Course Syllabus for College Algebra

Catalog Course Description
Covers first-degree equations, polynomials, inequalities, factors, scientific notation, sequences
and series, exponents and logarithmic functions, coordinates and graphs, functions, and roots of
polynomial equations .

Student Outcomes
The course is designed to guide SNC students towards mathematical proficiency by providing
opportunities where learners may practice and demonstrate:
A sense of number and the ability to discern whether a proposed numerical answer
to a problem is reasonable – the ability to think correctly about numbers and to use
data to make intelligent decisions in life.
The ability to use mathematical knowledge to confront unfamiliar problems both
in concrete and abstract situations – modeling a mathematical problem in several
ways to facilitate a solution.
The ability to discuss the mathematical ideas involved in a problem with other
people and to write coherently about mathematical topics and their interrelations.
General reasoning powers – understanding of mathematical implication and
knowledge of why various mathematical statements follow from more basic ideas.
General algebraic proficiency – the ability to manipulate algebraic expressions –
an understanding of the interrelationships between the symbolic, numeric, and
graphic representations of real-world phenomena.
The ability to visualize, compare, and transform problems geometrically – an
understanding of the connections between algebra and geometry.
  An understanding of the uses of mathematics in other disciplines and the use of
technology in the solution of mathematical problems.
The ability to gather, organize, display, and summarize data – the ability to draw
conclusions or make predictions from data

Class Schedule/Daily Topic Outline (Tentative-Subject to Change)

The course will be managed through Course Compass and My Math Lab. Homework problems
and Chapter Tests will be completed on-line. Course ID: reich13268; Course Name: College
Algebra Fall 09.

Monday, Aug 17	Course Introduction
Wednesday, Aug 19 Friday, Aug 21 Monday, Aug 24 Wednesday, Aug 26 Friday, Aug 28	Chapter R Review Ch Hwk—Sun, Aug 30; Ch Test—Sun, Sep 6 R.1 Real Numbers R.2 Algebra Review R.3 Geometry Essentials R.4 Polynomials R.5 Factoring Polynomials R.6 Synthetic Division R.7 Rational Expressions R.8 nth Roots ; Rational Exponents
Monday, Aug 31 Wednesday, Sep 2 Friday, Sep 4 Monday, Sep 7—Labor Day Wednesday, Sep 9 Friday, Sep 11 Monday, Sep 14	Chapter 1 Graphs, Equations, and Inequalities Ch Hwk—Sun, Sep 20; Ch Test—Sun, Sep 27 1.1 Rectangular Coordinates ; Graphing Utilities; Introduction to Graphing Equations 1.2 Solving Equations Using Graphing Utility; Linear and Rational Equations 1.3 Quadratic Equations 1.4 Complex Numbers ; Quadratic Equations in the Complex Number System 1.5 Radical Equations ; Equations Quadratic in Form; Absolute Value Equations; Factorable Equations 1.6 Problem Solving, Interest, Mixture, Uniform Motion, Constant Rate Jobs 1.7 Solving Inequalities
Wednesday, Sep 16 Friday, Sep 18 Monday, Sep 21	Chapter 2 Graphs Ch Hwk—Sun, Sep 27; Ch Test—Sun, Oct 4 2.1 Intercepts and Symmetry ; Graphing Key Equations 2.2 Lines 2.3 Circles 2.4 Variation
Wednesday, Sep 23 Friday, Sep 25 Monday, Sep 28 Wednesday, Sep 30 Friday, Oct 2	Chapter 3 Functions and Their Graphs Ch Hwk—Sun, Oct 4; Ch Test—Sun, Oct 11 3.1 Functions 3.2 The Graph of Functions 3.3 Properties of Functions 3.4 Library of Functions; Piecewise-defined Functions 3.5 Graphing Techniques; Transformations 3.6 Mathematical Models; Building Functions
Monday, Oct 5	Paper and Pencil Validation Midterm
Wednesday, Oct 7 Friday, Oct 9 Monday, Oct 12 Wednesday, Oct 14	Chapter 4 Linear and Quadratic Functions Ch Hwk—Sun, Oct 18; Ch Test—Sun, Oct 25 4.1 Linear Functions, Their Properties and Linear Models 4.2 Building Linear Models from Data 4.3 Quadratic Functions and Their Properties 4.4 Building Quadratic Models from Verbal Descriptions and from Data 4.5 Inequalities Involving Quadratic Functions
Friday, Oct 16 Monday, Oct 19 Wednesday, Oct 21 Friday, Oct 23 Monday, Oct 26	Chapter 5 Polynomial and Rational Functions Ch Hwk—Sun, Nov 1; Ch Test—Sun, Nov 8 5.1 Polynomial Functions and Models 5.2 Properties of Rational Functions 5.3 The Graph of a Rational Function 5.4 Polynomial and Rational Inequalities 5.5 The Real Zeros of a Polynomial Function 5.6 Complex Zeros; Fundamental Theorem of Algebra
Wednesday, Oct 28 Friday, Oct 30 Monday, Nov 2 Wednesday, Nov 4 Friday, Nov 6 Monday, Nov 9 Wednesday, Nov 11	Chapter 6 Exponential and Logarithmic Functions Ch Hwk—Sun, Nov 15; Ch Test—Sun, SNov 29 6.1 Composite Functions 6.2 One-to-One Functions; Inverse Functions 6.3 Exponential Functions 6.4 Logarithmic Functions 6.5 Properties of Logarithms 6.6 Logarithmic and Exponential Equations 6.7 Financial Models 6.8 Exponential Growth and Decay Models; Newton’ s Law ; Logistic Growth and Decay Models 6.9 Building Exponential, Logarithmic, and Logistic Models from Data
Friday, Nov 13 Monday, Nov 16 Wednesday, Nov 18 Friday, Nov 20	Chapter 8 Systems of Equations and Inequalities Ch Hwk—Sun, Nov 29; Ch Test—Sun, Dec 6 8.1 Systems of Linear Equations: Substitution and Elimination 8.2 Systems of Linear Equations: Matrices 8.3 Systems of Linear Equations: Determinants 8.4 Matrix Algebra 8.6 Systems of Nonlinear Inequalities 8.7 Systems of Inequalities
Nov 23-27	Thanksgiving Recess
Monday, Nov 30 Wednesday, Dec 2 Friday, Dec 4	Chapter 9 Sequences; Induction; The Binomial Theorem Ch Hwk—Sun, Dec 6; Ch Test—Sun, Dec 13 9.1 Sequences 9.2 Arithmetic Sequences 9.3 Geometric Sequences; Geometric Series 9.5 The Binomial Theorem
	Comprehensive Final Exam Section 1, Monday, Dec 7, 0800-1100 Section 2, Monday, Dec 7, 1500-1800