Course Information
College Algebra, Math 143 - Section 5
Fall, 2002

Office Hours: W,F 10-11am, M 12-1pm, M,W,F 2-2:30pm, by e-mail or appointment at other times.

You should use office hours (for all your classes) as an ongoing resource to address questions or difficulties that were not addressed in class.  Knowing your professor is also a great motivator and a good way to get advice on courses and other education and career related decisions.

Free tutoring is available from the Math Center in the Center for Teaching and Learning, Museum 433 in Pocatello, CHE Room 306 in Idaho Falls.  Hours and information at www.isu.edu/ctl/math/math1.html.

Objectives: Mathematics is an important part of a broad education, is used in all science and many social science fields, and is crucial in thinking logically and critically.  Mathematical literacy includes not only mastering various technical principles but also developing the ability to use the precise language of mathematics, and can help you both in your future career and in daily decisions.  Learning these skills can be difficult and frustrating at times.  But solving a problem, expressing an answer clearly, and making a decision based on understanding mathematical evidence are all rewarding processes that contribute to becoming a well educated and well rounded person.  At the core of mathematics and many of its applications is the notion of function, the main topic in Math 143.

By the end of this course you should:

• Understand basic types of functions from algebraic, graphical, numerical, and verbal perspectives.
• Be able to effectively graph and analyze functions by hand and using a graphing calculator.
• Be confident formulating questions, solving problems, and presenting solutions clearly.
• Have developed learning and study skills to succeed in this course and beyond.

Prerequisites: Math 108 or demonstrated equivalent background in Intermediate Algebra is required.  If you did not earn a C- or better in Math 108, you are strongly advised to repeat it since most such students will not earn a C- or better in Math 143.  Math 143 assumes the material in Chapters 1 and 2 of the required text; in particular, that you can accurately solve basic equations and inequalities.

Purpose: Math 143 serves as a prerequisite for Brief Calculus (Math 160) and for Calculus I (Math 170) in combination with Trigonometry (Math 144).  The 5 credit course Precalculus (Math 147) covers the same material as Math 143 and 144.  Math 143 will not fulfill General Education Goal 3 by itself.

Accommodations: If you have a disability or think you have a disability (physical, learning disability, hearing, vision, psychiatric) which may need a reasonable accommodation, please contact the ADA Disabilities & Resource Center located in Graveley Hall, Room 123, 282-3599 as early as possible.

Format and Evaluation
Class time will include a mixture of lectures and cooperative group work.  I expect you to come to class prepared by having read and thought about the material ahead of time.  You are responsible for material covered in all class sessions regardless of whether you have reason to be absent.

Homework will be assigned and collected.  Show all work and include complete, clear explanations.  Organize and present your work neatly.  Papers should be stapled with no ragged edges. Quizzes will be given over definitions and problems similar to suggested homework.  Since your lowest quiz and lowest homework grade will be dropped, I will accept no late homework and give no make-up quizzes. Reading sheets will be collected once or twice a week and are explained on a separate handout.

Studying together and discussing problems are encouraged, after you have worked hard on the material or problem yourself, since this can be a very effective and rewarding way to learn mathematics.  Answers in the book or a study guide are also most valuable when used after completing a problem.  In order to be fair to your colleagues and to guarantee your own understanding, you must write up solutions in your own words and acknowledge in writing any assistance you received.  Sharing or copying complete solutions is not allowed.

Exams will be given in class, tentatively on the dates shown below, and will be written by me.  The cumulative final will be uniform for all sections and will be written by the course coordinator.  Previous final exams and additional review questions written by the same person will be on reserve soon in the library under 143-Laquer and can be printed from www.isu.edu/~laquerht/classes/m143info.html.
Make a note now of the uniform date and time of the final.  The location will be announced and posted later this term.  All exams will be closed book with no notes allowed and assume use of a graphing calculator.  Each will include some questions that involve applying familiar concepts in new situations.  Exams can only be made up in cases of emergencies and you must provide an appropriate letter.

Grades of A, B, C, D will be guaranteed by earning overall percentages of 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%.  Cutoffs for +/- will be determined at the end of the semester, but will be within 3 percentage points of these values.
 

Philosophy: All of you have the potential to succeed in this course and hard work counts for a great deal (the example of writing your name with your other hand is meant to illustrate these ideas).  I continue to learn by expanding my knowledge of mathematics and its connections with other subjects, by doing original mathematical research, by understanding more about learning and teaching, and by working to teach in ever more effective ways.  I expect that you will also deepen your knowledge of mathematics and its applications, will learn to formulate questions that lead you to construct your own understanding of mathematics, and will know more about the process of learning and solving problems after you complete this course.  The most important skill you gain during a college education should be the ability to learn independently.

How to Succeed:  You will need to work hard and learn a great deal outside of the classroom.  This is how college is most different from high school.  The pace is faster (perhaps two to three times as fast) and the understanding expected is deeper (beyond working template problems).  Some habits that will help you learn actively (both in and outside of class) and succeed in this course are:

• Read the section before we discuss it in class.  Do not expect to understand everything the first time.  But reading the material ahead of time and trying some problems will help you

(1) be familiar with the basic ideas so you can participate and understand more in class, and
(2) identify what you do not understand so you can ask questions in class or office hours.
 
• Read actively so you will understand and retain the material better.  As you read, write down all questions you have, observations you make, and examples or computations you work out.  Take notes, make outlines, summaries, and lists of results in your own words.  Read when you are alert.

 
• Form study teams and discuss what you read and learn with others.  Talking to someone about the material will strengthen your knowledge and make studying more fun, even if that person is not in the class.  Working together you can get further than you can separately.

 
• Formulate, record, and ask questions.  If you work hard on a problem yourself and become stuck or do not understand an idea, seek out help from me, the Math Center, or fellow students.  Attempt assigned homework early so you have time to ask questions about it.

 
• Attend every class session on time if at all possible.

 
• Participate actively in group work and discussion during class.

 
• Take thorough notes in class, using your own shorthand and abbreviations in order to keep up.

 
• Re-read the material again after it is covered in class. Nearly everyone (including me) must read mathematics several times and think hard about it to fully understand it.  You will understand the material more deeply when you re-read it and connect it to ideas in this and other classes.

 
• Focus on definitions, conclusions, and methods. Mathematics is a language and it is absolutely necessary to understand the precise definitions of key terms.  Understanding why statements are true is also crucial.

 
• Learn from mistakes of your own and others (including me) made on homework or in class.

 
• Be organized, clear, and accurate.

 
• Work productively by developing efficient and effective study and problem solving skills.  Work at least 2-3 hours (on average) outside of class for every hour in class.  Keep a time log of how you spend each half hour of the day for a couple weeks to become more aware of your use of time.

I look forward to a successful and rewarding semester of learning together!