MESSAGE: 12/19 (LAST ONE!)

The course is over, the final grades are in!  That final exam was a veritable disaster, although the problems were veery similar to the ones on the previous exams and the sample final exam.  What happened?

Check out the exam statistics and view the final grades information on the usual page. If you use the grade computer to find out your final score, email me to get your final exam grade.

I very much enjoyed teaching this course and hope you enjoyed taking it (or that, at least, it wasn't too big a drag).  Thanks to everyone who participated in class.  Everybody have a great winter break!


(scroll down for previous messages)

MESSAGE: 12/5

Take-home exam 5 turned out really well.  You are as surprised as I am, aren't you?  You can (and should) pick up your exam during my Monday office hours.  Solutions are on the 'Scores and solutions' page.

The final exam is on Tuesday, 12/9 at 10:30 in our usual classroom.  It will be comprehensive and 6 pages long with 80 points (compare to current exams).  A problem involving compound interest (what we did on Friday) will be on the final.

The best way to study for the final exam is to make sure that you can do all the problems on the previous exams, all of whose solutions are posted.  You can also find a sample final exam in the usual place.  Also, don't forget that you can use the grade computer to find out what you need to make on the final exam in order to get a target grade.

 Office hours for next week are:

Day Time
Mon 11:30 - 3:30
Tue
 9:30 - 10:30, 1:00-3:30
Wed
 11:30 - 3:30
Thu
 11:30 - 1:30

We can arrange another time if you can't make one of these times.
MESSAGE: 12/1

Take-home exam 5 will be distributed to you on Thursday, 12/4.   You will be required to turn it in on Friday.   The exam will cover sections 6.1-6.4.  You can find a sample exam in the usual place - look at exam 6.

Start working on homework over sections 6.1-6.4 immediately, because we will be moving fast this week.





MESSAGE: 11/24

Exam 4 turned out quite well, see 'Scores and Solutions'.  Solutions to the exam may be found in the usual place.

New homework, for chapter 6, has been posted.  Our next exam will be over chapter 6 and it will be a take-home.  I will distribute it on Thursday of next week and you will turn it in on Friday.

Check out the new feature on this website, the grade computer!  It will tell you what your current average is and how much you need on the next exam in order to make a desired grade.



MESSAGE: 11/19

Exam 4 is scheduled on Friday, 11/21!  It will cover sections 3.5 and 4.1-4.4.  Thus, you may ignore the problems listed under section 6.1 and review on page 504.  (We were not able to get to section 6.1 before the exam.)

Check sample exam 5, found in the usual spot, as the model for our Exam 4.




MESSAGE: 11/11

Exam 3 turned out reasonably well.  Check the usual page for test statistics and solutions.

Homework is posted for the sections we will go through before the next exam.  We have 6 sections but they don't require much time, so exam 4 will be coming soon, Friday of next week (11/21)!  We should be able to cover the material by then.  And who would want an exam during week of Thanksgiving?




MESSAGE: 10/31

Exam 3 is scheduled for Friday, 11/7.  It will cover chapters 2 and 3 (sections 3.1-3.4).  Sample exams can be found in the usual place. Note, however, that our Exam 3 will cover the material of Exam 3 AND 4 from last semester, so make sure you work both of those exams.

Don't forget to ask for help early if you are having trouble with the material.  I will not be available for office hours Thursday afternoon or Friday morning so plan accordingly!

The old news which hasn't made it to the message page is that our Exam 2 solutions are available.  Click on 'Scores and Solutions'.


MESSAGE: 10/17

New homework is posted.  I knew you couldn't wait!  Old homework is in its usual resting place (click 'Old homework').

We are pretty much finished with 2.1 and 2.2 so start working on homework from those two sections.

Tests will be graded on Monday.


MESSAGE: 10/9

Exam 2 is set for Thursday (10/16) of next week.  We'll use Tuesday for review and Monday to get ahead into chapter 2.  Look over homework in 1.5, 1.7 and 1.8 and come with questions next week.

You can find a sample exam 2 in the usual place (webpages of my last spring's College algebra).




MESSAGE: 10/3

Our second exam is on Thursday, 10/16.  It will cover chapter 1.  If you received a poor grade on the first exam, make sure you redouble your effort and get a better grade.  If you need help, see me soon during office hours.  Free tutoring is also available, see 'Free tutoring'.

We just started section 1.7 today so will be done soon with the contents of chapter 1.  Since there will be a fair amount of time before the second exam, we'll start material from chapter 2 before the second exam, although this stuff will not be on the exam.  We will also review chapter 1 material.

Look at homework in 1.4 and 1.5 for Monday.




MESSAGE: 9/23

The test turned out well, with an average almost at 80%.  You can find the solutions and the statistics on the 'Scores and solutions' page.

Homework for chapter 1 has been posted.  We have finished sections 1.1 and 1.2, so you should be looking at the homework in those two sections.  Homework for chapter R has been moved to 'Old homework'.

Are you looking for something fun to do this weekend?  Try playing Ultimate Frisbee!   More information here.


MESSAGE: 9/15

Since we could use an extra hour to make sure we are comfortable working with roots, the test has been moved to Friday.

See me during office hours if you need help.  Free tutoring is also available, see the link at left.

 
MESSAGE: 9/12

The surprise 'quiz' did not turn out well, which is partly due your not having expected it.  While not difficult, the stuff that was on the quiz is not something  that you can learn overnight, but need to practice it over time.  Thus, I feel you should have been somewhat prepared for an algebra quiz, assuming you have been doing the homework.  If you did poorly on this quiz, make sure you spend the weekend working on the homework problems and going over the solutions of the quiz (see the 'Scores and solutions' page).  Compare your answers to the key and see what you got wrong and why.

Our first exam is on Thursday, 9/18 (next week).  It will be over chapter R.  The quiz was a mini-exam, however, on the exam there will also be problems unlike those on the quiz.  Everything given for homework and done in class is fair game.  With a little bit of sleuthing, you should be able to find a sample exam.  Hints: 1) it's not on the website of this course.  2) I taught this course in the spring.

Next week: Monday, we'll finish working with roots; Tuesday, we'll look over roots homework and review for the exam.

 
MESSAGE: 9/5

Sorry for the late update.  At this point we are up to R.6 and will look over some homework over that section and R.7 next week.

Keep doing the homework problems and ask to have them done in class if anything is unclear.  We are planning for our first exam, over chapter R, the week after next.

 
MESSAGE: 8/27 (SCROLL DOWN FOR PREVIOUS MESSAGES)

Tomorrow we will look over homework in sections R.1-R.3.  Make sure you have looked over the homework so that you can ask questions over anything that isn't clear.

I plan to update the website weekly so that any additions are up by Wednesday evening.

MESSAGE: 8/20

Welcome to the course!  Not much is here yet, but you can look around and click on the links at left to familiarize yourself with the layout.  The most important links are highlighted.