Linfield College
Division of Continuing Education: Adult Degree Program
Course Syllabus for MAT-151

Instructor: Dr. Gowri Meda

Welcome to Introduction to Finite Mathematics!! Please read and understand this syllabus.

 

CONTENTS

PART A
A1. Course Number, Title, Credit hours
A2. Instructor’s Contact Information and Biography
A3. Prerequisites for this Course
A4. Course Textbook and Technology Requirements
A5. Course Content and Course Objectives
A6. Pedagogical Approach
A7. Class Assessment and Grading Scheme
A8. Academic Honesty Policy
A9. Missed Assignments and Quizzes Policy
A10. Disability Statement

PART B
B1. Activities and assignments for the week of February 13-19
B2. Activities and assignments for the week of February 20-26
B3. Activities and assignments for the week of Febuary 27-March 5
B4. Activities and assignments for the week of March 6-12
B5. Activities and assignments for the week of March 13-19
B6. Activities and assignments for the week of March 20-26
B7. Activities and assignments for the week of March 27-April 2
B8. Activities and assignments for the week of April 3- 9
B9. Activities and assignments for the week of April 10-16
B10. Activities and assignments for the week of April 17-23
B11. Activities and assignments for the week of April 24-30
B12. Activities and assignments for the week of May 1- 7
B13. Activities and assignments for the week of May 8- 14
B14. Activities and assignments for the week of May 16-21

 

PART A

A1. Course Number, Title, Credit hours:

Course Title & Number: MAT-151 - Introduction to Finite Mathematics - ONLINE Class
Credit Hours: Two
Term and year: Spring 2006 [February 11 to May 25]
Classroom: Online

Back To Top

A2. Instructor’s Contact Information and Biography:

Emailing instructions: From the course webpage, click on the icon with the title Email Instructor. From the pull down menu TO, choose my name. Compose your message as usual and hit post button.

My Online schedule: I will reply to your messages on at least three days out of Monday through Friday and I would like to reserve Saturdays and Sundays for my family. However, if I am not out of town on weekends, I will try to reply to your messages. If you have a math question, then please post them in the GROUP Discussion area (information about your GROUP is discussed in A7 below.) and I will respond in the same group- area so that everyone in the group can benefit from your question and my answer. Please email to my personal inbox only if you have a non-math question that you want to discuss with me.

My Biography: I am originally from India although I have been residing in the US for the last 15 years. Since receiving my Ph.D. degree in mathematics in 1997 from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, I taught math full-time for five years. Since September 2002, I have been teaching math part-time at a community college and also part-time online classes at Linfield since September 2003. I enjoy teaching math and I am looking forward to working with you this semester. When I am not doing math, I like to paint (both oil and water color) and I thoroughly enjoy my time with my family which includes my husband and our three-year old son (and two cats!). By the way, please call me by my first name: Gowri—“Gow” rhymes with “Cow” and “ri” rhymes with “be”.

Back To Top

A3. Prerequisites for this Course:

Successful completion of MAT 115 ( Intermediate Algebra) or equivalent

Back To Top

A4. Course Textbook and Technology requirements

Required Text: Waner, Costenoble. Finite Mathematics and Applied Calculus (3rd ed.) packaged with WebCT access code: Thomson Publishing (available at the bookstore).

Optional and highly recommended: Student-solutions manual titled: Student's solution Manual for Finite Mathematics- also available at the bookstore.

MS Excel: You will need access to MS Excel software. MS Excel is a user-friendly spreadsheet application that is a very useful tool. We will use MS Excel in this course to solve and understand some real-world applications - in the textbook these math-application problems are referred to as Case Studies and are given at the end of each chapter. More specifically, we will use MS Excel for tedious math calculations (such as evaluating certain functions at various points), for organizing data, for obtaining regression lines from given data and for graphing. Your text provides very clear instructions on how to get started with MS Excel and how to use Excel. The weblink from the main homepage also provides online Excel tutorials to help you learn how to use MS Excel. In addition to these resources, I will also answer questions related to MS Excel whenever you post your questions for me in the group-discussions area. The group-discussion area will also allow us to upload Excel files (as attachments to messages).

Calculators: In this course you will need to do math calculations that will require some sort of technology-tool. You may either use a calculator or MS Excel for this purpose. Your text provides guidelines for using TI-83, specific to relevant math examples discussed in the text.. Since there are a large variety of calculators available in the market, it will not be possible for me to provide calculator-usage directions. If you plan to use a calculator, be sure to learn your calculator features from the handbook that came with your calculator.

