MONTGOMERY COLLEGE - Department of Mathematics
& Statistics
MATH 050 – Foundations of Algebra
&
MATH 045 – Foundations of Algebra Support
DISTANCE LEARNING SYLLABUS
Course Orientation Videos: Before the first day of class, watch
the course orientation videos available at www.wittemath.com/NEW.htm . These
videos will help you gain an understanding of how the course is structured.
MATH045
& MATH050: You are
technically enrolled for two courses although they will be treated as one
except for the grading policy. Both must be taken at the same time. If you were
to drop one of the courses, you would be automatically dropped from the other
course.
The goal of this course is to make sure that
you are able to master the material needed to be successful in your future math classes that have this material as a prerequisite.
The amount of time it takes to master this course will vary for each student. For
each hour in class, you should spend at least two hours outside of class. As
your faculty member, I am here to support your learning.
Please note that
some students may need to put in more time if their personal learning pace is
slower and may have to take an extra semester to finish all the course
material. Please be aware in this case that you will need to re-adjust your
schedule for future classes. Consider reaching out to an academic counselor to
plan a do-able academic schedule and to map out a realistic timeline to
completion of your degree or program.
MATH045
Course Description: A corequisite course intended to equip
students with the skills needed to be successful in MATH 050 by providing
support in fundamental mathematics. Topics include operations on real numbers,
evaluation of algebraic expressions, solving equations, and operations on
polynomials. PREREQUISITE(S): Appropriate score on the mathematics
assessment test or consent of the department. Two hours each week. TWO EQUIVALENT
CREDIT HOURS. NOT APPLICABLE TO A DEGREE OR CERTIFICATE. MAY NOT BE USED TO
SATISFY DEGREE REQUIREMENTS. NOT INCLUDED IN GPA CALCULATION. COREQUISITE(S):
MATH 050 Foundations of Algebra Assessment Level(s): AELW 940/ELAI 990, READ
120, or AELR 930/ELAR 980. Two semester hours.
MATH045
Course Outcomes: Upon course completion, a student will be
able to:
·
Perform operations with real numbers.
·
Evaluate expression using the orders of
operations.
·
Perform operations with polynomials.
·
Solve linear equations and graph linear
functions.
MATH050 Course
Description: An examination of algebraic skills and
concepts intended to prepare students for MATH 130, MATH 150, and MATH 165.
Numerical, graphical, and algebraic approaches are represented throughout as
well as application. Topics include operations on polynomial and rational
expressions, analysis of quadratic and rational functions and graphs, solving
quadratic, rational, and radical equations, and graphing and evaluating
polynomial and exponential functions. PREREQUISITE(S): Appropriate score on the mathematics assessment test; or concurrent
enrollment in MATH 045; or consent of the department. Assessment Level(s): AELW
940/ELAI 990, READ 120, or AELR 930/ELAR 980. 4 hours each week. 4 semester
hours. FOUR EQUIVALENT CREDIT HOURS. NOT APPLICABLE TO A DEGREE OR CERTIFICATE.
MAY NOT BE USED TO SATISFY DEGREE REQUIREMENTS. NOT INCLUDED IN GPA
CALCULATION.
MATH050 Course
Outcomes: Upon course completion, a student will be able to:
·
Use properties of exponents to simplify
expressions and combine terms.
·
Demonstrate the ability to perform operations
on polynomials.
·
Factor polynomials using the greatest common
factor, grouping, and formulas.
·
Evaluate functions as well as identify their
domains and ranges.
·
Find inverse of linear, exponential, and
logarithmic functions.
·
Construct graphs of linear, quadratic,
exponential, and logarithmic functions.
·
Solve quadratic, rational, radical equations
as well as systems of equations using graphical and algebraic approaches.
·
Simplify and perform operations on radical and
rational expressions.
·
Use technology to graph linear, quadratic,
radical, exponential, and logarithmic functions, and systems of equations and
interpret and analyze the graph.
