Welcome to Math 49 - PreCalculus

1. Welcome to Math 49 - PreCalculus Dr. Michael Brassington 22nd September 2008 BrassingtonBrassington

2. Agenda • Introductions • Green Sheet • Syllabus & Schedule • Ch 1: Linear Functions and Change • Ch 2: Functions • Ch 3: Exponential Functions • Ch 4: Logarithmic Functions • Ch 5: Transformations of Functions • Ch 8: Compositions, Inverses & Combinations • Ch 9: Polynomial & Rational Functions Brassington

3. Introductions • Name? • Major? • What you do for fun? • What makes math fun? Brassington

4. Online Math-49 Group • CLASS WEB SITE: • http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brassmath49/ • Click on “Join this Group” • You will need to open a free Yahoo account if you don’t have one already. • Group Email Addresses • Post message to group by sending email to: • brassmath49@yahoogroups.com • NOTE: Anything you post to this group will be received by all other group subscribers. If you want to send a private email to me directly, use my personal email address. • brassingtonmichael@fhda.edu Brassington

5. “Green Sheet” • PRE-REQUISITE: Math 51(or a satisfactory score on the placement exam.) • LOCATION: Room 3303 • INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Michael Brassington. • OFFICE HOURS: 9am – 10am Friday • OFFICE PHONE: 408.835.0944 • (you may leave a voicemail message any time) • EMAIL: brassingtonmichael@fhda.edu Brassington

6. Text Books • Required: Connally, et al. Functions Modeling Change; 3 rd. Edition, Wiley. • Required: Stanley and Knobel; Survival Guide; contains lecture notes, and a set of practice exam problems. • Optional: Students Solutions Manual. The solutions manual contains complete solutions to every alternate odd-numbered problem. The text has answers [not complete solutions] to most of the odd-numbered problems. A Student Study Guide is also available in the library. Brassington

7. Calculators • You are required to have a TI 83 or TI84 graphing calculator for this class. • If you already have a graphing calculator of a different kind, you are expected to know how to use it. • The Foothill College Math Dept. does not currently allow students to use any calculators that are capable of symbolic algebra/calculus during examinations; one such example is the TI 89. • All demonstrations in class will use the TI 83 Brassington

8. Class Attendance • Attendance to my classes is recommended. • All students are awarded 100 bonus points at the beginning of the course and which contribute 10% towards your final grade. • I will be keeping attendance records for each class and deduct 25 of these points for each absence and/or late arrival. • Out of respect for everyone’s time, classes will begin promptly. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to keep up with the material and obtain handouts that you may have missed. • I reserve the right to drop you if you have more than five absences without notifying me ahead of time. However, DONOT assume that you will be dropped if you simply stop attending. Brassington

9. Homework • It is strongly recommended that you do your homework each night. • Like any other mental or physical activity, you learn math by doing it. • You should plan on spending at least two hours per day on reading/homework during the week. • Depending on your level of preparation, you may have to spend much more time than this to master the material. • Collaboration with your classmates is strongly encouraged in all homework. • Homework is neither collected nor graded. Brassington

10. Quizzes • We will have several open book quizzes on prior homework, lectures and reading material. • The quizzes may prohibit the use of a calculator. • The lowest quiz scores will be excluded from your course grade calculation. • There are absolutely no make up quizzes under any circumstances. Brassington

11. Quiz Topics & Schedule • The first quiz is a take home algebra review, which is due at the start of the second class – meeting - no exceptions. • Quizzes 2 through 7 are in-class. • Typically in each quiz, you will be asked to do a number of problems taken from (or very similar to) homework problems from the sections that are grouped together. • For example, in Quiz 2 you would normally be asked to do three or four problems from sections 1.1 and 1.2. Brassington

