Math 99 - Winter 2005
 Intermediate Algebra
Section 01: M-F 7:30 – 8:20 @ 2905
Section 03: M-F 9:30 – 10:20 @ 2912

Instructor - Swati Sircar

Basic Information | Syllabus | Course Organization | Course Plan - Day by Day | Policies

Resources (Handouts & Worksheets) | Homework & Quizzes | Exams

 Math Learning Center: Finals week hours
Sunday - 1:00-4:00 pm
Monday-Thursday - 8:00am - 6:30 pm
Friday - 8:00-10:30 am


Basic Information

Office: Room 5335 in Foss Building (5000)
Office hours (Finals week):
Mon - 10:30-12:30 5335 & 12:30-1:30 MLC, Wed - 10:00-12:00 5335, Thu - 10:30-12:30 5335, or by appointment.

Usually I will be in my office 10:30-12:30 M-F. In addition I might be there till 2:30. But this is not for sure. Hence, if you can not come during the office hours, make an appointment - i.e. emailing me ahead of time, or letting me know before or after class - to be on the safe side. Also you can call 206-533-6789 (or 6789 from campus phone) to check if I'm there.

Holidays: Jan 17 (Martin Luther King Day) & Feb 21 (President's Day)

Text: Understanding Intermediate Algebra - A Course for College Students, Fifth Edition by Lewis Hirsch & Arthur Goodman
Optional: If you want, you may buy the Student Solutions Manual for this book.

Math Learning Center: This is a wonderful place to work on this class. There you can get help in terms of tutoring, handouts related to specific topics, old exams & quizzes. You can also check the course website & take print outs from there. Check out their website for location, hours & other details.

Top


Syllabus

Course Description:
We are going to cover the following "core" topics this quarter.
  • Recap of Math 80
  • 1st degree equations & inequalities (2.3 - 2.4)
  • Graphs & functions (3.3 - 3.4)
  • Rational expressions & functions (6.1 - 6.6, 6.8)
  • Exponents & Radicals (7.1 - 7.8)
  • Quadratic functions & equations (8.1, 8.6)
In addition we might explore some of the "optional" topics if we have time.
  • Interpreting graphs (3.5)
  • Graphing linear inequalities in 2 variables (4.4)
  • Equations reducible to quadratic forms (8.5)
  • Quadratic & rational inequalities (8.7)
The following are topics that you should know from Math 80. However we will review some of them in class as & when needed. 
  • Fundamental concepts (1.1 - 1.4)
  • Rectangular coordinate system & graphs (3.1 - 3.2)
  • Equations of lines & linear systems in 2 variables (4.1 - 4.3)
  • Polynomial expressions & functions (5.1 - 5.7)
  • Quadratic functions & equations (8.2 - 8.4)

Be sure to keep up with the material covered in class. It is strongly recommended that you read material before it is covered in class. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out all information from the class you missed, including material covered, HW assigned, worksheets & quizzes done & any other announcements made.

Top


Course Organization

NOTE: Worksheets & Home Works may carry less weight towards the course grade but they are your main tools to learn the course material. So do them regularly & do not skip any. In case you missed one do it at home to get the most out of this course.

Worksheets:
  • We will do worksheets regularly in class to learn the subject by doing it. They are geared to help you learn better & faster.
  • They might be used as an introduction to a topic or done after we master a technique. They can be at the beginning or end of a class.
  • They will be graded. Graded worksheets will be returned the following class-day.
  • It is your responsibility to attend the classes on time so that you do not miss them. You can do them later but the late ones will not be graded.
  • All the worksheets will be available online once they have been distributes in class. You can get them from the course website or from me.
Home Works:
  • Homework from the text will be assigned, collected on Mondays (unless mentioned otherwise). They will be graded & returned within a week.
  • All HWs will be posted online at least a week before the due date & sometimes several weeks ahead. I will also announce the HWs in class.
  • If you want to move ahead feel free to do so. You can turn in your HW earlier.
  • HWs should be turned in during the class. But you have grace period up to 12:30 to turn it in my mailbox at the FOSS building (5000).
  • Please staple your HW if it has multiple pages, at least put your name on each page. Otherwise I will not be responsible if pages get lost.
  • Part of the grade will be for attempting all problems & part will be for correct solution to selected problems. So to be sure check your answers with your class mates.
  • Late HW's will get partial credit.
It is highly advised that you do not wait for the weekend to do your HW but do them as & when we cover those portions in class. Since there is no fixed "Quiz-day" of the week, you are required to be up to speed with the class.

