College Algebra for STEM Majors Syllabus for 2021-2022
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As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

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The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

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Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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Course

MATH-1414-DC003 College Algebra for STEM Majors

Prerequisites

Prerequisite:Scores on a state-approved test indicating college-level math skills Corequisite: MATH 0315

Course Description

In-depth study and applications of polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic functions, and systems of equations using matrices. Additional topics such as sequences, series, probability and conics may be included.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(4 sem hrs; 4 lec)

Class Type

Dual Credit Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

 None

Supplies

REQUIRED MATERIALS:  graphing calculator, quad-ruled composition book, pencil, highlighter

Student Performance

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the following topics as evaluated by the faculty in the department/program:

1. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of properties of functions, including domain and range, operations, compositions, and inverses.

2. Recognize and apply polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic functions and solve related equations.

3. Apply graphing techniques.

4. Evaluate all roots of higher degree polynomial and rational functions.

5. Recognize, solve and apply systems of linear equations using matrices.

The following Developmental Math topics will be imbedded in this College Algebra/STEM course:  Factoring; Rules for Exponents; Factor expansion:  distribution, foil, conjugates; Completing the Square; Complex Numbers; Rational Numbers:  operations; and other topics as needed.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

 

Students are expected to follow the Ascension Academy Student Code of Conduct.

Grading Criteria

DAILY WORK: Practice is assignment daily and due the next class period.

QUIZZES: One to two unannounced quizzes will be give each unit.

TESTS: There will be 7 major unit tests and a comprehensive final.

GRADING: Daily work average = 30%, Test average = 50%, Final Exam = 20%

 

 

Attendance

Follow Ascension Academy attendance policies.

Calendar

Units for this course are Prerequisites, Solving Equations and Inequalities, Function Basics, Transformations, Curve Sketching, Exponents and Logarithms, Analytic Geometry with Conic Sections,

The comprehensive final exam for this course will be given according to the Ascension Academy exam schedule. Last day to drop at Amarillo College is November 23, 2021.

Prerequisites (Aug 16-Aug 27)

Factoring

Operations on rational expressions

Complex numbers

Matrix operations

Synthetic division

Slope and linear equations

 

Solution Methods (Aug 30 – Sept 10)

Solving systems of linear equations (including Guassian elimination)

Finding solutions (real and imaginary) to quadratic, rational, radical, absolute value, and higher order polynomial equations

Writing equations from solutions

Separate fractions by using the technique of partial fractions

Solving equations generated from calculus procedures

Solving mixture, job, and other application questions

 

​Function Basics (Sept 13 – Sept 24)

Domain, range, function notation, interval notation

Function operations from graph and formula

Finding inverse functions

Increasing/decreasing functions, concavity

Finding zeros

Piecewise functions

Odd/even functions

Parametric equations

 

Transformations (Sept 27 – Oct 8)

Linear, Quadratic, Cubic, Absolute Value, Rational, Square Root, Semicircle, and Ceiling Parent Functions

Function transformations including horizontal stretch/shrink, vertical stretch/shrink, translation, reflection, absolute value

 

Curve Sketching (October 11 – 22)

Asymptotes—vertical, horizontal, end behavior

Sketching functions from critical attributes

Sketching rational functions

Sketching polynomial function characteristics from derivatives

 

 

Logarithmic & Exponential Functions (Oct 25 – Nov 12)

Exponent rules and scientific notation

Conversion  between exponential and logarithmic forms

Rules of logarithms

Solving logarithmic and exponential equations

Applications of exponential and logarithmic equations including compound interest, exponential growth/decay,Newton’s Law of Cooling

 

Mathematical Modeling (Nov 15– 19 )

Data collection

Association versus causation

Linear regression correlation coefficient

Methods for choosing regression model

 

Analytic Geometry and Conic Sections (Nov 29 – Dec 10)

Midpoint and distance

Equations of secant and tangent lines

Average rate of change and secant lines

Conic and locus definitions of circle, parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola,

Writing equations of conics

 

Additional Information

Syllabus Created on:

08/23/21 8:56 AM

Last Edited on:

08/23/21 8:59 AM