12. Tentative Quiz Topics & Schedule • TENTATIVE QUIZ/MIDTERM/FINAL EXAM INFORMATION • Quiz 1: Algebra Review (Due second class meeting) • Quiz 2: Sections 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 • Quiz 3: Sections 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 • Quiz 4: Sections 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2 • Quiz 5: Sections 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2 • Quiz 6: Sections 4.3, 4.4, 5.1, 5.2 • Quiz 7: Sections 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 8.1 • Midterm Exam I (10/22): Chapters 1, 2 & 3 • Midterm Exam II (11/5): Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 • FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAM (12/12) Brassington

13. EXAMS • MIDTERM EXAMS • We will have two midterm exams. • Only your highest midterm score will be used in the calculation of your course grade. • Dates: Wednesday 10/22 & Wednesday 11/5– No Make-ups • You may bring into each midterm exam, ONE card no larger than 6"x4" with hand–written notes. • FINAL EXAM (MANDITORY) • There will be a comprehensive final exam. • Date (Set by School): Wednesday 12/12, 8-10am. • You may bring into the Final Exam, ONE 11" x 8.5" (or A4) sheet of paper with hand-written notes. • You must score at least 50% on this exam in order to pass the class. Brassington

14. Grades • Points are assigned as follows: • ~7 Quizzes 200 pts • First Midterm Exam 250 pts • Second Midterm Exam 250 pts • Final Exam ** 300 pts • Class Attendance 100 pts • Total Points – maximum 1100 pts* • ** To pass the course with a grade of C or greater, each student must attain at least 50% on the final exam, independent of their total aggregate points.** Brassington

15. Grades • IF YOU GET AN ‘A’ GRADE ON THE FINAL EXAM, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN ‘A’ IN THE COURSE. - THIS APPLIES ONLY TO ‘A’ GRADES. • THE GRADE OF A STUDENT WHO DOES NOT ATTAIN AN ‘A’ ON THE FINAL EXAM WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE AGGREGATE GRADE SHOWN IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE. • If you attain Course Grade will be at least __________________________________________ • 90 % and over A • 80 % to 89.9 % B • 70 % to 79.9 % C • 60 % to 69.9 % D • 0 % to 59 % F Brassington

16. Course Grades (Example) • Sample Grade Calculation • Student attained scores as follows • Quizzes: 160/200 pts; • Midterm One: 180/250 pts; • Midterm Two: 170/250 pts; • Final Exam: 270/300 pts; • Attendance: 50/100 pts; • Aggregate Points = (160+2x180+270+50)/1000 = 84.0% => Grade "B" • Final Exam Percent: 270/300 = 90% = Grade "A" • Student receives the better of "B" or "A". Therefore, Course Grade = ‘A’. Brassington

17. Getting Help • Ask your peers • Post a question to the group - brassmath49@yahoogroups.com • Use the Math Center • Use the Tutorial Center • Ask me – michael.brassington@gmail.com Brassington

18. Dropping Class • You may drop the course by Friday of the FOURTH week with no grade. • You may drop the course by Friday of the EIGHTH week with a ‘W’ grade. • In every case, a student is responsible for dropping him/herself. • You should not assume that you are automatically dropped from the class for non-attendance. • Students on the final grade roster, who have not dropped and who do not show up for the final exam will receive an F in the course. Brassington

19. Academic Integrity • Cheating is absolutely prohibited! • Looking at someone else's exam • helping another student during an exam • talking to anyone except me during an exam • or using an external source of information for which you were not explicitly given permission • will result in an instructor drop or an F grade for the course. • Cheating incidents will also be reported to the Dean of Students. • The use of any calculator other than those that are specified by your instructor [whether intentional or not] is another example of academic dishonesty and grounds for a ‘F’ in the course. • If you do not understand what the word "cheating" means, please see the school information sheet on academic honesty. Brassington

20. And Finally …. • Make sure that your read the “Green Sheet” fully – it is a contract. • Make sure that you understand its contents fully, especially the parts that pertain to testing and the computation of your grade. • So long as you remain enrolled in the course, you are implicitly agreeing to abide by these terms. Brassington