TEXT: College Algebra, Concepts and Models, 2^nd edition, by Larson, Hostetler, & Hodgkins

Optional Supplement: Study and Solution Guide (step-by-step solutions to selected odd-numbered exercises and review problems and step-by-step solutions to all tests in text)

Optional Supplement: Graphing Technology Keystroke Guide

Calculator: You will need either a scientific or business calculator. (Has log or ln key.) If you cannot purchase one, calculators are available from the library. If you plan to take our scientific calculus course (MTH 1854) later, ask about graphing calculators.

Course Purpose: This course is designed to teach students the functional approach to mathematical relationships that they will need for the business calculus sequence. Other courses, such as MTH 1513, MTH 1563, or MTH 1643 are more appropriate to meet a general mathematics requirement, if calculus is not required.

Course Prerequisite: Students should have current knowledge of two years of high school algebra or Intermediate Algebra (PAR 1193). You should do the prerequisite review sheet by the second class day to help determine whether you are in the appropriate course. If you have a great deal of difficulty with this material, even after looking over the appropriate explanations and examples in Chapters P and 1, then you should consider withdrawing and taking Intermediate Algebra. If you feel that you need regular tutoring help, the most efficient way to get it is to enroll for a Parallel Studies Lab course. You pay for a 1-credit hour course, and meet twice a week for an hour at a time with a few other students and a tutor to work on your homework and get help as you need it.

Videotapes: There is a set of videotapes keyed to the text by section in the Learning Resource Center of each campus. Students who miss class or who need extra review may find these useful.

Attendance: As in any math class, students are expected to attend all class periods. The sequential nature of mathematics means that each absence tends to create a learning gap. Exchange phone numbers with at least one other student so that if you have to miss a class, you can get the notes and assignments.

Withdrawals and Incompletes: After the withdrawal date each semester, neither the student nor the instructor may initiate a withdrawal. It is the student's responsibility to initiate all withdrawals in this course. The instructor may withdraw students for excessive absences (4) or failure to meet course objectives but makes no commitment to do this for the student. Attendance is important in this course and expected. Incomplete grades (I) will be given only in rare circumstances. Generally, to receive a grade of I, a student must have taken all examinations, be passing, and have a personal tragedy occur after the last date to withdraw which prevents course completion.

Syllabus and Calendar:

Week	sections	Week	Sections
1	1.1* , 1.2*, 1.3*	9	4.4, 4.5, Test 3 (through Ch. 4)
2	1.4*, 1.6*, 2.1*	10	5.1, 5.2
3	2.2, 2.3, 2.4*	11	5.3, 5.4
4	2.5, 3.1, Test 1 (through Ch. 2)	12	5.5, Test 4 (through Ch. 5)
5	3.2, 3.3	13	6.1, 6.2*, 6.3
6	3.4, 3.5	14	7.1, 7.2, 7.4, Cramer's Rule
7	Test 2 (through Ch. 3, sec. 5), 3.6	15	1.5, 1.7, Chapters P & 1 review
8	3.7, 4.1	16	Review and Comprehensive Final Exam

* These sections are review of material that was covered in previous courses.

Homework. Your success in this course is largely determined by how well you do your homework. It is very important to do all of the homework, but HOW you do it is equally important. We will discuss that several times during the semester. You need to become very self-aware of how well you are understanding the material. For every problem on the homework with which you got help (from an example, the answer key, or a person) you should work an additional problem or two, until you can do similar problems without help. In your homework, CIRCLE each problem on which you got help and put a BOX around each additional problem you did to practice those skills. Annotating your homework in this way will provide clues about what you need to study before the test.

Many algebra students find that they can easily work problems section by section, where each problem is very similar to the ones before it, but become confused on a test, where they have to decide on what technique to use for each problem independently. I know of two ``cures'' for this problem. One is to ask yourself, for every problem you work in the homework, ``What is there in the statement of the problem that tells me what technique I should use?'' (Then figure out the answer, of course!) The other technique is to do two or three "practice tests" after you do the homework and before you take the test. The text has review sections from which you can make up your practice tests.

All of the homework problems for the course are listed in this handout. You are responsible for doing the problems over the material covered in class each day by the next class in a LOOSELEAF notebook (and making sure that they are organized in order so that I can find each problem), checking your solutions, and asking your questions during the next class or office hours. You will turn in the homework after each test. Each of the five homework sets will be graded on a scale of 0 - 20, based on a sampling of the harder problems, and the five grades are combined for one homework grade of 0 - 100.

Daily Quizzes: A daily quiz will be given over some problems on the homework for that day. Sometimes you will be allowed to use your homework notebook, but not your text, during this in-class quiz. Your daily quiz grade is based on your attendance and how well you are keeping up in the course, thus quizzes may not be made up for any reason. If you come to class, but miss the part of the class during which the quiz is given, you will not be allowed to make it up. At least 120 points will be assigned, but no more than 100 points will be counted. Thus, the grading scheme allows for a reasonable number of them to be missed.

Tests. Some of the tests will be in class and others in the Testing Center at NRG. The last test will definitely NOT be in the Testing Center. (You will need your ACC student ID and a picture ID, like your driver's license, to use the Testing Center.) Tests must be done entirely on your own, with no help from anyone else. Violating the rules of the testing center, or giving or receiving help on tests is scholastic dishonesty, and the punishments are severe.

A student who misses a test or who makes a low grade on a test may petition to have that test grade replaced by a later test grade. Such a written petition must be turned in within one week of the time the test is returned, and must include a description of what went wrong and how that will be avoided in the future as well as test corrections according to the guidelines that will be distributed in class. Test 1 may be replaced by Test 5 in this manner and one of Tests 2 or 3 may be replaced by Test 4.

Deadlines for the tests will be enforced very strictly. When the test is in the testing center from Monday through Wednesday, you are expected to take the test on Monday or Tuesday, and then there is an extra day for you to take it late if your car broke down on Tuesday.

Grades. Your five test grades, your homework grade, and your daily quiz/project grade will be averaged for your final grade.

A: 90-100; B: 80-89; C: 70-79; D: 60-69; F: below 60

For the official handout for a specific section, refer to the one handed out in class during that semester. The Web version may not necessarily be updated every semester, but I will update it when I make any changes that I consider to be significant. This was last updated on August 24, 1997. mparker@austincc.edu