Math1080 Syllabus Spring 2013

Mathematics 1080

Spring 2013

Instructor: Kelly A. MacArthur

Class Time and Place: 11:50 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
HEB2004

Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:30-4:00 p.m,
Fridays 9:40-10:40 a.m. or by appointment.
Office Location: JWB226
Office Phone Number: 581-8341
E-mail address: macarthur@math.utah.edu
Website: www.math.utah.edu/~macarthu
Text: (1) Precalculus, 6th edition, by Karl J. Smith.
ISBN 13: 9781284021721
(2) My class notes which will be posted on my website by chapters or sections. You will need to print those out and bring them to class, because I'll refer to them regularly.

Prerequisite: At least a B grade in Math1010 (Intermediate Algebra) or an appropriate ACT/SAT or Accuplacer score.

Tutoring Lab: T. Benny Rushing Mathematics Student Center (adjacent
to JWB and LCB), Room 155
M - Th 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
F 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
(closed Saturdays, Sundays and holidays)
They are also offering group tutoring sessions. If you're interested,
inquire at the Tutoring Lab.

Private Tutoring: University Tutoring Services, 330 SSB
(they offer inexpensive tutoring). There is also a list of tutors at
the Math Department office in JWB233.

Computer Lab: also in the T. Benny Rushing Mathematics Student
Center, Room 155C.
M – Th 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
F 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Link to computer lab is http://www.math.utah.edu/ugrad/lab.html

Grading: The grades will be calculated as follows:
Homework 10%
Midterm 20%
Midterm 20%
Midterm 10%
Quizzes 15%
Final Exam 25%

Calculators: You may find it helpful to have a graphing calculator for your own personal use. However, if I allow calculators on exams or quizzes, I will only allow scientific calculators (no graphing or cell phone or programmable calculators will be allowed ever). Most of the time, you will not have use of a calculator on exams and quizzes. This will be discussed more in class with each quiz and test.

Teaching Philosophy: I believe strongly that mathematics, at its core, is the art/experience/science of problem solving and pattern recognition. It is inherently a creative process, one to be struggled with, repeated, and enjoyed. The process requires imagination, persistence, courage, processing time, and ultimately produces experiential, mathematical skill. It is from this perspective that I teach. I'm not as concerned with the destination, i.e. the answer, as I am about the journey of problem-solving and mathematical exploration since it is exactly the entirety of the journey that creates the answer. And, self-confidence and mastery are then natural by-products of the mathematical journey.

Weekly Homework:

I will collect homework during the first class of each week. All of the homework assigned the previous week is due at that time.
Each section of homework will be worth ten points. For example, if you have three sections of homework assigned for one week, then that homework set is worth a total of 30 points.
You will get the full credit if you DO every problem. I will NOT be grading for correctness, so it is your responsibility to make sure you understand the problems and their solutions. This is basically motivation for you to do the homework because that is the only way to survive a math class. (Please notice that there is no way to get an A in this course if you choose not to do any of the homework. On the other hand, turning in all of the homework can help your grade substantially.)
The homework is to be turned in according to the following instructions:

The homework set MUST be stapled together with the corresponding cover sheet as the first page. (I will provide the cover sheets in class.) A homework set turned in without being stapled together or without a cover sheet will not be counted!! Please do not come to class hoping that I or someone else will have a stapler. Be prepared when you arrive.
I will accept 10 late homework sections, up to two weeks late, throughout the semester for full credit.
I will not accept homework more than two weeks late. I accept these late homework sections to allow for illness, oversleeping, hectic schedules, etc. Do not ask for special favors with regard to the homework policy, unless the circumstances are extraordinarily severe, because my response will not be in your favor. Also, it is not necessary nor recommended that you tell me why your homework is late. This policy is meant to be flexible enough to cover all reasons and so I don't get calls and emails every week with your personal drama stories.
I only collect homework during the first class of the week!! If you need to turn in homework late, you will have to do so on the first class of the week (one or two weeks after its due date). This is the only time and location that I will accept homework. If you slide homework underneath my office door, I will throw it away without looking at it.

