MESSAGE: 5/10

The course is over, the final grades are in!

As usual, the final exam had a lower average than what we've seen on many exams during the semester, which is probably due to the overwhelming amount of material to be studied for during finals week.  Solutions of the final exam are posted.  You may also view final grade statistics on the 'Scores and solutions' page.  If you use the grade computer to find out your final score, email me to get your final exam grade.

I greatly enjoyed teaching the course!  Special thanks to people who regularly participated in class discussion and who came prepared with homework questions: they made my work easier and more interesting!

Have a great summer, everyone!
(scroll down for previous messages)

MESSAGE: 4/29

Our final exam is on Monday and Thursday at 1:30 (both days) in our usual classroom.  You can come to either time for your final regardless of when it is scheduled for your class, but if you come on Monday, you cannot come back on Thursday, even if this is your regularly scheduled day.

The best way to study for the final exam is to look over Exams 1-5 and make sure you can do all the problems in them, especially the ones where you got few points during the semester.  The final exam will have 70 points and will consist of problems like those we had on previous exams.

Solutions for all exams have been posted - avail yourselves to them when you are studying (Exam 5 solutions will be posted tomorrow).

 Office hours for next week are as follows.  Please come to see me if you are having trouble with any of the material.

Day Time
Mon 9:30 - 1:30
Tue
 11:30 - 3:30
Wed
 11:30 - 3:30
Thu
 9:30-10:30, 12:30-1:30


Good luck on finals!
MESSAGE: 4/23

Exam 5 is scheduled for Wednesday, 4/28.  It will cover sections 6.2-6.4 and 6.6.  As we had mentioned, exam 5 is going to be half in class (but you will have the entire hour to do it) and half take-home (this part is due on Thursday).  I will grade the take-home part so that you can pick it up on Friday in order to have feedback before the final exam.

As usual, you can find last semester's exam on the web (usual place).  Note that problems on inverse functions (6 and 7) will not be on our exam.  A question from 6.6 is not on the sample exam, but will be on our exam.

Final exams are scheduled for Monday, 5/3, at 1:30 (for the class that meets at 2:30) and Thursday, 5/6, at 1:30 (for the class that meets at 1:30).  To make things as flexible for you as possible, anyone can come to either time for your final exam.  If you come on Monday, however, you cannot come back on Thursday, even if this is your regularly scheduled time.

The best way to study for the final is to look over all the exams that we've had so far.  Problems on the final will be little different from the problems you encountered throughout the semester.


MESSAGE: 4/15

Exam 4 turned out well, although the 2:30 class still lags in the statistics.  Perhaps because many miss class on Thursdays?

We have one more exam until the end of the semester.  It will take place during the (busy) last week of class so I will help you as much as possible by making half of the exam a take-home.  So, half you will write in class like a regular exam, half you will take home and bring the next day.  The sum of scores is what will count as your exam 5 grade.

Don't forget to check with the grade computer to see how well you are doing and what you need to make on exams 5 and the final exam in order to get a desired grade.









MESSAGE: 4/7

Exam 4 is scheduled for Tuesday, 4/13.  It will cover sections 3.5, 4.1-4.4 and 6.1.  A sample exam is in the usual place: look at exam 4, but also look at problems 6 and 7 of exam 5.  This is because last semester I  did not get to material from 6.1 on exam 4, so sample problems for that section can be found on exam 5.









MESSAGE: 3/31

Exam 3 scores are in, and the 1:30 class did pretty well.  The 2:30 class has some catching up to do, yes?

The next exam will come pretty soon, not next week, but early the week after that (the sections we are covering now will go quickly).

As the semester is nearing the end and grades are on everyone's mind, let me remind you that you are most welcome to come to office hours for help.  Sometimes talking to me 20 minutes a week can make a signinficant difference on your exam grade.


MESSAGE: 3/23

Exam 3 has been moved to Thursday, 3/25.  I decided we could all use another class of review and going over homework.









MESSAGE: 3/12

Exam 3 is scheduled for Wednesday, 3/24.  It will cover chapter 2 and sections 3.1-3.4.  Make sure you bring a graphing calculator with you.  You can find a sample exam in the usual place.