Course
Format: During the first week of classes,
you
will take an Initial Knowledge Check to determine what material you already
know and what material you are ready to learn. You will earn credit for any
topics mastered in this initial assessment. Each week, a few homework
assignments will be due and every student is required to complete a certain new
number of topics. These requirements help you to stay on track to be able to
finish the course in one semester. Tests will use adaptive technology and must
be proctored by the online proctoring service or over Zoom with your
instructor. You
can accelerate the pace of this course by working ahead and finishing the
course early.
Required Supplies: Please be
prepared for every class by bringing your notebook, pencils, and erasers. Please
do NOT expect your instructor or fellow students to provide these for you.
·
ALEKS Access Code. Can be purchased online at www.aleks.com or at a MC
bookstore. Comes with ebook. You must purchase an 18 week
access code or you will have to purchase another code mid-semester. The bookstore sells an 18 week code but you can purchase the 18 week code online
through ALEKS that will give you access for our entire course.
·
ALEKS guarantee: Students who are repeating Math 050 within one year and have spent at
least 60 hours on Aleks in their previous attempt don’t have to purchase Aleks
code again when they register for the course.
· Notebook You must keep an organized notebook that shows all notes and homework
problems. When requesting help from your instructor, you will show your
attempted work to help them understand your thought process. In this class, your
note taking is one of the most important parts of your learning process so
please take it seriously.
NOTE: A handheld
calculator is NOT ALLOWED for this course unless approved under a DSS
Accommodation. The ALEKS program does provide calculators within the system
when appropriate.
MATH050 Course Grading Policy:
Assignments by Due Date: 10%
Weekly New Topic Goals: 5%
Tests: 65%
Final Exam: 20%
A grade of
A, B, C or U is awarded when the Final Exam is completed and the final course
average is:
93% – 100%: A
86% – 92.99%: B 80% –
85.99%: C 0% - 79.99%: U
MATH045 Grade: If the MATH050 grade is A, B, or C, the
student earns a grade of S for MATH045. If the MATH050 grade is U and the
student's Final Exam grade is greater or equal to 60%, the
student earns a grade of S for MATH045. Otherwise, student earns a U in
both courses.
Note: If a student does not take the Final Exam,
they receive a grade of U regardless of the overall course average. The lowest test grade with least weight will be
replaced with the Final Exam grade, AS LONG AS THE STUDENT HAS COMPLETED A
MINIMUM OF 20 NEW TOPICS EACH WEEK IN ALEKS, assuming it benefits the student. Any grade of 0 due to academic
dishonesty is not eligible to be replaced.
Attendance Policy for DL sections: Learning
is an experience that depends on active participation; therefore, you are
expected to login and work regularly in their ALEKS course. Regular participation
in course work is an important contributor to student success. In the event of
missed due date, please consult with your instructor immediately to discuss any
missed topic goals, tests or assignments. Together, we can work to prevent such
absences from affecting your performance in the course and keep you on track to
success.
In
cases involving excessive absences from class, that is, not logging into their
ALEKS course for more than 3 consecutive days in any given week, you may be
dropped from the class, resulting in a grade determined in accordance with Academic Regulation 9.645. Many
distance learning students manage jobs, family, and school. Make sure you have
enough time to stay on track in this course. You have the course schedule so
you should start planning how you will get everything done. We cannot accept
work as an excuse for missing due dates so please plan ahead!
Initial
Knowledge Check Day 1: During the first week of class, you will login
into Aleks and start the Initial Knowledge Check which is a diagnostic test
needed to set up a personalized course path in ALEKS for you.
If you have not purchased the Aleks access code yet, you may use
the Financial Aid Access Code (see
first page of syllabus) for 2 weeks. However, once you get through the setup
and tutorial, you will be asked to start working on the Initial Knowledge
Check. You are REQUIRED TO complete the Initial Knowledge Check during the
first week of classes. This is NOT A GRADED TEST but rather a way for the
system to determine how much of the course you already know. If you do not take the Initial Knowledge Check, you may
be dropped from the course for non-attendance because your personalized course path
cannot be set up for you.
You must download and
install the lockdown browser before taking the Initial Knowledge Check.
A link will be there once you access the Initial Knowledge Check and you can
follow the instructions to download and install the lockdown browser.
