South Puget Sound Community College

Introductory Algebra Math 98 On-Line Spring 2010 5 credits

On-Line

Professor: Carlea McAvoy Office: 35-359

Office Hours: Tues: 11am to 1pm Wed: 12 to 1pm and 4:30 to 5:30pm Thurs: 11am to 1pm
Mon and Fri. by appointment
I will also be checking e-mail at other times throughout the day and I can meet you other times by
appointment.
Phone: (360) 596-5573 (for a speedier response, e-mail me) E-Mail:
cmcavoy@spscc.ctc.edu

Syllabus
Course Description:
Brief review of operations with signed numbers and solving basic linear equations. Math 98 covers graphing linear
relationships, the equation of a line, systems of equations, properties of exponents, operations on polynomials, and
solving quadratic equations by factoring. There is also an introduction of rational expressions and roots and
radicals.
Prerequisite:
This course has a prerequisite of Math 94 or an equitable placement test score.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

A. Communicate effectively orally and in writing about the topics addressed;

B. Accurately perform operations with rational numbers;
C. Solve linear equations and inequalities in one variable;
D. Solve application problems which lead to linear equations or inequalities;
E. Find the slope of a line;
F. Use the slope-intercept form to graph an equation;
G. Use information to write the equation of a line in slope-intercept form;
H. Solve systems of linear equations in two variables by graphing, elimination, and substitution (students
demonstrate all methods);
I. Use systems of equations to solve application problems;
J. Create an equation to represent direct variation;
K. Perform operations on polynomials;
L. Simplify expressions containing exponents, including scientific notation;
M. Use factoring polynomials to solve quadratic equations;
N. Identify restrictions on the variable when working with rational expressions;
O. Perform operations with simple rational expressions;
P. Solve basic equations containing rational expressions;
Q. Use rational equations to solve some application problems;
R. Simplify numerical radicals.
College Wide Abilities:
A. Apply fundamental skills, understand mathematical relationships, and appreciate the beauty and
power of mathematical structures;
B. Think logically and critically;
Course Content:
A. REVIEW OF MATH 094 B. GRAPHS AND THE EQUATION OF A C. SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS
1. The real number system LINE 1. Meaning of the solution of a system
2. Linear equations and inequalities 1. The rectangular coordinate system 2. Solving by graphing
2. The slope formula 3. Solving by substitution
3. Slope-intercept form of the equation 4. Solving by the elimination method
of a line 5. Applications of systems of
4. Point-slope form of the equation of a equations
line
5. Equation of direct variation
6. Equation of indirect variation
D. E. AN INTRODUCTION TO RATIONAL F. INTRODUCTION TO ROOTS AND
POLYNOMIALS EXPRESSIONS RADICALS
1. Exponent properties and 1. Definitions, simplifying, restrictions 1. Notation
scientific notation on variable 2. Simplifying numerical radicals
2. Operations with polynomials 2. Operations with rational expressions
3. Factoring polynomials using 3. Equations involving rational
 greatest common factor, grouping, expressions
difference of squares, perfect square 4. Complex fractions
and other trinomials. And use of 5. Applications
factoring to solve quadratic equations.

Materials Required:
Textbook: (Recommended by not required) ISBN: 0321568648 Title: Introductory
Algebra for College Student 5th edition by Blitzer. You need the text with the MathXL access
code bundled with it. Publisher: Addison-Wesley
On-line Homework and Tutorials: If you buy a used text or one with a different ISBN, you
will need to buy an access code for MathXL. You will not need to buy another code if you have
an active account already. (Go to www.mathxl.com and it will cost $40) this is a great deal
because it has all of the tutorials and video lectures right there. Also, when you take math 99,
(on-line or lecture) you can continue to use this same account for the next textbook.

At the mathxl site enroll in 10SP Math 98 On-Line Course Code for MathXL XL0H-71MG-101Y-5FY2

Other: You will need graph paper and a scientific calculator. I recommend the TI-30X.

Course Features/Policies:
Academic Honesty: All work is to represent your own efforts rather than to be copied from
another. Cheating will result in an F grade for the assignment or test. For the academic
honesty policy, refer to the code of Student Rights and Responsibilities found on the college’s
website.
Financial Aid: Students receiving financial aid should ALWAYS check with Financial aid prior
to withdrawing, signing an incomplete contract, changing to an audit, or receiving an F or V
grade in a class.
Class Participation/Attendance: You are responsible for keeping track of the due dates in
this class. Those dates can be found in the academic calendar and at the mathxl website.
You can complete any assignment ahead of the due date, but quizzes and extra-credit may
not be completed once the due date has passed. Just as with any class, you need to put
sufficient amount of time into it to be successful. That amount of time varies with each
student. My guess is that a student who wants to get an “A” in the course should spend
between 15 and 20 hours a week on this course
Missed Exams or Assignments: A missed quiz will result in a score of zero. (You may
complete the syllabus quiz and or the extra-credit quiz to make up for missed a quiz) You
must take the midterm to be able to continue in the class. You must pass the final exam to be
able to pass the class. Homework has a due date, but you can work after the due date to
improve your score. Once you have taken the midterm, you may no longer improve your
scores for homework 1 – 4.

