College Algebra
4
In person
Tuesday's AND Thursday's, 3:30 to 5:10pm
Wachman Hall, Room 015
Virtually, hours will be provided by way of an Appointment Calendar which will be
found in Canvas. The Appointment Calendar hours will be
Monday's, 12:30 to 2:00pm and Wednesday's, 5:00 to 6:30pm. The Zoom
link will be https://temple.zoom.us/j/6111196579
In-Person meetings would take place in Wachman 1031, however, these
appointments must be set up in advance with the instructor.
267-214-1276
Virtually, hours will be provided by way of an Appointment Calendar which will be
found in Canvas. The Appointment Calendar hours will be
Monday's, 12:30 to 2:00pm and Wednesday's, 5:00 to 6:30pm. The Zoom
link will be https://temple.zoom.us/j/6111196579
In-Person meetings would take place in Wachman 1031, however, these
appointments must be set up in advance with the instructor.
Beecher/Penna/Bittinger - College Algebra with Intermediate Algebra: A Blended Course
Students have the following options for purchasing access to the text:
MyMathLab with a loose-leaf print text:
- 9780136175797 College Algebra with Intermediate Algebra: A Blended Course, Loose-Leaf Edition Plus MyLab Math with Pearson eText -- 24 Month Access Card Package Judith A. Beecher
- 9780136175858 College Algebra with Intermediate Algebra: A Blended Course, Loose-Leaf Edition Plus MyLab Math with Pearson eText -- 18 Week Access Card Package Judith A. Beecher
MyMathLab without print (*but with an option to purchase a print loose-leaf at a discount):
- 9780135909096 MyLab Math with Pearson eText Access Code (24 Months) for College Algebra with Intermediate Algebra: A Blended Course Judith A. Beecher
- 9780135234532 MyLab Math with Pearson eText Access Code (18 Weeks) for College Algebra with Intermediate Algebra: A Blended Course Judith A. Beecher
Please refer to the options to determine which of these is best for you.
Review Quiz: 1%; Weekly Quizzes: 12%; MML: 3%; Written HW 3% Tests 1, 2 and 3: 17% each; Cumulative Final: 30%
Numeric-To-Letter-Grade Scale: 93-100 A, 90-92 A-, 87-89 B+, 83-86 B, 80-82 B-, 77-79 C+, 73-76 C, 70-72 C-, 65-69 D+, 55-64 D, 50-54 D-, 0-49 F
Math Placement or a C or better in Math 0702, 1015, or transfer credit for any of these courses
College Algebra is a course designed to teach the fundamentals of algebra that are essential for future mathematics courses.
This course covers: Introduction to functions; Solving systems of equations; Multiplying, dividing and factoring polynomials; Rational expressions and equations; Radical expressions, equations and functions; Quadratic functions and equations; Polynomial and rational functions; Polynomial and rational inequalities
Review Quiz - Thursday, August 28. Weekly Quizzes - Every Thursday except the first Thursday, every Thursday where we have a test, the week of Thanksgiving, and the final Thursday of the semester. We will have 10 quizzes in total. Test 1 - Thursday, September 25. Test 2 - Thursday, October 23. Test 3 - Tuesday, November 18. Final Exam (Common Final) - Wednesday, December 10, 3:30 pm-5:30 pm. BE AWARE THAT THE FINAL IS SCHEDULED AT A SPECIAL TIME OUTSIDE OF THE FINAL EXAM MATRIX.
Attendance is mandatory. Students who miss more than TWO classes, without a valid excuse will have their grades lowered by one notch (e.g., from B to B-). Those who miss more than SIX classes will have their grades lowered by two notches. Three tardies are equivalent to one absence; Promptness is required. Failure to attend class during quiz dates will also affect your Quiz Average. Some absences are excused, given that proper documentation (with a contact phone number, and with student name and date) is provided.
To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to the course requirements. However, if you have tested positive for or are experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. It is the student’s responsibility to contact me to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as you are able to do so, and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion.
There is a Canvas course for this class. Please check it often for announcements and assignments. There is also a General Math 1021 Canvas page.
There is a Review Quiz on pre-algebra scheduled on Thursday, August 28. This quiz contains material you should have had before. If you have difficulty with this review material, it indicates that you do not have enough background to continue in Math 1021 and you may want to take Math 0702. During the first few days of the semester, the Math Department can help you switch from Math 1021 to 0702. If you wish to do this, please contact Dr. Boris Datskovsky at bdats@temple.edu.
