PREALGEBRA

MATH 0309-02

Spring 2010

 

Instructor:  Karen Anglin                          Office #2

Phone:       (979) 830-4447                       Office Hours:  MWF              8:30 – 10:00

E-mail:       kanglin@blinn.edu                                          TR                  7:55 – 9:25

Fax:           (979) 830-4185          

 

Course Description:   Prealgebra is the study of fundamental operations of arithmetic on the ra­tional number system, including an emphasis of signed number arithmetic, solving simple linear equations, and percent applications. Credit: Three semester hours.

The five contact hour classroom procedures include:  lecture, example problems, quizzes, group

activities, individual activities, major exams and correction of homework, quiz and exam questions.

 

Prerequisites: None.  Enrollment in MATH 0309 is dependent upon the student’s performance on the mathematics section of THEA(TASP) or an appropriate score on the alternative test instrument.

 

Course Objectives: The student should perform at a 70% or better average on all course work covering fundamental operations of arithmetic on the ra­tional number system, including an emphasis of signed number arithmetic, solving simple linear equations, and percent applications.

 

Required materials:         Pre-Algebra, Fifth Edition (ISBN Number: 0321598032)

                                          Elayn Martin-Gay,   Pearson Prentice Hall 2008.

                                          MathXL

                                          Stapler

                        Green Scantron #882 (for the final)

                                          Examination Blue Book (for the final)

 

Calculator Policy: Calculators will not be allowed on exams or the pre-post test.  Students with documented learning disabilities that may provide for a calculator accommodation, should contact the Office of Disability Services for further information.

 

Grading Policy: The student's course grade will be based on the following:

Major Exam average               50%

Homework & Quizzes                        20%

Lab grade                                10%

Final Exam                              20%

 

Major Exams - There will be 4 major exams given in this course.  Exams are free response and all work must be shown on the test paper.  Exams will be taken on the scheduled class meeting.

 

Homework & Quizes - This grade will be based on in class quizzes and MathXL homework grades. A quiz will be given on specified days (see tentative schedule) during the last 15 minutes of class.  All quizzes will be taken from sections completed in class since your most recent quiz or test.  The student is expected to show his/her complete work from the MathXL assignment for a section.  This section of homework will then be stapled together, folded in half lengthwise and the correct heading written on the top.  MathXL homework will be collected daily.  Homework is due at the beginning of the class period and will not be accepted at the end of class.  Late homework will not be accepted.  Home­work solutions must be neat and orderly and stapled together or they will not be graded.  Paper from a spiral notebook will not be accepted.  If no work is shown on the MathXL homework, the MathXL computer grade will be divided in half.  To allow for emergency situations, 3 Homework & Quizes grades will be dropped at the end of the semester.

 

Lab Grade - The lab grade will be based on student's individual and group lab activities. To allow for emergency situations, 3 lab grades will be dropped at the end of the semester.

 

Final Exam - The final exam is a comprehensive 25 question test.  Twenty questions are multiple choice while five are free response.

 

Make-up Policy: One make-up exam will be administered as shown on the daily schedule.  This will be available to any students who have missed an exam or a student may challenge his/her low­est test score.

 

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:  Blinn College would like to help students with disabilities achieve their highest potential in college.  In order to receive accommodations on exams or assignments, proper documentation must first be provided to the Office of Disability Services.  This office is located on the bottom floor of the new Administration Building in room 104 (phone #830-4157).  You must then self-identify and conference with your instructor during the instructor’s posted office hours before you will receive accommodations in the class.

 

Attendance Policy:   The College District believes that class attendance is essential for student success; therefore, students are required to promptly and regularly attend all their classes. Each class meeting builds the foundation for subsequent class meetings. Without full participation and regular class attendance, students shall find themselves at a severe disadvantage for achieving success in college.  If a student has  the equivalent of one week’s worth of unexcused absences during the semester, s/he will be sent a message to her/his Blinn e-mail account by the College requiring the student to contact her/his instructor and schedule a conference immediately to discuss her/his attendance issues. Should the student accumulate the equivalent of two weeks’ worth of unexcused absences, s/he will be administratively withdrawn from class.  For a MWF class students will receive the first notification via Blinn student email after 3 days of unexcused absences and a 2nd notification via Blinn student email after 6 days of unexcused absences.  If a student is dropped from a class prior to the “W” date, they will receive a “W” in the class.  When the student is administratively dropped after the “W” date, students will receive a “WF” as stated in current policy.  Students will be able to access their Student e-mail account by logging into BORIS.

Students are considered to be in attendance if they are present at roll call and stay until class is dismissed by the instructor.  If a student is tardy to class, it is the student’s responsibility to stay around after class is dismissed and politely request that his/her absence be changed to a tardy.  Students may turn in homework early and make arrangements for quizzes if the instructor is noti­fied before an excused absence.

 

Civility Statement: Members of the Blinn College community, which includes students, staff and faculty, are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all aspects of campus life. Blinn College holds all members accountable for their actions and words. Therefore, all members should commit themselves to behave in a manner that recognizes personal respect and demonstrates concern for the personal dignity, rights, and freedoms of every member of the College community, including respect for College property and the physical and intellectual property of others.  If a student is asked to leave the class room because of uncivil behavior, the student may not return to that class until he or she arranges a conference with the instructor: it is the student's responsibility to arrange for this conference.