Back To Top

A5. Course Content and Course Objectives:

Content will include: Review of algebra including linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, functions, graphs. Applications in business, economics, and the social and behavioral sciences.
In this course you will:

• gain an understanding of an important mathematical concept called "functions" with a focus on linear functions(Chapter one)
• apply your knowledge of linear functions and also technology (MS Excel) to a real-world application (Case Study in Chapter one)
• learn about simple and compound interest (Chapter five)
• develop the algebraic and technological skills and techniques needed to solve problems in the mathematics of finance (Case Study in Chapter five)
• learn how to solve a system of linear equations and apply the skills to a case-study (Chapter two)
• learn how to solve linear inequalities and apply the skills to basic linear programming problems (Chapter four)

Back To Top

A6. Pedagogical Approach:

In order to succeed in this online class, you must take on an active role in completing all the course objectives. The structure of an online class requires students to be very disciplined in their study habits. A successful student in an online environment must be willing and able to learn the material independently by reading the textbook, doing the homework, participating in online class discussion (see A7 below where I provide details on discussion groups) and completing all assignments. As an instructor in an online environment, I facilitate your learning by providing a weekly plan with readings and assignments to complete. I am available to answer your math questions through the discussions group. However, in an online course, it is crucial that you develop the skills to learn the math content independently through reading the text. Since our math communications will be solely through discussion-group messages, you should be prepared to read my response-messages and learn math by understanding the math content of my messages.
Section A7 below provides you the specifics of classroom assessment. PART B of this syllabus lists the activities and assignments for each week. In this Online environment, while you have the advantage of studying the material at a time of the day that fits your schedule, it is crucial that you understand that each week you will have a list assignments (readings,online quizzes and group-discussions and also exams in some weeks) to complete and there is no flexibility in the due-dates of these assignments. Hence, be sure to read and understand the next two sections very carefully.
In this class you are advised to:
• complete the reading assignment on time.
• complete the homework (do not turn it in)
• Participate in the group discussion in a timely manner on a regular and consistent basis.
• Complete the online-quizzes/exams on time and follow all the rules that go with it.

In this class you can expect that I will:
• respond to your math-questions
• respond to messages sent to my “email”
• actively manage this webpage

Back To Top

A7. Class assessment and Grading Scheme:

Your course grade will be based on the following assessment areas. Please also see “Grading Scheme” which explains how I will determine your Course-grade.

• Weekly Online Group-Discussion and Participation: By Tuesday morning, I will assign you to a group. Once I have assigned you to a group, you can only access your group-discussion. To access your group from the homepage, click on Discussions- Area and then click on the only GROUP that you will be able to access.
  By each Monday, I will post one or two discussion thread-messages (referred to as DQ threads) in your Group. Each DQ thread message will contain one or more math questions for you to answer and post (as a threaded message -directions for threading will be provided in my discussion-message-thread that I will start) in the group area by Sunday midnight of the week. These are asynchronous discussions and so you may post your message at a time of the day that is convenient to you. However, please post your response to the discussion questions ( that I post in your group on each Monday, as I mentioned earlier) as early in the week and preferably by Wednesday midnight of the week so as to allow time for discussion. If you do not participate in one week, then you lose participation points for that week and you cannot make up those points in another week
  Responses posted by various students are intended to serve as a starting point for math-conversations in your group about the week's topics. Hence, you are expected to read other students' answers to these discussion questions and engage in math discussions with your group members. So in addition to posting your messages to the my DQ threads, please also be willing to post extra messages of the following nature: ones where you may agree with a group member's solution and thus post a positive message ( such as : good work!) or ones where you respond to math questions posted by a group member.
  
• Online Quizzes: There will be six online quizzes for the semester. Please see PART B of this syllabus to view in which of the weeks the quizzes take place. In the weeks where I indicate that there is a quiz, note that the quiz will then be posted on the Wednesday of that week and will remain available until 11:55 pm on Sunday of that week. You may take your quiz at any time during the available period but once you start an online quiz, you will have to finish it in two hours. Hence, do not start your quiz until you are absolutely ready.
  
• Exams: There will be two online EXAMS. Please see PART B of this syllabus to view the availability period for each of the EXAMS. You may take your EXAMS at any time during the available period but once you start an online EXAM, you will have to finish it in four hours. Hence, do not start your EXAM until you are absolutely ready.

I will calculate your grade based on the following grading scheme:

Each week you will be given a score for the weekly-group-discussion and participation category and an Average Participation Score will be made available to you as a row in MY GRADES icon on the homepage. As stated above, this average participation score (based on your participation in group discussions each week- please see A7 for details) counts towards 10% of the course grade.

Similarly, each quiz-score will be displayed in MY GRADES and an Average Quiz Score will be made available to you as a row in MY GRADES. As stated above, this average quiz score counts towards 30% of the course grade.

Similarly, each EXAM score will be displayed as soon as you submit the midterm and an Average Exam Score will be made available to you as a row in MY GRADES. As stated above, this average midterm score counts towards 60% of the course grade.

Your course current-percentage is hence a WEIGHTED sum of the three categories in the table above. Hence, your course percentage is the SUM of the Average Participation Score, Average Quiz Score and Average Exam Score. A row with the label current-percentage will be displayed in MY GRADES. Note in particular that each category is weighted differently and that the exams are indeed weighted heaviest.

