Syllabus, Precalculus, Math 160, Fall 2008

Contents:
  Prerequisite (you must satisfy the prerequisite!)
  Work
  Calculators
  Exams and Grading
  Goals

Course Supervisor:  Dr. Warren Esty, 994-5354, Wilson 2-238 (East wing, South wall).

Required text:  Precalculus, Fourth edition, by Warren Esty. There is an optional solutions manual available from the bookstore with solutions to the odd-numbered problems. A graphing calculator is required. A TI-83, 84, 85, or 86 is recommended, but any brand or model that does not also do symbolic manipulations will do.  We will use the TI-83 or TI-84 in class and we recommend them.  (The TI-92 and TI-89 "symbolic manipulators" and similar models will not be allowed on quizzes and exams).

Prerequisite. Regardless of what courses you have taken in high school, you must test into this course (or have passed the Math 105 at MSU or have transfer credit for an equivalent course from another university). You can test in using the Montana State University Mathematics Placement Test or with sufficiently high ACT (at least 25) or SAT (at least 570) math scores. Satisfying any one of these prerequisites is enough. Students who do not satisfy at least one of these prerequisites will be required to drop themselves from the course.

Placement test:  If you somehow avoided taking the placement exam, or want to take it again, you can take it in Roberts Hall during scheduled hours the first week of class. Sooner is better. You can start anytime the room is open as long as you allow half an hour to finish by closing time. You must show your photo ID. Calculators are permitted but not required. Yes, you can take the Placement Test more than once. If you don't place into this course, you may switch to whichever course you actually placed into.
    Place:  Roberts Hall 111
    Times:  first week of classes. Aug. 29 and Sept. 2-5 and Sept. 8
                1:00-3:15  (You must finish by 4:00. No appointment needed, but it may be busy.)
    Bring:  Picture ID (MSU One Card or driver's licence). Calculator permited, but not required, and not very useful

This course is primarily for students who wish to (eventually) take Calculus, Math 181 or Math 175, for science and engineering (not Math 170, Survey of Calculus, for business). In addition, it satisfies a requirement in Architecture*, Physical Therapy, Biomechanics, Computer Science, Range Science, and Exercise Physiology. If you are taking this to prepare for calculus and you can do algebra and trig well, you should skip this course and take calculus. Students who have taken rigorous high school Algebra II and Trigonometry courses are strongly encouraged to review a bit and take (or retake) the Placement Test. If the results are good, or if you have high SAT (at least 610) or ACT (at least 27) math scores, you should proceed directly to Calculus, Math 181 or Math 175. If you are currently enrolled in Precalculus and you place into Calculus, the Calculus course supervisor will help you find a slot in a section of calculus this term.
   When you enter this course, Precalculus, you are expected to be familiar with the methods of algebra, and almost all students enrolled will have studied some trig.
   This is a university course designed for students with ambition and drive who intend to take calculus and succeed at a demanding and rewarding field such as engineering, architecture, mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, or other science. 

*  Architecture students must take Math 160, Precalculus, or Math 181, Calculus for Science and Engineering.  Math 170, Survey of Calculus, is not an option for Architecture. Math 181 is distinctly harder than Math 160, but the Department of Architecture takes this into account and awards more credit toward admission into their program for a given grade in Math 181 than they do for the same grade in Math 160. Therefore, if you qualify for Math 181 (SAT 610 or up or ACT 27 or up), you not only have permission to take Math 181, but also we recommend you take Math 181 to get that extra credit, assuming you do the work required to do well in it.  


Work. This course requires a lot of work. You will do lots of homework, participate in class, take frequent quizzes, and take 3 unit exams and a two-hour comprehensive final exam. You are expected to study about two hours outside of class for every class hour. Experience shows that most students who do well attend class regularly. [Here is a page on how to learn math efficiently and effectively.]

Etiquette. Proper etiquette is required. Students will arrive to class on time. Students will stay until the end. During class, students will not engage in any potentially distracting behavior such as reading a newspaper, whispering about non-math subjects, using earphones, or using electronic devices (other than calculators) of any kind. Cell phones must be turned off and unavailable. No text messaging! (Text messaging during an exam will earn an F and a report on your permanent record with the Dean of Students.) Pagers or watches that make a sound, however quietly, must have the sound off. If your cell phone rings during class, or you text message, we reserve the right to deduct points from your grade total.
 


About Calculators.  A graphing calculator is required. A TI-83, 84, 85, or 86 is recommended, but any brand or model that does not also do symbolic manipulations will do. We will use the TI-83 or 84 in class and we recommend them.
    In this course, calculators are a learning tool, not just a calculating tool. Calculators help in two main ways. By making lower-level work less time-consuming, we can
    1)  Concentrate attention on essential points, and
    2)  Increase the rate at which students gather experience with the subject.

