College Algebra Syllabus for 2022-2023
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Office Location

Engineering 203B

Office Hours

Monday/Wednesday 10:30 am - noon

Or by appointment

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

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

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

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

Student Withdrawal Procedures

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.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

MATH-1314-013 College Algebra

Prerequisites

Prerequisite:Scores on a state-approved test indicating college-level math skills Corequisite: MATH 0314

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

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

College Algebra, 7th ed.
Authors:  Blitzer, Robert
(Pearson Education Publishers)

Note:  The physical textbook for this course is optional.  Daily homework will be completed online using MyMathLab, where an electronic version of the text is accessible. 

Supplies

Internet:  You need access to reliable internet service to access the class on a daily basis.  (If your internet service is interrupted, it is also a good idea to have a backup plan for accessing the internet elsewhere so that you can complete your school work!)

Electronic Devices:  You will need a working laptop, computer, tablet, or phone with a functioning camera to watch video lectures, take pictures of your handwritten work to submit online, and complete online homework and tests.  You will also need access to a reliable printer to produce class notes and other materials.  (Computers and printers are available for student use in the Underground in the WARE Building on the Washington Street Campus.  Every student has $20 pre-loaded onto their student ID to cover printing costs!)

Calculator:  You will need a graphing calculator for this course.  The recommended calculator is a Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus.  Other forms of Texas Instruments or Casio graphing calculators will be permitted at the instructor's discretion.  Note that TI-89s, TI-NSpires, and graphing calculator apps are not permitted in the Math Testing Lab.

Helpful Apps:  Please download the free Adobe Scan app to use to convert pictures of your handwritten work to a pdf form.  You may also want to download the Zoom app to take advantage of the remote tutoring available through the Math Academic Success Center.

MyMathLab:  Students must have access to MyMathLab.  You may purchase the student access kit from the Amarillo College Bookstore, or you may pay for access directly from the MyMathLab website. 

Student Performance

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will:

  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 course:  Fractions; Factoring; Rules for Exponents; Factor Expansion:  distribution, FOIL, conjugates; Order of Operations; Radical and Complex Numbers; Completing the Square; 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

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS

1.    This online math course requires self-discipline and motivation. You will be expected to learn the material by completing course notes, watching example videos, and finishing the homework and exams on MyMathLab.

2.    While unit exams will be administered online, you are required to come to the Math Testing Lab to take an in-person, pencil and paper, comprehensive final exam on Week 8.  (Alternate arrangements will be available for students distant from Amarillo.)

3.    You need access to a computer with a reliable internet connection and a dependable printer to produce class notes.  (This class requires a lot of printing!) By signing up for an online course, you are communicating that you have access to such tools.

4.    This class demands a great deal of time. Online courses often take more time than in-class delivery courses. Please expect to spend at least 15 hours each week on this course.  If your other life commitments do not allow you this amount of time to spend on the course, you may want to choose another course or delivery method.

5.    Deadlines are your responsibility. Due dates are posted on the MyMathLab website and in the Blackboard calendar.  However, because this is an online course, I can tailor it to your individual needs without disrupting the flow of the course.  If you need a deadline extension for MyMathLab assignments (up to 2 days), please don't hesitate to ask!  However, no homework extensions will be granted past Sunday, Oct 9, at midnight, and the final exam Week 8 will also not be extended past its due date of Thursday,  Oct 13 at noon.  Also, note that it is perfectly acceptable to work ahead of schedule! If assignments are not available when you are ready to work on them, just let me know.

6.    Technical difficulties happen. If you experience problems, email me immediately.  I will do my best to assist you.  Please don't panic, I am here to work with you.  However, completing assignments and exams a few days ahead of time ensures that if you have any technical difficulties, we can take care of them before the due date to keep you on schedule.

7.  You are responsible for getting help when you need it.  On the MyMathLab website, there are power points, additional videos, and step-by-step tutorials you can access for each homework problem you complete.  Take advantage of it!  All students may obtain free tutoring from the Academic Success Center for Math either in person in Durrett Hall Room 104 or using the Zoom meeting platform.  To access tutoring, please join the zoom meeting by following this link:  https://zoom.us/j/541139851.  Online tutoring is also available through Smartthinking.

