College Algebra Home

Home, 1/10 (last message)

The course is over, the final grades are in! (My apologies for wrapping up the website a while after the course has ended.)

You may check out all the scores statistics and solutions on the scores and docs page.

I enjoyed teaching the course and was rewarded by good performance from many students in both sections. Special thanks go to people who were active in class, and there were quite a few of you!

Have a good spring semester!

Home, 12/2

With Exam 4 done, I will email your grade by Saturday night (could be late). If you decide to take the final exam in order to improve your grade, here is the information.

Because I have two sections of College algebra, the final exam is on Monday at 1:30 and Thursday at 10:30 in our usual classroom. You may come to either time.

The final exam is comprehensive and will mainly consist of the types of problems that we had on the previous four exams. Thus, the best way to start studying for it is to make sure you can do all the problems on all the exams we had so far. Then go over the joysheets. Solutions to all exams and joysheets are posted (or will be in short order). Check out the sample final exam as well.

The final exam replaces your weakest exam grade only if it is better, so taking it involves no risk to the grade that you receive by email - it can only be improved.

If you need to see me, office hours for next week are (or check with me if you cannot make those times):

Mon 10:00-1:30, Tue 2:00-4:00, Wed 1:00-4:00, Thu 9:30-10:30 & 12:30-1:30

Good luck on finals!

Home, 11/22

Exam 3 was a mixed bag. The 10:30 class did satisfactorily, while the 2:30 class did not do well. See statistics and solutions on the "scores and docs" page.

MyMathLab over sections JIT 27, 5.1 and 5.2 is due tomorrow (Wednesday). I moved the due date on section 5.3, because I wanted to make sure we do some of it in class.

Exam 4 is coming soon, on Friday. It will cover sections JIT 27 and 5.1-5.6. Check out sample exam 4 for some sample problems.

Now that exams 1-3 are in, use the grade computer to find out what you need on exam 4 to get a desired grade.

On Monday, we will discuss homework in 5.3 and cover section 5.4. Joysheet 8 was handed out this week and is due on Tuesday. If you didn't get one in class and would like it before Monday, download it in the usual place.

One more joysheet will be handed out, which will be due on Friday.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Home, 11/18

On Monday, we will continue with sections 5.2 and 5.3. Homework discussion of sections JIT 27 and 5.1-5.3 will occur on Tuesday, with MyMathLab due on Wednesday (assuming we cover everything). A joysheet will be given out on Monday.

Exam 3 will be returned on Monday.

Home, 11/11

On Monday, we will discuss homework in 4.1 and 4.2 (due on MyMathLab on Tuesday), and will take some questions ahead of our exam on Tuesday.

Exam 3 is scheduled for Tuesday, covering sections 3.1-3.5, 4.1, 4.2, JIT 25 and 26. Check out sample exam 3 for some sample problems.

Joysheet 7 was collected today, but you can still bring it on Monday.

Home, 11/4

On Monday, we will discuss homework in 3.4 and 3.5 (due on MyMathLab on Tuesday).

Exam 3 is scheduled for Tuesday, 11/15 - more on content next week.

Home, 10/28

Exam 2 turned out so-so. The 10:30 class scored a little below exam 1's average, the 2:30 classed scored significantly lower. There are still two exams left until the end of the semester, so there is still room for improving the grades, although the window is shrinking. You may find the statistics and solutions on the "scores and docs" page.

We just started on section 3.3, and it is assigned on MyMathLab (due Thursday). We plan to get graphs of parabolas in an easier way than the book, so you may be well advised to wait until Monday to see how it is done before you start working on 3.3.

Home, 10/21

After exam 2, take a little break. We start with section 3.1 on Monday.

Sections JIT 25 and 26 have been assigned on MyMathLab and are due on Monday.

Home, 10/14

On Monday, we will discuss homework from section 2.5 (MyMathLab due on Tuesday).

