Mathematics 1090-04

Spring 2011

Instructor: Kelly A. MacArthur

Class Time and Place: 11:50 a.m. - 12:40 p.m.
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in WEB2250

Office Hours: Mondays 9:30-11:30 a.m., Tuesdays 11:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m,
Wednesdays 2:00-4:00 p.m., Fridays 2:00-5:00 p.m. or by appointment.
Office Location: JWB226
Office Phone Number: 581-6837
E-mail address: macarthur@math.utah.edu
Website: http://www.math.utah.edu/~macarthu

Text: (1) Business Algebra, preliminary edition, by MacArthur
ISBN-10: 0757564275 ISBN-13: 978-0757564277
(2) You will also need to print off my class notes and bring them to class
every day. I will put them on my website by chapters, as the semester goes on.

Prerequisite: At least a C grade in Math1010.

Tutoring Lab: T. Benny Rushing Mathematics Student Center (adjacent to
JWB & LCB), Rm 155
M - Th 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
F 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
(opens second week of classes) (closed Saturdays, Sundays and holidays)
They are also offering group tutoring sessions. If you're interested,
inquire at the Tutoring Lab.

Private Tutoring: University Tutoring Services, 330 SSB (they offer
inexpensive tutoring)
There is also a list of tutors at the Math Department office in JWB233.

Calculators: You may use any calculator you'd like for this homework in
this class. I will probably exclude the use of a calculator on some exams.
For other exams, I'll allow a scientific calculator, but NO graphing or
programmable calculator.

Grading: The grades will be calculated as follows:
Weekly Homework 10%
Midterm 25%
Midterm 25%
Midterm 10%
Final Exam 30%
(Note: There will be 3 midterms. Your lowest midterm score will count
for 10% of your grade and your top two midterm scores will each count for
25% of your final grade.)

Teaching Philosophy: I believe strongly that mathematics, at its
core, is the art/experience/science of problem solving and pattern recognition.
It is inherently a creative process, one to be struggled with, repeated, and
enjoyed. The process requires imagination, persistence, courage, processing
time, and ultimately produces experiential, mathematical skill. It is from
this perspective that I teach. I'm not as concerned with the destination, i.e.
the answer, as I am about the journey of problem-solving and mathematical
exploration since it is exactly the entirety of the journey that creates
the answer. And, self-confidence and mastery are then natural by-products
of the mathematical journey.

Weekly Homework:

I will collect homework during the first class of each week.
All of the homework assigned the previous week is due at that time.
Each section of homework will be worth ten points. For example,
if you have three sections of homework assigned for one week, then
that homework set is worth a total of 30 points.
You will get the full credit if you DO every problem. I will
NOT be grading for correctness, so it is your responsibility to
make sure you understand the problems and their solutions. This
is basically motivation for you to do the homework because that is
the only way to survive a math class. (Please notice that there
is no way to get an A in this course if you choose not to do any of
the homework. On the other hand, turning in all of the homework
can help your grade substantially.)
The homework is to be turned in according to the following
instructions:

The homework set MUST be stapled together with the
corresponding cover sheet as the first page. (I will
provide the cover sheets in class.) A homework set turned
in without being stapled together or without a cover sheet
will not be counted!! Please do not come to class hoping
that I or someone else will have a stapler. Be prepared
when you arrive.
I will accept 10 late homework sections, up
to two weeks late, throughout the semester for full credit.
I will not accept homework more than two weeks late. I
accept these late homework sections to allow for illness,
oversleeping, hectic schedules, etc. Do not ask for special
favors with regard to the homework policy, unless the
circumstances are extraordinarily severe, because my response
will not be in your favor. Also, it is not necessary nor
recommended that you tell me why your homework is late.
This policy is meant to be flexible enough to cover all reasons
and so I don't get calls and emails every week with your personal
drama stories.
I only collect homework during the first class of the
week!! If you need to turn in homework late, you will have
to do so on the first class of the week (one or two weeks after
its due date). This is the only time and location that I
will accept homework. If you slide homework underneath my office
door, I will throw it away without looking at it.

You are responsible for knowing these policies. Please take it
seriously because the flexibility listed here is literally all there is.

WebCT: I will put your grades online on WebCT.
You can get there easily from the main University of Utah website www.utah.edu.
(There's also a link from my website.) To log in, you use the same student id
and password that you use for Campus Information System. I do my best to
update the grades on a regular basis and keep everything accurate.
However, I would advise you to check your grades often to make sure there
were no data entry mistakes. I'm always happy to correct any mistakes I've
made. You just need to let me know about them.

Grading Scale: Although I'm not philosophically opposed to curving
grades, I find it's rarely necessary. The grade scale will be the usual:
A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79),
C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), E (0-59).
If I do need to curve the grades, I will simply shift everything down
by a few points (whatever is necessary).

Other Policies: Due to experience, I have decided to make some
additional policies regarding my classroom administration and grading.

I do NOT allow the use of computers in my classroom. At this
point, I don't believe you are taking notes for the class if your
computer is open. Thus, it is unnecessary in class.
There will be no retakes of exams…ever. Your score is
what you get.
You may take an alternate exam if you talk to me about it first
and explain the extenuating circumstances that make it necessary.
Needing to work, babysitting your siblings, oversleeping, or needing
more time to study do not pass as acceptable reasons to inconvenience
me. Getting in a car crash or your mother’s death, on the other
hand, is sufficient reason to request to take an alternate exam. But,
it is 100% your responsibility to communicate with me as soon as is
possible, before the exam occurs (or as soon as possible).
Talking to me after the problem will be sufficient reason
for me to allow you to get a zero on that test. I reserve the right
to make alternate exams more difficult than the scheduled exam.
I will demand respectful behavior in my classroom. Examples of
disrespect include reading a newspaper or magazine in class, social
chatting with your friend in class, text-messaging your buddies during
class or cuddling with your girl/boyfriend in class. If you choose to
be disrespectful during my class, I can guarantee I will take action
to terminate your disruptive behavior.
There will be no cursing nor negative ranting (for example,
“math sucks”) on any written work turned in. The penalty
for such things on your written work will be a zero score on that
assignment or test!
You need to have a valid email address registered with Campus
Information System. I will regularly send emails to the class and expect
you to be responsible for receiving that information.
If you have crisis-level extenuating circumstances which require
flexibility, it is completely your responsibility to communicate with me
as soon as possible. The longer you wait to communicate with me, the
less I can and am willing to do to help.
If you have questions about any exam grade, or you want
to appeal the grading of the exam, you must bring it to me within one
week of the exam. After that, you will have to live with whatever
grade you got.
Please make sure you do your best throughout the semester and come
talk to me if you need further study strategies. I will NOT offer
any extra credit at the end of the semester or any other way for you
to improve your grade at that time. If you ask me toward the end of
the semester if I'll make special arrangements for you to improve
your grade by some means, I will automatically deduct one percentage
point from your overall grade, just for asking the question!!