Weekly Quizzes - Every Thursday except the first Thursday, every Thursday where we have a test, the week of Thanksgiving, and the final Thursday of the semester. We will have 10 quizzes in total.
There are NO makeups for quizzes, unless the rare occurance happens, which is described below:
If a student misses THREE quizzes, AND, they have legitimate documentation excusing them for ALL three missed quizzes, the student will be permitted to make up the 3rd missed quiz.
Note: Missing a 3rd quiz with a legitimate documented reason for missing, along with two other missed quizzes where the student has NO legitimate documentation WILL NOT result in the student being allowed to make up the 3rd missed quiz. That grade will be a zero.
The final exam is scheduled for Wednesday, December 10, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. BE AWARE THAT THE FINAL IS SCHEDULED AT A SPECIAL TIME OUTSIDE OF THE FINAL EXAM MATRIX. DO NOT MISS IT. If a student misses the final exam, they will NOT be allowed to take a makeup exam unless there is a documented emergency. If you miss the final exam and do not make alternative arrangements before the grades are turned in, your grade for the course will be F.
You will receive the list of assigned homework problems for each section of the textbook as well as some Additional Problems assigned for select sections, found in the Canvas Module "Homework Submission". EVERY assigned problem will be due with specific due dates throughout the semester, as the class moves through the material. You are to handwrite your work, neatly, on clean loose-leaf paper or printer paper. ONLY write on ONE side of each page. Once complete, you will need to scan with a computer scanner OR take pictures of your work with your phone. You can download many applications that will work best for you. GeniusScan, AdobeScan, and CamScanner are just a few, and they are free. These apps convert the pictures of your work into PDF format. I will also provide instructions on how to convert to PDF using the current functions on your iPhone or your Android phone. PDF format is the ONLY format with which you may submit your work. Other formats will NOT be accepted. Once converted to PDF, you will need to submit your work to the appropriate location on Canvas. Once you submit your work, it will be YOUR responsibility to check that the work is submitted correctly. You will have to physically inspect that your work was submitted the way you want your instructor to see it. I will demonstrate this check in class. Should you need to re-submit, you can, as long as you do so before the due date. All homework assignments are due at 9:59pm on the due dates. LATE homework assignments submitted between 9:59pm and 11:59pm will automatically receive a grade of 1 out of 2. Canvas will lock you out at 11:59pm. At that point, the assignment will automatically receive a grade of 0 out of 2. Therefore, you run a high risk of not making it on time if you submit late. Homework is not graded on accuracy. It is graded on completion. Completion means showing work, not just answers. If 5% of the problems are skipped or not attempted, you will receive a grade of 1 out of 2. If 10% of the problems are skipped or not attempted, you will receive a 0 out of 2. You will receive the list of assigned homework problems for each section of the textbook and it will be available on Canvas. As we complete a section of the text in class, the homework will likely be due within two nights (not sooner), maybe three. It is the student's responsibility to begin the homework the same evening that the section was completed in class. Written Homework assignments will be graded as 2, 1, or 0, upon the instructor's discretion, as well as the directions laid out in this paragraph. LATE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED PAST 11:59PM ON THE DATE DUE. THERE IS NO EXCEPTION FOR THIS. PLEASE NO NOT EMAIL ME YOUR HOMEWORK, STATING YOU HAD ISSUES AND COULD NOT SUBMIT. PLAN ACCORDINGLY TO SUBMIT HOMEWORK EARLIER, EVEN A DAY EARLIER, JUST IN CASE YOU RUN INTO ANY ONE OF A MILLION OF REASONS YOU WOULD MISS SUBMITTING HOMEWORK.
Written Homework accounts for 3% of your overall grade.
Problems will also be assigned and scored using MyLab Math. 24 of these assignments will be given throughout the term. The lowest 3 scores will be dropped after the last homework grade is entered into Canvas. These assignments will have the same due dates and due times as the Written Homework. You do not need to submit written work for the MyLab assignments.
MyLab assignments account for 3% of your overall grade.
Quizzes: There will be no makeup quizzes. Instead, the lowest score for the quizzes, will be dropped.
(See Weekly Quizzes policy above.)
