Office Hours: Breezeway on the first floor of Building 25. If it is too packed, my office.
Times:
M/T 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
F 2:10 - 4 PM
If you cannot make office hours, email me and we can set up a Zoom meeting.
Course Goals
You will walk away from this class understanding
What functions are and how to manipulate and use them
Common functions you will encounter in your journey through mathematics, such as polynomials, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions
Graphs + transformations of functions and the intuition behind them
Solving linear/quadratic equations and inequalities
Most importantly, preparing you for precalculus problems you will see in Calculus.
Course Methodology
Textbook and Materials
We will use Precalculus, Mathematics For Calculus, 7thedition by James Stewart et al. No WebAssign.
Notebook and pencils/pens for lectures, homeworks, and in-class assessments.
No calculators for in-class assessments.
Lectures
Lectures are held in class two days a week. Most lecture notes will be typed up, available on at this page.
A few examples will have a Show Solution button, like so: If you would like me to type up solutions for specific problems, email me and I will get to it!
Lectures will follow the sections in the textbook.
Think, Pair, Share
In lecture, after introducing a concept, seeing how to use it in a few examples, you may be given a similar problem to work on. We will use the following strategy:
Think: Work independently on the problem for a few minutes.
Pair: Pair up with someone to discuss your thought process/solution to the problem.
Share: Volunteer to share your answer
Finally, I will present my solution. Instead of writing down stuff for two hours we learn by engaging with the material.
Are we using Canvas?
Yes. Canvas will only be used to:
Send out announcements to commmunicate with you, and
Keep track of grades.
Turn on announcement notifications in Canvas. You will be emailed when announcements are sent. You can turn them on by:
On the Canvas App: Tap top left hamburger menu, tap settings, tap email notifications, tap announcement to send immediately.
On Canvas Website: Click Account in the left menu, click notifications, find announcement and click on the bell.
Assignments and Grading
Homework
Homework will be posted every Monday and due in one week (the following Monday, or Tuesday if we meet then).
Expectations for homework submissions:
Hard copy paper, submitted in person at the beginning of class. Must be on time!
Answers are boxed. Organized and neat.
Stapled in the top left.
Include your name and section number. Quick reference for section number:
Meeting Time
Section Number
M/W 4:10 - 6 PM
MATH 118-07
M/W 6:10 - 8 PM
MATH 118-18
T/TH 4:10 - 6 PM
MATH 118-08
T/TH 6:10 - 8 PM
MATH 118-19
Grading is based on two criteria: completeless and a few problems will be chosen to be graded for correctness.
Quizzes
Quizzes will be in person every Monday/Tuesday, except for the first week.
Held during the first 10-15 minutes of class and will cover the previous week's material.
The two academic holidays force quiz dates to be pushed back until the first time we meet during the week. See the Class Schedule at our Instructor Page for details.
Exams
Two midterms. First 50 minutes of lecture. These are cumulative assessments.
One final.
Exam dates:
Midterm 1:
Section 07 and 18: Monday, January 27
Section 08 and 19: Tuesday, January 28
Midterm 2:
Section 07 and 18: Monday, February 24
Section 08 and 19: Tuesday, February 25
Final:
We may have a Common Final for all four sections of MATH 118 I teach. This means your final will most likely be on Saturday March 15. More details to follow if it is set up.
The final is taken in the classroom we meet for lecture.
Unless I have granted you an exception, you must take the final at the specified time; you cannot take the final during a different section.
Late Policy
For homework: Penalized 20% per day turned after the due date.
For quizzes/exams: You must email me 24 hours before the quiz or exam time to be considered for a make-up quiz/exam. Failure to do so will receive a zero on the quiz/exam.
Grading Policy
The aforementioned assignments have the following grading breakdown:
Homework: 10%, lowest will be dropped
Quizzes: 25%, lowest two will be dropped
Midterms: 40%
Final: 25%
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D
F
93-100
90-93
87-90
83-87
80-83
77-80
73-77
70-73
60-70
0-60
Academic Integrity
Cheating of any form requires, at minimum, a F on the assignment. Let us define what is allowed for each assignment.
Resource
Homeworks
Quizzes + Midterms + Final
Me (the professor)
Yes
Yes
Course materials (lectures + notes)
Yes
No
Textbook
Yes
No
Collaboration with peers
Yes
No
Online resources (internet + math engines like Photomath)
No
No
Other Important Information
Accessibility
Students registed with the DRC should contact me ASAP so we can set up and discuss the necessary arrangements.
Tips for Success
A four unit class requires four hours of lecture and at least four hours of work outside of lecture. How to spend this time wisely?
Practice Exams
The main course portal contains practice exams and their solutions.
My advice is to complete the practice exam first, then checking your solutions with the key. This way you can see the concepts you need to work on.
Kennedy Library Tutoring
The Learning Support Center hosts drop-in tutoring in several locations. The main location is Graphic Arts 26-110A. See this link for more details.
You should attend office hours to clear up any questions you have about anything; doesn't need to be course related. If you need help, don't hesitate to reach out!
For example, if you would like to get personalized advice and feedback on your understanding of the material, office hours is the place to do it. I will learn about your thought process in a problem, determine your weaknesses and strengths, and come up with a plan moving forward.
General Advice
I encourage you to work with other students on the homeworks.
If there is an issue where you cannot attend class (car trouble, athletic event, etc.) email me and we may be able to make other arrangements.
We have a daily schedule. This will help you plan what sections you'll need to know for in-class assessments.