Quantitative Reasoning

Credit Hours: 4 Quarter Hours

Course Description

This course will cover basic algebraic and statistical concepts. Students will learn computational skills
ranging from basic variable representation and use of formulas to data organization and graphing. The
basic skills needed for comprehension will be reviewed as each new concept is introduced. Scientific
calculators and the Excel spreadsheet program will be used as tools for exploring algebraic and statistical
concepts. Quantitative reasoning will be a large part of the class discussion.

Specific Learning Outcomes:

1. Understands the symbolic system presented in algebraic equations so that indicated relationships
have an attainable meaning.
2. Can perform basic algebraic operations including manipulating algebraic formulas and equations.
3. Can organize data and perform basic statistical calculations.
4. Has ability and confidence to think deductively and numerically about relationships among
operations, numbers and variables .

•By the end of this class, students will be able to:
•Use the basic algebraic properties.
•Use problem-solving techniques.
•Use and manipulate percentages.
•Solve linear equations.
•Use and manipulate formulas.
•Use a calculator to evaluate formulas.
•Create and organize data sets.
•Interpret and produce meaningful graphs and charts .

Evaluation & Grade Policy: Grades are based on quizzes, homework and class participation.

Total Points Possible: 370 (Also see 10 Week Plan)

Any grade lower than C- is unacceptable for the SNL program. Students can opt for a Pass/Fail grade but
must earn a 70% or higher to receive the passing grade. A passing grade does not factor into a students
GPA but a failing grade does.

Attendance:
Attendance is important and mandatory. Students must be in class to take the quizzes.
They cannot be made up. Missing more than two classes (or 6 hours of class time) will
adversely affect a student’s grade and can result in a Failing Grade for the quarter.

Textbook: There is a required text for this class (see below). Additional notes and
worksheets for each unit may be available on the class website on Blackboard.

Essentials of: Using and Understanding Mathematics: a Quantitative Reasoning Approach
Jeffrey O. Bennett & William L. Briggs, Addison Wesley , 2003
ISBN 0-201-79387-3
This should be purchased with Web Support

Extra Help: Will be discussed during the first class session.

Essentials of
Using and Understanding Mathematics
A Quantitative Reasoning Approach
Bennett & Briggs 2003
10 WEEK PLAN

Week 1

♦ Go through Syllabus & run through QR 10 week Schedule
Sharing
Can take this class as P/F or Letter grade, decision must be recorded Week 4
Grades posted on Blackboard
Website support and quiz info
Tutoring

♦ Hand out Autobiography Guidelines for paper (30 points) – due Week 3

Chapter 2: Approaches to Problem Solving

Unit 2A: The Problem-Solving Power of Units
Pgs. 72-73 Review Working with Fractions
* Chinese Tower to reduce fractions
* Changing Fractions to Decimals and Decimals to Fractions
In class groups do: Pg. 96 (13-18 a,f,c,h)
Pg. 70-72 Units- You can’t add apples and oranges
Pg. 73-74 Unit Conversions
Pg. 74 Conversion Factors
Pgs. 75-76 Conversions with Units Raised to Powers
In class groups do: Pgs. 83-84 (1, 3, 5, 9, 11, 13)
Pgs. 76-78 Currency Conversions
Pgs. 79-80 Problem Solving with Units
Pgs. 80-82 Using Units to Check Answers & Using Units to Help You Solve Problems
In class groups do: Pgs. 84-85 (17-29 odds)

Unit 2B: Standardized Units: More Problem Solving Power
Pgs. 87-90 Standardized Unit Systems U.S. and Metric & The U.S. Customary System
Pg. 89 Practical Matters: Gems and Gold Jewelry- concentrate on % of gold karat- fraction to
decimal /24, x grams, ÷ 0.2 = weight in carats of gold
Pg. 91 Review Powers of 10 (+. -, x, ÷)
In class groups do: Exercises Pg. 97 (1-3 odds)
♦ Hand out Student Survey

No HW due next week – start on stuff for week 3 and always work on practice problems from text
that we did, did not finish, and did not do

Week 2

Review
Pgs. 90 & 92 International Metric System
Pgs. 92-93 Metric-USCS Conversions
Pgs. 93-94 Temperature Units: Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin
In class groups do: Pg. 98 (5-11 odds)
Pgs. 94-99 Units of Energy and Power
In class groups do: Pg. 99 (25, 27, 29, & 33)