Typically, it takes anywhere from 45
minutes to 2 hours to complete this assessment. Although it is not graded, you
should take it seriously as it can affect the number of topics you need to
learn to complete this course. The assessment uses adaptive technology to
determine which topics you already know and which topics you are ready to
learn. You are given "credit" for any topic you already know. This
reduces the number of topics that you need to complete in each of the
assignments. Again, no handheld calculators or
cellphones are allowed.
ALEKS
Pie: At any given moment, you can see the percentage of the course that
you have learned by viewing the ALEKS Pie.
Any topic not mastered on a test is placed back into the learning path
when it is needed. This means that you may see your pie percentage decrease
after tests. This is not part of the course grade but rather an indicator of your
progress. You should always continue working forward as lost topics will come
automatically back in future assignments. Use the CONTINUE MY PATH or MOVE
AHEAD buttons.
Reports
& Gradebook: Take some time reviewing your ALEKS Gradebook
and Reports.
These can be found using the drop down main menu in
ALEKS. The Gradebook reflects your current overall average in the course. Also,
focus on your Progress Report, Time and Topic Report, and Needs
More Practice Report (these are the topics lost on the most recent
test.) See your instructor for more information.
Assignments:
Assignments are due several times a week (see course schedule for due dates.)
An assignment consists of several topics. Each topic requires you to master several
variations of the problem.
Your grade for each assignment is
determined by the percentage of topics completed by the due date at 11:59pm. If
you miss topics in an assignment, you will move to the next assignment. Any
missed prerequisite topics will automatically be added to future assignments
when they are needed so you don’t go back to old assignments. A "review"
assignment is due before each test and consists of possibly a few new topics
and all topics since the last test. This will be an opportunity to complete
missed topics from past due assignments. If you are behind, you will still lose
points for not completing the original assignment on time. If you have completed
assignments on time, then you will not have to repeat these previous topics.
Assignments based on MATH050 topics
are weighted five times the weight of prerequisite topics.
Depending on how you scored on the Initial Knowledge Check, it is
possible for you to already have mastered all topics in a given assignment and
automatically earn 100% for that assignment. You can then continue working on
the next assignment or any topic that the system identifies as "ready to
learn".
Weekly
Topic Goals: No matter how well you do on the Initial
Knowledge Check, you are required to learn a certain number of new topics per
week (see course schedule.) For example, you may already have credit for all
topics in Assignment 1 after the Initial Knowledge Check and will immediately
earn 100% for Assignment 1. However, you are still required to complete a
certain number of topics by Sunday night at 11:59pm or else there will be an
automatic grade penalty assigned by the system. This is intended to help
you stay on course to finish by the end of the semester. Most students
will meet the topic goals just by completing the assignments on time.
Tests: Tests are
scheduled as Comprehensive Knowledge Checks in the course. They are scheduled often as stated in the
course schedule and are based on the percentage of material a student is
expected to know by that date in the course. For
example, Test 1 occurs during Week 2 and a student is expected to know 20% of
the course by that date. If the student only masters 15% of the course, they
earn a grade of 15/20= 75% for that test. The highest score a student can earn
on any test is 100%. Every test is personal and adaptive to that student – no
one will be taking the same test. Any
topic not mastered in a test will be placed back into the student's pie.
A student
may find questions on tests that they have not learned yet but the system
determined that the student is ready to learn. If the student answers the
question(s) correctly, they will earn credit for that topic in future
assignments. If they answer it incorrectly, it has no effect on the test grade.
Every test is comprehensive in
this course. Each test will have at most 30 questions and will take between 45
minutes to two hours. Students
and instructors are unable to see exact questions missed on a test, so you are
encouraged to write down test questions and show all work. Then your instructor
can give you individualized help by going over your test with you. You can also
find out which topics you lost by going to Reports, Needs More Practice.
All
students must take the Final Exam to earn a passing grade in the course. If a student does not take the Final Exam, a grade of U is entered regardless
of what the ALEKS gradebook states. If a student does not finish the Final Exam
in the allotted time, the student must click "I don't know" until the
test is submitted. If a test is not submitted, the student may earn a 0 on the
Final Exam.
All
tests are comprehensive… meaning they focus on ALL material you have learned in
the course so you need to retain previous information permanently.
