Course Description
This course is second in a sequence of preparatory courses and addresses a wide
variety of prealgebra
and basic algebraic topics including percent, geometric measurement, measures of
central
tendency, simplification of algebraic expressions, solving linear equations , and
graphing linear
functions. This course fulfills the prerequisite for MATH 502: Contemporary
College Mathematics
when passed with a minimum of a B grade. Credits do not apply toward degree
requirements.
Prerequisites
Passing score on Accuplacer assessment of arithmetic
Learning Outcomes
Learners will:
1. select the appropriate approaches, methods, and modes of reasoning to solve
problems.
2. use estimating skills as an alternative to formulating exact answers and as a
method of error
checking.
3. find perimeter, area, and volume of basic geometric figures and solids
4. find the mean, median, mode, and range of a set of data.
5. set up and solve ratio, proportions, and rate problems.
6. use percent equations to solve percentage problems.
7. use order of operations to simplify expressions.
8. correctly order integers, with or without a number line.
9. add, subtract, multiply, and divide integers.
10. use exponents properly in the simplification of expressions and in
scientific notation.
11. find the area and circumference of a circle .
12. find the square root of a number .
13. find the unknown side of a right triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem.
14. solve one- and two-step linear equations.
15. translate word problems into basic variable expressions and equations.
16. solve applications by setting up and then solving equations.
17. identify points in a coordinate plane.
18. graph linear functions in the coordinate plane.
Course Resources
Textbook:
Bach, Daniel and Leitner, Patricia. Prealgebra: Mathematics for a Variable
World. Third Edition.
McGraw-Hill, 2006. ISBN 0074262130 (MathZone and ALEKS access codes included) .
The course
code needed to access our class in MathZone (in addition to the code that comes
with the textbook is
FAC-C9-4F9.
PLEASE NOTE: It is the learner's responsibility to
have purchased all required course
materials before the start of the course. Learners are expected to meet all
course
expectations even if the shipment of a required textbook or other learning
resource is
delayed. Be sure to choose the shipping option that will get your text/resource
delivered
in a timely manner.
Synchronous Sessions:
We will conduct live virtual classroom sessions through a product know as
Elluminate. There are
minimum technical requirements that need to be met in order to support
Elluminate. Please review
these requirements:
Participant Requirements
Java versions 1.5 or 1.6
20 MB free disk space
Soundcard with speakers and microphone or headset
28.8 Kbps Internet connection
Windows Client
Windows 2000/XP/Vista
Pentium III 500 MHz processor
256 MB RAM
Mac Client
Mac OS X 10.4/10.5
G3, G4, G5 or Intel Processor
256 MB RAM
Microphone (internal, USB, or iSight)
UltraSPARC Solaris Client
Solaris 10 (SPARC only)
UltraSPARC IIc 300 MHz
256 MB RAM
Linux Client
Red Hat Linux (RHEL4), Novell SUSE 10
1 GHz processor
256 MB RAM
Technical Setup:
It is extremely important that you run the complete Technical Setup checklist
well in advance
of your first Elluminate Live Classroom session. Generally, you should complete
the checklist at
least a few days in advance of your first session.
The Elluminate checklist ensures that you are technically prepared to use the
Live Classroom and
provides links to install and configure the required software. It guides you
through a series of tests,
corresponding with different technical requirements. Provided that technical
requirements do not
change, you will only need to complete the checklist once.
Blackboard Orientations
There are no face-to-face sessions for this course. If you have never taken an
Online Interactive
Course (OIC) at the college, we highly recommend that you attend one of the
2-hour Blackboard
Orientation sessions available throughout the state. If you choose not to attend
a face-to-face
session, you are encouraged to complete the Online Orientation with audio at
your own convenience.
Description of Course Activities and Requirements
| Activity |
% of Final Grade |
Synchronous Sessions:
There will be synchronous sessions held throughout the term .
Participating in these sessions allows communication to happen in real
time. In our synchronous sessions you will have the chance to ask
questions about the assignments, I will clarify instructions and we will
interact as a whole class. While you are encouraged to participate in
all
sessions, the expectation is that you will participate in a minimum of 4 |
5% |
Discussion Board:
Each week discussion questions will be posted on the discussion
board. You will be expected to post your initial response to the
question, to respond to a minimum of two other students’ initial
postings and to answer any questions directed specifically to you in the
discussion board. The discussion questions will relate to problems we
are working on. Working on math problems is an important and
necessary part of learning mathematics and deepens your
understanding of math. It is also the best way to prepare you for the
midterm and final exams.