Unit 2C: Problem Solving Guidelines and Hints
Pg. 102 Read through 4- step Problem -Solving Process
Pgs. 101- 111 Highlight Hints 1-8

Chapter 3: Numbers in the Real World

Unit 3A: Uses and Abuses of Percentages
Pg. 119 Review Percentages (%-fraction-decimal)
Pgs. 118 - 124 Three Ways of Using Percentages (Fractions, Describe Change, Comparisons)
In class groups do: Pg. 132 (1-19 odds)
Pgs. 124-126 Of Versus More Than
Pg. 125 Review What is a Ratio ?
Pgs. 126-127 Percentages of Percentages
In class groups do: Pgs. 133-134 (21-27 odds)

♦ Hand out HW 2C WS

Math Autobiography HW due next week will share and then turn in– and always work on practice
problems from text that we did, did not finish, and did not do

Next Week Open Book and note Quiz on 2A&B (20 points)

Week 3

Review
Collect HW 2C WS
♦ Units 2A & B Quiz Open Book

Pgs. 127-129 Solving Percentage Problems
Pgs. 129-131 Abuses of Percentages
In class groups do: Pg. 134 (29-41 odds)

Unit 3B: Putting Numbers in Perspective
Pg. 136&138 Writing Large and Small Numbers-Scientific Notation
Pg. 137 Review of Scientific Notation
In class groups do: Exercises Pg. 148 (1-5 a, c, & e odds and 9-13 odds)
Pgs. 138-140 Giving Meaning to Numbers
Pgs. 140- 144 Perspective Through Estimation, Comparisons, Scaling
In class groups do: Pgs. 148-149 (15-45 odds)
Pg. 162 Case Study –What is a Billion Dollars?

Unit 3C: Dealing with Uncertainty
Pgs. 151-153 Significant Digits (Important: Pg. 153 Ex. Rounding with Significant Digits)
Pg. 153 Review Rounding
In class groups do: Pg. 161 (1-15 odds)
Pgs. 153- 157 Understanding Errors (Random, Systematic, and Absolute Versus Relative)

Next Week Open Book and note Quiz on 3A&B (20 points) & always work on practice problems
from text that we did, did not finish, and did not do

Week 4

Review
♦ Units 3A & B Quiz Open Book
Share Math Autobiography and then collect all (worth 30 points)

Pgs. 157- 159 Describing Results: Accuracy and Precision
Pgs. 159-160 Combining Measured Numbers
In class groups do: Pgs. 162-163 (17-43 odds)

Unit 3D: How Numbers Deceive: Polygraphs, Mammograms, and More
Pgs. 164-166 Better in Each Case…, & Is it Discrimination?…
Pgs. 167-168 Does a Positive Mammogram Mean Cancer?
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 171-172 (1-3 odds)
Pgs. 168-170 Polygraphs and Drug Tests
Pgs. 170-171 Political Math
In class groups do: Pgs. 173-174 (5-11 odds)

Chapter 4: Financial Management

♦ Hand out Review WS and practice problems with Exponents
In class groups do: Practice problems with Exponents
Next Week Open Book and note Quiz on 3C&D (20 points)

Week 5

Review
♦ Units 3C & D Quiz Open Book
♦ Hand out Review WS and practice problems with Substitution
In class groups do: Practice problems with Substitution
Pg. 289 Review - Three Basic Rules of Algebra
♦ Hand out Review WS and practice problems with Solving 1- and 2-step equations
In class groups do: Practice problems with Solving Equations

Unit 4A: The Power of Compounding.
Pgs. 178-185 Simple Versus Compound Interest, Compound Interest Formula, Compound Interest
as Exponential Growth , & Calculations for Different Compounding
In class groups do: Exercises Pg. 191 (1-19 odds)
Pgs. 185-188 APY
In class groups do: Pgs. 191-192 (21-35 odds)
Pgs.188&190 Planning Ahead with Compound Interest
In class groups do: Pg. 192 (37-45 odds)

Unit 4B: Savings Plans and Investments
Pgs. 200-201 Review- Algebra with Powers and Roots
♦ Hand out Review WS and practice problems with Radicals and Roots
In class groups do: Practice problems with Radicals and Roots

