MATH 022 (INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA) SYLLABUS - Fall 2009


Instructor Phone Office Email Office Hours
Chase Brady 424-8219 1021C chase.brady@mail.wvu.edu M,W 4:00-5:30 PM; T,Th 1:00-2:00 PM
or by appointment

Course Description: Continuation of MATH 021.  Linear and quadratic equations and inequalities, absolute value equations and inequalities, algebraic functions, radicals, 2 x 2 and 3 x 3 systems of linear equations, complex numbers.

Prerequisite: MATH 021 and READ 079 or READ 080 or satisfactory score on placement test or instructor's permission.

Course Objectives: The student will become proficient in the manipulative skill of traditional algebra and graphical techniques using graphing calculator technology.  The student will acquire sufficient mathematical background that will enable him to meet the prerequisites for the following courses: college algebra, trigonometry, and elementary statistics.

Required Text: Introductory and Intermediate Algebra - Robert Blitzer, third edition. We will cover chapters sections 6.5-11.5 and supplementary material on matrices and systems of equations.

Web Page: I maintain a Web Page at http://www.wvup.edu/cbrady where you will find my schedule, this syllabus, assignments, occasional announcements, and most importantly, my solutions to each of the regular exams (posted after they are given, of course). I strongly encourage you to use these to correct your exams as soon as they are posted.

Calculator: A Texas Instruments TI-83, TI-84 or TI-82 is required for this course.  Instruction in its use will be provided.

Grading policy: There will be four regular exams, each of which count for 17.5% of your grade. In addition, there will be a comprehensive final exam worth 30%. Final grades will be assigned based on the scale
90% or better A
80-89% B
70-79% C
60-69% D
Below 60% F

 Each student is required to keep a spiral bound notebook specifically for homework. There should be nothing in this notebook but handwritten solutions to homework problems. The first 15 minutes of each regular exam will consist of transcribing selected homework problems from your notebook. You will not have sufficient time to solve the problems, only to transcribe them. On occasion, I do make mistakes in grading exams. If you suspect that I have done so, by all means bring it to my attention, but do so as soon after the exam as possible. I will not change an exam grade more than one week after I have handed it back.

Attendance/Make Up: While I have no formal policy, attendance is important. Math is not a subject well suited to playing `catch up'. You are responsible for the material whether you are in class or not. It is extremely important that you stay with the class. Missing days gets you behind. Regular exams, with a good excuse, can be made up, but you should expect them to be a bit more difficult than the ones given in class.

Last Day to Withdraw:  November 13.

Cheating: I don't expect it, and usually don't look for it. If I do find it, however, I have no sympathy. At a minimum, anyone caught cheating will receive a zero for the exam, and will be reported to the appropriate authorities.  See WVUP's Student Handbook section on "Code of Student Conduct".

Cell Phones: Kindly turn them off.  A ringing phone brings the whole class to a halt.  

Learning Center Services

The Learning Center is located in room 0404 and services are offered to students free of charge, Monday through Friday. Peer tutoring is open for scheduled and group sessions as well as unscheduled drop-in sessions.  Students can visit the Learning Center's website for more information. http://www.wvup.edu/Learning_Center/ .   
 

Campus Safety

Upon activation of the building fire alarm, all building occupants must exit to a position of a minimum of 100 ft. safely away from the building. If you will require assistance during an emergency evacuation, please contact the instructor so that arrangements can be made in advance. All students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the locations of emergency exits. Information concerning emergency exits is posted by or in each classroom. Students and instructors should also be familiar with the Color Code System and the Emergency Call buttons (College Paging System) that are located in each room on the main campus. Information regarding the system and instructions for each individual emergency can be found in the Safety Plan, accessible only on campus through the college website or by contacting faculty, staff, or administration. Questions regarding safety can be directed to the safety committee through the campus safety website at http://www.wvup.edu/safety/. 

Disability Statement

Social Justice Statement  

West Virginia University at Parkersburg is committed to social justice.  I  concur with that commitment and expect to maintain a positive learning  environment based upon open communication, mutual respect, and non- discrimination.  Our University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex,  age, disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, color or national  origin.  Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open environment in this class will be appreciated and given serious consideration.



Tentative Schedule: The following schedule is intended only as a rough outline of what we should cover in this course.  Do not rely on this for dates, as I reserve the right to slow down or speed up in response to students' level of understanding.
Section Assignment Section Assignment
6.5 A General Factoring Strategy 1-95 every other odd
 6.6 Solving Quadratic Equations By Factoring
1-55 odd
7.1 Rational Expressions and Their Simplification 1-75 every other odd 7.2 Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions 1-63 odd
7.3 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions with the Same Denominator 1-63 odd 7.4 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions with Different Denominators 1- 81 every other odd
7.5 Complex Rational Expressions 1-39 odd 7.6 Solving Rational Equations 1-59 odd
7.7 Applications Using Rational Equations and Proportions 1-31 odd Exam 1 *****
7.8 Modeling Using Variation 1-9 odd; 21-41 odd
 8.1 Introduction to Functions 1-21 odd
8.2 Graphs of Functions 1-43 odd; 47-65 odd
 8.3 The Algebra of Functions 1-47 odd
8.4 Composite and Inverse Functions 1-43 odd 9.1 Business Applications Using Linear Inequalities 1- 35 odd; 45-61 odd
9.2 Compound Inequalities 1-57 odd 9.3 Equations and Inequalities Involving Absolute Value 1-81 every other odd
Exam 2
 *****
 9.4 Linear Inequalities in Two Variables 1-45 odd
10.1 Radical Expressions and Functions 1-89 every other odd 10.2 Rational Exponents 1-111 every other odd
10.3 Multiplying and Simplifying Radical Expressions 1-89 every other odd 10.4 Adding, Subtracting, and Dividing Radical Expressions 1-65 odd
10.5 Multiplying with More Than One Term and Rationalizing Denominators 1-101 every other odd 10.6 Radical Equations 1-37 odd
10.7 Complex Numbers 1-97 every other odd Exam 3 *****
11.1 The Square Root Property and Completing the Square; Distance and Midpoint Formulas 1-91 every other odd 11.2 The Quadratic Formula 1-59 odd
11.3 Quadratic Functions and Their Graphs 1-43 odd 11.4 Equations Quadratic in Form 1-37 odd
11.5 Polynomial and Rational Inequalities 1-59 odd Supplementary Material on Matrices and Systems of Equations
Handout
Exam 4 ***** ***** *****

The final exam will be on Tuesday, December 15, at 1:00-3:00.