Department of Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics -- (302) 857-7516 (main), -7517 (fax)

College Algebra 1
Math-121 (17008) : MWF, 1:00–1:50 pm EH #241, R, 1:30–2:20 pm EH #217
[Topics][Daily Schedule][Assignments][Welcome]

Instructor: Tristan Hübsch, ETV 103, (302) 857-6603, thubsch@mac.com, thubsch@desu.edu
Office hours: T, 1:00–5:00 pm, R, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon

Textbook (required): Margaret L. Lial, John Hornsby, and Terry McGinnis, College Algebra and Trigonometry (3rd ed.)

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Grading recipe (no make-ups are given, except in cases of proven medical emergency):

Component	Time	Remark	% of Grade
Homework	See in daily schedule	Late HW = 0 credit !!!	20%
Classwork/Quizzes	1-2/week, unannounced	current material	20%
Midterm	See in daily schedule	comprehensive up to date	20%
Final exam	Last week of semester	comprehensive, entire semester	40%

This course is a review of the basic concepts relating to real numbers, and then proceeds introducing, discussing and applying (1) equations and inequalities, (2) graphs and functions, and (3) polynomial and rational functions. This course lays the foundation for the study of mathematics and its applications in science, business, economics, social science, art, and music. It is the first part of a two-course sequence preparation for calculus and other mathematics courses.

“Success = 1% inspiration + 99% perspiration”--T.A. Edison
But, learning is still 100% learning!

Topical schedule:

§R: Real numbers, Polynomials and rational expressions, Rational exponents and radicals
§1: Equations and inequalities
Midterm exam--§R–1: 02/21
§2: Graphs and functions
§3: Polynomial and rational functions
Final exam--comprehensive: (almost) everything: 05/08-9

Day-to-day schedule: Students are required to read ahead

01/17: Introductory Matters, §R.1
01/18: Real numbers & their properties
01/19: Real numbers - practice
01/22: Order and Absolute value: §R.2 [R.1 HW due]
01/24: Polynomials: §R.3 [R.2 HW due]
01/25: Polynomials - practice
01/26: Polynomials - practice
01/29: Factoring polynomials, rational expressions: §R.4-6 [R.3 HW due]
01/31: Radical expressions: §R.7 [R.4-6 HW due]
02/01: Polynomials - practice:
02/02: Polynomials - practice:
02/05: hour exam
02/07: Linear equations: §1.1 [R.7 HW due]
02/08: Linear equations - practice
02/09: Linear equations - practice
02/12: Modeling with linear equations & complex numbers: §1.2-3 [1.1 HW due]
02/14: Quadratic equations and applications: §1.4-5 [1.2-3 HW due]
02/15: Linear and quadratic equations - practice
02/16: Linear and quadratic equations - practice
02/19: Other types of equations: §1.6 [1.4-5 HW due]
02/21: Midterm (§R.1-§1.6)
02/22: Midterm solutions' review
02/23: Midterm solutions' review
02/26: Inequalities: §1.7 [1.6 HW due]
02/28: Absolute value equations, inequalities and graphs: §1.8, §2.1 [1.7 HW due]
03/01: Absolute value equations, inequalities and graphs - practice
03/02: Absolute value equations, inequalities and graphs - practice
03/05-09: Spring Recess
03/12: Graphs and functions: §2.1-2 [1.8 HW due]
03/14: Graphs and functions - practice
03/15: Graphs and functions - practice
03/16: Graphs and functions - practice
03/19: Linear functions: §2.3 [2.1-2 HW due]
03/21: Equations of lines, curve-fitting: §2.4 [2.3 HW due]
03/22: Equations of lines, curve-fitting - practice
03/23: Equations of lines, curve-fitting - practice
03/26: hour exam
03/28: Graphs of basic functions and graphing techniques: §2.5-6 [2.4 HW due]
03/29: Graphs of basic functions and graphing techniques - practice
03/30: Graphs of basic functions and graphing techniques - practice
04/02: Function operations and composition: §2.7 [2.5-6 HW due]
04/04: Quadratic functions and models: §3.1 [2.7 HW due]
04/05: Quadratic functions and models - practice
04/06: Quadratic functions and models - practice
04/09: Quadratic functions and models - practice
04/11: Synthetic division: §3.2 [3.1 HW due]
04/12: Synthetic division - practice
04/13: Synthetic division - practice
04/16: Zeros of polynomials: §3.3 [3.2 HW due]
04/18: hour exam
04/19: Zeros of polynomials - practice
04/20: Zeros of polynomials - practice
04/23: Polynomials - graphs, models, applications: §3.4 [3.3 HW due]
04/25: Rational functions - graphs, models, applications: §3.5 [3.4 HW due]
04/26: Rational functions - graphs, models, applications - practice
04/27: Rational functions - graphs, models, applications - practice
04/30: Variation and inverse functions: §3.6, §4.1 [3.5 HW due]
05/02: Review [3.6, 4.1 HW due]
05/07-8: Final Exam

1. Due 01/22: R.1:  p11 odd#1 – 5, 9, 15 – 21, 25 – 33, 37, 43, 51 – 81, 85, 87.
2. Due 01/24: R.2:  p22 #1, 3, 15, 17, 23, 33, 41, 49, 55, 57, 65.
3. Due 01/29: R.3:  p32 odd #1 – 15, 19 – 23, 27 – 53, 59, 65 – 69, 73, 75, 79.
4. Due 01/31: R.4:  p43 odd #1 – 7, 11, 23, 25, 33, 41, 45 – 49, 63, 75, 95.
   