Instructional Method and Expectations:

Your grade is made up of homework scores, quizzes, the midterm, and the final exam. You
may work ahead of schedule and finish as quickly as you want, but you will
not be able to take a quiz once a due date has passed.
Homework (33%): These homework assignments are worth 20 points each. Check the due
dates on-line and in the academic calendar which is posted at the drupal site.
http://cmcavoy.spscc.edu Homework is due on Thursday of each week. (You may work
 South Puget Sound Community College
Introductory Algebra Math 98 On-Line Spring 2010 5 credits
on homework after the due date.) There are extra-credit assignments posted on-line at
the drupal that will add to your homework total. Submit these as e-mail attachments,
or mail them to me at 2011 Mottman Rd SW; Olympia, WA 98512. All of your homework
will be completed at the MathXL website. When you do the work, your answers are
submitted to me automatically.

Midterm (25%): About halfway through the class there is a cumulative midterm exam. You
must pass this with at least a 50% to continue on with the
class. If you do not pass it at the mathxl site, you can do a retake on campus. This
exam is taken at the MathXL website. (See the academic calendar for dates.) You can
earn 10 extra-credit points for completing the practice midterm that is posted on-line at
the MathXL site or you can do the one posted at the drupal and WAOL site.

You must pass this with at

Final Exam (25%): The final exam is also cumulative.
least a 50% to pass the class with a “C”. The final exam is an open
note (two pages front and back) test (no book) with a time limit of three hours. You
must take the final exam on campus (see last page for information on how to schedule
your exam) or at a testing site near your home. Do the final exam study guide posted
at the drupal site before taking the final exam! This is the best way to prepare for the
final exam. If you complete the practice final at the mathxl site, I will add 10 points to
your final.

Quizzes: (17%) Quizzes will be posted at the MathXL site so make sure you have gone to the
site and downloaded all of the needed plug-ins before you take the first quiz. You
should turn off the pop-up blockers on your browser before you start to take a quiz. You
will have two tries for each quiz but every time you open it, new but similar problems
will be generated. Once it is opened, you have 70 minutes to complete it. Each quiz
has a due date which can be found on-line and in the academic calendar posted at the
drupal and WAOL site. Quizzes cover the same sections as the homework that was due
a few days before. Each quiz is worth 10 points. The quiz will be locked until you
attempt the homework for that week. Sometimes the computer may not grade it
correctly. If you feel that you deserve credit for a quiz question, e-mail requesting me
to grade it manually. Quizzes are due by midnight each Sunday but can be taken any
time before that due date. If you have trouble with the on-line site while taking the
quizzes, please contact technical support. Take the quiz early if you can so that you
will have time to get help before you open it a second time. If you wait until Sunday
night to take it, it will be too late to get help from Tech Support or me. The syllabus
quiz will add to the score of your first quiz, and there is an extra-credit quiz which you
can use to add on to your lowest quiz score.

Grading Scale:
A 93-100% B+ 87 – 89% C+ 76 – D+ 66 – 71% F V
A- 90 – 92% B 83 – 86% 79% D 63 – 65% Student Student
B- 80 – 82% C 72 – 75 D- 60 – 62% finished did not
(With at least (With at least a (With at class with finish
 a 60% on the 55% on the least a 50% an average class or
final) final) on the final) below 60% contact
instructor

Incomplete: Because of extenuating circumstances, the instructor may consider issuing an

Incomplete. The student is eligible if the student is halfway through the course, is earning a t
least a C, and is able to complete the course by working with the instructor no later than the
following quarter.

On-line mathematics classes can be a very convenient way to take a class, but there may
be glitches the first few times you visit the WAOL, and MATHXL site. This may be stressful
to you as the student, so I warn you now, that this may not be the best venue for you to
take this class. If you are not comfortable with computer technology, or if you do not have
access to high speed Internet at your house, you will probably not like taking an on-line
class. In addition to this, if you cannot learn math from reading the information from a
book or on-line documents, you would be better off taking the course on campus. I will do
my best to help you through the problems that you may have, and I will strive to make this
an enjoyable and productive class but in order to be successful you will need to be self-
motivated and directed.

Every time you e-mail me, you should include your name and Math 98OL in the
subject line. I have 3 on-line classes and about 90 on-line students so please
identify yourself!
Every assignment you submit should have your name on the assignment. (This
applies to extra-credit assignments) Even if you put your name on the e-mail
subject line, your name should still appear on your work. You will be submitting
extra-credit work via e-mail.
Course Calendar
There is an academic calendar posted at the drupal and WAOL site to help you keep track of all of the
due dates.

Support Services Available:

On Campus: There is free tutorial help on campus in Building 32 Room 122. The math center
hours change every quarter, but they are usually open from 8am to 2pm daily, have
evening hours on Tuesday and Wednesday and are open on Saturday mornings. I will
post the hours for this quarter when they are available. You do not need an
appointment to use the math lab.