Quizzes:
  • As soon as we finish a substantial portion (typically 2-5 sections) of the syllabus there will be a quiz on it. There is no fixed "Quiz-day" of the week.
  • However the Quiz-days are mentioned in the day by day "Plan" (to be available soon). Please note: this is only a tentative one & the actual Quiz-days may differ depending upon how fast/slow we progress.
  • I will remind the class one day before the Q-day.
  • All quizzes will be graded & returned within 1-2 days.
  • The worst quiz-score will be dropped.
  • All solutions of the quizzes will be posted online within 2 hours.
Exams:
  • You can bring one page both sides hand written notes for the exam.
  • Calculator policy closer to exam dates.
  • There will be 2 midterms & a final on the date mentioned below (corresponding to your section) in the classroom. Midterms will be during class hours & the final will be at the times mentioned below.
  • Before each midterm there will be a practice test which will not be graded.
  • Cheating is not allowed during the exams & I reserve the right to deduct points if I suspect cheating.
  • Solution to each exam will be posted online within 2 hours.
Course Grade:
  • The course will be graded on a linear scale with 90% = 4.0 & 60% = 2.0 with exams etc. having the weight mentioned in the chart below.
  • Your actual grade might be slightly higher depending on my understanding of your mathematical abilities.

Test Jan 6 5%
Worksheets
10%
Home Works
5%
Quizzes
20%
Midterms Feb 8 & Mar 2 (15+15)%
Final (Sec 01) Mar 18, 8:00-10:00
(Sec 03) Mar 18, 10:30-12:30		 30%
Total
100%

Top


Course Plan:

Week by Week: Here is the tentative plan for the quarter. I might make slight changes as the term progresses. We might move quicker or slower than indicated at some point.

Week Topics Sections
1 Review of Math 80 1.1 – 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 - 4.3, 5.1 – 5.6, 8.2 – 8.4
2 1st degree Equations & Inequalities 2.1 - 2.4, 4.4
3 Graphs & Functions 3.1 - 3.5
4 Rational Expressions & Functions 6.1 - 6.6, 6.8
5
6 Exponents & Radicals 7.1 - 7.8
7
8
9 Quadratic Functions & Equations 8.1, 8.5 - 8.7
10

Day by Day: The day by day plan is available here. I will keep it up to date as the quarter continues. Check this is for the upcoming Quiz-dates.

Top


Homework & Quizzes

Week Home Work Due Date Quiz Solution
1 no homework! Test
2 2.3: all even problems 2-22 & 32-62 (i.e. 2,4,6,...), 64, 66, 70, 72
2.4: all even problems 2-62
4.4: 2,4,14,16,36,40,42 		Jan 18 Q1 S1
Q1 S1
3 3.3: all even problems 2-44, all problems 45-52 & 63-72, 73, 77 
3.4: all even problems 2-40, 41, 43
3.5: 1, 2, 6, 9 		Jan 24 Q2 S2
Q2 S2
4 6.1: all odd problems 1-23
6.2: all odd problems 17-35 & 39, 41, 43, 47
6.3: all odd problems 1-39
6.4: all odd problems 11-23 & 31-53
6.5: all odd problems 1-29 		Jan 31 Q3 S3
Q3 S3
5 6.6: all odd problems 1-19, 23-27, 35-39, 43-47, 55-61, 65, 71-75
6.8: all odd problems 1-7, 19, 27, 41, 43, 65, 67a, 69 		Feb 3 Q4 S4
Q4 S4
6 7.1: every other odd 1-45 (1,5,9,...), 51-83 & 47,49, all odds 93-103
7.2: all odd problems 1-33,
7.3: every other odd 1-99, 101		 Feb 14 midterm week
7 7.4: every other odd 1-77
7.5: all odds 1-35, every other odd 37-57
7.6: all odds 1-67		 Feb 18 Q5 S5
Q5 S5
8 7.7: all odds 1-63
7.8: all odds 1-77 		Feb 28 Q6 S6
Q6 S6
9 8.1: all odds 1-13
8.5: all odds 13-19
8.6: all odds 1-49
8.7: all odds 1-27, 51 		Mar 10 midterm week
10 8.5: all odds 21-67
8.7: all odds 29-49		 Mar 10 Q7 S7
Q7 S7

Top


Exams

Practice Midterm 1 Midterm 1 Midterm 1 Practice Midterm 2 Midterm 2 Midterm 2 Final Final
Solution Solution Solution Solution Solution Solution Solution Solution

Top

Back