PRE-CALCULUS ALGEBRA
Course Description:
This is the first of two courses designed to emphasize
topics that are
fundamental to the study of calculus. Emphasis is placed on equations and
inequalities,
functions (linear, polynomial, rational), systems of equations and inequalities
and parametric
equations. Upon completion, students should be able to solve practical problems
and use
appropriate models for analysis and predictions. This course has been approved
to satisfy the
Comprehensive Articulation Agreement general education core requirement in
natural
science/mathematics.
Prerequisite: MAT 080 or MAT 090 or placement
Corequisite: MAT 171A-05
Textbook: Sullivan & Sullivan, Algebra and
Trigonometry Enhanced with GraphingUtilities, 5th
edition
Calculator: A graphing calculator is required for
this course. The TI-83 or TI-84 will be the
calculator used by the instructor. A TI-89 or a TI-92 may not be used on tests.
Calculators
may be cleared before examinations. Sharing calculators during examinations or
tests will not
be permitted.
Course Goal: Upon completion, students should be
able to solve practical problems and use
appropriate models for analysis and predictions.
Course Specific Competencies: Upon successful
completion of the course, students will be able
to:
•Visualize the dual roles of geometry and algebra.
•Define, graph, perform operations on, and apply functions.
•Solve equations and inequalities containing a single variable.
•Evaluate polynomial functions and rational functions.
•Solve polynomial and rational equations.
•Solve equations and inequalities containing two or more variables.
Reinforcement Experiences for General Education
Cross-Curriculum Competencies: The
course includes reinforcement experiences for the general education
cross-curriculum
competencies:
•Communicate effectively in speaking, writing, reading
and listening.
•Locate, evaluate and use information to analyze problems and make logical
decisions.
•Apply math skills and/or natural science knowledge appropriately to organize,
analyze and make information useful.
•Develop the ability to succeed as a self-directed learner.
Grading Policy: Five chapter tests, a weekly
homework check and a departmental cumulative
final exam will be given during the semester. The final exam will be
administered in two parts:
Mid-term 1 and Mid-term 2. Mid-term 1 will be administered after Chapter 3 and
Mid-term 2
will be administered at the conclusion of the course. Final exams are given
during the regular
class schedule. The chapter test average will account for 75% of the final
grade. The
homework check average will count for 5% of the final grade. The final exam
(mid-term 1 and
mid-term 2) is mandatory and will count for 20% of the final grade. All tests
will be closed book
and makeup tests will not be given. The final exam grade will be substituted for
the first test
missed. Any other test that is missed will be given a grade of zero. If no
chapter tests are
missed during the semester, the final exam grade may be substituted for the
lowest chapter test
grade. If for any reason it is necessary for a student to withdraw from this
class, the
appropriate form must be completed and submitted to the Records and Registration
Office by
the deadline. If a student quits attending class without completing the
appropriate forms,
his/her grade will become an “F”. Final grades will be based on the college
grading scale: A
(90-100), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69), F (below 60).
Attendance Policy: To receive credit, a student
should attend a minimum of 80 percent of the
contact hours of the class. Upon accumulating absences exceeding 20 percent of
the course
contact hours, the student may be dropped from the class with a grade of “U” at
the discretion
of the instructor. A tardy is defined as arriving late for class, leaving early,
or being away
from class without permission during class hours. Three tardies may constitute
one absence.
Math Tutoring: Tutoring in math and related courses
is available in the Academic Learning
Center, Laurel Building, Room 118. The hours are from 9 am – 6:30 pmM-Th, and 9
am –
1:00 pm on Friday.
InclementWeather Schedule: Students should read the
Student Handbook for procedures
and schedules for inclement weather conditions necessitating delayed openings.
Activity Day Schedules: Students should read the
Student Handbook for the schedule for
most approved and announced student activities.
Academic Dishonesty: Students may not deceive any
official of the college by cheating on any
assignment, exam or paper. This includes plagiarism.
Code of Classroom Conduct: Asheville-Buncombe
Technical Community College is an
institution for adult learning. It is a partnership between instructors with the
desire to teach
and students with the desire to learn. In order to create an appropriate
environment for
teaching and learning to flourish, there must be respect for the instructor and
fellow students.
Below are guidelines for classroom behavior that the College has established to
ensure that the
learning environment is not compromised.