During this course we will use the Discussion Board as a community
learning center in solving these problems. Since this is a collaborative
environment, you'll be encouraged to substantively respond to other's
questions in a positive, reflective manner. Substantive responses add
to the conversation by building on the thoughts, opinions and problem
solving presented in the previous entries to that thread. These postings
may include respectful comments on what you agree or disagree with
and an explanation of your reasoning. You may choose to point out
possible problem areas, answer questions or give examples from your
experiences and from the difficulties you may have encountered when
dealing with a similar problem.
As the facilitator in this course I will monitor these discussions
provide
feedback and guidance where necessary. |
10% |
Assigned Individual Problems:
You are required to complete all the assigned problems and submit
your solutions as a single Word file using the Assignment Link. This is
an effort-based grade. You will not be penalized for incorrect answers;
you will earn credit for attempting to complete the problems. You will
earn full credit for any problems completed and partial credit on
problems for which you submit credible attempts at solving. No credit is
earned if the problem is not attempted. |
20% |
ALEKS:
ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces) is a webbased
system that assesses your math knowledge and provides an
online web-based instructional program that will allow you to work
individually to strengthen your skills.The course code is CADH4-CDAMW
To receive full credit for this part of the class, you are expected to
spend a minimum of 15 hours working at the ALEKS website.
Further directions for accessing ALEKS will be found in Course
Content: Module 1. |
15% |
Assessment:
There are two assessments during this course:
(1) Assessment 1 is taken during Module 6 and covers the material
learned in Modules 1 - 5. It is worth 25% of your grade in this course.
(2) Assessment 2 is taken during Module 12 and covers the material
learned in Modules 7 - 11. It is worth 25% of your grade in this course. |
50% |
| Total |
100% |
Granite State College Standard Grading Scale
| Grade |
Percent |
Grade Points |
Level of Achievement |
| A |
95-100 |
4.0 |
Excellent |
| A- |
90-94 |
3.67 |
| B+ |
87-89 |
3.33 |
Good |
| B |
84-86 |
3.0 |
| B- |
80-83 |
2.67 |
| C+ |
77-79 |
2.33 |
|
| C |
74-76 |
2.0 |
*Acceptable |
| C- |
70-73 |
1.67 |
† |
| D+ |
67-69 |
1.33 |
Poor |
| D |
64-66 |
1.00 |
| D- |
60-63 |
0.67 |
| F |
≤59 |
0 |
Failure, no credit |
*A grade of C or better is required
to fulfill requirements in the major, minor, or general education
core at GSC. Please consult the GSC catalog for details.
† A grade of C- or below generally does not transfer to other academic
institutions. |
Course Schedule & Topics
| Module |
Assignments/Activities |
Module 1: Integers
January 10 - 16 |
Text: Read Chapter 2: Sections 2.1 (page
83 – 88 only), 2.2, and
2.3
• In this module we will discuss:
 Number lines,
Absolute value, and
Integer Addition. |
Module 2: Integers, Part 2 and
Order of Operations
January 17 - 23 |
Text: Read Chapter 2: Sections 2.4, 2.5
and 2.6
• In this module we will discuss:
Integer Subtraction,
Multiplication and Division of
Integers, and
Order of Operations. |
Module 3: Introduction to
Rates, Ratios and
Proportions and Percentages
January 24 - 30 |
Text: Read Chapter 2: Chapter 3: Sections
3.2 and 3.6
• In this module we will discuss:
Rates, ratios, proportions, and
Percentages. |
Module 4: Exponents, Square
Roots and the Pythagorean
Theorem
January 31 - February 6 |
Text: Read Chapter 4: Sections 4.1, 4.4
and 4.5
|
• In this module we will discuss:
Exponents and scientific notation,
Square Roots, and
The Pythagorean Theorem. |
Module 5: Algebra:
Introduction to Variables and
Expressions
February 7 - 13 |
Text: Read Chapter 5: Sections 5.1 and 5.3
• In this module we will discuss:
Variables,
Formulas, and
Evaluating algebraic expressions. |
Module 6: Assessment 1
Review
February 14 - 20 |
In this module we will review what we learned in
Modules 1
through 5 in preparation for the first major assessment.