Below is
the expected percentage of mastery for each test as well as the percentage of
the final grade that each test represents. For example, to earn 100% on Test 2,
you must show mastery of ANY 35% of the topics in the course.
Test |
Expected Percentage of
Course Mastery |
Percentage of Grade |
Test 1 |
20% |
5% |
Test 2 |
35% |
5% |
Test 3 |
50% |
5% |
Test 4 (Midterm)* |
65% |
10% |
Test 5 |
75% |
10% |
Test 6 |
85% |
10% |
Test 7 |
95% |
20% |
Final Exam |
100% |
20% |
*For
reporting purposes the teacher uses the Midterm Test
Score as the Midterm Grade in Banner.
Makeup
Policy: There
are no retakes of tests and there are no makeups. You have a full week to take
the test and you have the course schedule provided at the start of the semester.
Make plans NOW. Although students have jobs and family, these are not
appropriate excuses for missing tests. You can take it anytime during that
given week. If a student does not take a test by the due date, they will
earn a 0 on it. However, students will be required to take a knowledge
check the following week, that will not count towards the overall course grade
but may alter the number of topics in the ALEKS pie. Communicate with your
instructor–you may be locked out of your account until you reply to any
communication requests. Keep in mind that the lowest test score will be replaced with the
Final Exam score AS LONG AS THE STUDENT HAS SUBMITTED A MINIMUM OF 20
NEW TOPICS EACH WEEK. This allows students to miss one test (not the Final)
without penalty due to illness or other emergencies BUT STILL MOTIVATES
CONSISTENT CLASS PERFORMANCE.
Accelerated
Pace: You may accelerate the
pace of this course and finish early. You can learn as many topics as you
wish each week. However, you will continue to test in class on schedule. If you complete
100% of your pie then you may request to take the Final Exam early. To pass the
course, a student who takes the Final Exam early must earn 95% on it.
Otherwise, the student will continue in the course as usual. A student who
takes the Final Exam early can request to retake it when 100% of the pie is
rebuilt as long as it is on or before the Final Exam week. A student who earns
95% or higher on the Final Exam will earn that percentage for any remaining
tests and 100% for any remaining weekly topic goals.
There
is no minimum score on any test for a student to pass the course. The overall
average in the course determines the course grade. The 95% minimum only applies
to students who attempt the final exam early.
If the student fails to finish the
course (that is, fails to get the required percentage to earn a C (80%) by the
last day of classes), then the student will need to re-register for this
course.
If you finish the course early, ask
your instructor for information on continuation courses to help prepare you for
your next math class. These courses DO NOT count towards placement. They are
just for review/prep.
Community &
Student Rights: Each student in this
class is vital to the success of our class community, which is why it
is important that we all respect each other, carefully consider one
another's ideas, and value each other's contributions. All students are equally
welcome and valued in this class, regardless of background, identity, or beliefs.
There is no place for racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination
(implicit or explicit) in this community. As your instructor, I will do my best
to foster a culture of equity and justice in this class and in the school as a
whole. By joining this classroom community, you are committing to bringing a
growth mindset to this work, which means we will work together to learn from
each other and become more compassionate.
Use the Discussion Boards, Chat Group, come to Office Hours, email me. REACH OUT and you’ll be surprised
how much we can connect. Keep in mind that as a student in this class, you
have the right:
1. to be confused and to ask questions,
2. to make a mistake and revise your thinking,
3. to speak, listen, and be heard, and
4. to enjoy doing mathematics.
Academic Honesty: Having academic integrity is important for
everyone in the college community for several reasons. Academic integrity
reflects a strong belief in your own ability to solve problems, be resourceful,
and assign proper attribution to borrowed ideas. At Montgomery College, we
believe that every student is capable of meaningfully contributing to the
college community by being trustworthy with their work. See the Student
Code of Conduct - “Academic Dishonesty
and Misconduct.”
Here are some examples of academic dishonesty that will result in
sanctions: Cheating, obtaining any unauthorized cooperation on any graded
assignments, using notes during testing, getting help from others during
testing, having a phone or unauthorized calculator during testing, leaving your
seat during testing, and having conversations with others during testing. The
penalty may range from no credit for the assignment up to and including
exclusion and/or “U” grade for the course. In addition, I may refer you to case
to the campus Dean of Student Affairs or designated Instructional Dean of
Workforce Development and Continuing Education with a specific request that the
Dean consider imposing additional sanctions.
