Course Description
Algebraic expressions, exponents, radicals, factoring, solving equations and inequalities, graphing, polynomial and rational functions. Designed to prepare students for MAT 190. Prerequisite: None; Note: Students who do not plan to take Calculus are recommended to discuss with their advisor whether a different MAC Quantitative Reasoning course is a better option. Students who have prior credit for RCO 115 may not take MAT 115 for credit.
Syllabus
Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:
- Interrelate real-world information with mathematical forms (e.g., with functions, equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, words, geometric figures) (MAC QR SLO1)
- Formulate and justify conclusions based on quantitative arguments (MAC QR SLO2)
- Communicate the quantitative evidence of the argument (MAC QR SLO3)
- Identify functions and their domains, describe their properties, and draw their graphs.
- Give examples of piecewise functions.
- Compute values of functions, solve algebraic equations and inequalities.
- Compare and contrast one-to-one functions with non-invertible functions.
- Combine different methods to find real and complex roots of polynomials.
- Support and justify statements with mathematical arguments.
Course Grading Information:
| Activity/Performance Measure | Percentage/Points |
|---|---|
| Check-ins | 10% |
| Homework | 15% |
| Quizzes | 20% |
| Tests | 40% |
| Final | 15% |
Grade | Point/Percentage Total
Grading Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 93-100 | A |
| 90-92 | A- |
| 87-89 | B+ |
| 83-86 | B |
| 80-82 | B- |
| 77-79 | C+ |
| 73-76 | C |
| 70-72 | C- |
| 60-69 | D |
| 0-59 | F |
Attendance/Participation:
Regular class attendance is a responsibility and a privilege of university education. It is fundamental to the orderly acquisition of knowledge. Students should recognize the advantages of regular class attendance, accept it as a personal responsibility, and apprise themselves of the consequences of poor attendance. Students must attend lectures and labs and submit all required assignments on a regular basis in this course. Any student who fails to do so will be dropped from the class. You may miss lectures, labs, or assignments occasionally (due to emergencies) but not consistently.
Course Materials Purchased by the Students:
Access to MyLab and Mastering is required for this class and that access includes an electronic copy of the course textbook, Dugopolski, College Algebra, 6th ed, Pearson, 2015.
Scholarly Perspectives
This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.