Mathematical Concepts Syllabus



	Syllabus Course Description: Provides students with problem-solving skills and literacy related to the mathematics which is commonly encountered in our society. Topics can include descriptive statistics, personal finance, voting methods, elementary probability, and graph theory. This course is especially appropriate for students whose degree programs do not otherwise require a course in mathematics. It is not an adequate preparation for any other mathematics course. (3 credit hours) Prerequisites: ACT math standard score of at least 19 or MAT 096. Course Objectives: The student will learn mathematical concepts underlying some everyday situations. They will acquire skills needed to solve problems that appear in those situations. Instructional Activities: Lectures and problem solving. Field, Clinical, Laboratory Experiences, Resources: None. Instructor: Dubravko Ivanšić [DOO-brahv-ko EE-vahn-shich] Ivanšić is the last name. Phone & e-mail: 809-3552, divansic@murraystate.edu Office: Faculty hall 6A1 (in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics annex) Course webpage: (A link to this has also been placed on Blackboard.) http://campus.murraystate.edu/academic/faculty/divansic/12fall/117home.html Office Hours: Ask me or check the webpage. Textbook & Content Outline: Robert Blitzer, Thinking Mathematically 5th edition (old editions will not work!). We plan to cover chapters (or their portions) 8, 11, 12, 14, 15. Homework and worksheets: The list of homework problems may be found on the webpage and each section will be assigned after we cover it. You are not required to turn in homework, but are expected to answer questions over it when we discuss it in class. Furthermore, to promote a continuous effort in the course you will be given worksheets (usually to do at home) and will be tested over the material frequently. The worksheets will contain some representative problems, but to succeed on tests it will not be enough to just do the worksheets - you will need to work on all of the homework problems. Late worksheets will lose points. Don't fall behind: MAT 117 touches on several applications of mathematics on everyday life. The applications should not be difficult to understand, however, they do demand that effort be put into working out a fair number of examples. (Mathematics is best learned by doing.) To ensure that you can do the problems independently you will need to work them out on your own. For quality results, expect to spend at least one to two hours of study time for every hour of class time. Furthermore, if some things aren't clear to you, come to me for help as soon as possible, and not the day before the exam... Attendance: Students are expected to adhere to the MSU Attendance Policy outlined in the current MSU Bulletins. Attendance is strongly encouraged every day, and roll will be taken. If you missed four or fewer classes during the semester, you get 3% bonus points. Note that you are not penalized for missing a class (the points are in excess to your total grade), so an absence is counted as such regardless of the reason ("excused" or not). Participation in class: is strongly encouraged, as your questions indicate what points need to be addressed in more detail. We will go over some homework in class. You are expected to have worked the problems at home in order to both ask and answer questions on the homework. To encourage participation, a portion of your final course grade will be based on how active you are in class. In order to earn points, you need to be able to answer a homework question when called on. Exams: There will be four exams whose dates will be announced well in advance. Final exam: is comprehensive and will be held in our usual classroom on Monday, December 10th, at 10:30. Grade: For your final grade, each of the four exams is worth 20%, all other graded work (for example, worksheets) is worth 15%, and participation in class is worth 5% of the total. Your final exam grade replaces your poorest exam grade if it is better, so if you are happy with your exam scores during the semester, you don't have to take it. (Note that getting a good grade on the final is more difficult than on a regular exam, since it covers the whole semester.) No extra credit work will be given to repair your grade. The final grade scale is approximately 90%-100%=A, 80%-89%=B, 70%-79%=C, 60%-69%=D, 0%-59%=E. Make-ups: Make-ups for exams will be given only in cases of illness, field trips or other unavoidable circumstances. You will need to provide written verification of the reason for your absence in advance and as soon as possible. If you are unexpectedly absent from an exam, contact me by phone or e-mail that same day and arrange to take a make-up. The make-up should occur soon, which typically means "before I return the exam". Make-ups for other graded work will be given at my discretion. Asking for a make-up more than once makes it less likely that I will grant it. Academic honesty policy: Murray State University takes seriously its moral and educational obligation to maintain high standards of academic honesty and ethical behavior. Instructors are expected to evaluate students’ academic achievements accurately, as well as ascertain that work submitted by students is authentic and the result of their own efforts, and consistent with established academic standards. Students are obligated to respect and abide by the basic standards of personal and professional integrity. Violations of Academic Honesty include: Cheating - Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized information such as books, notes, study aids, or other electronic, online, or digital devices in any academic exercise; as well as unauthorized communication of information by any means to or from others during any academic exercise; Fabrication and Falsification - Intentional alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. Falsification involves changing information whereas fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information; Multiple Submission - The submission of substantial portions of the same academic work, including oral reports, for credit more than once without authorization from the instructor; Plagiarism - Intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, creative work, or data of someone else as one’s own in any academic exercise, without due and proper acknowledgement. Instructors should outline their expectations that may go beyond the scope of this policy at the beginning of each course and identify such expectations and restrictions in the course syllabus. When an instructor receives evidence, either directly or indirectly, of academic dishonesty, he or she should investigate the instance. The faculty member should then take appropriate disciplinary action. Disciplinary action may include, but is not limited to the following: 1) Requiring the student(s) to repeat the exercise or do additional related exercise(s); 2) Lowering the grade or failing the student(s) on the particular exercise(s) involved; 3) Lowering the grade or failing the student(s) in the course. If the disciplinary action results in the awarding of a grade of E in the course, the student(s) may not drop the course. Faculty reserve the right to invalidate any exercise or other evaluative measures if substantial evidence exists that the integrity of the exercise has been compromised. Faculty also reserve the right to document in the course syllabi further academic honesty policy elements related to the individual disciplines. A student may appeal the decision of the faculty member with the department chair in writing within five working days. Note: If, at any point in this process, the student alleges that actions have taken place that may be in violation of the Murray State University Non-Discrimination Statement, this process must be suspended and the matter be directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity. Any appeal will be forwarded to the appropriate university committee as determined by the Provost. Non-Discrimination Policy Statement: Murray State University endorses the intent of all federal and state laws created to prohibit discrimination. Murray State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, veteran status, or disability in employment, admissions, or the provision of services and provides, upon request, reasonable accommodation including auxiliary aids and services necessary to afford individuals with disabilities equal access to participate in all programs and activities. For more information, contact the Director of Equal Opportunity, 103 Wells Hall, 270-809-3155 (voice), 270-809-3361 (TDD).