The single most effective thing you can do to insure your success in this class is to keep up with the course.

About Your Course

Instructional Methodology:  ONL—Online: Instruction and testing are fully online without required class times.

Prerequisites: MATD 0414, MATD 0424, MATD 0444, NCBM 0214, NCBM 0224, or NCBM 0244; with a grade of C or higher. Or a satisfactory score on the TSI Mathematics Assessment or completion of TSI requirements in mathematics. Students who are TSI Complete in Math based on completion of NCBM 0185, NCBM 0142, MATD 0385, MATD 0342 or MATD 0485 are NOT eligible for College Algebra for Precalculus.

Course Description

Credit Hours: 4, Contact Hours: 4

MATH 1414 – College Algebra for Precalculus (4-4-0). A course for students planning to take Precalculus (MATH 2412) and Calculus (MATH 2413). Content includes the rational, real, and complex number systems; the study of functions including polynomial, rational, radical, exponential, and logarithmic functions and related equations; inequalities; sequences and series; systems of linear equations using matrices.

Course Rationale

This course is designed to teach students the functional approach to mathematical relationships that they will need for a calculus sequence. Other courses, such as MATH 1314, 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.

Note: Students who have a degree requirement for College Algebra but are not planning to take Precalculus should take College Algebra MATH 1314.

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

Grade Components

3 Regular Tests: 60%

Final Exam: 20%

Written Homework: 10%

Online Homework: 10%

Grading Scale

A: 90 – 100            B: 80 – 89         C: 70 – 79         D: 60 – 69         F: < 60

What will we do in this class?

Tests: All tests, including the final exam, will be given online during the announced dates/times. Tests will be proctored or monitored online, requiring the use of a PC or Mac with a webcam and microphone. A time limit of 1 hour 45 minutes is imposed on each test. Tests not submitted within the time allowed may be given a zero. Tests may not be retaken under any circumstances, so make sure you are prepared to sit for the full test once you start.

YOU MUST SHOW YOUR WORK ON ALL TESTS. YOUR WRITTEN WORK AS WELL AS YOUR ANSWERS WILL BE GRADED. Answers with no work may receive no credit. Failure to submit written work may result in a 0 for the test.

The final exam is a mandatory comprehensive exam. The final exam is NOT OPTIONAL, and the grade may not be dropped or replaced. You must take the final in order to pass the class regardless of your overall grade before the final.

Written Homework: Graded problems, on worksheets, correspond to parts of each chapter. The worksheets are to be printed from Blackboard and you must show all work and answers to graded problems on the worksheet itself in the space provided. Free printing is available on all ACC campuses. If you are absolutely unable to print the worksheet, you should neatly and clearly write the problems out on paper and match the layout of the worksheet exactly. ALL GRAPHS MUST BE ON GRAPH PAPER OR A PRINTED GRID.

Any additional assigned practice problems from the textbook are to be worked on blank or lined paper and submitted with the completed worksheet of graded problems.

Written homework will be submitted to Gradescope using a link in Blackboard. You will receive an email to your ACCmail account that provides information on how to access and submit your homework to Gradescope. 

Online Homework: Online homework in ALEKS is required. Use the ALEKS link in Blackboard to access the software. Due dates can be found on the Course Schedule. However, I reserve the right to change due dates at my sole discretion. Changes will be announced on Blackboard.

What happens if I miss something?

Dropped Grade Policy: Up to one missed test, or the lowest test score, may be replaced by the final exam score at the end of the semester. Missed exams must have instructor approval to be eligible for grade replacement. In the event that the final is used to replace a low or missing test score, it carries the weight of two tests in your grade calculation. The final exam is NOT OPTIONAL, and the grade may not be dropped or replaced. You must take the final in order to pass the class regardless of your overall grade before the final. A minimum of 2 written homework grades will be dropped at the end of the semester. The dropped grades are intended to cover all cases of illness and emergency. No additional exceptions are allowed for special circumstances.

Late Work Policy: Written homework worksheets will be due on the announced due date and will be submitted in Gradescope. No late written homework will be accepted, no exceptions. Please note that electronic submission through Gradescope is the ONLY method for submitting homework. To submit electronically, please follow the instructions in Blackboard in the appropriate content area for the material covered. Online homework in ALEKS that is completed after the due date will incur a 20% penalty. The penalty applies regardless of the reason for the work being submitted late. Students are strongly encouraged to remain on schedule with all coursework.

Missed Exam Policy: With instructor approval, a missed test will be considered your lowest test score and will be replaced by the final exam score. Any additional missed tests will be recorded as a 0.

Attendance/Class Participation Policy: Because this is a Distance Learning course, there is no class to attend, but it is very important for you to keep up with the posted schedule if you wish to succeed. Students who go two or more weeks without doing any measurable work (online homework, written homework, etc.) and/or miss two tests may be withdrawn from MATH 1414 without warning. However, I make no promises to do so. If you wish to be withdrawn, you must initiate the withdrawal yourself. Contact must be made with your instructor in order to be reinstated and reinstatement will be on a case-by-case basis.

