Home, 12/7
Exam 4 turned pretty well, especially for material that we could have used an extra day or two on. Good job, class!
The final exam is scheduled for Monday at 1:30 in our usual classroom. It will have six pages and consist of problems like the ones on the exams during the semester. Therefore, to start preparing for it, make sure you can do all the problems on the four exams we have had. The word problems have a habit of repeating themselves on the final exam! Solutions to all of our exams are available (or will be soon). Also, check out the sample final exam on the "scores and docs" page and see the MOTHERLODE for additional final exams. No one should have any problem finishing the exam, since it is 50% longer than a usual exam, but you get twice the time.
If you opt to take the final exam, turn in joysheets 10 and 11 if you haven't already. If you need more time to study for the final, you can take it later in the week, for example with my other classes on Tuesday or Thursday at 1:30.
Office hours schedule for next week:
Monday 9:30-1:30
Tuesday 9:30-1:30
Wednesday Zoom only 10:00-3:00 (email me to get the session started)
Thursday 9:30-1:30
Home, 11/29
Exam 4, covering sections 5.1-5.6 is scheduled for Friday. Some time on Friday evening you will receive your grade for the semester. If you are not happy with it, you can try to improve it by taking the final, which replaces your weakest exam score.
MyLab for section 5.3 is due on Tuesday. I expect to give you two joysheets next week to help you prepare for exam 4 and MyLabs for sections 5.4-5.6 will be assigned.
Hope you are having a good Thanksgiving break!
Home, 11/22
Exam 3 turned out decently. You can see the statistics on the "scores and docs" page, as well as solutions to the exam.
MyLab for section 5.1 is due tonight, and the one for section 5.2 is due on Tuesday.
On Monday, we'll start lectures over logarithms. While this is not so difficult, it is new to many students, so they find it hard. That is why it is especially important to attend class on the two days before Thanksgiving break. For Tuesday, anyone attending gets a bonus: one previous absence gets canceled.
Home, 11/15
After exam 3, take a little break from college algebra and enjoy a sunset.
But if you are one of those people who can't stand still, I have opened up the review section JIT27 on MyLab. On Monday, we start with chapter 5.
Home, 11/8
Exam 3, covering sections 3.1-3.5 and 4.1 and 4.2 is scheduled for Friday. Check out sample exam 3 on the "scores and docs" page for some representative problems. Keep in mind that factoring trinomials and the quadratic formula are two main ways of solving quadratic equations, of which you will see many on this exam.
MyLabs for sections 3.4 and 3.5 have been assigned and are due on Tuesday. Joysheet 8 was due today, but you can bring it on Monday if you didn't get a chance to turn it in. There will be one more joysheet next week to help you prepare for the exam, probably not an in-class one.
Home, 11/1
In today's sparsely attended class we worked on some homework in section 3.3 and will finish on Monday, after which we start on a new section. The chapter we are on is typically harder for students, so I urge you to come to class regularly to get exposure to this material.
MyLab for section 3.3 is posted and is due on Tuesday. I anticipate an in-class joysheet over sections 3.1-3.3 on Wednesday. (Recall there is no school on Tuesday: go vote if you haven't already!)
Home, 10/25
Exam 2 turned out average. I can see that most people have a concept of what is going on, but working out the details continues to plague them. More practice always helps, and don't forget to come for office hours for additional help (or seek it with free tutors on campus - see the "free tutoring" page).
MyLab for section 3.1 is due tonight and joysheet 7 is due on Monday. Section 3.2 is also open on MyLab, but is due on Wednesday.
On Monday, we will finish section 3.2 and start discussing homework from that section.
Home, 10/18
Take a little break after exam 2, but don't forget some MyLabs that are due Saturday night: JIT 13 and JIT 21. JIT 22, 23 and 25 are due next week, but you may want to see us cover it in class first.
On Monday, we will continue discussing homework in the JIT sections 22, 23 and 25.
Home, 10/11
Exam 2, covering chapter 2, is planned for Thursday. Check out sample exam 2 on the "scores and docs" page. Remember: the more sample exams you do, the better prepared you will be!
MyLabs for section 2.4 are due tonight! Those for section 2.5 are due on Tuesday.
On Monday, we will continue work on homework in section 2.5 and then start lecturing on new material that will not be on the exam. I will distribute joysheet 6 on Monday: if you return it on Tuesday, you will get it back before the exam.
Have a nice fall break!
Home, 10/4
MyLabs for section 2.3 are due tonight! Today, joysheet 5 (due Tuesday) was distributed: if you didn't get one and would like it before Monday, you know where to find it.
On Monday, we continue with new material, section 2.4.