Tests: In the case of a DOCUMENTED EMERGENCY that prevents a student from taking a test as scheduled, the student must contact the instructor and the course coordinator. If you miss an exam, you must contact myself AND Professor Shepard-El (the course coordinator) by email right away, ideally before the exam (the email address of Professor Shepard-El is: kelli.shepardel@temple.edu). Requests for makeups will not be honored if they come more than 24 hours after the time of the exam.
Reviews for the tests and the final will be posted on your Canvas course one week prior to each test week. Please be aware that this review material may not be all-inclusive. Any problem similar to a sample problem or a homework problem may appear on the tests and the final. You are responsible for all of the type of examples from the homework assignments, even if they are not done in class.
The Student Success Center (SSC) at Temple offers Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) and STEM tutoring for this course. During weekly PASS sessions, you can work with a trained peer leader and your fellow classmates to practice and explore course content together. During STEM tutoring sessions, a tutor will work with you one-on-one to review and understand the concepts in this course. Both programs are free and open to all students enrolled in this course. More information about PASS and STEM tutoring, as well as other services offered by the SSC, is available at studentsuccess.temple.edu, by emailing sscdesk@temple.edu, or by calling 215-204-0702.
Free tutoring is available from the Math TA and CA Consulting Center. Please refer to this course's Canvas page for hours and location.
NO CALCULATORS or CHEAT SHEETS may be used for any quiz or test. The use of calculators or any outside resource (including websites, apps, notes, etc.) are strictly prohibited for any test. Students who are found to have used outside assistance during an assessment are in violation of the University's Code of Conduct and will be assigned a grade of 0 on the assessment and reported to the Office of Student Conduct with a Charge of Academic Dishonesty.
During quizzes and tests, no scrap paper is permitted. Your instructor will provide guidance on available scrap paper. During quizzes and tests, headphone, airpods or other listening devices, Smart Watches, and/or Meta glasses (or the like) must be removed and safely stowed away.
While it may be presented in a variety of ways, the language of math is universal. From a young age, mathematical curiosity is present in humans across the globe and the beauty of its absolute truth and the infinite doors it can open are accessible to all. This classroom aims to enhance this atmosphere of embracing mathematical curiosity and the advancement of mathematical knowledge for all students, from all backgrounds. As the instructor, it is my responsibility to foster an environment where all students feel supported in their efforts to learn and understand the content, and are encouraged to offer their own ideas and suggestions to create a deeper learning experience. My intention is that the mutual respect between students and myself will allow for open communication and, when necessary, a dialog may take place regarding ways in which this classroom can be made more inclusive for all. I firmly believe each student in this class has valuable contributions to be made to our collective learning environment, and I will do my best to maintain an atmosphere in which these contributions are highly regarded by all.
It is important to foster a respectful and productive learning environment that includes all students in our diverse community of learners. Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University's nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Therefore, all opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse.
Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) in Howard Gittis Student Center South, Rm 420 (drs@temple.edu; 215-204-1280) to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential.
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed here (opens in new tab/window).
Students will be charged for a course unless dropped by the Drop/Add deadline date. Check the University calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates.
During the Drop/Add period, students may drop a course with no record of the class appearing on their transcript. Students are not financially responsible for any courses dropped during this period. In the following weeks prior to or on the withdrawal date students may withdraw from a course with the grade of "W" appearing on their transcript. After the withdrawal date students may not withdraw from courses. Check the University Calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).
The use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, etc.) is not permitted in this class unless specifically announced for a particular assignment; therefore, any use of AI tools for work in this class may be considered a violation of Temple University's Academic Honesty policy and Student Conduct Code, since the work is not your own. The use of unauthorized AI tools will result in a grade of zero on the assignment; a second offense will be reported to the Student Conduct Board. This policy includes avoiding the copy of PhoteMath and Mathway solutions on homework. These apps deliberately show uncommon or untraditional methods of working many problems.
The grade "I" (an "incomplete") is only given if students cannot complete the course work due to circumstances beyond their control. It is necessary for the student to have completed the majority of the course work with a passing average and to sign an incomplete contract which clearly states what is left for the student to do and the deadline by which the work must be completed. The incomplete contract must also include a default grade that will be used in case the "I" grade is not resolved by the agreed deadline. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).
The following academic support services are available to students (all links open in a new tab/window):
The Math Consulting Center
Student Success Center
University Libraries
Undergraduate Research Support
Career Center
Tuttleman Counseling Services
Disability Resources and Services
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry and the Temple University Emergency Student Aid Program are in operation as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.