5. Due 01/31: R.5:  p52 odd #1, 3, 11, 15, 21, 23, 25, 39, 41, 43, 47, 49, 55.
6. Due 01/31: R.6:  p62 odd #1 – 11, 19, 23, 35 – 43, 47 – 51, 55 – 61, 69.
7. Due 02/07: R.7:  p73 odd #1 – 11, 15, 17, 21, 23, 33, 37, 57, 67, 71, 73.
8. Due 02/12: 1.1:  p90 odd #1, 3, 9 – 27, 33, 39, 41, 47, 49, 57, 59
9. Due 02/14: 1.2:  p100 odd #1 – 25, 29, 39 – 45, 51abc.
10. Due 02/14: 1.3:  p114 odd #17, 19, 25 – 29, 43, 49, 51 – 55.
11. Due 02/19: 1.4: p123 odd #1, 15 – 25, 31, 35, 45 – 49, 53, 55, 65 – 73, 77.
12. Due 02/19: 1.5: p130 odd #1 – 7, 15, 19, 35, 43.
13. Due 02/26: 1.6: p144 odd #1, 7, 11, 13, 27, 29, 31.
14. Due 02/28: 1.7: p156 odd #1 – 11, 15, 19, 21, 25, 29, 31, 35, 39, 93.
15. Due 03/12: 1.8: p164 odd #1 – 11, 27, 29, 31, 37, 47.
16. Due 03/19: 2.1: p192 odd #1, 5, 9, 11, 13, 29, 33, 35, 45 – 53, 57, 59, 71.
17. Due 03/24: 2.2: p209 odd #13, 17, 21 – 25, 31, 39 – 51, 61.
18. Due 03/21: 2.3: p221 odd #1 – 5, 9, 11, 17, 19, 37 – 41, 45, 49, 53, 57, 59 – 69
19. Due 03/28: 2.4: p236 odd#1 – 15, 21, 25 – 29, 35, 39, 41, 45, 47ab.
20. Due 04/02: 2.5: p249 #7, 11, 15, 17, 21, 43.
21. Due 04/02: 2.6: p264 odd #1 – 9, 13, 15, 19, 21, 27, 29, 33 – 41.
22. Due 04/04: 2.7: p276 odd #1 – 9, 15, 23, 27, 41 – 49, 57, 59, 79
23. Due 04/11: 3.1: p303 odd #1, 3, 11 – 21, 25 – 29, 33, 37, 47ab.
24. Due 04/16: 3.2: p319 #1, 7, 9, 13, 15.
25. Due 04/23: 3.3: p329 odd #5, 7, 17 – 21.
26. Due 04/25: 3.4: p343 odd #9 – 27, 39, 41.
27. Due 04/30: 3.5: p363 odd #17 – 21, 25, 29, 37&39-vertical asymptotes only.
28. Due 05/02: 3.6: p373 #11, 15.
29. Due 05/02: 4.1 p399 odd #27 – 33.

All homework assignments are due in class, on the day indicated. Late homework will not be accepted, except in cases of proven emergency.

Collaboration policy

Collaboration -- but not blind copying -- on the homework assignments is strongly encouraged; students should use this to learn from each other. All exams and quizzes are open text and open class-notes (including notebooks and class handouts), but no collaboration is allowed; by signing the exams and quizzes, the student implicitly agrees to abide by this policy. Violation of this policy is covered under University regulations on academic dishonesty and cheating.

Presentation and organization

While a neat presentation of home,- quiz- and exam-work is not required for full credit, it certainly makes it easier to assess the quality of the work and give the proper credit due. Where necessary, include all units and symbols to avoid confusion; clearly indicate the result and include details of your work.

• Homework: Submitted answer sheets should be stapled (preferably in the top-left corner). The Student's full name (and ID number) should be indicated on the first (cover) page. Solutions should be labeled and ordered consecutively by the problem numbers. Include all calculation/work and give full reference to any result quoted from any source other than the text, and page/equation number for results quoted from the text.
• Quizzes: The Student's full name (and ID number) should be indicated on the first (cover) page, unless otherwise requested at the time of the quiz. Include all calculation/work and give the page/equation number for results quoted from the text. Speed and efficiency is important, but the presentation must be legible.
• Mid-term exam(s): All exam questions are given on a question sheet and include the detailed point distribution and the place to write in the Student's full name and ID number. This question sheet is to be stapled on the top of the answer sheets, in the top-left corner. It will be used to indicate the acquired points, part by part and in total, the average score and the standard deviation.
• Final exam: All exam questions are given on a question sheet and include the detailed point distribution and the place to write in the Student's full name and ID number. This question sheet is to be stapled on the top of the answer sheets, in the top-left corner. It will be used to indicate the acquired points, part by part and in total, the average score and the standard deviation. The final exams are stored by the instructor, but are available to the individual student for review after the exam.

© Tristan Hübsch, 2007