Math 1090 § 7   Business Algebra   *Syllabus*    Sept. 10, 2003

                MWF 11:50 a.m. - 12:40 p.m. 2006 HEB
        
Web page:       http://www.math.utah.edu/~treiberg/M1090.html
                (Official updates of the syllabus and homework assignments will
                be available here.)

Instructor:     A. Treibergs, JWB 224, 581­8350.
                E-mail: atreiber@math.utah.edu.
                Office Hours: 10:45 - 11:35 MWF (tent.) & by appt.

Text:           Harshbarger & Reynolds, MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS for the
                Management, Life and Social Sciences 7th ed., Houghton Mifflin
                2004.

Prerequisite:   The prerequisites for the course are (1) at least a 'C' in
                Mathematics 1010 or its equivalent (but preferably a 'B',) or (2)
                an ACT score of at least 23. Students are expected to already
                have the basic algebra skills contained in the prerequisites
                Chapter 0: Algebraic Concepts. 

Informal Problem Sessions:
    
                There will be informal problem sessions held on the Tuesdays 
                before quizzes and exams. Attendance is strictly optional and 
                not a requirement for the course. Students will have the 
                opportunity to present their solutions to homework problems 
                and ask questions. Material for exams will also be reviewed in 
                class as scheduled. The informal problem session will take place
                on alternate Tuesdays in LCB 225 from 4:35 - 5:25 p.m. Dates for 
                the Informal Problem Session: Sept. 9,  23, Oct. 7,  21, 
                Nov. 4,  18, Dec. 2.


Grading
    
    Homework:   You will be assigned daily problems which you are expected to
                master but will not be asked to turn in. We'll discuss these
                problems in class. Exam questions will be modifications of
                homework problems; examples from the text or examples worked in
                class.

    Midterms:   There will be four full-hour in-class midterm exams on Wed.,
                Sept. 10, Wed., Sept. 24 , Wed., Oct. 22 and Wed. Nov. 19. Your
                midterm total will be the sum of your best three midterm scores.
                There will be no midterm makeup exams.

     Quizzes:   There will be three 15 minute in-class quizzes on Wed., Aug. 27,
                Wed., Oct. 8 and Wed., Nov. 5. Your quiz total will be the sum of
                your best two scores. There will be no makeup quizzes.

   Final exam:  All sections of Math 1090 will take a Departmental Final Exam on
                Monday, Dec. 8, at 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. in JTB 130. You must
                take the final to pass the course.

 Course grade:  Based on the sum of best three of four midterm scores 54%, best
                two of three quizzes 10% and the final exam 36%. The approximate
                grading schedule is
                               90% to 100%    A
                               80% to  89%    B
                               65% to  79%    C
                               50% to  64%    D                               
                               less than 50%  E
                Occasionally '+' or '-' may be added when there are natural
                breaks in the scores.

Calculators:    A scientific calculator that does exponentials and logarithms is
                essential. A graphing or financial calculator may also be useful.
                However, an answer without accompanying descriptions will not be
                acceptable. Each exam will state the rules for acceptable
                calculator usage.

Tutoring:       Free tutoring is available in the Rushing Mathematics Center,
                located between JWB and LCB. Hours M-Th 8:00 am-8: 00 p.m., Fri
                8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Operation begins Aug. 27.

Withdrawals:    Last day to drop a class is Aug. 29. Until Oct. 17 you can
                withdraw from the class with no approval at all. After that date
                you must petition your dean's office to be allowed to withdraw.

ADA:            The Americans with Disability Act requires that reasonable
                accommodations be provided for students with cognitive, systemic,
                learning and psychiatric disabilities. Please contact me at the
                beginning of the term to discuss any such accommodations you may
                require for this course.

Content:        Fundamental is the relationship between formulas, functions and
                graphs. We shall discuss matrix calculations. We shall develop
                facility in using algebra in economic, business and other social
                science applications.