Home, 12/6
The average dropped significantly on Exam 4. Many people must have been busy with other courses and did not work enough on logarithms.
The final exam is scheduled for Monday at 1:30 in our usual classroom. This is CORRECTED information, as I have spoken of another time in class. The final will have six pages and consist of problems like the ones on exams given 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 exams are available now or will be posted on Saturday. Also, check out the sample final exam on the "scores and docs" page, and you can also find more sample final exams on the MOTHERLODE. 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, you can take the final with one of my other classes, on Tuesday at 10:30 or on Wednesday at 10:30, both in room 310.
Office hours schedule for next week:
Monday 9:30-11:30
Tuesday 9:30-10:30, 1:00-3:00
Wednesday 9:30-10:30
Good luck on finals!
Home, 11/29
Hope you are having a pleasant Thanksgiving!
On Monday, we will first work on homework in section 5.4, which is assigned on MyLab and due on Tuesday. Afterwards, we will cover the final two sections, 5.5 and 5.6, and discuss homework over them. Two more joysheets are also coming.
Exam 4 is scheduled for Friday, covering sections 5.1-5.6. Check out sample exam 4 to see what it will look like.
After the exam, I will grade it and report your grade for the semester on Friday evening, likely late. If you are not happy with the grade you receive, you can try to improve it by taking the final during the following week.
Ahead of exam 4, make sure to get some help this week if things aren't clear to you (and logarithms often aren't). A little discussion with me can go a long way toward clearing some things up.
Home, 11/23
This update is coming a little late - I simply forgot until now...
Exam 3 turned out meh, but it wasn't too bad. See statistics on the scores and docs page.
On Monday we will work on homework in section 5.3. Watching the video lecture of this one was assigned in lieu of our class on Friday. If you haven't seen it yet, please do, or at least read the notes. MyLab has been assigned for this section, due on Tuesday.
Home, 11/15
With Exam 3 behind us, you can take a little rest - nothing is due right now. If anyone has joysheet 9 that they have not turned in yet, bring it on Monday.
On Monday, we start a new chapter.
On Thursday and Friday I will not be able to come to school, but I plan to have a replacement on at least one of those days and will do a video to make up the other hour.
Home, 11/7
I seem to have forgotten to update last week - sorry!
Exam 3, covering sections 3.1-3.5 and 4.1-4.2 is scheduled for Friday. Check out sample exam 3 on the "scores and docs" page for some representative problems, and look on the MOTHERLODE for some additional sample exams.
Today, we finished discussion of homework for sections 3.4 and 3.5. MyLabs for those sections are due tomorrow night.
Joysheet 8 was due today, but I did not get many submissions because of low attendance. There were questions about problem 8 on this joysheet, which we looked at in class. For those not in class, the related board image is among board images for homework in section 3.4 on Canvas/files. It's OK to bring joysheet 8 on Monday.
Since chapter 3 is probably the most challenging one, we are doing another in-class joysheet on Monday, covering sections 3.3-3.5. On Tuesday, we will cover the short sections 4.1 and 4.2, go over their homework on Wednesday, and work on a sample exam on Thursday.
Home, 10/25
Joysheet 7 was distributed in class last week, due on Tuesday. If you would like yours before Monday, you know where to find it.
On Monday, we will continue lectures on section 3.2. Homework for this section has been assigned on MyLab, and maybe we get to working on some of it on Monday.
A very important skill in this section is factoring a quadratic expression (standard and ac-method). If you have forgotten how this is done - as many somehow do - look again at sections JIT 14 and 15.
Home, 10/19
Exam 2 turned out well, with an average on exam 2 higher than the ones I have seen in the recent past. Good job, class, and keep it up, because exam 3 is usually the hardest of the four we have. See statistics on the "scores and docs" page.
On Monday we continue our discussion of review sections, mostly dealing with fractional expressions and how to work with them. They have been assigned on MyLab. I had sections JIT 13 and 21 due last week, but it seems in the runup to the exam a lot of people did not finish them (and we didn't even get to discuss JIT 21) so I have extended the due dates for those to Tuesday.
