Math 140: College Algebra
self-paced extended education (section XW)
Fall 2009

Instructor: B. Wagner
Phone: 707-476-4207
Fax: 707-476-4424
E-mail: math140x@math.iastate.edu
WWW: http://orion.math.iastate.edu/wagner

Course homepage: http://orion.math.iastate.edu/algebra/sp/xf09

TOPICS: Coordinate geometry, complex numbers, quadratic and polynomial equations, functions, graphing, systems of equations, exponential and logarithmic functions.

PREREQUISITES: Satisfactory performance on the math placement exam, two years of high school algebra, one year of high school geometry.

TEXTBOOK: Precalculus, 8th edition, by Michael Sullivan, published by Prentice Hall, 2008, with Student Study Pack (includes Student Solutions Manual and access code for the Prentice Hall Tutor Center) and CD Lecture Series, ISBN #0132422956.
     Textbook packages will be available through the Iowa State University Bookstore online at http://www.isubookstore.com or by telephone at 1-800-478-0048.
     (As another option, you may buy a used copy of either the 7th or 6th edition of the textbook if you want. Homework assignments will be available for all three editions. If you decide to buy one of these older editions, then you should also buy the Student Solutions Manual that corresponds to that edition.)

COURSE STRUCTURE: This section of Math 140 will operate as a self-paced, web-based course with no formal lectures, offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Center for Distance and Online Learning.

     Units: The course is divided into 10 units which you will have to complete consecutively. A detailed syllabus and directions for the completion of each unit are given on the web (see the Detailed Schedule). Instruction for each unit will be provided by readings from the textbook, homework problems from the textbook, and supplementary material available online and via CD-ROM. To complete the unit, you must take the Unit Pretest and the Unit Exam.

     Midterm and Final Exams: There will also be one Midterm Exam and one Final Exam. The Final Exam will be comprehensive. See the Detailed Schedule page for the dates and the sections covered by each exam. 

     All graded exams are taken over the World Wide Web, and the Unit Exams, Midterm Exam, and the Final Exam must be taken in the presence of a designated proctor (see the proctor arrangements page for details). However, you can take the Unit Pretests and take practice Unit Exams from home or anywhere else on the web. See the Online Testing page for specific details and rules concerning online exams.

     There will be deadlines imposed for the completion of each unit, as well as deadlines for the Midterm and Final Exams, but in all other respects you will be able to work at your own speed. Thus, depending on your background and workload, you may be able to proceed quickly through the course.

GRADING:

Unit Pretests	50 points (5 points each)
Unit Exams	150 points (15 points each)
Midterm Exam	60 points
Final Exam	100 points

Unit Exams and Pretests will be graded on the scale given below. In addition, your course grade is guaranteed if you make the grade cutoffs given in the table below. In other words, grade cutoffs will not be any higher, but could possibly be lower (this depends partly on the performance of the class on the midterm and final exams).

85-100%	A
72-84%	B
60-71%	C
50-59%	D

AVAILABLE HELP: Personal help will be available both from the instructor via email and fax, and through the Prentice Hall Math Tutor Center. Additional advice and help resources are given on the Help page.

IS THIS COURSE FOR ME? This course may be appropriate for some students, and perhaps not for others. Students taking this course must be self-motivated and must actively seek help when needed. Because there are no class sessions, more independent learning is involved in this course. Consequently, it is very important that you follow the study guidelines, schedule regular study times for yourself, and do not fall behind schedule. This course may be especially appropriate for students who have learned the material before and just need a review, and for students who are simultaneously taking Calculus.

Some students make the mistake of believing that an online course is easier than an on-campus course. However, in reality, online courses are generally more difficult, and most students find it easier to learn the course material in an on-campus section. In that setting, the instructor will provide additional discussion, examples, and activities to help you understand the concepts, and help is more readily available if you need it. Therefore, enrolling in an on-campus section is highly recommended if possible. However, if you live far from campus or have a difficult schedule, then the online section may work out well for you, provided that you follow the study guidelines and do not fall behind schedule. As with all courses, it is especially important that you schedule enough time to devote to the course and don't overextend yourself with other commitments.

USE OF CALCULATORS: A good graphing calculator is required. The calculator must be able to do parametric plots in addition to usual plots of functions, and should be able to solve equations numerically (i.e., find intersections of curves and zeros of functions). My own recommendation for this course is the TI-83+, which is an excellent, easy-to-use calculator that meets these requirements. However, many other calculators also meet the above requirements and will work fine in this course.

DISABILITIES: Any student who feels that s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor as soon as possible. The student will also need to obtain a Student Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR) form from the Disability Resources (DR) office (515-294-6624). Every effort will be made to meet accommodation requests. However, because this course uses online assessment exclusively, some types of accommodations may not be possible. In addition, no retroactive accommodations will be provided.