Home, 9/27
Exam 1 turned out decently (many College Algebra classes had lower averages on exam 1). You can see score statistics and solutions on the "scores and docs" page. I have updated your overall grades on Canvas after exam 1.
If you did not do as well as you would like, make sure to prepare better in the future: do more sample exams, come to see me for help, consistently do the MyLabs and come to class. There is still time to turn a poor grade around, as we have three more exams in this course.
Because we have not finished homework discussion for section 2.1, I extended the due date to Monday. On Monday, we will finish homework discussion and start new material.
Home, 9/20
Exam 1, covering chapter 1, is scheduled for Tuesday. You can find a sample exam on the "scores and docs" page as well as the link to the page ("motherlode") with many more sample exams. The problems will be quite similar to the problems on the sample exam.
Practice on the sample exam and make sure you can do it in some 50 minutes. If you don't feel confident, practice some more on other sample exams! The more you practice, the better you will do!
MyLabs for sections 1.5, JIT 18 and 1.6 have been extended until Saturday night. Also, if you did not turn in joysheet 4 today, bring it on Monday.
On Monday, we will review for the exam. Come with questions!
Home, 9/13
MyLab due date for section 1.4 has been extended until tonight. Joysheet 3, handed out on Thursday, is due on Monday. If you did not receive yours, find it on these pages.
On Monday, we will continue with homework over section 1.5 - its MyLab is due on Tuesday. Afterwards, we will continue with section 1.6, which will wrap up the first chapter. This means that the first exam is coming, early during the week after next, as I would like us to have the next joysheet, over sections 1.5 and 1.6, submitted and returned before the exam.
Home, 9/6
We finished homework discussion of section 1.3. Its MyLab homework is due on Sunday.
Joysheet 2 was distributed on Thursday, and it is due on Monday. If you did not receive yours, you can find it on the "scores and docs" page or through the link in the main menu.
On Monday, we will continue with lectures over section 1.4. Bring your graphing calculator with you.
Joysheet 1 was returned today. You can see the score statistics and solutions on the "scores and docs" page. Most people did well, but quite a few lost points for not showing their work, only the answer. This gets you few points. On future joysheets, make sure to show all your work.
Home, 8/30
Homework has been assigned on MyLab: JIT 6, 7, 9 are due on Saturday, JIT 14 is due on Sunday. Because we have not covered their homework in class, JIT 15 and section 2.1 due dates have moved to Wednesday. Please find time to work on these, because work on MyLab that is overdue does not receive points (although you can still do it).
I distributed Joysheet 1 in class on Thursday, and it is due on Wednesday. If you did not receive yours, you can find it on the "scores and docs" page or through the link in the main menu.
On Tuesday, we will continue homework discussion of JIT 15 and section 2.2. I anticipate an in-class joysheet on Wednesday.
Have a nice long weekend!
Home, 8/23
We made to the end of the first week with few bruises. But the road ahead is long...
If you have not done so yet, make it a priority this weekend to sign up for MyLab so you can get started on the online homework. On Canvas, start in the "Modules" section, and it should be self-explanatory from there. So far, 12 people have signed up, fewer than half. I hope nearly everyone is signed up by Sunday night.
Along with section 1.1, several review sections have been assigned for homework: JIT 8, 11, 12, and 17. (JIT=Just-in-time, the review chapter at the very front of the book.) The review sections contain knowledge that you should already have, so we will not lecture on it, but will do some problems to jog your memory of such skills. Homework is due on Wednesday night on MyLab.
Home, 8/19
Welcome to the course! Look around to familiarize yourself with the layout of these webpages. To get to other pages, click on the links in the menu (or drop-down, if viewing on a smartphone). The most often-used pages are in the first line of the menu (or the first several choices of the drop-down). "Scores and docs," for example, has all the documents for the course.
Your first exercise is to find the syllabus on these pages and read it. The items there that are typically of greatest interest to students are from "Homework" to "Make-ups."
These pages will get more content as information becomes available. Check back often: useful information is provided in the "home" section (which you are reading), typically updated weekly. For now, here is some information on the textbook, online homework and Canvas.
Textbook and online homework: In this course, you have signed up for "Inclusive Access," which automatically bills you for access to the online homework system and includes the e-book. You can access these materials by clicking on Canvas/Modules. If you do not already have a Pearson account, you will need to create it and then link it to your Canvas account.
Canvas: Canvas will only be the repository of class notes and your grades. Information about the course and weekly messages will be posted to this website (also accessible from Canvas). (Why bother with the website outside of Canvas? Two reasons: it's easier to make updates to it, and it stays public. I value this, and you may grow to as well, as a service to future students of this same course.)
Lecture notes: Have these with you so that you can follow the lectures in class without having to copy a lot. I will distribute the printed notes. The filled-in notes written in class are on Canvas.