To make up for last Wednesday's class I posted a video lecture on section 3.1. In class, we will go straight to homework over this section - I anticipate we'll start on Tuesday or Wednesday, so try to watch the video (or just read the notes) before then.
Home, 10/9
Exam 2, covering sections 2.1-2.5, is scheduled for Friday after fall break. Check out sample exam 2 on the "scores and docs" page for some representative problems. We will review for the exam on Thursday.
If you need to improve on the effort you showed on the last exam, practice on more than one sample exam by finding additional ones on the MOTHERLODE. A good way to practice is to take the exam without any notes to see how well you can do, then check your work against the solutions to see what you need to review. See me for office hours if you need help with anything.
MyLabs for section 2.4 are due tonight. Section 2.5 has also been assigned, it is due on Tuesday, and we will work on its homework some more on Monday. If you weren't in class yesterday, when we did some problems from section 2.5, you can find board images on Canvas/files.
Joysheet 6 was handed out the day before yesterday and is due on Tuesday. If you did not receive your copy, you know where to find it.
Have a wonderful fall break!
Home, 10/4
MyLabs for section 2.2 and 2.3 are due tonight.
On Monday, we'll cover sections 2.4 and 2.5. Exam 2 is looming after we return from fall break towards the end of the week.
Home, 9/26
After Exam 1, you can relax a little... but don't forget that we are forging ahead and that homework for section 2.1 on MyLab is due on Sunday (I moved it a day since we only finished discussion today and the problems are somewhat involved). If you weren't in class today - and you weren't alone - you can find board images on Canvas/files.
On Monday, we'll cover sections 2.2 and 2.3.
Home, 9/19
Exam 1, covering sections 1.1-1.6, is scheduled for Wednesday. Expect problems like you had on homework and joysheets. To get an idea what the exam might look like, check out sample exam 1 on the "scores and docs" page. Try doing it in 50 minutes: if it does not go so well, do more practice exams from the MOTHERLODE. We will have a review session on Tuesday.
Joysheet 4 was due today. If you have not turned it in, bring it on Monday. MyLabs for section 1.6 are due tomorrow.
On Monday, we will finish section 2.1 and look at some homework over it. I have opened up this section on MyLab, but it is not due until after the exam.
Home, 9/12
We completed sections 1.5 and 1.6 today and will start homework discussion over these sections on Monday. (MyLabs for these sections have already been assigned, while section 1.4 is due on Saturday.)
Joysheet 3 is due on Monday. We'll do an in-class joysheet next week over sections 1.5 and 1.6.
Since we finished with chapter 1, we are getting ready to have exam 1 in the week after next. If anyone would like to get a head start on this, look at sample exam 1 on the "scores and docs" page.
Home, 9/5
Homework discussion for section 1.3 was completed today - its MyLabs are due on Monday. Joysheet 2 was distributed this week, and it is also due on Monday. If you did not receive yours, find it at the link above.
On Monday, we start with section 1.4.
Home, 8/29
Today, we finished homework discussion in sections JIT 6, 7, 9, 14 and 15. The MyLabs for JIT 6, 7 and 9 are due on Saturday (tomorrow!), and the ones for JIT 14 and 15 on Wednesday. On Tuesday, we continue with discussion of homework for section 1.2.
Today, I distributed our first joysheet. (That's what worksheets will be called in this class: isn't it more inspiring to do a joysheet than a worksheet?) It is due on Thursday. If you didn't get yours and would like to have it before Tuesday, find it at the link above!
Free tutoring information has been updated for the fall semester, check it out!
Have a nice long weekend!
Home, 8/22
We finished homework discussion in sections JIT 8, 11 and 12. On Monday, we'll discuss sections JIT 17 and 1.1. All of these sections are due on MyLab on Wednesday.
If you haven't signed up for MyLab, make it a priority this weekend. (Six of you haven't signed up yet, see me if you are having trouble connecting.) In Canvas, click on "Course Materials" and follow instructions from there.
Remember that you can always find lecture notes and board images from homework discussion in Canvas/Files.
Home, 8/18
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/Course Materials. 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: I will distribute the printed notes in class. For future classes, have these with you so that you can follow the lectures in class without having to copy a lot. The filled-in notes written in class are posted on Canvas.