MATH 1730 COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall 2010
Precalculus: A Concise Course (Second Edition), Larson, Hostetler
IMPORTANT: This is a web-enhanced course. We will be conducting a portion of class business online using the Desire To Learn (D2L) learning environment. You may access the D2L learning environment by going to
and typing in your MTSU email Username and Password. You should see a listing of the courses you are enrolled in this fall. All of the information in this syllabus also appears the the content section of your Math 1730 course.
PREREQUISITES: This course requires familiarity with basic
algebra. This is not an algebra course. Precalculus is the
prerequisite for Math 1910 (Calculus I). You must have Precalculus or its
equivalent before you can enroll in Calculus I. This is probably why you are
here.
Precalculus is considered a "service" course. This means that it cannot be counted toward a Math major or Math minor. If you are not taking the course as a prerequisite for Calculus I, please check with your adviser to make sure the course satsifies the requirements of your major; otherwise, you might be better served by taking a less demanding course.
You will need a graphing
calculator (preferably TI-83). You may not use
graphing calculators with symbolic manipulation software (DERIVE, MAPLE, etc.)
on exams.
PURPOSE: Precalculus is an introduction to functions
and the classes of functions you encounter in the calculus sequence. In
particular, in this course you will
You will also learn the basics of the TI-83 graphing calculator, a tool you will use throughout the first two semesters of calculus.
From a broader perspective, you will also learn key thinking skills that will prepare you for the special difficulities presented by calculus problems. In particular, you will practice
OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, students will have developed an understanding of:
1. graphs and how to extract
information from them;
2. functions and how to manipulate
them;
3. polynomial and rational functions;
4. logarithmic, exponential, and
trigonometric functions;
5. basic applications of the major
function families;
6. some advantages and limitations
of current technology.
REQUIREMENTS: In general, you are expected to
1. attend class lectures;
2. read and study class assignments
and solve assigned problems;
3. ask questions in class when you
are unsure of any concept or unclear on any assigned problem;
4. attend the help lab or come to my
office for additional assistance as necessary;
5. take all announced quizzes and
exams (including the final) on the day they are scheduled
6. come to class prepared. This
includes completing homework in a timely manner, binging your textbook, and
brining your calculator.
GRADING: This course uses Larson and Hostetler's PRECALCULUS: A CONCISE COURSE (Second Edition). If you want to find a copy online, the ISBN is 13: 978-0-618-62720-2. There is also a Study and Solutions Guide (ISBN 0-618-63696-X) which provides detailed solutions for all odd-numbered exercises. We will cover the majority of Chapters 1-5 in this course. Grading is done on a standard scale : 90-100 -- A, 80-89.5 -- B, etc. Individual activities are not curved; however, there will be a curve at the end of the course. The grading components for the course are as follows:
Your end-of-semester grade will be computed according to the following formula. Let E,Q, and D denote your cumulative exam, quiz, and discussion points, and let F denote your final exam score. Let w,x,y, and z denote the highest cumulative exam, quiz, discussion, and final scores in the class. Your end-of-semester grade will be
G = .55(E/w) + .20(Q/x) + .10(D/y) + .15(F/z)
If you are not able to take a quiz or exam at the scheduled time, you must schedule a makeup time. Except for medical or family emergencies, the scheduled makeup time cannot be more than two weekdays after the quiz or exam.
I usually return an exam or quiz no more than two class days after it is given. It is your responsibility to monitor your progress in the course. I strongly recommend you actively ask questions in class or in the discussion forums and come to my office regularly to discuss your progress. I will be happy to suggest strategies for helping you succeed, but no strategy provides a quick-fix. Do not wait until the last few weeks of class to try improving your grade.
THERE ARE NO OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXTRA CREDIT IN THIS COURSE.
IMPORTANT: It is Department policy not to grant withdrawals after the withdrawal deadline has passed, unless circumstances have arisen which make it impossible for you to complete the course. Late withdrawals must be approved by the Department Chair and often require documentation for the extenuating circumstances.
No one will be exempt from the final.
FOR HONORS SECTIONS ONLY: To graduate from the Honors College, students must complete 20 hours of lower-division Honors coursework, and 11 hours of upper-division Honors coursework, including a research project. For information about the benefits of the Honors program, graduation requirements, or the thesis project, please contact the Honors College advisor, Ms. Laura Clippard (HONR 227; Lclippar@mtsu.edu; 898-5464.
To retain Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship eligibility, you must earn a cumulative TELS GPA of 2.75 after 24 and 48 attempted hours and a cumulative TELS GPA of 3.0 thereafter. You may qualify with a 2.75 cumulative GPA after 72 attempted hours (and subsequent semesters), if you are enrolled full-time and maintain a semester GPA of at least 3.0. A grade of C, D, F, or I in this class may negatively impact TELS eligibility. Dropping a class after 14 days may also impact eligibility; if you withdraw from this class and it results in an enrollment status of less than full time, you may lose eligibility for your lottery scholarship. Lottery recipients are eligible to receive the scholarship for a maximum of five years from the date of initial enrollment, or until a bachelor degree is earned. For additional Lottery rules, please refer to your Lottery Statement of Understanding form, review lottery requirements on the web at http://scholarships.web.mtsu.edu/telsconteligibility.htm, or contact the Financial Aid Office at 898-2830.
For lottery scholarship purposes, I must fill out an attendance roster at mid-term. If you have failed to take a quiz and an exam back-to-back, I will inform the university that you are no longer attending.
An incomplete will be given only in accordance with the University Policy. If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or you have questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please speak with me as soon as possible. Students may also contact the Office of Disabled Students Services (898-2783) with questions about such services.
This syllabus is only a guide for your convenience; we may deviate from it as class needs dictate.
Important dates:
September 6 --- Labor Day Holiday
September 10 --- Last day to drop without a grade October 15 --- Last day to drop with a "W"
October 16-19 --- Fall Break November 25-27 --- Thanksgiving Holidays
December 9 --- Study Day (No Classes) December 10-16 --- Finals Week
FINAL EXAM SECTION H01 --- WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 15 7:30 AM --- 9:30 AM
SECTION 010 --- WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 15 10:00 AM --- 12:00 PM
FIRST ASSIGNMENT: (Note: The D2L course content is not accessible until August 28.)
Please take a moment to introduce yourself to the class. If possible, do this before Monday, August 30 so you can get some feel for D2L. This will count as your first class post. If you choose to use a screen name, please send me a private email with your full name so I will know who you are. (Otherwise, I will not be able to give you credit for your future posts.)
In your post, include your reason for taking this course and at least one thing about yourself you think others might be interested in. You may link to a facebook page, webpage, etc. (as long as there is no objectionable content on the page).
Enter the D2L learning environment, go to your class, click on the Discussions Link in the Navbar and open the Introduce Yourself forum to post or read other people's posts.
Whether or not you can access the D2L learning environment, please read Sections 1.1 and 1.2 (pp. 4-23) before class and start working on the following homework exercises. This material should be familiar to you already.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS APPEAR IN THE CONTENT SECTION OF YOUR COURSE IN D2L.