Faculty Syllabus

MATD 0370 Grade Components

Major Proctored Exams and *Proctored Final Exam: 80%

ALEKS Modules: 10%

Written Homework/Quizzes: 5%

 ALEKS Homework: 5%

* A minimum score of 60% on the Comprehensive Departmental Final is required in order to earn a C in MATD 0370.

NCBM 0270 Grade Components

ALEKS HW and Participation/Attendance: 10%

ALEKS Modules: 20%

Portfolio: 20%

*Exit Exam: 50%

* A minimum score of 70% on the Exit Exam is required in order to earn a C in NCBM 0270. 

Grading Scale

A: 90 - 100

B: 80 – 89

C: 70 – 79

D: 60 – 69

F: < 60

Required Materials/Software 

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

Supplemental Materials:  2 inch - 3 ring binder for the required lecture notes and written homework, rectangular coordinate graphing paper, non-graphing scientific calculator

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.

CALCULATOR 

Students need a non-graphing scientific calculator (has a LOG or LN key and the fraction display). If a student cannot purchase one, calculators are available from the library. Graphing calculators and cell phone calculators are not allowed. 

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.  Austin Community College includes the discounted price as a course fee in your registration fees for this course.

ALEKS 

The majority of the course takes place in the ALEKS software. Each day after group instruction you are assigned a Module to work on in class. The Module is due on the same day.  Students are expected to show their work from the Module on “Module/Homework Answer Sheets” (directions to be provided in class) and these are kept in the portfolio binder. In addition to the in-class Modules, there are homework problems assigned to you in ALEKS and a written homework handout that you will complete by the next class.

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 ALEKS gradebook is an average of the percentage of the topics completed at the end of each day. The topics that are not completed in the previous Modules, can prevent new topics from being available until you complete the prior topics. This will require you to complete twice the amount of work in a short period of time to get back on track.

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 2 - 3 hours daily outside of class to complete the ALEKS homework and written homework assignments. This requires you to reserve daily time to access ALEKS outside of class time in order to complete your work.

Calendar Spring 2024

Course Objectives

The following objectives are listed in a sequence ranging from the simple to the more complex. As such, this document should not be viewed as a chronological guide to the course, although some elements naturally will precede others. These elements should be viewed as mastery goals which will be reinforced whenever possible throughout the course.

Overall objectives:

A.     Students will feel a sense of accomplishment in their increasing ability to use mathematics to solve problems of interest to them or of use in their chosen fields. Students will attain more positive attitudes based on increasing confidence in their abilities to learn mathematics.

B.     Students will learn to understand material using standard mathematical terminology and notation when presented either verbally or in writing.

C.     Students will improve their skills in describing what they are doing as they solve problems using standard mathematical terminology and notation.

MATD 0370 Concepts and Skills:

1.     Description and classification of whole numbers, integers, and rational numbers using sets and the operations among them:

a.     identify and use properties of real numbers

b.     simplify expressions involving real numbers

c.      evaluate numerical expressions with integral exponents

2.     Polynomials:

a.     distinguish between expressions that are polynomials and expressions that are not

b.     classify polynomials in one variable by degree and number of terms

c.      simplify polynomials

d.     add, subtract, multiply (including the distributive law), and divide polynomials (including division by monomials, but excluding long division)

e.     factor polynomials in one or more variables (including factoring out the greatest common factor, factoring by grouping, factoring trinomials in which the leading coefficient is one, factoring trinomials in which the leading coefficient is not one, and factoring the difference of two squares)

f.       understand and use the exponent laws involving integer exponents

g.     convert numbers into and out of scientific notation and perform multiplication and division with numbers written in scientific notation

