Faculty

MATH-1414 College Algebra for Precalculus

Brooke Hollingsworth

Credit Spring 2026

Section(s)

MATH-1414-033 (26889)
LEC MTuWTh 8:25am - 9:20am RRC RRC8 8213.00

Course Requirements

Grading Policy: Your grade will be based on ALEKS homework, quizzes, and tests. See syllabus for percentages.

The following grading scale will be used for final course grades:

A = 90% - 100%, B = 80% - 89.9%, C = 70% - 79.9%, D = 60% - 69.9%, F = 59.9% and below

ALEKS Homework will be assigned on the day the material is covered in class; it will be due at midnight of the next class day. This will allow time for questions in class. Late homework will be accepted until the day of the final exam; homework completed late will have a 10% deduction. The 3 lowest homework grades will be dropped.

Assignments will be submitted through Blackboard; see Blackboard for due dates and grace periods. Assignments will not be accepted after the grace period. The most common type of Assignment will be a take-home quiz. The 3 lowest assignment grades will be dropped.

Tests will be given during class time. Applications are an important part of college algebra, and so tests will include application/word problems. If you miss a test, it is your responsibility to contact me before the next class meeting to see what arrangements can be made for a make-up test before the next class period if possible. If you do not contact me, the missed exam will be recorded as a grade of 0.

Readings

Required text: College Algebra and Trigonometry, 2nd edition, Miller and Gerken; published by McGraw-Hill. Hardcover option (not required): ISBN 9781260260441

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

Course Subjects

COURSE CALENDAR

Schedule changes may occur during the semester and will be announced in class or on Blackboard.

Date	Topics
Tuesday January 20	Course Introduction, 1.1 and 1.2 Linear Equations and Applications
Wednesday January 21	1.3 Complex Numbers
Thursday January 22	1.4 Quadratic Equations
Monday January 26	1.6 Solving Equations: Polynomial and Radical (with R.3)
Tuesday January 27	1.6 Solving Equations: Rational (with R.6)
Wednesday January 28	Review
Thursday January 29	Unit 1 Test
Monday February 2	1.6 Absolute Value Equations; 1.7 Inequalities
Tuesday February 3	2.3 Functions
Wednesday February 4	2.4 Linear Functions; 2.5 Applications of Linear Equations
Thursday February 5	2.6 Transformations of Graphs
Monday February 9	2.7 Analyzing Graphs of Functions and Piecewise-Defined Functions
Tuesday February 10	2.8 Algebra of Functions and Function Composition
Wednesday February 11	Review
Thursday February 12	Unit 2 Test
Monday February 16	3.1 Quadratic Functions
Tuesday February 17	3.2 Introduction to Polynomial Functions
Wednesday February 18	3.3 Division of Polynomials
Thursday February 19	3.4 Zeros of Polynomials
Monday February 23	3.5, 3.6 Rational Functions
Tuesday February 24	3.7 Polynomial and Rational Inequalities
Wednesday February 25	Review
Thursday February 26	Unit 3 Test
Monday March 2	4.1 Inverse Functions
Tuesday March 3	4.2 Exponential Functions
Wednesday March 4	4.3 Logarithmic Functions
Thursday March 5	4.4 Properties of Logarithms;
Monday March 9	4.5 Exponential and Logarithmic Equations
Tuesday March 10	4.6 Exponential and Logarithmic Models
Wednesday March 11	Review
Thursday March 12	Unit 4 Test

Monday March 23	9.1, 9.2 Systems of Linear Equations in 2 and 3 Variables
Tuesday March 24	10.1 Solving Systems of Linear Equations Using Matrices
Wednesday March 25	9.1,9.2,10.1 Applications of Systems; 9.4 Systems of Nonlinear Equations
Thursday March 26	10.3 Operations on Matrices; 10.5 Determinants and Cramer’s Rule
Monday March 30	12.1 Sequences and Series
Tuesday March 31	12.2 Arithmetic Sequences & Series; 12.3 Geometric Sequences & Series
Wednesday April 1	Review
Thursday April 2	Test 5: Comprehensive Midterm Exam
Monday April 6	5.1 Angles and Their Measure; 5.2 Right Triangle Trigonometry
Tuesday April 7	5.3 Trigonometric Functions of Any Angle
Wednesday April 8	5.4 Trigonometric Functions Defined on the Unit Circle
Thursday April 9	5.5 Graphs of Sine and Cosine Functions
Monday April 13	5.6 Graphs of Other Trigonometric Functions; Trigonometry Practice
Tuesday April 14	5.7 Inverse Trigonometric Functions
Wednesday April 15	Review
Thursday April 16	Unit 6 Test
Monday April 20	6.1 Fundamental Trigonometric Identities
Tuesday April 21	6.2 Sum and Difference Formulas; 6.3 Double- and Half-Angle Formulas
Wednesday April 22	6.5 Trigonometric Equations Part 1
Thursday April 23	6.5 Trigonometric Equations Part 2
Monday April 27	7.2 The Law of Sines; 7.3 The Law of Cosines
Tuesday April 28	7.1 Applications of Right Triangles; 7.4 Harmonic Motion
Wednesday April 29	Review
Thursday April 30	Unit 7 Test
Monday May 4	11.1 The Ellipse
Tuesday May 5	11.2 The Hyperbola; 11.3 The Parabola
Wednesday May 6	11.6 Plane Curves and Parametric Equations
Thursday May 7	8.4 Vectors; 8.5 Dot Product
Monday May 11	8.1 Polar Coordinates
Tuesday May 12	8.2 Graphs of Polar Equations
Wednesday May 13	Review
Thursday May 14	Test 8: Comprehensive Final Exam

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to do at least 70% of the following:

Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of properties of functions, which include domain and range, operations, compositions, and inverses.
Recognize and apply polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions and solve related equations.
Apply graphical, symbolic and numeric techniques.
Evaluate all roots of higher degree polynomial and rational functions.
Recognize, solve and apply systems of linear equations using matrices.
Perform algebraic operations on matrices, evaluate the determinant and apply Cramer’s Rule
Recognize and evaluate arithmetic/geometric sequences and series.

General Education Competencies:

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