On Friday, we almost finished 3.4, our last section.  We will finish it Monday and look over some homework, and Tuesday we'll do some review as well as more homework problems.









MESSAGE: 3/5

Do problems in 2.3 and 2.4 over the weekend.  2.4 is a little more difficult, but don't forget that all those problems are in the end based on your ability to draw and analyze a parabola, so make sure you have a handle on 2.3 first.

Our third exam will be the week after spring break, most likely Wednesday.  It would have been better to have the exam before spring break,  but we didn't have enough time to cover everything we needed.  Not to mention that we had an exam only last week.

Don't forget that the grade computer is at your disposal.  It will tell you how you are doing overall and what you need to make on the next exam in order to get a desired grade.  It will be especially useful to check your progress the week after spring break, since 3/26 is the deadline to drop a course.

One more note: there is a strong connection between missing classes and getting poor grades on the exam.  I've noticed that many people have not been coming to class lately.  Not only are you missing valuable information, tips and the opportunity to start learning the material in class, you are losing out on the 3% bonus (see the syllabus).  If you come to class seldom, don't be surprised if you wind up with a poor grade.









MESSAGE: 2/26

Exam 2 turned out just about like the last exam.  I was hoping for an improvement.  What happened, people?  You can find the solutions to the exam and the statistics on the 'Scores and solutions' page.

Homework for the new chapters is now posted.  Do homework in 2.1 and 2.2 over the weekend.









MESSAGE: 2/20

Exam 2 will be given on Tuesday, 2/24.  It will cover chapter 1 (except 1.6 which we did not to in class).  On Monday we will review a little for the exam as well as go over homework in 1.7 and 1.8.









MESSAGE: 2/13

We are currently working on section 1.4 and will look over homework in this section on Monday.  Make sure you attempt those problems and come with questions since the 'word problems' are among the most difficult for students.

Exam 2 is planned for Monday or Tuesday of the following week (2/23 or 2/24).  I'll let you know when in class.









MESSAGE: 2/5

Exam 1 could really have been better...especially after you had the practice worksheet and access to a previous exam.  Check the 'Scores and solutions' page for exam statistics and the solution to the exam.  If you got a 40% or less on this exam, it's time to get serious about spending more time on the course!  (Of course, getting a 50% is not very hot either, but those people usually make a passing grade in the end.)  Now that you have your exam 1 score, enter it in the grade computer!

Homework is now posted for chapter 1.  Chapter R homework has been moved to the 'Old homework' page.










MESSAGE: 1/29

Exam 1 is on Tuesday, Feb. 3rd.   It will cover sections R.1-R.8.  (We won't have time for R.9)  Monday we'll work on R.8 as well as do some review.  (We did a fair amount of review today by going over the worksheet.)

Solutions to the worksheet are in 'Scores and solutions'.  Many people did poorly on the worksheet, so go over those problems over the weekend and make sure you can do them.  Similar problems will appear on the exam.

You can find last semester's College Algebra exams on the last semester's course pages.  If you look at how the web address for this course is structured, you should not have any problem finding the last semester's pages.











MESSAGE: 1/23

We are well into chapter R and we'll finish it next week.  I am setting exam 1 for Tuesday, Feb. 3rd.   Exam questions will be pretty much like questions on homework.

Exams that I have given previously in College Algebra courses are available on the web, you only have to find them.  This is an easy task - rather than put a link to them here, I'll let you do the sleuthing.

If you are having trouble with any of the material, get help as soon as possible!   In addition to office hours, free tutoring services are available around campus.  For schedules and location, follow the 'free tutoring'  link.






MESSAGE: 1/12

Welcome to the course!  Look around to familiarize yourself with the layout of the webpage. The most important links are highlighted.  Play with the grade computer!  

These pages will get more content as the semester progresses.  Check back often: useful and updated infomation is provided in the 'message' section (which you are reading).  Homework assignments will be updated when we start a new chapter.

Be aware that I am teaching two sections of the course every day Mon-Thu at 1:30 and 2:30.  These pages apply to both sections - if there is anything specific to only one I will make a note of it.