Montgomery
College faculty and staff are here to help you succeed, and we believe that you
can succeed in all your courses. As your professor for this course, you can
count on me to help you succeed in the course with integrity. Please reach out
to me if you need help understanding the material or completing assignments in
a way that demonstrates your adherence to academic integrity guidelines. You
can also consult the Student Code of Conduct for
further definitions and details.
Instructional
Lab Coordinators:
For Takoma
Park: Lori Christy Lori.Christy@montgomerycollege.edu
For Germantown: Nafeesa Azizi Nafeesa.Azizi@montgomerycollege.edu
For Rockville: see your Professor
Take some
time at the beginning of the semester to get to know your instructional lab
coordinator – they are an additional resource. They are there to assist and
also to give support not only for your ALEKS math work but also with topics
like time management, note taking, study skills, test anxiety management, test
strategies and preparation, and general success strategies while you are in an
academic program. If you are taking a section that is REMOTE or DISTANCE LEARNING,
you should ask your instructor for the lab coordinator’s contact information to
be able to schedule remote live help via zoom. We are all here to help
you succeed so please take advantage of all everything we can offer.
Academic
Learning Centers: The Learning Centers at
Montgomery College are here to ensure your success
as you pursue your academic goals. Montgomery College offers a variety of
services and supports through our discipline-specific Learning Centers to help
students meet the rigors of academic coursework. Services provided by the
learning centers include tutoring, virtual tutoring, workshops, graphic
calculator loan program, study group areas, textbook loans, MC-provided
computers and software, and more. Data shows students who use the Learning
Centers early and often are more successful than those who do not.
All students have access to the STEM Learning
Centers, the Academic Success Center, and the Writing, Reading, and Language
Centers. Information about specific learning centers and tutoring
schedules can be found at https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/academics/support/learning-centers/virtual-tutoring.html
Achieving the Promise Program (ATPA): ATPA
offers embedded classroom support and one-on-one academic coaching to students
enrolled at any campus or taking classes remotely. ATPA coaches can help
you build on your strengths and target areas for improvement so that you can
excel academically. ATPA services have also been shown to help students pass
their classes, improve their grades, save money, and stay on track to graduate
on time.
ATPA
services are free and open to any registered Montgomery College students taking
one or more courses. No matter where you are on your academic journey, the
Achieving the Promise Academy (ATPA) supports your success while you are at MC.
Visit the ATPA webpage
to receive more information or to request a One on One Academic Coach.
You
can get a personal Academic Coach until you graduate or transfer, regular
coaching sessions about your academic goals and personalized success plan, and
additional benefits like a laptop loaner program and tuition assistance (if you
meet qualifications).
There
is also Drop-In Coaching with virtual coaching sessions when you need them,
help with time managements, study skills, goal setting and connection with
other MC and community resources to help you succeed.
Website: montgomerycollege.edu/atpa
Email: atpa@montgoemrycollege.edu
Phone:
240-567-2782
TRIO Programs: The
Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) are Federal outreach and student services programs
designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged
backgrounds. Program support services provide free academic, career, financial,
personal, social, and technological assistance and support to eligible college
students. The purpose of these programs is to increase retention, graduation,
and transfer rates by providing and coordinating various educational support
services, visit the Trio Program website
for program specific information.
Accommodations for Students with
Disabilities: Your success
in this class is important to me. If there are aspects of this course that
prevent you from learning or exclude you, please let me know as soon as
possible. If you have a disability that may impact your access and learning in
this course, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your specific
needs. An accommodation letter from Disability
Support Services (DSS) authorizing your accommodations will be needed as soon as
possible. Since accommodations are not retroactive, it is strongly
recommended that you notify me as early as possible in the term. Please note
that the DSS has strict confidentiality policies and that I am required (and
happy) to make accommodations determined by DSS.
