College Algebra - Applications

Teaching Method:
The class will be taught as a Lecturing Dialogue. Part of the class will be taught in a
typical lecture format. However, a dialogue will exist between the students and teacher.
The teacher will ask questions of the students, answer questions from the students, and
engage in discussions with the students.

Textbook:
Sullivan, College Algebra and Trigonometry: Enhanced with Graphing Utilities, 4th edition.
Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice -Hall.

Pyzdrowski, Interactive Computer Laboratories for College Algebra and Precalculus, Hayden
McNeil.

Butler, Math 126 & 129: College Algebra and Pre-Calculus Study Guide, Hayden McNeil.
(Recommended)

Prerequisites:
One of the following: 1) Minimum Math SAT of 510 or Math ACT of 22, 2) Satisfactory
WVU Math Placement Test Score, 3) Completion of Pre-College Algebra Workshop, or 4)
a grade of C or better in Math 22 from another college.

Technology:
Math 124 is a technology enhanced course requiring the following:
• Graphing Utility: Grapher applet is provided for student use
• Vista WebCT/E-Campus: Course management software used for assessment, Labs, and
grade book.
• Personal Response System (PRS): PRS used for active student participation in class.
• A scientific calculator will be needed in class for simple calculations; a graphing calculator
such as the TI-83 is allowed but not required. CAS (Calculator Algebra System) calculators
are not allowed on Exams.
• Derive 6: A computer algebra system used in Computer Labs to explore math.
• Videos on Applications of Mathematics: How Mathematics is used in various occupations.

Course Objectives: The general goals of the College Algebra – Applications course are:
• Applications: Use math to model and solve real world problems.
• Conceptual Understanding: Explore and understand central concepts in algebra, rather than
just rote memorization of algorithms.
• Algebraic Skills: Develop proficiency in manipulating algebraic expressions and solving
algebraic equations and inequalities.
• Problem Solving: Gain experience as a problem solver, to use a heuristic to analyze
problems in an organized manner.
• Multiple Approaches: To Examine problems from analytical geometric and numeric
perspectives, to make decisions about the appropriateness of the choice of formal or
approximate methods of solution.
• Technology as a Tool: Use technology as an integral part of the process of formulation,
solution, and communication, to gain experience in selecting the proper tool for a given
problem.
• Active Student Learning: To engage in the exploration and discovery of concepts and to
learn to work cooperatively to solve problems.
• Communication of Ideas: To demonstrate understanding, by explaining in written or oral
form the meanings and applications of concepts.
• History of Mathematics: To learn about mathematics as a human endeavor.

The specific goals of the college algebra course will be to stress an algebraic, graphic, and numeric
approach to the study of:
• the concept of function and using functions as models.
• modeling techniques used in solving real world problems.
• solving equations and inequalities in one variable.
• polynomial, rational, radical, absolute value, exponential, logarithmic functions.

Evaluation: Multiple forms of assessment will be used to measure your understanding of algebra, concepts,
skills, and modeling. The distribution of these assessments is:

Assessment		Number	Points	Percent of Grade
1	Participation	43	100	10%
2	Quizzes	6	100	10%
3	Labs	8	200	20%
4	Tests	4	400	40%
5	Comprehensive Final	1	200	20%
TOTAL			1000	100%

Grading Scale:

90% – 100%	A
80% – 89%	B
70% – 79%	C
60% – 69%	D
0% – 59%	F

Participation and Attendance: Attending and participating in class and Labs is critical to being successful
in the course. Statistics from previous semesters indicate that students with less than 3 absences earn a
letter grade higher than those with 3 or more absences. Participation activities cannot be made up later, if
you miss class for any reason you lose those points! Attendance will be taken for all class and Lab sessions.
The 100 points for participation are calculated from accumulated total points from Class and Lab
Participation. ALL missed classes will be treated the same, REGARDLESS of the reason.

Supplemental Instruction: Supplemental Sessions will be held on Wednesdays during the normal class
time, in the normal classroom. These Sessions are designed for students to get more practice doing actual
problems, since time is limited during the actual class periods and we will not be able to do as many
examples as desired. The Supplemental Sessions may include doing worksheets, question-and-answer
sessions, or a model-and-practice format. Students can earn one extra point for every Supplemental Session
attended. These points are applied ONLY towards the Participation Points, not exceeding 100 points.
Therefore, missed classes can be partially “Made Up” by attending (and fully participating in) Supplemental
Sessions.

