Instructor:             Kathleen Kane
Office:                   S224
Telephone:            (908) 526 – 1200 ext. 8296

Office Hours:        Monday and Wednesday     1:30 PM –   2:30 PM
                               Tuesday and Thursday       11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
                               Friday                                 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM

Materials:             Textbook:
                               Introductory Algebra, eighth edition by Marvin L. Bittinger.

                             You will NOT be allowed to use a calculator in this course.

Attendance:     Students are expected to attend all classes.  Attendance will be taken every day.  If a student has more than 12 hours of absence, the student may be administratively withdrawn from the course without prior notice or refund.

Attending all lectures is essential for success in this course.  Lectures reinforce and explain the material presented in the textbook.  Additional solution techniques, which may not be found in the book, will be demonstrated in class.  It is the student’s responsibility to keep up with the class work and homework assignments.  At least two hours of study should be spent outside of class for each hour spent in class.

Classroom Behavior:

1. At all times, you are expected to conduct yourself in a manner befitting a college classroom.

2. Talking or any other types of disruption during the lecture will not be tolerated.

3. Leaving the classroom during the lecture should be reserved for emergencies only.  It is very disruptive for you, the students around you and the instructor.  If you must leave in an emergency, do so as quickly and quietly as possible.

4. You should be on time for class.  If you are late for class, please enter the classroom quietly and quickly take the closest available seat.  If possible, avoid walking across the front of the classroom directly in front of the instructor.  Set up your materials with minimal amount of disturbance to those around you.

5. All beepers and cellular telephones must have the ringer turned off while you are in class.

Requirements and Grading:

1. Tests                          35%
2. Lab Work                  15%
3. Homework, quizzes    20%
4. Final                           30%

Your letter grade will be assigned according to the following scale:

Tests:  There will be 3 tests given through out the semester and a comprehensive final given during the final exam period.

The test schedule given in the attached schedule is tentative.  It is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

A make up test will be given ONLY if the following procedure is followed:

Notify the instructor ON OR BEFORE THE DATE that the scheduled test is to be given.  This may be done in person, by phone, voice mail, or e-mail.  A note under the office door or in the mailbox is NOT acceptable.  In addition, you must be able to provide official documentation as an excuse.  Official documentation includes a doctor’s excuse, court summons, etc.  If you fail to notify the instructor on the date of the test or cannot provide official documentation, a makeup test will not be given AND your grade for the exam will be a zero.

  The final exam is comprehensive.  It will include material from Elementary Algebra Part I and Elementary Algebra Part II.

Quizzes:  Quizzes will be given throughout the semester.  Quizzes may be announced or unannounced.

  QUIZZES CANNOT BE MADE UP.  If you miss a quiz, regardless of the reason (including being late for class), you will receive a zero for that quiz.
 

Homework:  Homework will be assigned during almost every class period.  These homework problems will not be collected. You will, however, be expected to complete all assignments before the next scheduled class. The problems on the tests and quizzes will be very closely related to the homework problems.

  On the last class day of the week, I will give you an assignment that reviews the material covered for the week.  This assignment will be collected at the beginning of the following class period.    The graded homework will not be gone over in class.

Your homework must meet the following guidelines.  Failure to do so will result in a grade of ZERO.  No exceptions.
 

1. The assignment must be neat and legible – by my standards.

2. No loose pages accepted.  ALL ASSIGNMENTS HAVING MORE THAN ONE PAGE MUST BE STAPLED. No folded corners, paper clips, etc.

3. The assignment must be done on paper without ragged edges.

4. The problems must be done in numerical order and clearly labeled.

5. You must show an appropriate amount of work for full credit.

6.  Homework will be collected during the first five minutes of the class on the day it is due.   If your homework is not turned in at this time, regardless of the reason (this includes being late for class that day), it is considered late and will be penalized.  Five points will be subtracted from you grade for each day or part of a day that the homework is late.  You may turn your homework in early, but you must be sure that I have it by the deadline.   Putting your homework in my mailbox is NOT recommended.  If you want to receive full credit, have the math lab staff stamp it with the date and time and ask them to put it in my folder.

We will attempt to use the computer to keep track of your lab grades.  You will be given a procedure to follow to log on to the system.  If this system does not work correctly, we will revert to the following procedure:

If you finish the assignment before the end of class, notify the instructor and she will mark her grade book.  If you do not finish the assignment before the end of class, print out the results and finish the assignment on your own time.  When you finish the assignment, print out the results.  Turn in the print out from class along with the print out of the remainder of the assignment to the instructor to receive your grade.