You are responsible for knowing these policies. Please take it seriously because the flexibility listed here is literally all there is.

Quizzes: There will be a total of 14 or 15 quizzes. Basically, there will be a short online quiz every Thursday. The weekly quiz will cover the material presented the previous week in class. I will drop your lowest two quiz scores. There will be no retakes or make-ups of quizzes ever. If you miss a quiz for ANY reason, that will just count as one of the lowest quiz grades that will be dropped. The details of doing this online will be discussed more in class.

Online Grades: I will put your grades online on Canvas.
You can get there easily from the main University of Utah website www.utah.edu. To log in, you use the same student id and password that you use for Campus Information System. I do my best to update the grades on a regular basis and keep everything accurate. However, I would advise you to check your grades often to make sure there were no data entry mistakes. I'm always happy to correct any mistakes I've made. You just need to let me know about them.

Grading Scale: Although I'm not philosophically opposed to curving grades, I find it's rarely necessary. The grade scale will be the usual: A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), E (0-59). If I do need to curve the grades, I will simply shift everything down by a few points (whatever is necessary).

ADA Statement: The American with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning and psychiatric disabilities. Any student with a certified disability who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Center for Disabled Students (CDS) and me at the beginning of the semester to discuss any such accommodations for the course.

Other Policies: Due to experience, I have decided to make some additional policies regarding my classroom administration and grading.

I do NOT allow the use of laptop computers in my classroom. At this point, I don't believe you are taking notes for the class if your computer is open. Thus, it is unnecessary in class.
There will be no retakes of exams…ever. Your score is what you get.
You may take an alternate exam if you talk to me about it first and explain the extenuating circumstances that make it necessary. Needing to work, babysitting your siblings, oversleeping, or needing more time to study do not pass as acceptable reasons to inconvenience me. Getting in a car crash or your mother’s death, on the other hand, is sufficient reason to request to take an alternate exam. But, it is 100% your responsibility to communicate with me as soon as is possible, before the exam occurs (or as soon as possible).
Talking to me after the problem will be sufficient reason for me to allow you to get a zero on that test. I reserve the right to make alternate exams more difficult than the scheduled exam.
I will demand respectful behavior in my classroom. Examples of disrespect include reading a newspaper or magazine in class, social chatting with your friend in class, text-messaging your buddies during class or cuddling with your girl/boyfriend in class. If you choose to be disrespectful during my class, I can guarantee I will take action to terminate your disruptive behavior.
There will be no cursing nor negative ranting (for example, “math sucks”) on any written work turned in. The penalty for such things on your written work will be a zero score on that assignment or test!
You need to have a valid email address registered with Campus Information System. I will regularly send emails to the class and expect you to be responsible for receiving that information.
If you have crisis-level extenuating circumstances which require flexibility, it is completely your responsibility to communicate with me as soon as possible. The longer you wait to communicate with me, the less I can and am willing to do to help.
If you have questions about any exam grade, or you want to appeal the grading of the exam, you must bring it to me within one week of the exam. After that, you will have to live with whatever grade you got.
Please make sure you do your best throughout the semester and come talk to me if you need further study strategies. I will NOT offer any extra credit at the end of the semester or any other way for you to improve your grade at that time. If you ask me toward the end of the semester if I'll make special arrangements for you to improve your grade by some means, I will automatically deduct one percentage point from your overall grade, just for asking the question!!
If you cheat on any homework, project, quiz or exam, I will automatically give you a zero for that grade. Depending on the severity of the cheating, I may decide to fail you from the class. In all cases of cheating, I will also report the incident to the Dean of Students. Additionally, if an international student cheats, I will also report the incident to the International Students Office.
I reserve the right to change my policies stated in this syllabus at some point in the semester. If I do make a change to a policy, I will announce it in class and send the change in email.