1. Attendance: You are expected to be in
class the entire class time. Do not enter late or
leave early. Rare exceptions may be excused, particularly under emergency
circumstances, but you should be prepared to explain your tardiness to the
instructor
after class. Likewise, the need to leave early should be explained to the
instructor
before class. Unless an emergency arises, please do not leave class during
lecture.
2. Absences: Inform the instructor in advance
if you know you are going to miss a class.
Also, take responsibility for getting missed assignments from other students. Do
not
expect that you will be allowed to make up work, such as unannounced quizzes or
tests,
after an absence. Instructors are not responsible for re-teaching the material
you
missed because of an absence
3. Conversation: Do not carry on side conversations in class.
4. Other Activities: You may not work on
other activities while in class. This includes
homework for other courses or other personal activities.
5. Internet: In classes when Internet access
is provided, you may use the Internet for
valid, academic purposes only. You may not use it for other non-academic sites
that are
unrelated to the course.
6. Sleep: Do not sleep in class.
7. Attitude: You are expected to maintain a
civil attitude in class. You may not use
inappropriate or offensive commentary or body language to show your attitude
regarding the course, the instructor, assignments or fellow students
9. Cell Phones and Beepers: You may not
receive or send telephone calls or pages during
class. You are responsible for turning off cell phones and beepers upon entering
class.
10. Guests: You may not bring unregistered friends or children to class.
11. Food, Drink, Tobacco Products: You may
not have food or drink in class. You may
not use tobacco products in the buildings at A-B Tech
12. Personal Business: You may need to
transact personal business with the instructor,
asking him or her to sign forms. Plan to do this before instruction begins or
after class.
Typically, violations of the Code of Classroom Conduct
will be dealt with as minor
infractions. However, repetition of minor infractions or other more serious
violations of
the Code of Student Conduct may lead to removal from the classroom while the
matter is
resolved and referral to the Vice President for Student Services for
disciplinary action.
Statement of Right to Make Changes: I reserve the
right to make changes in the syllabus.
Any changes will be announced in class.
Graphs, Equations and Inequalities
1.1 Rectangular Coordinates; Graphing Utilities;
Introduction to Graphing Equations
1.2 Solving Equations Using a Graphing Utility; Linear and Rational
Equations
1.3 Quadratic Equations
1.4 Complex Numbers; Quadratic Equations in the Complex Number System
1.5 Radical Equations; Equations Quadratic in Form; Absolute Value
Equations;Factorable Equations
1.6 Problem Solving: Interest, Mixture, Uniform Motion, Constant Rate Jobs
*** Test 1/ Sections 1.1 – 1.6***
1.7 Solving Inequalities
Graphs
2.1 Intercepts; Symmetry; Graphing Key Equations
2.2 Lines
2.3 Circles
2.4 Variation
***Test 2/ Sections 1.7 – 2.4***
Functions and Their Graphs
3.1 Functions
3.2 The Graph of a Function
3.3 Properties of Functions
3.4 Library of Functions; Piecewise-defined Functions
3.5 Graphing Techniques: Transformations
3.6 Mathematical Models: Building Functions
***Test 3/ Sections 3.1 – 3.6***
***Midterm 1***
Linear and Quadratic Functions
4.1 Linear Functions, Their Properties and Linear Models
4.2 Building Linear Models from Data
4.3 Quadratic Functions and Their Properties
4.4 Building Quadratic Functions from Verbal Descriptions and from Data
4.5 Inequalities Involving Quadratic Functions
***Test 4/Sections 4.1 – 4.5***
Polynomial and Rational Functions
5.1 Polynomial Functions and Models
5.2 Properties of Rational Functions
5.3 The Graph of a Rational Function
5.4 Polynomial and Rational Inequalities
5.5 The Real Zeros of a Polynomial Function
5.6 Complex Zeros; Fundamental Theorem of Algebra
***Test 5/Sections 5.1- 5.6***
Analytic Geometry
11.7 Plane Curves and Parametric Equations
Systems of Equations and Inequalities
12.1 Systems of Linear Equations: Substitution and Elimination
12.2 Systems of Linear Equations: Matrices
12.3 Systems of Linear Equations: Determinants
12.7 Systems of Inequalities
***Midterm 2***