Joysheet 5 was handed out in class today and is due on Tuesday - if you would like to have your joysheet before Monday, you know where to find it.

Exam 2, covering sections JIT 21-23, and 2.1-2.5 is scheduled for Friday (10/21), with emphasis on sections 2.1-2.5. Check out the following problems on sample exams:

Exam 1: 9; Exam 2: 1, 4-8, Bonus.

We will work on some Just-in-time sections next week that will not be on the exam.

Home, 10/7

Hope everyone is having a good fall break! On Monday, the thrills resume with a discussion of homework from 2.3 (MyMathLab due on Tuesday).

Joysheet 4 was handed out in class last Tuesday and is due on Tuesday - if you would like to have your joysheet before Monday, you know where to find it.

Exam 1 turned out in line with the first exam in this course, which is to say, not so well. There were many good grades, but still more bad grades. If your grades aren't turning out as well as you hoped, it may mean that more practice is needed.

Exam 2 is coming soon, week after next - stay tuned!

Home, 9/23

After the exam, we started new material, but nothing has been assigned yet over section 2.1. Enjoy the quiet time, but don't forget that JIT 22 and 23 are due on Saturday on MyMathLab.

Home, 9/16

Joysheet 3 was due today. Get it to me on Monday if you haven't already.

Exam 1 is scheduled for Tuesday. It will cover sections 1.1-1.6. Knowledge from sections JIT 17, 6, 7, 14, 18 is necessary to work on problems from 1.1-1.6, but few questions will ask to do only something from the JIT sections. Problems on the exam will be like those on homework, MyMathLab, or joysheets. On "scores and docs," check out sample exams from the previous semester for this course. In particular, work on these problems:

Exam 1: 1, 2, 13-16; Exam 2: 2, 3, 9, 10

While on the "scores and docs" page, take a moment to examine the joysheet scores: they could be better, which means everyone should study hard to make better grades.Monday will be devoted to taking any questions you may have ahead of the exam - come with questions.

JIT 13, 15, 21 are due soon on MyMathLab, but will not be on the exam.

Home, 9/9

On Monday, we will discuss homework from section 1.5. MyMathLab for this section is due on Tuesday.

Joysheet 2 was distributed in class today and is due on Tuesday. If you would like to get it before Monday, choose "joysheets."

We are finishing chapter 1 soon, which means it's time for an exam. It will be the week after next. Sample exams can be found on the "scores and docs" page, but wait for next week's message to see which problems to try (those exams were based on the previous edition of the book, hence the material in them is not in the same sequence as in our course).

Home, 9/2

On Tuesday, we will discuss homework from section 1.4. MyMathLab for this section is due on Thursday.

Home, 8/26

On Monday, we will discuss homework from sections JIT 6, 14 and 1.2. MyMathLab for those sections is due on Monday night.

Free tutoring information has been updated, choose "free tutoring".

Home, 8/19

If you haven't signed up for MyMathLab yet, it's high time you did it! First assignments are due on Tuesday.

We will discuss homework from sections J.17 on Monday and 1.1 on Tuesday.

Home, 8/16

Welcome to the course! Look around to familiarize yourself with the layout of these webpages. To get to other pages, click on "choose..." and select the page: the most often-used pages are near the top of the menu. All documents (homework assignment, solutions to exams, etc.) can be found at the "scores and docs" page. Links to often-used documents (homework, joysheets) are at the bottom of the list. These pages will refer to both sections of College Algebra that I am teaching - if there is something specific to one class, then it will be stated.

Since you are already here, now may be a good moment to sign up for MyMathLab for your section. See the instructions at the "mymathlab" page.

These pages will get more content as information becomes available (homework and joysheets have not yet been posted, for example). Check back often: useful information is provided in the "home" section (which you are reading), typically updated weekly.

For this semester, I have redesigned these webpages with the intent of making them more mobile-friendly, but there is still more work to do. Please bear with me!