ONLINE COMMUNICATION

Your online presence in the course will be established through correspondence with me and public discussions with other students in the course.  Through any venue, disrespectful language will not be tolerated.  Using foul language in emails or discussions will result in receiving a zero for that assignment and possible removal from the course.  You are expected to express yourself with courtesy and consideration at all times. 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Students who fail to comply with the standards outlined in the syllabus and "Student Rights & Responsibilities" will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include but is not limited to: removal from the course, consultation with the department chair or other AC authority, or withdrawal from the course or college.

Scholastic dishonesty shall constitute a violation of the rules and regulations described in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook under Student Conduct and Responsibilities.  Consequences for cheating may include receiving a zero for an assignment, permanent removal from the class, or failing the course.

Grading Criteria

Your course grade (90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, below 60 F) will be calculated using the following weights:

Grading Policy:

Percentages:

Lesson Notes (no drops)

  5%

MyMathLab Homework (Drop 2 Lowest Grades)

15%

MyMathLab Unit Exams (4 Exams, no drops)

40%

Midterm Exam

20%

Comprehensive Final Exam

20%

Attendance

Through distance learning, you will establish your presence online.  Several times per week, you will need to log into Blackboard to obtain the assignments.  You will also need to check your email and grades.  In addition, you will need to log into MyMathLab regularly to complete homework and chapter exams and log into Blackboard to submit your written work for the homework. 

You will be required to come to campus to take the comprehensive midterm and final exams in person in the Math Testing Lab.  If you do not live in Amarillo, you are still required to take the comprehensive final exam in person, but we will work together to locate a proctor at a local school, library, or college in your area.  

Calendar

Semester Schedule: (subject to change at any time by your instructor)

Week 1:  Orientation, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

Week 2:  1.4, Unit 1 Test, 2.1, 2.2

Week 3:  2.2, 2.3, 2.4, Unit 2 Test

Week 4:  3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

Week 5:  Unit 3 Test, Midterm Exam, 4.1

Week 6:  4.2, 4.3, 4.4, Unit 4 Test

Week 7:  5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4

Week 8:  Comprehensive Final Exam

The last day to drop this course is Tuesday, Oct 4, 2022.   To officially drop, you will need to submit your drop form to me by noon to obtain my signature, and then submit it to the Registrar.  We will be able to complete this process electronically.

Additional Information

Orientation Assignments

You must complete the orientation assignments listed below in order to be marked as participating in the class.  The assignments are due on Tuesday, Aug 23 for full credit or Sunday, Aug 28 for half credit.  If both of the assignments listed below are not completed by Sunday, Aug 28, you will be marked as non-participating and be dropped from the course. 

  • Complete the Course Contract
  • Complete the Orientation Assignment on MML

Lesson Notes

You will be required to complete lesson notes linked in Blackboard. Due dates occur throughout the week and are posted on the class schedule in Blackboard.  If you get behind on the notes every once in a while, please go ahead and submit late notes.  Some points are always better than no points!

MyMathLab HOMEWORK

All homework will be completed online using the MyMathLab website.  Help buttons will be available for each problem in MyMathLab, and you may rework problems multiple times until you get the correct answer.  These MyMathLab Due dates will be posted on the class schedule in Blackboard and also on the MyMathLab website.  Though this homework will be submitted online for correctness, you are required to show your work and submit it in the dropboxes on Blackboard.  You will work the problems on a piece of paper, clearly labeling each problem.  You will then take pictures of the work using a free app like Adobe Scan to get it into a single pdf file.  

MyMathLab TEST REVIEWS

Reviews will be assigned on MyMathLab before each major exam.  Each review functions as a practice exam.  You must make at least a 70% on the review before the exam will become available.  Keep in mind that you may work on the review problems multiple times to keep improving your grade and to better prepare for the exam.  Review grades will be counted as homework grades.  You will not be required to submit your work on the reviews to Blackboard.

