Contemporary College Algebra

General Education Component Matrix

Department: Mathematics Proposed Course Prefix/Number: MATH 121

Course Title: Functions and Graphs

What General Education Goal is this course intended to address ? Goal 5

MATHEMATICS 121-01
FUNCTIONS AND GRAPHS
Spring 2008

Text: Hungerford, Thomas W. Contemporary College Algebra: A Graphing Approach. Second Edition.
New York: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 2005.

Supplies: Graphing calculator.

Course Description: A graphical, numerical, and algebraic study of functions. Functions will include
linear, polynomial, radical, and exponential as well as their applications in sequences and series. Linear and
quadratic equations and linear systems of equations and inequalities will also be studied. 3 credits. *

Course Objectives: Students should be able to
1. Use graphing calculators to graph and analyze functions.
2. Analyze and interpret linear, polynomial, and exponential functions.
3. Solve linear and quadratic equations.
4. Solve a system of linear equations.
5. Distinguish between arithmetic and geometric sequences and determine the next elements in the
sequence.
6. Apply functions to business, social science, and natural science applications.

This course meets the General Education criteria and the required outcomes for General Education Goal 5
as indicated in the attached matrices.

Course Requirements:

1. There will be three tests. Each test will be worth 18% of your final grade.

2. Attendance is mandatory. Each student is expected to actively participate in all group work and class
discussions.

3. Daily class assignments will constitute 18% of your final grade.

4. A research project will be due in early April. The project will constitute 8% of your final grade. Details
will be provided in early March.

5. There will be a comprehensive final exam for this course. The exam will be worth 20% of your final
grade.

6. Absences are excused only for illness, college sponsored activities, and recognizable emergencies. You
must assume full responsibility for all material covered during your absence. A grade of "0" will be
assigned for all work missed due to unexcused absences.

7. Make-up tests will be given only when the reason for missing the test meets the criteria for an excused
absence. Make-up tests will always be more difficult then regularly scheduled tests.

8. I expect you to conform to the Longwood College Honor Code as contained in the Student Handbook.
All assignments and tests must be pledged.

Grade Scale
:
A 90 – 100
B 80 – 89
C 70 – 79
D 60 – 69
F 0 - 59

Feel free to come by my office at any time during office hours for help. If you are unable to come during
office hours call and make an appointment for another time period.

Class Schedule

Writing: As a general education course, Mathematics 121 will require more writing than in
some non-general education mathematics courses. Some exam questions will be short essay
questions. The research project will require using library and internet sources to gather data.
You will then analyze the data and write up the results. The result will be graded both for
mathematical accuracy and for writing style. The project will be due in mid November. More
details will be provided later.

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend all classes. Work missed because of illness
or other excused absences may be made up. Work missed because of unexcused absences
receives a grade of 0. If you miss an exam or are late with an assignment you may be asked to
provide proof that you had a legitimate reason (such as illness, certain college-sponsored
activities or recognized emergencies). When possible, you should
notify the instructor in advance of assignments you expect to miss because of legitimate
absences.

Honor Code: Students are expected to abide by the Longwood College Honor Code.
Assignments should be pledged, but the provisions of the Honor Code are assumed to apply to
all work, pledged or not. Some of the homework, projects, and in-class assignments may be
designated by the instructor as group assignments; all other work that is turned in to be graded
should be the student's own individual work. Students are encouraged to study together and to
seek help from the instructor or tutors when needed, but receiving unauthorized help, copying, or
working together on any non-group assignments that will be graded is a violation of the Honor
Code. For any group assignments, all members of a group are expected to sign the work turned
in, indicating that all members of the group helped prepare and understand the assignment being
turned in.