IN EITHER CASE, YOU HAVE ONE WEEK FROM THE DATE OF AN ASSIGNMENT TO FINISH ITAND TURN IN THE RESULTS.  IF YOU FAIL TO FINISH THE ASSIGNMENT AND TURN IN THE RESULTS WITHIN ONE WEEK, YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO FOR THAT ASSIGNMENT REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PROBLEMS WERE COMPLETED.
 
 

MANAGE YOUR TIME:

This course will help you to prepare Intermediate Algebra and Contemporary Mathematics. In order to develop your skills properly and to thoroughly understand the concepts, you may need to put in at least two hours of study time for every hour spent in class.
 

WHAT IS NEXT?
This course prepares you for Contemporary Mathematics (3 Cr) and Intermediate Algebra (4 NC).
 
 

GETTING HELP:
If you experience difficulties at anytime during the course, there are many ways of getting help.
 

a. Your textbook and its computer work supplements. Aside from the supplements, there are videotapes corresponding to the topics in the text. These videotapes may be viewed in the Math Lab or Media Center. The videotapes cannot be removed from the Math Lab or Media Center, but there is no viewing time limit.

b. Office Hours. The purpose of these office hours is to provide time for me to help and interact with all of my students. If my office hours are not convenient for you, see me to set up an appointment.

c. The Math Lab. RVCC provides its students with mathematics tutors, free of charge, in the Math Lab located in Room S-20 in the basement of the South Building. Tutoring at the Math Lab generally begins in the second week of classes. When you go to the Math Lab, make sure you sign in at the front counter. Tutors will be at the front counter and also working at the tables. Also available by request at the front counter are supplements for your textbook (Student Solution Manual, videotapes). The telephone number for the Math Lab is 908-526-1200 Ext. 8393. The Math Lab Manager is Diane Fancera. Hours of operation for Math Lab will be posted each semester on its double glass doors and another schedule will be posted for final exam week.

d. A study group. Students can form study groups to motivate themselves and each other. Study groups can work on homework or study for tests and quizzes.

e. Testing Skills and Math Anxiety Workshops. The RVCC Counseling Center offers workshops on many topics and concerns, including test-taking skills, math anxiety, time management, stress management. The schedules and locations of these workshops can be obtained from the Counseling Center.

CHALLENGING YOUR PLACEMENT:
If you feel that your score on the placement test does not represent your algebraic abilities, you may take another test to challenge your placement subject to the following conditions.

1. Your initial placement is in Elementary Algebra
2. This is the first semester you have registered for Elementary Algebra.
3. You must challenge your placement during the first week of classes.

See the secretary in the counseling center for details. There is a fee to retest
 
 

Note:  Answers for all odd-numbered homework problems are given in the back of the textbook, as well as answers for Chapter Review problems, Chapter Tests and Cumulative Reviews.

Homework problem sequences include only odd problems.

Section Number                                  Homework Assignment

Review Chapters 1 – 4

5.1 (Review)

5.2 (Review)

5.4                                                     P. 341 15-25,29,35
 

5.5                                                    P. 347  1-27,41-67

5.6                                                    P. 357 1-7,11-15,21,33,35

5.7                                                     P. 365 1-21,25-47

5.8                                                     P.371 1,3,9,11,13

Review Chapter 5

EXAM I CHAPTER 5

6.1                                                    P. 389 1-11, 21-63

6.2                                                    P. 395 1-31

6.3                                                    P. 399 1-25

6.4                                                    P. 405 1,3,5, 25-49

6.5                                                    P. 413 1,3,5, 21-39

6.6                                                    P. 423 1-27

6.7b                                                  P. 436 15-27

6.8                                                    P. 441 1-17

Review Chapter 6

EXAM 2   CHAPTER 6

8.1                                                    P. 499 1-15,19,21

8.2                                                   P. 505 1-17, 25

8.3                                                   P. 513 1-9,13-27

8.4                                                   P. 525 1, 7-15,21

8.5                                                   P. 533 1-7

Review Chapter 8

EXAM 3  CHAPTER 8

9.1a                                                  P. 547 1-19, 33-35

9.2                                                    P. 553 1-27, 35-51, 55-71

9.3 a, b                                            P. 561 1 -27

9.4 a                                               P. 569 1-21

Final Review

Final Review