Homework Assignments for College Algebra

Section	Name	Problems
R.1	Real Numbers	1, 9, 11, 13, 15, 27, 29, 33, 35, 39, 45, 47, 53, 63, 69, 71, 75
R.2	Algebra Review	4, 11, 15, 23, 24, 31, 37, 41, 45, 47, 49, 57, 59, 61, 65, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 87, 89
R.3	Geometry Review	7, 17, 21, 23, 25, 27, 33, 35
R.4	Polynomials	7, 9, 17, 21, 29, 31, 34, 39, 47, 55, 69, 93, 97
R.5	Factoring Polynomials	5, 13, 17, 25, 33, 39, 45, 51, 57, 61, 65, 85, 91, 95, 105, 107, 121
R.6	Synthetic Division	5, 9, 17
R.7	Rational Expressions	5, 13, 19, 25, 31, 47, 53, 63, 73
R.8	nth Roots; Rational Exponents	1, 2, 7, 15, 17, 21, 23, 31, 43, 47, 55, 63, 71, 75
1.1	Rectangular Coordinates; Graphing Utilities	5, 7, 9, 13, 33, 39, 49, 57, 64, 75, 77, 79, 83, 95, 105
1.2	Solving Equations Using Graphing Utilities	77, 41, 43, 45, 51, 53, 55, 61, 71, 89, 95, 99, 101, 105, 107, 109
1.3	Quadratic Equations	5, 6, 13, 15, 17, 25, 35, 37, 39, 43, 47, 49, 61, 69, 73, 75, 85, 87, 93
1.4	Complex Numbers	9, 13, 19, 26, 27, 31, 33, 35, 49, 51, 53, 59, 73, 79
1.5	Radical Equations	13, 17, 25, 29, 35, 39, 59, 65, 71, 81, 83, 100, 103, 107
1.7	Solving Inequalities	11, 13, 14, 25, 29, 33, 37, 51, 53, 65, 73, 77, 83, 89, 91, 95, 97, 107, 109
1.8	Lines	9, 13, 23, 25, 27, 37, 39, 41, 53, 59, 71, 77, 79, 91, 111, 115
1.9	Circles	4, 7, 9, 15, 21, 25, 29, 33, 35, 37
2.1	Symmetry; Graph Key Equations	7, 13, 17, 25, 27, 31, 37, 39, 43, 49
2.2	Functions	15, 19, 27, 33, 39, 41, 53, 57, 55, 61, 65, 73, 75, 89, 98
2.3	The Graph of a Function	9, 13, 15, 23, 25, 37
2.4	Properties of Functions	11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 29, 33, 53, 63, 64
2.6	Library of Function; Piecewise	9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 29, 35, 41, 43
2.7	Graphing Techniques: Transformations	7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 27, 31, 41, 59, 65
2.8	Mathematical Models	3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14 ,15, 29, 31
3.1	Quadratic Functions and Models	11, 13, 15, 17, 27, 45, 51, 53, 59, 71, 79, 81, 85
3.2	Polynomial Functions	11, 15, 23, 25, 32, 37, 43, 55, 65, 75 79, 91
3.3	Properties of Rational Functions	13, 23, 25, 31, 41, 45, 49
3.4	Graph of Rational Function	7, 15, 27, 33, 35, 51, 61
3.6	Real Zeroes of Polynomial Function	11, 13, 21, 27, 39, 43, 63, 73
3.7	Complex Zeroes	7, 9, 17, 23, 33
4.1	Composite Functions	7, 9, 11, 19, 47, 53, 69, 63
4.2	One-to-One Functions; Inverse Functions	11, 15, 19, 21, 33, 41, 50, 63, 65, 80
4.3	Exponential Functions	15, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 53, 63, 67, 71, 77, 101
4.4	Logarithmic Functions	15, 19, 23, 31, 39, 45, 61, 67-74, 77, 85, 89, 91, 101, 111
4.5	Properties of Logarithms	2, 13, 15, 23, 27, 41, 49, 51, 53, 61, 63, 65, 69, 75, 76, 83
4.6	Logarithmic and Exponential Functions	7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 45
4.7	Compound Interest	7, 15, 29, 31, 35, 39, 49
4.8	Exponential Growth and Decay	1, 3, 7, 9,11
5.1	Systems of Linear Equations	7, 11, 19, 23, 25, 29, 41, 55
5.2	Systems of Linear Equations: Matrices	5, 11, 17, 39, 41, 51

Tentative Schedule

Date	Section	Assignments Due
Monday, August 20	Pre-Requisite Check, Syllabus Distribution, R.1 – R.2
Tuesday, August 21	Placement Test
Friday, August 24	R.3 – R.5, R.7
Monday, August 27	R.8, 1.1 – 1.2
Tuesday, August 28	Attitude Assessment, Survey
Friday, August 31	1.3
Monday, September 3	Labor Day – No Classes	Quiz Release, Quiz 1
Tuesday, September 4	Lab 1: Intro to Basic Graphs
Friday, September 7	1.5
Monday, September 10	Review	Quiz 2
Tuesday, September 11	Test 1
Friday, September 14	1.7
Monday, September 17	1.8 – 1.9
Tuesday, September 18	Lab 2: Graphing Techniques
Friday, September 21	2.1
Monday, September 24	2.2 – 2.3
Tuesday, September 25	Lab 3: The Box
Friday, September 28	2.4
Monday, October 1	Review	Quiz 3
Tuesday, October 2	Test 2
Friday, October 5	2.6
Monday, October 8	2.7
Tuesday, October 9	Lab 4: Quadratic Functions
Friday, October 12	4.1, 2.8
Monday, October 15	3.1 – 3.2
Tuesday, October 16	Lab 5: Polynomial Functions
Friday, October 19	1.4, R.6
Monday, October 22	Review	Quiz 4
Tuesday, October 23	Test 3
Friday, October 26	3.3 – 3.4
Monday, October 29	3.6 – 3.7
Tuesday, October 30	Lab 6: Rational Functions
Friday, November 2	4.2
Monday, November 5	4.3 – 4.4
Tuesday, November 6	Lab 7: Exponential Functions
Friday, November 9	4.5
Monday, November 12	Review
Tuesday, November 13	Test 4
Friday, November 16	4.6 – 4.7
Monday, November 19	Thanksgiving Break – No Classes	Quiz 5
Tuesday, November 20	Thanksgiving Break – No Classes
Friday, November 23	Thanksgiving Break – No Classes
Monday, November 26	4.8
Tuesday, November 27	Lab 8: Logarithmic Functions
Friday, November 30	5.1 – 5.2
Monday, December 3	Review
Tuesday, December 4	Make-Up Tests
Friday, December 7	Review	Quiz 6
Tuesday, December 11	Final Exam