3.     Solve linear equations in one variable involving integral, decimal, and fractional coefficients and solutions

4.     Solve and graph linear inequalities

5.     Application problems:

a.     write and evaluate linear expressions from verbal descriptions

b.     solve application problems which lead to one of the following types of equations: linear equations in one variable, systems of two linear equations in two variables, quadratic equations, and rational equations with monomial numerators and denominators)

c.      solve literal equations for a specified variable using addition and multiplication principles

d.     use given data to estimate values and to evaluate geometric and other formulas

e.     solve problems involving the Pythagorean theorem, similar triangles, and proportions

6.     Linear equations in two variables:

a.     identify the relationship between the solution of a linear equation in two variables and its graph on the Cartesian plane

b.     understand and use the concepts of slope and intercept

c.      determine slope when two data points are given

d.     graph a line given either two points on the line or one point on the line and the slope of the line

e.     write an equation of a line given one point on the line and the slope of the line, or two points on the line

f.       identify lines given in standard, point-slope, or slope-intercept forms and sketch their graphs

g.     solve systems of linear equations

7.     Quadratic equations:

a.     find solutions to quadratic equations using the technique of factoring and using the principle of square roots

b.     recognize a need to use the quadratic formula to solve quadratic equations and solve quadratic equations by using the quadratic formula when some simplification of square roots is needed

8.     Description and classification of irrational numbers:

a.     simplify radical expressions

b.     use decimal approximations for radical expressions

9.     Rational expressions:

a.     determine for which value(s) of the variable a rational expression is undefined

b.     simplify rational expressions containing monomials, binomials, and trinomials

c.      multiply and divide rational expressions containing monomials, binomials, and trinomials

d.     add and subtract rational expressions with like denominators and rational expressions with unlike denominators (only monomials and binomials that do not require factoring)

10.  Geometry:

a.     understand the difference between perimeter and area and be able to use formulas for these appropriately

b.     solve application problems involving angles and polygons

NCBM 0270 Concepts and Skills:

1.     Concepts and skills associated with whole numbers, integers, fractions, and decimals. 

a.     round numbers and use rounding to estimate values 

b.     perform the four basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) 

c.      identify the order relation between two whole numbers 

d.     simplify exponential expressions with whole number exponents

e.     find the square root of perfect squares and estimate irrational square roots to one or two decimal places

f.       use the order of operations to simplify expressions involving whole numbers, whole number exponents, square roots of perfect squares, grouping symbols, and the four basic arithmetic operations 

2.     Concepts and skills associated with fractions 

a.     simplify fractions to lowest terms 

b.     convert between mixed numbers and improper fractions 

c.      convert between fractions and decimals 

3.     Concepts and skills involving expressions and equations in one variable 

4.     Simplify numerical and variable expressions using distributive properties, order of operations, and combining like terms.

5.     Solve linear equations in one variable involving integers, decimals and fractions.

6.     Concepts and skills involving graphing 

a.     interpret graphs and analyze data 

b.     plot points given coordinates & tables

MATD 0370 Student Learning Outcomes

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

1.     Perform operations involving integers, fractions, decimals, percents, signed exponents, scientific   notation, ratios and proportions.

2.     Solve problems involving geometric figures including perimeter, area, similarity, and the Pythagorean Theorem. Analyze, interpret, and solve problems from line graphs, bar graphs, pictographs, and pie charts.

3.     Use appropriate forms of linear equations to identify slope, intercepts, and to graph lines. Find linear equations from given points and graphs of lines. Find solutions to systems of two equations by graphing.

4.     Solve applied problems by defining variables, writing equation(s), solving equation(s), and writing an answer to the question in context.   Problems requiring quadratic equations are included as well as problems requiring single linear equations and systems of linear equations. 

5.     Factor and perform operations to combine and/or simplify expressions and solve equations including numerical, some polynomial, and some rational expressions and equations.  Simplify some radical expressions.

6.     Use mathematical language, symbols, and notation to communicate mathematical concepts, demonstrate reasoning, and solve problems.

NCBM 0270 Student Learning Outcomes

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

1.     Simplify numerical and variable expressions involving rational numbers. 

2.     Solve equations.

3.     Relate algebra concepts to real-world situations.