Precalculus
Spring 2012
MW 12:00-1:20, LART 304; 5 credit hours
Other resources:
Syllabus
Please feel free to come by my office any time during scheduled
office hours.
You are welcome to
come at other times, but in that case you might want to make
an appointment, just to make sure that I will be there then. You can
make an appointment simply by talking to me before or after class, by
calling me at
my office
or at home, or by sending
e-mail.
You may also ask any questions directly via phone or e-mail. If I'm
not in when you call, please leave a message on the voice-mail or
answering machine with your name, number, and a good time for me to
call you back. I will try to respond to your phone or e-mail message
as soon as possible.
Recitation sections
Both recitation sections meet Tue, Thu, 1:30-3:20. You will be randomly assigned to one of the two sections.
Peer leader: John Prado
email: 13.jprado -AT- gmail.com
recitation location: EDUC 313
Peer leader: Jonathan Rye
email: jrrvader -AT- yahoo.com
recitation location: EDUC 309
Prerequisites:
MATH 0311, or an adequate score on a placement exam. This generally means you should have some proficiency with algebra, that you are able to manipulate expressions with polynomials and exponents, and that you can graph some of these functions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to represent, describe, and analyze functions numerically, graphically, symbolically, and verbally. You will be familiar with the important families of functions: polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric. You will be able to manipulate these functions, and perform transformations on them.
Textbook:
Precalculus, 8th ed., Ron Larson, Chs. 1-6.
We may skip some chapters, as announced in class. If time permits, we will also cover topics from Ch. 7 at the end of the course.
Required Reading:
Read each chapter that we cover in class, both before and after class.
Skim the chapter before class, even if you don't understand it fully,
to have some idea of what we'll be doing in class. Read it more
carefully after class to clarify and fill in details you missed in
class.
Warning:
Sometimes, we will not "cover" all the material from a chapter, but
instead focus on a particular aspect of the chapter. In such cases, I
will point out in class (and at this
website) which other
parts of the chapter I expect you to read on your own.
Computer:
We will be doing some computer explorations, in and out of class. As a result, it will be necessary for you to bring a laptop to class, if possible, and have access to a computer outside of class. (In class, we will be fine as long as there is one laptop for every two students, and you can then work in teams of two.) The software for this is free, and web-based, and works on any major browser. (You will still need to purchase WebAssign, as described below.)
GRADES:
Individual homework will be assigned on a daily basis (with some exceptions). Homework is to be completed on the WebAssign system. You are allowed to work together on homework (in fact, I encourage you to do so), but, for maximum effectiveness, you must understand the solutions to all the problems. It is your responsibility to keep up with the homework, even when you have to miss class. Your four lowest homework scores will be dropped.
Other assignments/quizzes (10%)
There will be additional (not WebAssign) assignments and quizzes, some related to the computer software.
There may also be quizzes for pre-assessments (assessing you on what you know before we begin a topic). These will count as "extra credit"; a good grade on one of these quizzes can replace a lower quiz grade.
Exams (15% each)
There will be three in-class exams on the following days:
- Chs. 1, 2: Wed. 15 Feb.
- Chs. 2, 3: Mon. 26 Mar.
- Chs. 4, 5, 6: Wed. 25 Apr.
Makeup exams can be given only in extraordinary and unavoidable circumstances, and with advance notice.
Final (30%)
The final exam will be comprehensive over all material we discuss in class. The
final will be on
Fri., 11 May, 1:00 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
All exams are closed-book, no calculators.
POLICIES:
Academic dishonesty:
It is UTEP's policy, and mine, for all suspected cases or acts of alleged scholastic dishonesty to be referred to the Dean of Students for investigation and
appropriate disposition. See Section 1.3.1 of the Handbook of Operating Procedures.
Attendance:
Daily attendance is required, although there is no particular grade penalty for missing class, other than missing quizzes. My goal is for class meetings and activities to complement, rather than echo, the textbook, and thus for every class to be worth attending.
Drop date:
The deadline for student-initiated drops with a W is Friday, March 30. After this date, you can only drop with the Dean's approval, which is granted only under extenuating circumstances.
I hope everyone will complete the course successfully, but if you are having doubts about your progress, I will be happy to discuss your standing in the course to help you decide whether or not to drop. You are only allowed three enrollments in this course, and students enrolled after Fall 2007 are only allowed six withdrawals in their entire academic career, so please exercise the drop option judiciously.
Courtesy:
We all have to show courtesy to each other, and the class as a whole, during class time. Please arrive to class on time (or let me know when you have to be late, and why); do not engage in side conversations when one person (me, or another student) is talking to the whole class; turn off your cell phone (or at least set it to not ring out loud), and do not engage in phone, email, or text conversations during class.
Disabilities:
If you have, or suspect you have, a disability and need an accommodation, you should contact the Disabled Student Services Office (DSSO) at 747-5148, dss@utep.edu, or Union East room 302. You are responsible for presenting to me any DSS accommodation letters and instructions.
Exceptional circumstances:
If you anticipate the possibility of missing large portions of class time, due to exceptional circumstances such as military service and/or training, or childbirth, please let me know as soon as possible.