Support for Students: There is a lot of support available for this course! Successful students take advantage of the following before falling behind (more details on each option is available in Blackboard):

• Class Discussion Board: the first place to post your questions about anything! I try to check the DB regularly, and other students are encouraged to answer each other’s questions.
• Your instructor’s office hours:  these are times I set aside to help students, so don’t be shy about coming in to ask questions!
• Math Department Instructional Associates (IAs):  these are math faculty who hold weekly online hours available by appointment and who also regularly teach College Algebra. Some IAs may also have drop-in sessions.
•  ACC Learning Labs: there is online and in-person tutoring available at all ACC campuses. No appointment is necessary for in-person tutoring.  

The Details

Distance Education Information: This class is fully online. Successful online students actively participate in class on a regular basis just like in an on-campus class and avoid putting off classwork until the last minute. This includes reading assignments, taking quizzes and tests, and any other activities assigned by your professor. You will need to stay motivated and routinely log in to your classes in order to keep on top of your assignments.

Students will use the Blackboard learning management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, and collaboration. Students are encouraged to read ACC Distance Education General Information available at https://online.austincc.edu/faq/.

First Day Access: To enhance your learning experience and provide affordable access to the right course material, this course is part of an inclusive access model called First Day™. You can easily access the required materials for this course through Blackboard, at a discounted price, and benefit from single sign-on access.  Austin Community College includes the discounted price as a course fee in your registration fees for this course.

It is NOT recommended that you Opt Out, as these materials are required to complete the course. You can choose to Opt Out on the first day of class, but you will be responsible for purchasing your course materials at the full retail price and access to your materials may be suspended. See your course in Blackboard for details.

Withdrawal Policy: It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll should he or she decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date. The student is also strongly encouraged to retain their copy of the withdrawal form for their records.

Students who enroll for the third or subsequent time in a course taken since Fall 2002 may be charged a higher tuition rate for that course.  State law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges or universities. With certain exceptions, all course withdrawals automatically count towards this limit. Details regarding this policy can be found in the ACC college catalog.

Reinstatement Policy: Students who withdrew or were withdrawn will not be reinstated unless they have completed all coursework, projects, and exams necessary to place them at the same level of course completion as the rest of the class. Reinstatement is up to the instructor’s approval.

Incomplete Grade Policy: Incomplete grades (I) will be given only in very rare circumstances. Generally, to receive a grade of "I", a student must be up to date on coursework and have a passing grade, and after the last date to withdraw, have a legitimate reason that prevents course completion. An incomplete grade cannot be carried beyond the established date in the following semester. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester.

Communication with Your Instructor: All e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account or math software if applicable, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion.  Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account or math software when communicating with instructors.  Instructors will respond to student emails within 3 business days, if no response has been received by the student at the end of that time, then the student should send a reminder to the instructor.

Name Change Information: If you want to change how your name appears online at ACC, go to https://www.austincc.edu/admissions/update-student-information/chosen-name.

General College Policies: Policies that apply to all courses at ACC can be found here: https://www.austincc.edu/offices/academic-outcomes-assessment/master-syllabi/college-policies.

Required Materials 

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

Textbook: College Algebra & Trigonometry, 2nd Edition by Miller & Gerken. McGraw-Hill (ALEKS software) ISBN: 9781260260441 (hardcover), 9781264248841 (spiral bound), or 9781264248667 (ebook) 

Online Component: ALEKS is required. Access to ALEKS is included in the First Day Access version of the text.

Calculator: A scientific or business calculator is required (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 posted as a Blackboard Announcement and emailed to students. Please refer to the Course Schedule document for assignment due dates.

Course Objectives

Functions: 

• Use and interpret functional 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.
• Recognize and evaluate arithmetic/geometric sequences and series.

Graphing functions: 

• Sketch the graphs of the following functions: Lines, x2, x3, x1/2, 1/x, 1/x2, |x|, factored polynomials of degree 3 or more, ax, logax, and rigid transformations of these functions. 
• Describe the short run and end behavior of polynomial and rational 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.
• Solve equations involving radicals symbolically.
• Solve equations with rational exponents symbolically.
• Solve equations with negative exponents symbolically.
• Solve polynomial and rational inequalities symbolically. 
• Use the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra and the Conjugate Zeros Theorem to find zeros of polynomials of degree three or greater. 
• Find the vertex of a parabola written in standard form by using the formula  h = -b/2a.
• Perform algebraic operations on complex numbers (addition, subtraction, and multiplication).
• Convert an exponential equation to logarithmic form, and a logarithmic equation to exponential form.
• Solve Exponential and Logarithmic equations symbolically.
• 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.
• Perform algebraic operations on matrices, including addition, scalar multiplication, matrix multiplication.
• Find the determinant of a matrix and apply Cramer’s Rule.

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 exponential and logarithmic functions, including exponential growth and decay, doubling time, and half-life problems.
• Recognize and use applications of systems of linear equations. 

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.
6. Perform algebraic operations on matrices, evaluate the determinant and apply Cramer’s Rule
7. Recognize and evaluate arithmetic/geometric sequences and series.

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.