Online Assessment 1 |
Module 7: Algebra: Working
with Polynomials
February 21 - 27 |
Text: Read Chapter 5 & 6: Sections 5.4,
6.1, and 6.2
• In this module we will discuss:
Translating word phrases
intoexpressions,
Monomials and like terms , and
Adding and subtracting polynomials |
Module 8: Algebra: Equations
February 28 – March 6 |
Text: Read Chapter 8: Sections 8.1, and
8.2
• In this module we will discuss:
What is an equation,
Solution sets, and
Missing-number statements. |
Module 9: Solving Equations
and Translating Word
Statements into Algebra
March 7 - 13 |
Text: Read Chapter 8: Sections 8.3 (pages
495 to 499 only), 8.4
(pages 507 to 510 only) and 8.5 (pages 522 through Example 8 on
page 527 only).
• In this module we will discuss:
Solving one and two-step equations,
and
Translating word problems into
algebra. |
Module 10: Using Algebra,
Proportions, and Percent to
Problem Solve
March 14 - 20 |
Text: Read Chapter 9: Sections 9.1 and 9.3
In this module we will discuss:
Using proportions, percent and
algebraic skills to
solve application problems |
Module 11: Statistics and
Geometry
March 21 - 27 |
Text: Read Chapter 10: Section 10.5 and
Chapter 11: Sections
11.3 and 11.4 (pages 764 and 765 in this section).
• In this module we will discuss:
Mean, median and mode of a set of
data,
Perimeter,
Area, and
Volume. |
Module 12: Final Review,
Assessment 2 and the
Postassessment
March 28 – April 3 |
In this module we will review what we learned in
Modules 7
through 11 in preparation for Assessment 2 and the Postassessment.
Online Assessment 2 and Closing Assessment |
Note: The schedule above may change at the
instructor's discretion.
Library Resources
Granite State College has a Virtual Library
available 24/7 with access to the full-text of thousands of journals and
professional periodicals, an
online Reference Room, selected Internet resources, writer’s resources, research
and citation help,
and a collection of tutorials. The databases are password protected.
See GSC Library tab in MyGranite for username and
password. In addition, the Library Info link in
the course menu provides direct links to research databases, Research FAQs and
more.
Academic Resources and Information Services
Academic assistance to students is available at GSC Centers at no additional
charge in such areas
as basic skills preparation in reading, writing and math; study skills and
research and citation help.
Academic Resources staff members work closely with faculty and students toward
academic
success. A whole range of tools is available, including study and time
management tips, APA and
MLA citation assistance, access to learning resources
online, and feedback on course writing
projects. To contact an Academic Resource and Information Coordinator, see the
Academic
Resource Link on the Resources page in the course menu
Documented Disabilities / Americans with Disabilities
Act
Granite State College will provide qualified individuals with disabilities the
same educational
opportunities available to persons without disabilities. When an individual's
documented disability
creates a barrier to educational opportunities, the College will attempt
reasonable accommodation to
remove the barrier. If you need assistance, we recommend that you make contact
early to ensure
that your requests can be reviewed prior to the start of each term. If you wish
to apply for
accommodations, contact your academic advisor or the Dean of Learner Services in
Concord. See
the complete Granite State College policy in the current college catalog for
further details.
Academic Honesty
An academic community is based on honesty and integrity. Plagiarism, cheating,
or other forms of
academic dishonesty are not acceptable at Granite State College. Faculty and
students have a joint
responsibility to ensure the integrity of learning.
All work that you submit must be your own except in those instances when your
instructor gives
specific permission to collaborate. When quoting, summarizing or explaining
ideas that are based on
another's work, whether in print or online, make sure to cite references
appropriately. Plagiarism is
using another's words or even paraphrasing another's work without giving proper
credit through the
use of citations.
Conduct in the Online Classroom
Membership in society implies minimal norms for civil behavior towards one
another. It is Granite
State College’s expectation that all members of our college community treat
faculty, staff, and fellow
learners with respect. Learners need to be knowledgeable of and comply with
college policies. Each
individual is accountable for his/her actions and for the consequences of any
behavior that is
inconsistent with these
values and expectations .
Institutional Assessment
Assessment is an ongoing process that enables the College to improve its
programs, courses, and
teaching methods. Institutional evaluation may be embedded in tests, exams, and
other
measurements of student learning. As members of a learning
community, students, faculty, and staff
will be expected to participate in the important process of assessment on
occasion. Confidentiality of
any data that identify participants is maintained.