 

Electronic Device Policy:      All the functions of all personal electronic devices designed for communication and/or entertainment (cell phones, pagers, beepers, iPods, and similar devices) must be turned off and kept out of sight in all Blinn College classrooms and associated laboratories.  Any noncompliance with this policy will be addressed in accordance with the Blinn College civility policy (Administrative Policy).  Additionally, any communication understood by the instructor to be in the nature of cheating will have consequences in accordance with this Blinn College policy section regarding academic dishonesty [FLB (Local)]. Students exempted from this policy section include, active members of firefighting organizations, emergency medical services organizations, commissioned police officers, on-call employees of any political subdivision of the state of Texas, or agencies of the federal government.  Exempted students are expected to set the emergency-use devices on silent or vibrate mode only. 

Classroom Policy: No food, drinks or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Students are expected to engage themselves in their learning.  One way to show that you are engaged is to answer questions, ask questions and make appropriate comments.  So that all students are able to interact with the instructor, the three person rule will be implemented.  Each student will wait until at least three other students have spoken before they speak.  All students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is conducive to learning.  Please do not talk or interrupt the lesson.  You will be preventing others from learning.  If a student is asked to leave the classroom for any reason, the student is responsible for setting up a meeting with the instructor to discuss the dismissal before the next class meeting.  The student cannot at­tend class until this meeting has taken place.  The policy on scholastic dishonesty and classroom discipline will follow the policies adopted by Blinn College.  For more information please see “Scholastic Integrity Policy” page 57-60 of the 2009-2010 Blinn College Student Handbook.

 

Academic Support: The Learning Center is located in A-13 and is open during the following hours:

Mon.-Thurs.    8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Fri.                   8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Sun.                 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

 

 

Computers, videos, and tutors are available to assist students.  A student ID must be presented upon entering the Learning Center.

 

Campus Health Clinic:  The health clinic is located on the corner of Green St. and College Ave. near the football field - phone# (979) 830-4005.  Carol Fietsam R.N. is available from 8-5 M-F. 


Tentative Schedule and Due Dates for MathXL

 

MATH 0309   Fall 2009

Martin-Gay         Prealgebra, 5th e

Due Date

Sec.

Descriptions

1/22

1.6

Dividing Whole Numbers

Syllabus quiz

1/25

1.7

Exponents and Order of Operations

Quiz#1

1/27

1.8

Introductions to Variables, Algebraic Expressions, and Equations

1/29

2.1

Introduction to Integers

2/1

2.2

Adding Integers

2/3

2.2

 

Subtracting Integers

Quiz #2

2/5

2.4

Multiplying and Dividing Integers

2/8

2.5

Order of Operations

2/10

2.6

Solving Equations:  The Addition and Multiplication Properties

Quiz #3

2/12

 

Exam I  (Chapters 1 & 2)

2/15

3.1

Simplifying Algebraic Expressions

2/17

3.2

Solving Equations:  Review of the Addition and Multiplication Properties

2/17

 

Quiz #4

2/19

3.3

Solving Linear Equations in One Variable

2/22

3.4

Linear Equations in One Variable and Problem Solving

2/24

4.1

Introduction to Fractions and Mixed Numbers

Quiz #5

2/26

4.2

Factors and Simplest Form

3/1

4.3

Multiplying and Dividing Fractions

3/3

4.4

Adding and Subtracting Like Fractions; LCD; Equivalent Fractions

3/5

4.5

Adding and Subtracting Unlike Fractions

Quiz #6

3/8

4.6

Complex Fractions and Review of Order of Operations and Mixed Numbers

3/10

4.7

Operations on Mixed Numbers

Quiz #7

3/12

4.8

Solving Equations Containing Fractions

3/12

 

Exam II (Chapters 3 & 4)

3/24

5.1

Introduction to Decimals

3/26

5.2

Adding and Subtracting Decimals

3/29

 

Quiz #8

3/31

5.3

Multiplying Decimals and Circumference of a Circle

4/5

5.4

Dividing Decimals

4/7

5.5

Fractions, Decimals, and Order of Operations

Quiz #9

4/9

5.6

Solving Equations Containing Decimals

4/12

6.1

Ratios and Rates

4/14

6.2

6.3

 

Proportions

Proportions and Problem Solving

Quiz #10

4/16

6.4

Square Roots and the Pythagorean Theorem

4/16

 

Exam III (Chapters 5 & 6)

4/21

9.2

Perimeter

4/23

9.3

Area, Volume, and Surface Area

4/26

7.1

7.2

Percents, Decimals, and Fractions

Solving Percent Problems with Equations

4/28

7.3

7.4

Solving Percent Problems with Proportions

Applications of Percents

Quiz #12

4/30

7.5

 

Percent Problem Solving:  Sales Tax, Commission, and Discounts

 

4/30

 

Exam IV (Chapters 7 & 9)

5/3

 

Make-Up Exam (comprehensive)

5/5

 

Review

5/10

10:30-12:30 am

Final Exam (comprehensive)