    In this course you are supposed to develop essential algebraic concepts. Graphing calculators can help and are required. We recommend the TI-83 or 84. However, sophisticated "symbolic manipulators" like the TI-89 and TI-92 might allow you to skip the work required to develop these concepts. Therefore, on exams and quizzes you will be required to show enough work to demonstrate that you understand the mathematics of solving the problems and the TI-89 and TI-92 (and similar models) will not be allowed. Solutions that do not exhibit enough work to prove that you understand the mathematics will receive little or no credit.


Exams and Grading.  Three unit exams: 100 points each. The comprehensive final: 200 points. Daily homework and quizzes: 200 points.  Total 700 points.
   To receive full credit, daily homework must be handed in on time. Homework only one day late will receive almost full credit. Homework will not be accepted after the exam on that material. Assignments do not have to be completely correct to get full credit, but must display serious effort. Working with others on your homework is encouraged. However, copying the work of others and presenting it as your own is unacceptable.
   Unit exams are "common hour exams" given in the evenings, 6:00-7:00 pm, and in different rooms to be announced. If you work in the evenings or need a baby sitter, be sure to arrange your schedule far in advance so you can take the exams as scheduled. Our FINAL EXAM is Wednesday, December 17, during final exam week, at 10:00 am. Be sure to arrange your summer schedule so you will be here to take the final at the scheduled time.
    Using a cell phone during an exam is automatically considered cheating. No earphones of any kind are allowed. Cheating on an exam (helping or getting help from others) will be treated as a very serious offense, subject to the severest penalties of the Student Conduct Code. 


Conflicts.  You are required to take all common-hour exams and the final exam at the scheduled hours (unless you have another exam or class scheduled at that hour, in which case we will make arrangements). Any exceptions must be approved well in advance by the course supervisor (Dr. Esty, 994-5354), and in no case will exceptions be made for two exams. In the event a common-hour exam is unavoidably missed for a reason approved well in advance by the course supervisor, arrangements must be made with the course supervisor.

Course Letter Grades: A = outstanding, maybe the top 15%. Excellent prospects for success at calculus.
B = very good, significantly above average. Very good prospects for success at calculus.
C = a lot of learning, average. With enough work, success at calculus is likely.
D = some learning, but not enough to expect success at calculus.
F = little learning, no credit.
 Note: "Learning" refers to skills and concepts newly acquired in this course, not to prerequisite skills and concepts you already gained in prerequisite courses. Do not expect you can simply coast to a good grade by using your previous knowledge of Algebra II and Trig.


Goals.  Do not be fooled! The goal is to develop your ability to read, write, think, and do mathematics at the level required for success at calculus. The apparent content (algebra and trig) may be vaguely familiar, but this course asks you to learn it, and principles of mathematical language as well, in a new way that will raise you to a far higher level of mathematical ability.
 This course will help you
  1)  Learn (remember) the methods and facts of algebra so well that you have them at your command (even without recent review)
  2)  Learn (remember) the methods and facts of trigonometry so well that you have them at your command (even without recent review)
  3)  Learn how and when to use calculators and graphing technology
  4)  Become good at word problems
  5)  Understand what you do
  6)  Learn to read symbolic mathematics fluently
         (and, in the process, learn how to learn math by reading it)
  7)  Learn to work abstractly with symbols and functions (as comfortably as you now work with numbers)
  8)  Learn to explain (symbolically, and in English) key general results
  9)  Learn to illustrate (with illuminating pictures) key general results
  10)  Remember (with the help of symbols, English explanations, and pictures) key general results
  [What good does it do to have "taken" math if you don't remember it?]

Below are some Montana State University expectations of all students in all classes, not just Math 160.

Behavioral Expectations

Montana State University expects all students to conduct themselves as honest, responsible and law-abiding members of the academic community and to respect the rights of other students, members of the faculty and staff and the public to use, enjoy and participate in the University programs and facilities.   For additional information reference www2.montana.edu/policy/student_conduct/cg600.html

Academic Expectations
Section 310.00 in the MSU Conduct Guidelines states that students must:
A.     be prompt and regular in attending classes;=
B.     be well prepared for classes;
C.    submit required assignments in a timely manner;
D.    take exams when scheduled;
E.   act in a respectful manner toward other students and the instructor and in a way that does not detract from the learning experience; and
F.     make and keep appointments when necessary to meet with the instructor.
 
Withdrawal Deadlines
After Nov. 16, 2008, I will only support requests to withdraw from this course with a “W” grade where extraordinary circumstances exist. (Missing many classes before that date, or getting a poor grade, are not extraordinary circumstances.)
University policy is explicit that the advisor and instructor must approve requests to withdraw from a course with a grade of “W.”  

Students with Disabilities
If you have a documentable disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you need to contact Disabled Student Services as soon as possible. They can help you document your disability.  Then make arrangements with the course supervisor (Dr. Esty, 994-5354,  westy at math dot montana dot edu). 

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