Math 150
Getting Started

Before The First Meeting

• Obtain an ISU NetID
  This is the user name you use for AccessPlus, WebCT(BlackBoard Learning), and everything else on campus. I am pretty sure you already have one. If not, go to the ISU registration site.

• Buy the textbook and access code
  You need two things for this class: a textbook and an access code. The access code is absolutely essential; you cannot do anything in this class until you have one. The book is recommended, but you can access to an online version, so you could get by without a printed book. More details on the textbook are given in the syllabus.

  You can buy an access code online during you sign up in MyLabsPlus in the first meeting (or anywhere you are able to access internet) using a credit card.

• For the students who retake the course
  If you have taken Math 150 with MylabsPlus, you can still use your old account. Be sure you look for the course of Spring 2012. If you took this course with MyMathLab before, you do need a new code to sign up in MylabsPlus, but you do not need to buy it. Ask Dr Pan for a free one.

• If you used MyMathLab (or MyLabsPlus) for a different course before, you still need a new access code for this course.

• If you are waiting for financial aid and cannot buy an access code yet, you can get a temporary access code during the sign-up process. The temporary code provides 21 days of free MLP access, Within the 21 days (the first three weeks of the semester) you must purchase a regular code either online or at the bookstore. Note that the 21-days is counted from the first day of the semester, not the day you start using it.

During The First Meeting

A TA will go over the following things during the first meeting. If you can't make it to the meeting at your scheduled time, go at one of the other times (see schedule). If you can't make it at all, do this on your own.

• Overview of the class:
  • You do assignments on the computer every week (homework from any machine, exams in the computer lab). Details are in the Lesson Plan and the weekly pages accessible from there.
  • During the first week, and possibly the second, TAs will run the weekly meetings as recitation sessions, making sure everybody is signed into the web sites you need for this class. After that the weekly meetings will be conducted as office hours. TAs will lecture or work with students one on one, depending on what is requested.
  • Assignments have deadlines, but otherwise you can complete them when it is convenient for you
  • All assignments and exams are opened on the first day of the semester. You can work ahead, and even complete the entire course early.
  • The key word is Consistency. If you keep doing the assignments week after week, you are virtually guaranteed to pass this course with a decent grade. You even get extra credit for not skipping any assignments and getting reasonable scores on each (see Grades for details).
  • If you think you can get by with cramming for the exams, you will fail.
  • You can read the details on Grades and other policies on the course web site later; right now we need to get everybody started.
• Find the course web sites:
  • ISU Math 150 course web site is http://www.math.iastate.edu/mathbus/sp/current/
  • MyLabsPlus is at http://www.iastate.mylabsplus.com/. The ISU Math 150 course web site is also accessible from inside MyMathLab.
  • There is a Math 150 site in WebCT, but you can ignore that, except to look up your scores at Midterm Grade and Final Grade time.
• Create an account in MyLabsPlus:
  • Before you start the signup process, be sure you know which section you are in. You need the section number to choose the course name.
  • During the signup process you will be asked for an access code, your user name and password. The user name and password are provided to you by Math Department before or on the first day of semester via email. Your USER ID is your Iowa State Net ID without the @iastate.edu and PASSWORD is the last four digits of your 9 digit university ID ( if the first of the four digits is zero, ignor the zero and enter the last three).

    For security purposes, you should change your password immediately after you set up your account. You can do it by clicking My Profile in the right upper corner on the first screen you see when you log in MyLabsPlus.

    If your user name/password don't work, contact Dr. Elgin Johnston.
  • Read the Instructions for signup in MyLabsPlus before you start the signup process.
  • If you have not bought an access code yet, you can buy one with a credit card during the signup process.
  • If you are waiting for financial aid, you can get a temporary access code during the signup process (see Temporary Access). Remember you have to buy a reguar one within the 21 days. If you buy a regular access code before the temporary one expired, you have to keep the regular one till the expire day, and then use it to sign up again into MyLabsPlus.
  • Access codes are in upper case. Turn the caps lock on.
• Log into MyLabsPlus and complete the tutorial on How to Enter Answers in MyLabsPlus. You can find it under the Tools for Success link.

When you are done with all that

This can be done during the first meeting, or later at home.

• Poke around the course web sites and see what is there. Read the syllabus and other documents.

• Read the instructions for Week 1, and start working on the first homeworks. .