About Your Course

Instructional Methodology: This course is taught in the classroom primarily as a lecture/discussion course using the ALEKS program.

Synonym: 57162  & 57110                 Section: 042 & 003

Meeting location: HLC ACCelerator  Meeting times: 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM

Prerequisites: NCBM 0270 with a grade of C or higher. Or appropriate score on math TSI Assessment test. Corequisite(s): MATH 1314.

Paired Course Policy: This is a paired course.  Students who withdraw from MATD 0414 will automatically be withdrawn from MATH 1314.

Calculator: Students need either a scientific or business calculator. (Has log or ln key.) If a student cannot purchase one, calculators are available from the library.  Graphing calculators are not required, but you will use graphing technology in most sections of the book.  Graphing calculators are also available in the library.  Most ACC faculty are familiar with the TI family of graphing calculators. Hence, TI calculators are highly recommended for student use.  Other calculator brands can also be used.  Your instructor will determine the extent of calculator use in your class section.

Other Technology: Access to a webcam and microphone are required for this course. Eligible students can check out required technology at https://www.austincc.edu/students/student-technology-services.

Course Calendar

Note: Schedule changes may occur during the semester. Any changes will be announced in class and posted as a Blackboard Announcement.

Important Dates

Last day for 70% refund: February 6th (Monday)

Last day to withdraw: April 24th (Monday)

Holidays: MLK Day - January 16th

                  Spring Break - March 13th to 19th

    (Please note these are the ONLY holidays this semester.)

Making Time to Learn

We learn math by thinking about and working on mathematical problems, which takes time. Practice is crucial in a math course. To ensure that you have adequate time, set aside 8-12 hours per week outside of class time to practice and study for this course.  Ask for help immediately when something isn’t clear. 

Getting Help

ACC provides several free resources for students who need help; descriptions and links are below: 

Office hours: Another name for office hours is “student hours.” This is the time your instructor has set aside to answer student questions, so feel free to drop by if you have questions. Office hours may be virtual or on campus; see information above.

Instructional Associates: Instructional Associates specific to the course you are taking are available for tutoring. To make an appointment, go to https://sites.google.com/a/austincc.edu/math-students/meet/list and then click on your course.

Learning Labs: The ACC Learning Labs provide tutoring in math and other subjects. To schedule an appointment, go to https://www.austincc.edu/students/learning-lab. This site includes information about in person and virtual tutoring options.

Academic Coaching: Academic coaches offer extra support to students with study strategies; they want to help you learn to be an active participant in your own learning process. For more information or to make an appointment with an academic coach, go to https://www.austincc.edu/students/academic-coaching.

ACC Student Services: Services are offered in many areas, including Academic, Financial, Personal, and Technology Support.  For more information, go to https://www.austincc.edu/student-support.

GRADES

GRADING POLICY

There will be 7 exams and a comprehensive final during the term, each of which will count equally towards your grade. Points will be assigned as follows for your grade:

Grades

Grade Components

Tests: 76%

Aleks Daily Modules: 8%

ALEKS Homework: 8%

Written Homework: 8%

Grading Scale

A: 90 - 100

B: 80 – 89

C: 70 – 79

D: 60 – 69

F: < 60

MATD 0414 and MATH 1314 Grades

Students receive the same grade for both MATD 0414 and MATH 1314, with the following exceptions:

•   If a student’s grade average on tests 1-5 is higher than the overall grade average, the student may be assigned the letter grade based on tests 1-5 for MATD 0414 only. This grade calculation is independent of homework and quiz scores.
•   A student who does not have a passing average on tests 1-5 and has chosen not to attempt to successfully complete MATH 1314 may make arrangements with the instructors to work on Independent Study for developmental content. The student may then take an alternate MATD 0414 final exam covering only the content supporting tests 1-5 instead of the MATH 1314 final exam. A grade for MATD 0414 may be given at the instructor’s discretion solely on the basis of this final exam.

A grade of C or higher in MATD 0414 is sufficient for a student to be declared TSI complete (college ready) in math, and satisfies the prerequisite for College Algebra. That means that a student who earns a C in MATD 0414 but does not successfully complete College Algebra may register for College Algebra the next semester without a co-requisite.