Instructor: I am on-line and on campus to help you be successful in this course. E-mail me
with questions when you have them and I will respond within 24-hours during the
workweek. Please remember that like any on-campus course, you will not have 24 hour
a day access to an instructor. If you e-mail me at 2pm, I may not see your e-mail until
the next day at 10:30am when I have my office hours. Please be patient.

Classmates: Exchange e-mails and phone numbers and help each other out!
 South Puget Sound Community College
Introductory Algebra Math 98 On-Line Spring 2010 5 credits
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES
TIME LIMITATIONS
Courses must be completed as outlined in the enclosed syllabus for your particular class. If
you are unable to finish within the time frame indicated an extension might be arranged with
the instructor’s permission. If an extension is needed, contact the instructor directly.
APPOINTMENTS FOR TAKING TESTS/EXAMS
Testing is scheduled by appointment only with the Correspondence Testing Office at (360) 754-7711, ext. 4298. Appointments
must be made a minimum of 24 business hours in advance. (calls or e-mails on weekends may delay your exams). Testing is held
two evenings per week, on Mondays and Thursdays from 6:00pm-9:00pm. You may start a test at any time between the
specified hours; however, testing ends promptly at 9:00pm. We cannot accommodate “walk-ins.” You are required to present
picture identification each time you take a test.

When scheduling a test, you must provide the following:: Your name (be sure to spell it out), your daytime phone number, the
course name and number, which test (mid-term or final), and the day and date you wish to take the test. Please be sure to
speak slowly and clearly when leaving a message on the Automated Correspondence Test Mailbox. You may e-mail the testing
center to request a testing time at testingcenter@spscc.ctc.edu You may also schedule your test online by going to:
www.spscc.ctc.edu click on current student,student-services,testing, correspondence-testing, and then click on the e-mail link
provided. Be sure to include ALL of the required information listed above in your e-mail as well. Failure to do so may delay your
testing session.
PLEASE NOTE: NO ONE will call you back if you use the automated phone system, however, we will e-mail testing
confirmations to students who use the online option for scheduling. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO SCHEDULE A TEST
DURING REGULAR TESTING TIMES, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR INSTRUCTOR TO MAKE ALTERNATE
ARRANGEMENTS. (See below)
Testing Location
Testing locations vary each quarter. Check the testing website to confirm location.
• Mondays - Bldg 25 Testing Center (Room 126)
• Thursdays - Bldg 22 (Room 206), 1rst and 3rd Thursdays only.
• Any last minute changes will be posted on the outside doors of Bldg. 25 (Student Services)

Testing dates for the 2009/2010 Academic Year are as follows:

Spring Quarter, 2010 April 12 – June 21
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
If you do homework that is not at the mathxl website, you should deliver or mail completed
assignments directly to the instructor. If you would like your assignments returned via
mail, be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with each assignment submitted.
Make a photocopy of each assignment submitted. The instructor will not assume
responsibility for assignments not received or lost in the mail.
GRADES
Letter grades will be awarded unless previous arrangements have been made with the
instructor. If an "I" (incomplete) is given and is not removed by the end of the following
quarter, the "I" will become an "F.” Contact the Enrollment Services Office for further
information at (360) 754-7711, ext 5241.
DROPPING THE COURSE
You must contact the Enrollment Services Office to officially withdraw from a correspondence
class. To receive a 100% refund, you must drop a class by the 5th day of the quarter. If you
have any questions, contact Enrollment Services Office at 754-7711, ext. 5241.
STUDENT SERVICES
Students enrolled in correspondence courses have access to all the services offered at this college
including, career counseling and information, campus activities and financial aid assistance.
Correspondence courses maintain the same quality of instruction as those taught through the
regular lecture/lab method. Often the same instructor teaches both the regular and
correspondence sections. We encourage students to establish and maintain a one-to-one
relationship with the instructor.

If you have additional questions, contact the Correspondence Testing Office at

(360) 754-7711, ext. 4298 or e-mail testingcenter@spscc.ctc.edu.

CORRESPONDENCE TESTING CALENDAR

SPRING QUARTER 2010

First Day of Instruction Apr 5 M
First Evening of Testing April 12 M
Student Advising Day (no day classes) May 13 TH
Memorial Day (Holiday - all staff, no classes) May 31 M
Last Day of Instruction June 14 M
Final Examination Days June 15-21 T-M
Last Evening for Testing June 21 M
Graduation June 18 F

Faculty Day None listed

Students
QUARTER BREAK : June 22 - June 25

Testing Alternatives:

For the Spring, I will be available to proctor the final exam Monday through Friday (by appointment).
This will be by appointment only so e-mail Carlea (cmcavoy@spscc.ctc.edu) if you would like to test
with me rather than through correspondence testing. I will be on campus Saturday June 19th from
10am to 2pm to proctor final exams for those of you who cannot come in during the week.

Also you may take the test near your house if you cannot come to campus. You must find a testing
site near your home that will be approved by your instructor. Contact me for details.