MyMathLab EXAMS

Four unit exams will be given on MyMathLab.  In addition to entering your answers on MyMathLab, you will be required to show work for each test problem on paper.  MyMathLab will automatically score your answers, and then you will need to upload your written work to Blackboard just like the homework.  Due dates for exams are posted in the class schedule in Blackboard and also on MyMathLab.   

MANDATORY TUTORING

If you score below a 70 on any unit exam, you will be required to utilize the Math Tutoring Center to complete test corrections to Blackboard before taking the next exam.  Include the name of the tutor(s) who assisted you with the corrections.  You can use the Math Tutoring Center either in person or remotely by joining https://zoom.us/j/541139851.  Test corrections will be due 3 days after the test is due.  

MIDTERM EXAM

During week 5, you will be required to come to the Math Testing Lab on the Washington Street Campus in Amarillo (or another testing site in a different town approved by me) to take your comprehensive final exam.  This exam is mandatory, and it counts as 20% of your grade.  To prepare for the exam, I will host a review via zoom on Tuesday, Sept 21 at 5:30-7:30pm.  If you are not available at that time, the recording will be made available.  The midterm exam is due by Friday, Sept 23, by 8pm.      

COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM

On Week 8, you will be required to come to the Math Testing Lab on the Washington Street Campus in Amarillo (or another testing site in a different town approved by me) to take your comprehensive final exam.  This exam is mandatory, and it counts as 30% of your grade.  To prepare for the exam, I will host a review via zoom on Monday, Oct 10 at 5:30-7:30pm.  If you are not available at that time, the recording will be made available.  The final exam is due by Thursday, Oct 13, by noon.  There will be no extensions for this deadline, as I have to report final grades to the school on time.        

ROUTINE

Assignments will generally be due each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.  The calendar on Blackboard has the due dates.  I understand that sometimes life happens and will extend deadlines up to 2 days twice per semester provided you contact me before the deadline.  The beauty of an online course is that you can always work ahead.  If you know you will not be able to dedicate much time to the class for a couple of days, complete the assignments early.

BLACKBOARD

Students will be required to login to Blackboard via the AC Connect portal on a regular basis to check grades and course materials. To get into Blackboard, go to www.actx.edu and click the AC Connect portal.  Log in to Blackboard.  Once you have logged in, you should see our class listed on your home page. If you need help logging into the site, contact Ask AC at (806) 371-5000

GETTING STARTED WITH MYMATHLAB

  1. Log into your Blackboard course.  
  2. Under START HERE, click on the My Lab and Mastering Course Home link.
  3. Review the license agreement and privacy policy and click I Accept.
  4. If you already have a Pearson account, log in with your username and password.  If not, click Create and follow the instructions.
  5. Select an access option:
    • Enter the student access code from your MyMathLab kit purchased from the AC Bookstore,
    • Pay for access directly online,
    • Or, choose to obtain temporary free access for 14 days.
  6. From the You’re Done page, click Go to My Courses.  You'll also get a confirmation email.

Tutoring and Testing

Free tutoring is available at the Math Academic Success Center in person on campus (Durrett Hall Room 104) or virtually by Zoom.  To join an ongoing Zoom Meeting for tutoring, click the Tutoring Zoom link in Blackboard, or go to  https://zoom.us/j/541139851.  

In-person tutoring

  • Monday – Friday 8 am-8 pm
  • Saturday 9am-8pm

Virtual tutoring via https://zoom.us/j/541139851

  • Monday 8 am-8 pm
  • Tuesday-Friday 8 am-11 pm
  • Saturday 9 am-11 pm
  • Sunday 2 pm-6 pm

The Math Testing Lab is located in Durrett Hall, Room 103. TESTING

  • Monday-Thursday 8 am-9 pm
  • Friday 8 am-8 pm
  • Saturday 9 am-8 pm

Please note:  No tests will be given out less than one hour before the Math Lab closes

Syllabus Created on:

08/10/22 5:12 PM

Last Edited on:

08/16/22 4:24 PM