Rock Valley College

Mathematics Department

Sciences Division

MTH 115 DW

General Education Mathematics

4:30-5:45 – MW – CLII 222

Spring 2009 – Instructor Course Syllabus

PCS Code: 1-1

IAI: M1 904

This course syllabus is an important document. You are responsible for knowing and following the information presented here. It is your responsibility to contact me for an explanation or clarification if you do not understand something in the syllabus. If circumstances arise during the semester that require changes to this syllabus, such changes will be announced in class. Being unaware of changes does not excuse you from them.

Contact Information

Instructor: Mike Welden

Office: CLII-213

Office Phone: (815) 921-3462

Mailbox: CLII-111

E-mail: m.welden@rockvalleycollege.edu (or EdNet)

Course Home Page: http://ednet.rockvalleycollege.edu/~mwelden

Office Hours

Monday: 2:15-3:05 p.m

Wednesday: 1:25-3:05 p.m.

Tuesday/Thursday: 2:00-2:50 p.m. in CLII-129

Other office hours are available by appointment.

Office hours are times I set aside specifically to meet with students. Please come to see me if you are having trouble with the course. To get to my office, you will need to go through another office. Just knock at the outer door if needed.

Course Description

General Education Mathematics focuses on mathematical reasoning and the solving of real-life problems, rather than on routine skills and appreciation. Three or four topics are studied in depth, with at least 3 chosen from the following list: geometry, counting techniques and probability, graph theory, logic/set theory, mathematics of finance, and statistics. The use of calculators and computers is strongly encouraged.

Credits: 3 (Lecture: 3, Lab: 0)

Student Learning Outcomes

This course addresses the following student learning outcome(s). The student will be able to:

X	Communicate effectively.
	Integrate technology into all fields of knowledge and expression.
X	Demonstrate competency in critical thinking.
	Respect and work effectively with persons of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
	Demonstrate the behaviors of ethical and socially responsible citizens.
	Demonstrate personal wellness.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able:

1. To interpret mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, and schematics, and draw inferences from them.

2. To develop and apply mathematical insights in the areas of logic, probability, statistics, the metric system, or geometry to problems and situations which the student has not likely encountered before.

3. To use mathematics as a systematic approach to problem solving, with particular emphasis on Polya’s problem solving techniques.

4. To represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically, and verbally.

Prerequisite

MTH 097 and MTH 099, or equivalent of both courses, with a grade of C or higher in each course

Students who do not meet the prerequisite can be dropped from the class at any time.

Required Materials

Textbook: Thinking Mathematically, fourth edition, by Blitzer

You will also need a scientific calculator (one with a sin button).

Determination of Grade:

Your grade will be based on the following:

Top 3 out of 4 tests worth 100 points each	300
3 projects worth 50 points each	150
3 classroom activities worth 10 points each	30
Total	480

To compute your grade, add the points you have earned on all tests and projects, divide by the total number of points possible, multiply by 100, and round to the nearest whole number. The grading scale will be: A (90-100), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69), and F (below 60).

Course Attendance

Your attendance and class participation will not have a direct impact upon your grade. However, you will probably receive lower grades on tests if you are not attending class regularly. Attendance will be taken daily. If you are absent for a significant number of class periods, or for several class periods in a row, you may be dropped from the course. Thus, you need to notify me as soon as possible if an illness or other personal situation results in your missing several class meetings in a row. It is your responsibility to learn any material covered while you are absent.

Tests

There will be 3 tests and a cumulative final exam during the class. Most of the problems on the tests will be similar to problems completed in class and on the suggested homework problems.

Read the directions on each test carefully. Any form of academic dishonesty during a test will result in a grade of 0 on that test. You may NOT use a cell phone or any communication device during the test. This means you cannot use your cell phone as a calculator on tests. Bring a photo ID with you to each test, as I reserve the right to require you to show me a photo ID before taking any test.

The lowest score between the three tests and the final exam will be dropped when computing your final grade.

Make-up Tests

There are no make-up tests in the class. If you miss a test, you will receive a score of 0 on the test. The lowest score between the three tests and the final exam will be dropped when computing your final grade. Exceptions to this rule will be granted by the instructor only under the most extraordinary of circumstances and will require documentation of such circumstances.

Projects/Homework/Classroom Activities

You will be required to complete three projects which consist of real-life applications of course topics. Late projects will receive a lowered score as described in the assignment instructions. All work may be submitted to my mailbox in CLII-111.

I will provide a list of suggested problems from each section of the text covered in the class. At the beginning of each class period, I will answer questions about homework problems from previously covered sections. I will not be collecting, grading, and returning homework problems. However, this does not mean that the homework problems are not important, as test questions will be similar to these problems and to problems solved during class. Thus, if you ignore the suggested homework assignments, you are decreasing the probability that you will be successful in the course.

Classroom activities must, in general, be completed in class on the day they occur. It may be possible to make up a classroom activity you miss, but this is not guaranteed. If the instructor determines that you may not make up a classroom activity, you will receive a score of 0 for that activity.

College Policy on Academic Honesty Standards and Procedures

The faculty and administration expect that RVC students are enrolled in courses as serious and honorable scholars. Furthermore, students are expected to do their own, original work, except when collaboration on projects is directed by faculty as part of the course or specific assignment. Students are expected to observe the commonly accepted standards of academic honesty at all times. Students who commit any of the forms of academic dishonesty as outlined in the RVC Student Handbook are subject to the penalties and sanctions agreed upon by the Faculty and Administration of Rock Valley College.

Classroom Behavior and Etiquette

In general, I try to maintain a relaxed and comfortable classroom environment. In order to allow everyone to be able to learn effectively, I ask the following:

Be on time to class. Walking in late can disrupt the entire class.
Eating during class is not appropriate. Drinking during class may be done if it is not disruptive to the rest of the class. Dispose of trash properly.
Be respectful of others in the class, including the instructor. Chatting with other class members during class is not appropriate.
Turn off cell phones (or at least put them in vibrate mode) before entering the classroom.
Do not answer or use a cell phone in any way in the classroom.
Children may attend class as long as they do not disrupt the class.
Leave class at the proper time. Leaving early can disrupt the entire class.

Available Resources

The following resources are available to help you be successful in this course. Make use of them!

Success Center

Part of your tuition and fees support the Success Center, located on the ground floor of the Student Center (SC) on the main RVC campus. As a student in this class, you are eligible for up to 2 hours per week of free tutoring. Call (815) 921-2370 to learn more about the Success Center.

Your Instructor

Please contact me if you are having difficulty with any aspect of the course. You may of course e-mail me at m.welden@rockvalleycollege.edu, or phone me at (815) 921-3462, or come see me at office hours. Remember that office hours are times I schedule specifically to meet with students. Thus, you are not "bothering me" if you come to see me at these times!

Notification of Services for Students with Disabilities

If you are a student who feels that you may need academic accommodation(s) based on the impact of a disability, please contact the Coordinator of Disability Support Services privately to discuss your specific needs. The Coordinator of Disability Support Services (located on the 2nd floor of the student center) can be reached at 815-921-2356. It is important to contact the Disability Services office as early in the semester as possible to ensure that reasonable accommodations can be provided in a timely manner.

If you would like to utilize approved academic accommodations for this class, you must discuss this with the instructor before actually needing to use such accommodations.

Course Schedule

I have prepared a course schedule that indicates the chapter to be covered in class each day and the dates of assignments and tests. Changes to the schedule will be announced in class. It is your responsibility to be aware of changes to the schedule. This schedule is to be considered part of the course syllabus.