Week 6

Go Over questions for Review
Pgs. 194-197 Savings Plans (The Savings Plan Formula)
Pgs. 197-199 Planning Ahead with Savings Plans
Pgs.199-202 Total and Annual Return
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 203-204 (1-29 odds)

Unit 4C: Loan Payments, Credit Cards, and Mortgages
Pgs. 205-210 Loan Basics, Installment Loans, Choices of Rate and Term
In class groups do: Exercises Pg. 218 (1-15 odds)
Pgs. 210-212 Credit Cards
In class groups do: Pg. 219 (17-23 odds)
Pgs. 212-217 Mortgages, Fixed Rate Mortgages, Prepayment Strategies, ARMs, & The Mortgage
Interest Tax Deduction
In class groups do: Pg. 220 (25-37 odds)

♦ Hand out HW 4C WS

Next Week Open book and note Quiz on Units 4A& B (20 points)

Week 7

Review
Collect HW 4C
♦ Units 4A& B Quiz Open Book

Chapter 5: Statistical Reasoning

Unit 5A: Fundamentals of Statistics
Pgs. 224-230 How Statistics Works, The Process of Statistical Study, Choosing a Sample, &
Watching Out for Bias
In class groups do: Exercises Pg. 236 (1-5 odds)
Pgs. 230-235 Types of Statistical Study, The Placebo Effect & Blinding, Case-Control Studies, &
Surveys & Opinion Polls
In class groups do: Pgs. 236-237 (7-39 odds)

Unit 5B: Should You Believe a Statistical Study?
Pgs. 239-247 Guidelines 1-8
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 247-249 (1-17 odds)

Unit 5C: Statistical Tables and Graphs
Pgs. 249-257 Frequency Tables, Binning Data, Bar Graphs & Pie Charts, & Histograms & Line
Charts
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 258-260 (1-21 odds)

Unit 5D: Graphics in the Media
Pgs. 261-270 Graphics Beyond the Basics, & A Few Cautions About Graphics
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 271-275 (1-19 odds)

Unit 5E: Correlation and Causality
Pgs. 276- 281 Seeking Correlation
Pgs. 281-285 The Search for Causality
Pg. 286 Confidence in Causality
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 287-289 (1-21 odds)

Unit 5F: Characterizing a Data Distribution
Pgs. 290-298 What is Average?, & Shapes of Distributions
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 298-300 (1-17 odds)

♦ Hand out HW 5A, B, E, & F WS

Next Week Open book and note Quiz on Units 5C& D (20 points)

♦ The Professor will E-mail Lab 3 doc and 3&4stats excel or post on Blackboard

Week 8

Review
Collect HW 5A, B, E, & F WS
♦ Units 5C& D Test 4 Quiz Open Book
♦ Hand out Lab 3 and Lab 3&4 stats2 info
Go to Computer Lab to complete Lab

Finish Lab for HW

Week 9

Collect Lab 3
♦ Course Evaluations

Chapter 6: Probability: Living with the Odds

Unit 6A: Fundamentals of Probability
Pg. 307 A Brief Review - The Multiplication Principle
Pgs. 304-312 Theoretical Probabilities, Empirical Probabilities, Subjective Probabilities,
Probability of an Event Not Occurring, Probability Distributions, & Stating the Odds
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 313-315 (1-35 odds)

Unit 6B: Combining Probabilities
Pgs. 316-324 And Probabilities, Either/Or Probabilities, The At Least Once Rule, Return to the
Chevalier
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 324-325 (1-23 odds)

Unit 6C: The Law of Large Numbers
Pgs. 326-333 Expected Value, & The Gambler’s Fallacy
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 333-335 (1-21 odds)

Unit 6D: Counting and Probability
Pg. 340 A Brief Review - Factorials
Pgs. 337-346 Arrangements with Repetition, Permutations and Combinations, & Probability and
Coincidence
In class groups do: Exercises Pgs. 346-348 (1-33 odds)

♦ Hand out HW 6C&D WS

Next week quiz on Units 6A& B (20 points)

Week 10

Review
Collect HW 6C & D WS
♦ Units 6A& B Test 4 Quiz Open Book

Δ Plan Subject to Change