Test 3	pdf	rtf
Test 4	pdf	rtf
Final Exam	pdf

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Important Information about Taking Tests in the Testing Center

You must take each test at your designated ACC testing center during the dates it is scheduled to be available. Visit http://www.austincc.edu/testctr/ for information about testing center locations, policies and procedures. Remember that:

1. You will need to know the following information about your course.
   
   Synonym number: Can be found here
   Course Number: MATD 0370
   Test Number: Test #1 (will change with each test)
   Instructor Name: Marcus McGuff
   Instructor Home Campus: Northridge
   
   
2. You will need to show a valid photo ID (driver’s license) AND a valid ACC ID. Often students don't receive their ACC ID in the mail in time for the first test. You can use your fee receipt for the first test if you have it. Or obtain your ID from a campus Admissions and Records office after the first week of classes. You may get a copy of your fee receipt from a campus Cashier's Office.
   
   
3. You must use the testing center that you selected on your online orientation form. If you need to change that, send me an email message asking to do so.
   
   
4. You need to bring pencils and eraser. Paper will be provided for you at the testing center. You will also need to bring a scientific calculator.
   
   
5. You should make up some practice tests for yourself from the Test Review so that you will have plenty of practice before taking the actual test. The test will look like that. It WILL NOT be graded in the Testing Center -- they will send the tests to me after the deadline and I will grade all of them at the same time. Those grades will usually be posted within a week after the deadline. You'll find those posted in the online gradebook on Blackboard.

Important note about the final exam:

You will notice that the deadline for the final exam is kind of early compared to the other exams. This is because I have an absolute deadline when I have to turn in your final grades for the course and I have to allow time for the final exams to get to me from the Testing Centers. If you really need a few more days to take the final, you may contact me in advance to request that I put the test in the Northridge Testing Center for you for a few extra days. (I'm sorry, but this is not possible at any other Testing Center, due to logistics.)