Any student who may need assistance in the event of
an emergency evacuation must identify to the Disability Support Services
Office; information on DSS services and guidelines for emergency evacuations
for individuals with disabilities are found at: http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/counseling-and-advising/disability-support-services.html
Veteran’s
Services: If
you are a veteran or on active or reserve status and you are interested in
information regarding opportunities, programs and/or services, please visit
the Combat2College Web site at www.montgomerycollege.edu/combat2college
Delayed
opening or Closing of the College: Because of inclement
weather or utility failure or for other reasons, it may be necessary to cancel classes for the College or an individual
campus. If such conditions force the College to close, you can AND SHOULD continue with all work as usual
and check your email for information from your instructor. In such a case,
public service announcements will be provided to local radio and television
stations as early as possible. The information is also available through
the college web site or by
calling the MC Information Line at 240-567-5000. You are encouraged to
sign up for Montgomery College ALERT,
a system which will automatically send a text or email message to you in the
event of closures or emergencies.
Montgomery College will always operate on its regular schedule unless otherwise
announced. Depending on the nature of the incident, notifications of
emergencies and changes to the College’s operational status will be
communicated through one or more of the following means:
Television |
Radio |
Channel 4 WRC |
WTOP (103.5 FM) |
Communication: In
addition to a productive academic environment, active and consistent
communication between instructors and students can positively influence learner
success. To protect your privacy and the integrity of your academic
records when sending email, please use your official MC email address. Since
you are responsible for information and announcements sent via MC email, you
are expected to check your student email regularly. Since this class uses online software, you
are also expected to check your ALEKS email account regularly. When emailing an
instructor, it is expected that you use your MC student email account and use
appropriate and professional writing. When emailing instructors, please include
your name, course, and class meeting times.
Pregnancy: If you might be, are, or
have been pregnant, please remember that you have the same access to school
programs and educational opportunities as other students. You can
consult the College’s
Title IX webpage to learn about academic adjustments, accommodations, and support.
To get more information or assistance with arranging
academic or other related adjustments and support, be sure to notify your
instructor and also contact the Title IX Coordinator, Kristen J Roe at 240-567-4279,
or kristen.roe@montgomerycollege.edu.
Sexual Misconduct: Any student who is impacted by sexual
harassment, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking, gender
discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, gender-based harassment or
retaliation should contact the College’s Title IX Coordinator to make a report
and or/access supportive measures and resources. For
more detailed information about the College’s response to
sexual misconduct or to make a formal complaint visit the College's
Title IX webpage.
Important Student Information Link
In addition to course requirements and objectives that are in this
syllabus, Montgomery College has information on its web site (see link below)
to assist you in having a successful experience both inside and outside of the
classroom. It is important that you read and understand this information.
The link below provides information and other resources to
areas that pertain to the following: student behavior (student code of
conduct), student email, the tobacco free policy, withdraw and refund dates,
disability support services, veteran services, how to access information on
delayed openings and closings, how to register for the Montgomery College alert
System, and finally, how closings and delays can impact your classes. If you
have any questions please bring them to your professor. As rules and
regulations change they will be updated and you will be able to access them
through the link. If any student would like a written copy of these policies
and procedures, the professor would be happy to provide them. By registering
for this class and staying in this class, you are indicating that you
acknowledge and accept these policies.
Course
Changes: The instructor reserves the right to alter the schedule of the
course if necessary but will notify the students of any changes via the ALEKS
email system before the changes are implemented.
Diversity Is Our
Strength
It is my intent that every student is well served by this course, that the
learning needs of every student is addressed both in and out of class, and that
the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource,
strength, and benefit within our classroom as well as in the broader community.
It
is my intent to present materials and activities in a safe space that are
respectful of diversity: religion, gender, sexuality, psychological experience,
ability/disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, language,
immigration status, ideological perspectives, and culture. Your suggestions are
encouraged and appreciated. Please share with me ways to improve the
effectiveness of this course for you personally or for other students or
student groups. In addition, if any of the assignment due dates conflict with
your religious observances, please let me know so that we can make arrangements.
I
also acknowledge that here in Maryland, we are on stolen land belonging to the
Pocomoke, Choptank, Accohannock,
Assateague, Nanticoke, Susquehanna, Powhatan, and Piscataway Native American
peoples.