EXPECTATIONS

1. Attend all sessions

2. Arrive on time and stay for the duration of the session

3. Participate during that time and spend time outside of class working on homework

DAILY TASKS

1. Arrive to class with enough time to log into ALEKS and print out lecture notes before instruction begins. 2. Fill in the lecture notes during group instruction and ask QUESTIONS.

3. Complete the daily in-class module.

4. Complete the daily ALEKS homework and written homework outside of class.

5. Relax

ALEKS HOMEWORK

In addition to the daily in-class module, there is daily homework in ALEKS that will need to be completed outside of class. There are 8-12 questions that correspond to the daily topics to be completed. You have several attempts on the day the homework is assigned to get a perfect score.

WRITTEN HOMEWORK

There is a small written portion of the homework. This portion is simply a collection of a few ALEKS problems for which you neatly show your work for a grade. Written homework assignments, in the form of worksheets, correspond to daily topics.

To satisfy the written homework portion, complete the graded problems directly on the worksheet. Try to come up with a way of checking your answers without having solutions provided.

Written homework is graded by completion and correctness. In order to earn a perfect score, you must show all of your work, following an appropriate process, and obtain a correct answer. If you are uncertain about your answers, it is worth seeking help before turning in the assignment.

Due Dates for Daily Aleks Modules:

Each day (with the exception of review and test days), students are assigned a daily module in Aleks which should be completed during the class meeting. The due date for each daily module is by 11:59 PM that day. For example, the daily Aleks module for Monday is due Monday night by 11:59 PM.

Due Dates for Written Homework and Aleks Homework:

The daily written homework and daily Aleks homework are due by 10:00 AM the next class day. For example, written and Aleks homework for sections covered in Monday’s class meeting are due by 10:00 AM on Tuesday. This also means any written/Aleks homework assigned on Thursday, will be due at 10:00 AM the following Monday.

TEST POLICIES

Tests are taken every other Thursday in class. Tests cover the objectives from ALEKS and the homework assignments from the previous two weeks. A review is provided for each test. Tests are given through the ALEKS software and written work is turned in upon completion of the test. Grades will be determined by correctness and written work.

What happens if I miss something?

Late Work Policy: Late homework (written and Aleks) will have a 5% penalty deduction. Homework can be turned in late with the 5% penalty until 10:00 AM the following Monday. Late homework assignments not turned in by this final deadline will receive a grade of 0.

Missed Exam Policy: If you have an extraordinary circumstance which forces you to be absent on test day, you must contact both professors before the end of Test Day to discuss the situation. We will consider, but not guarantee, offering a make-up time to replace the zero.  Our decision will be based on the circumstance as well as your overall effort/attendance in the course.  Failure to inform both professors of your test day absence before the end of test day, may result in a test grade of 0.

Attendance Policy: Daily attendance is mandatory. This corequisite option covers material from three courses, and involves group activities on a daily basis. Your partners depend on you for group work, and your own success in the course depends on your full commitment. 

If attendance (more than 4 absences) or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructors may withdraw students from the class but make no promise to do so.

Required Materials 

This is a First Day™ class. The cost of required course materials, including an online version of the textbook and software access, has been added to your tuition and fees bill.  

ALEKS

The majority of the course takes place in the ALEKS software. Each day after group instruction you are assigned a module to begin work on in class with a maximum number of 5 NEW topics. The module is due on the same day by midnight. In addition to the in-class module, there are homework problems assigned to you in ALEKS that you will complete outside of class including a small written portion.

It is critical to your success in the course to stay on top of the work as we move through the semester. Your grade for the ALEKS modules in the gradebook is an average of the percentage of the topics completed at the end of each week. Once a new day starts, you are assigned a new module and the previous topics cannot be accessed until you complete 100% of the module for the current day. This is very similar to missing a class in a lecture course. If you miss a class day, we must move on and continue the course.

The average pace for work in ALEKS is 3 topics per hour. At this pace, it is expected that you should be able to complete all topics by working on modules during the ALEKS work portion of class and by working up to 2 hours outside of class. This requires you to reserve daily time to access ALEKS outside of class time in order to complete your work.

Course Description

Credit Hours: 7, Contact Hours:7

MATH 1314 College Algebra (3-3-0). A course designed for students who need College Algebra but do not need to take Precalculus (MATH 2412) or Calculus (MATH 2413). In-depth study and applications of polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic functions, and systems of equations using matrices. This course does not meet the prerequisite for Precalculus (MATH 2412).