Back To Top

A8. Academic Honesty Policy: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any student found to be engaging in either of these activities at any point in the course will receive a failing grade for the assignment and/or entire course and may be subject to further college sanctions.

Back To Top

A9. Missed assignments/quizzes policy:
No make-ups are allowed for missed Group Discussions, Participation, or Online quizzes and midterms. If you have an emergency that does not allow you to take an online quiz or midterm, contact me immediately or as soon as possible by email.

Back To Top

A10. Disability Statement: Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know, should communicate with the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week of classes.

Back To Top

PART B

This is a tentative calendar and I may make changes to this due to institutional, class, technical and such problems. I will make an announcement if I have to make changes to the following.

B1. Activities and assignments for the week of February 13-19

1. Reading Assignment: Sections 1.1 from the text. Read the Online tutorials for this section.

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.

In what follows,
"every odd" from 1 through some number means 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 ….. and so on

"every other odd" from 1 through some number means 1, 5, 9, 13 ….. and so on.

Section 1.1: 1 through 19 odd, 25, 27

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

4. Post your Bio: Click on the icon Discussion Area. In the discussion area, under the topic INTRODUCTIONS, you will see that I have posted a Bio thread. Using the Bio thread, please post your Bio as soon as possible and preferably by Monday, so that we can all begin to get to know each other.

Back To Top

B2. Activities and assignments for the week of February 20-26

1. Reading Assignment: Section 1.2. Read the Online tutorials for this section.

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.
Section 1.2: 1 , 2, 3, 19-25, 26, 28

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

4. Online Quiz: Take online quiz titled Quiz-One. See A7 for details.

Back To Top

B3. Activities and assignments for the week of February 27- March 5

1. Reading Assignment: Section 1.3 . Read the Online tutorials for this section.

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.
Section 1.3: 1 through 69 every other odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

Back To Top

B4. Activities and assignments for the week of March 6-12

1. Reading Assignment: Section 1.4 & 1.5. Read the Online tutorials for these sections

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.

Section 1.4: 1 through 21 every odd

Section 1.5: 15 through 23 every odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

4. Online Quiz: Take online quiz titled Quiz-Two. See A7 for details

Back To Top

B5. Activities and assignments for the week of March 13-19

1. Reading Assignment: Section 5.1

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.

Section 5.1: 1 through 27 every odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

Back To Top

B6. Activities and assignments for the week of March 20-26

1. Reading Assignment: Section 5.2

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.

Section 5.2: 1 through 55 every other odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

4. Online Quiz: Take online quiz titled Quiz-Three. See A7 for details

Back To Top

B7. Activities and assignments for the week of March 27-April 2

1. Reading Assignment: Review chapter ONE and SECTIONS 5.1 and 5.2

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.

Review tests from the text: Do the review problems on pages 78 and 312

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

4. EXAM ONE (available from March 29 until 11:55 pm on April 2): Take EXAM ONE based on chapter ONE and SECTIONS 5.1 and 5.2.

Back To Top

B8. Activities and assignments for the week of April 3-April 9

1. Reading Assignment: Section 2.1. Read the Online tutorial for this section.

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.
Section 2.1: 1 through 21 every odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

Back To Top

B9. Activities and assignments for the week of April 10-April 16

1. Reading Assignment: Section 2.1. Read the Online tutorials for this section.

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.
Section 2.1: 23 through 37 every odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

4. Online Quiz: Take online quiz titled Quiz-Four. See A7 for details

Back To Top

B10. Activities and assignments for the week of April 17-April 23

1. Reading Assignment: Section 2.2. Read the Online tutorials for this section.

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.
Section 2.2: 1 through 37 every other odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

Back To Top

B11. Activities and assignments for the week of April 24-April 30

1. Reading Assignment: Section 2.3. Read the Online tutorials for this section.

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.
Section 2.3: 1 through 9 every odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

4. Online Quiz: Take online quiz titled Quiz-Five. See A7 for details.

Back To Top

B12. Activities and assignments for the week of May 1-May 7

1. Reading Assignment: Section 4.1. Read the Online tutorials for this section.

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.
Section 4.1: 1 through 37 every other odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

Back To Top

B13. Activities and assignments for the week of May 8-May 14

1. Reading Assignment: Section 4.2. Read the Online tutorials for this section.

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.
Section 4.2: 1 through 37 every other odd

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

4. Online Quiz: Take online quiz titled Quiz-Six. See A7 for details

Back To Top

B14. Activities and assignments for the week of May 15-21

1. Reading Assignment: Review chapter TWO and SECTIONS 4.1 and 4.2

2. Suggested Homework: Please do the following exercises from your textbook for your own practice. You do not need to submit these.

Review tests from the text: Do the review problems on pages 131 and 265

3. Group Discussion and Participation: See section A7 of this syllabus for participation requirements.

4. EXAM-TWO (available from May 17 until 11:55 pm on May 21): Take your EXAM-TWO based on chapter TWO and also SECTIONS, 4.1 and 4.2

Back To Top