| Time: | TR 8:30am – 10:20am in NS 0036 |
| Text: | Intermediate Algebra, 3rd Edition, Tussy & Gustafson |
| Office Hours: | TR 2:00–4:00 or by appointment |
| Calculator: | any basic scientific calculator (has √--, exponents, π) |
| Prerequisites: | MATH-M004, or Level 2 on the Mathematics Placement Examination |
This course is designed to provide algebraic skills needed for future mathematics courses. Algebraic fractions, exponents, linear equations, quadratic equations, inequalities, factoring, elementary graphs. S/F grading. Credit may not be used toward a degree.
You should plan on spending 2–3 hours working on this course outside of class for every hour of lecture. This is not a passive experience; you must participate actively. One thing you can do to help yourself in this course is to find at least one person with whom you can study. Not only does this help you study better, but also, in the event you miss a lecture, you can get the notes and assignments. Another thing you can do is read the relevant sections of the text book before lecture. Even if you don't understand everything, seeing it once before I explain it will help you follow lecture considerably.
If you are unclear on something in class, ask a question!
Be actively involved in your education — it is why you are here.
There will be approximately 12 assignments (about 5--10 problems each) that will be collected at the beginning of each week, 4 quizzes, and one final examination. The percentage distribution is as follows.
| 12 | Assignments | 30% |
| 4 | Quizzes | 30% |
| 1 | Final Exam | 40% |
This is an S/F graded course. No letter grade is given. To pass this course (receive an S in M014), the following criteria must be met:
This policy is adopted so that hard-working M014 students who almost pass (but do not pass) M014 do not get an F grade on their transcript (which would negatively affect their GPA). Instead, they receive no grade in M014 — in fact, it is as if they never took M014 — but instead they receive an S for a course M007 which never meets. To receive this alternate grade of S in M007 instead of F in M014, a student must satisfy the following criteria:
If a student does not meet the requirements for getting an S in M014 or an S in M007, that student will receive an F in M014.
Please come to my office hours for help. This gives me the opportunity to focus on specific problems you may be having and to explain things in a more personal manner. If the scheduled times are bad for you, make an appointment with me.
Assignment and test scores will be posted to the IU Oncourse system — please check them periodically for accuracy. You can use the oncourse system to send email to me and other classmates. You may wish to configure oncourse to forward all correspondence to your preferred email account.
If you form a study group (either ongoing or just a single meeting), I encourage you to post a message to the course email list with information about when and where you will meet for two reasons:
I will assign homework exercises on a more or less daily basis. I will collect around 5 problems each Tuesday to be graded. You should do all assigned work (not just those to be turned in) for the following reasons. First, it has been my experience that if you do not do the homework, you do not learn the material. Second, most test questions will be very similar to those assigned. We will spend the first few minutes of each class answering questions from the homework. Group study is encouraged.
All Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class to qualify for full credit. Assignments received in afternoon of the day they are due will automatically be docked 1 point. For each additional day the assignment is late (non-class days included) an additional point will be docked.
The quizzes will be taken in class and will be closed book and closed notes. If you have a conflict with any of the quiz dates, make alternative arrangements with me beforehand. I will only consider make ups in extreme situations. Note that these dates are tentative. I reserve the right to make changes (announced in class) to the quiz schedule if I find it necessary.
The final exam will be comprehensive. Our final exam is scheduled for Tues, December 12 at 8:30am. If you will not be able to attend the final exam at this time you must notify me at least 30 days prior to the exam.
Extra credit will be made available throughout the semester. Extra credit problems will have due dates and will not be accepted late. You may also create your own extra credit. If you have an idea of something you would like to do, let me know. Extra credit projects are graded more strictly than normal course-work and will usually require a 2--3 page writing component which will be graded using the same standards as in a standard composition course. All extra credit work must be completed and turned in by the last day of class. No extra credit work will be accepted the day of the final.
There is free walk-in tutoring available in the Mathematics Department in room NS 310. Tutoring typically begins within the first few weeks of class. Last semester the tutoring center hours were: MTW, 8--7 and R 8--4. This semester's hours should be available shortly and will be posted on the door to NS 310 or on the department webpage.
Free tutoring is also available through the (AI-122, 520-5022).
Finally, the St. Joseph County Public Library will also offer walk-in tutoring Sundays from 1 to 5pm and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 6:30pm.
If you will be missing any classes due to University activities (such as sports events), you must tell me about these dates at the beginning of the semester. If you have conflicts with test or homework due dates, make arrangements with me beforehand (you can always take a test or turn in homework early). I will only consider make ups in extreme situations.
If you have a concern about the course that can not be resolved by speaking with me, please contact the course coordinator (Sushma Agarwal, NS 315, 520-4327, sagarwal@iusb.edu).
If any student will require academic accommodations for a religious observance, please provide me with a written request to consider a reasonable modification for that observance by the end of the second week of the course. Contact me after class, during my office hours, or by individual appointment to discuss the issue. If after discussion we reach no consensus, either party or both should seek the advice of the Department Chair or the Dean, and if no consensus is reached, then the advice of the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs ("VCAA"). Either the instructor or the student may appeal the VCAA's decision to the Office of Affirmative Action within ten business days of the determination.
If you have a disability and need assistance, special arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs. Contact the Director of Disabled Student Services (Administration Building, room 149, telephone number 520-4832), as soon as possible to work out the details. Once the Director has provided you with a letter attesting to your needs for modification, bring the letter to me. For more information, please visit the web site for Office of Disabled Student Services.
It is the responsibility of the student to know of the prohibited actions such as cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, academic, and personal misconduct, and thus, to avoid them. All students are held to the standards outlined in the code. Please reference the entire code for a complete listing. Any violation may result in serious academic penalty, ranging from receiving a warning, to failing the assignment, to failing the course, to expulsion from the University.