MATD 0414 – Developmental Algebra (4-4-0). A course designed to develop the skills and understanding contained in secondary school algebra. Topics include review of operations and properties of real numbers, negative exponents, functions, graphing linear equations, solving linear and quadratic equations and systems of linear equations, solving linear inequalities, operations on polynomials and factoring, and introduction to rational, radical, and exponential functions.

Course Rationale

MATH 1314: This course is designed to teach students the functional approach to mathematical relationships that they will need for a business calculus sequence. Other courses, such as MATH 1332, or MATH 1342 are more appropriate to meet a general mathematics requirement. Check with your degree plan as to what math course your college requires.

MATH 1314 Course Objectives

Functions:

• Use and interpret function notation.
• Find the domain of polynomial, rational, radical, exponential, and logarithmic functions.
• Find a symbolic representation of the sum, difference, product, quotient, and composition of two
  functions.
• Evaluate the sum, difference, product, quotient, and composition of two functions at a given value
  of the respective domain for functions represented symbolically, graphically, and numerically.
• Find the inverse of a function represented symbolically, graphically, or numerically.
• Interpret the graphs of functions.
  Graphing functions:

• Sketch the graphs of the following functions: Lines, x2, ax, and logax
• Identify and sketch transformations of the graphs of the following functions: x2, x3, x1/2, 1/x, 1/x2,
  |x|.
• Describe the end behavior of polynomial functions.
• Approximate the zeros of a function from its graph.
• Solve an inequality involving a function from its graph.
• Graph a piece-wise defined function.
  Symbolic Adeptness:

• Solve polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic equations symbolically.
• Use the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra
• Find the vertex of a parabola written in standard form by using the formula h = -b/2a.
• Convert an exponential equation to logarithmic form, and a logarithmic equation to exponential
  form.
• Evaluate exponential and logarithmic functions using the change of base formula and a calculator.
• Use the properties of logarithms to expand a logarithmic expression, and to write an expanded
  logarithmic expression as a single logarithm.
• Solve a system of linear equations using Gaussian elimination.
• Evaluate the sum, difference and scalar multiplication of matrices.
  Applications

• Recognize and use applications of linear functions.
• Recognize and use applications of quadratic functions, including falling object problems and
  extrema problems.
• Recognize and use applications of rational functions.
• Recognize and use applications of exponential and logarithmic functions, including exponential
  growth and decay, doubling time, and half-life problems.

●  Recognize and use applications of systems of linear equations.

1. 1314 Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, a student should be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of properties of functions, which include domain and range, operations, compositions, and inverses.
2. Recognize and apply polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions and solve related equations.
3. Apply graphical, symbolic and numeric techniques.
4. Evaluate all roots of higher degree polynomial and rational functions.
5. Recognize, solve and apply systems of linear equations using matrices.

MATD 0414 Course Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course a student will be able to:

1. Perform operations involving integers, fractions, decimals, percents, signed exponents, scientific
   notation, ratios and proportions.
2. Evaluate and perform basic operations on functions, find the domain and range of functions, and
   solve equations involving functions.
3. Solve problems involving geometric figures.
4. Identify slope and intercepts from linear equations and graphs of lines. Find linear equations from
   given points and graphs of lines.
5. Graph linear equations and inequalities, systems of linear equations, and quadratic functions.
6. Simplify, factor, and perform basic operations on algebraic expressions, including polynomials,
   rational and radical expressions, and complex fractions.
7. Solve linear equations, linear inequalities, and quadratic equations. Solve introductory absolute
   value, rational, and radical equations.
8. Solve basic application problems using linear and quadratic models, direct and inverse variation,
   and 2x2 systems of linear equations.
9. Use mathematical language, symbols, and notation to communicate mathematical concepts,
   demonstrate reasoning, and solve problems.

General Education Competencies

1. Critical Thinking: gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information is covered in every SLO.
2. Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning: applying mathematical, logical, and scientific principles and methods is covered in every SLO.
3. Technology Skills: using appropriate technology to retrieve, manage, analyze, and present information is covered in SLOs # 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
4. Written, Oral and Visual Communication: communicating effectively adapting to purpose, structure, audience and medium is covered in every SLO.