Course Syllabus

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SPRING 2021 - MATH 104B-1001 & -1002

Instructor Information:

Name: Jim Matovina

Communication Preference: Students enrolled in the class should contact me using the mail system in CSN's Canvas. If the student is not enrolled in the class or cannot access Canvas, any of the following methods of communication is acceptable.

E-Mail: jim.matovina@csn.edu
IMPORTANT: Any e-mail you send me should include your name, and Course/Section in which you are enrolled. Any email received without your name and Course/Section runs a significant risk of being treated as SPAM and may be automatically deleted. Student e-mails will be responded to within 12-24 hours.

Cell Phone: (702) 523-2100

Office Phone/Voice Mail: (702) 651-5801

Office Hours: Virtual Office Hours will take place in a Big Blue Button Chat Room. A link will be provided in Canvas, and the sessions will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11AM-Noon & 3-4:30PM. If you cannot make it during those windows, I will be happy to meet with you in that chat room by appointment.

 

Class Information:

Title: MATH 104B, Applied Mathematics

Description: Emphasizing applications, topics include arithmetic, prealgebra, geometry, finance, probability & statistics. Course is only applicable for AAS and AGS degrees, and is not transferable for credit.

Days/Time/Location: Both Sections 1001 and 1002 are asynchronous, online sections. They do not have a weekly meeting pattern. You are responsible for completing the requisite work in accordance, or ahead of the posted schedule. The semester duration is Tuesday, 1/19/2021 through Friday, 5/14/2021.

Goals: Upon completion of this class, students should:

  • Be able to participate in a mathematically relevant conversation.
  • Be able to accurately perform elementary arithmetic computations.
  • Be able to correctly simplify simple algebraic expressions in one variable.
  • Recognize and understand various problem-solving techniques.
  • Recognize and understand various topics of basic geometry.
  • Solve problems involved with the topics of consumer math.
  • Recognize and solve elementary probability problems.
  • Recognize and compute elementary statistical calculations.
  • Have an ability to apply and extend these concepts.

Textbook: Applied Mathematics, Fourth Edition, by Matovina & Yates. That link will take you to a free, full-color PDF of the book posted on the CSN Library Open Educational Resources (OER) server. Feel free to download it onto your computer, tablet or phone. If you wish to have a hard copy, a coil-bound, black & white, printed version of the text can be purchased in any of the CSN Bookstores for less than $15, which is easily less than the cost you would incur for attempting to print it on your own. NOTE: Due to significant changes, older editions of the textbook are insufficient.

 

Class/Course Policies:

ADA Notice: If you qualify for "reasonable accommodations" in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act, you must notify me in writing of such by the end of the first week of class. Visit the CSN Disability Resource Center (DRC) for more information.

Academic Integrity: According to college guidelines, academic dishonesty and academic misconduct are regarded as serious offenses, which can result in substantial penalties. If, during the course of a semester, evidence of academic dishonesty or misconduct comes to the instructor's attention, the students involved may receive a zero for the assignment, quiz, or test in question. Further, the incident could result in the student receiving a failing grade for the course and possibly even expulsion from the college and a notation in the transcript. Please refer to the CSN Academic Integrity Policy for more information.

Student Rights and Responsibilities: When you choose to become a student at CSN, you accept the rights and responsibilities of membership in CSN’s academic and social community. You can find a full description of these rights and responsibilities in the CSN Catalog.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): CAPS offers short-term, problem-focused counseling to CSN students who may feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of college, work, family, and relationships. Clinicians are available to help students cope with stresses and personal issues that may interfere with their ability to perform in school. The service is provided confidentially and free to currently enrolled students. To schedule an appointment, please call CAPS at WC (702) 651-5518, at NLV (702) 651-4099, and at HN (702) 651-3099.

Withdrawal: CSN Policy prohibits an instructor from issuing a W grade. If you stop attending class or quit completing the required work, you CANNOT be assigned an automatic "W" or "Withdrawal" grade; you will receive a grade based on the total points you have earned in the class, which, more than likely, will be an "F" to connote you have failed. If you wish to be withdrawn from this class, it is your responsibility to officially drop the class by the drop date listed in the college catalog/schedule of classes.

Date of Last Attendance: Due to financial aid guidelines, CSN instructors are required to record a “Date of Last Attendance” (DOLA) for any student issued a failing grade. Any student who receives an F grade in this class shall have the corresponding DOLA recorded as the date on which the last coursework was submitted. If an F is to be issued and all the coursework is completed, the DOLA will be recorded as “FULLY.” If no coursework is submitted, the DOLA will be recorded as “NEVER.”

Computer Grading: Quizzes for this class will be completed online. When entering answers, you must provide a single answer, without any attempt to show work. It is also unacceptable to provide multiple answers in a single response and expect the extraneous or incorrect information to be ignored. Any attempt to show work or enter multiple answers (even if they are equivalent versions) into the same answer box shall be deemed incorrect.

  • It is important to note that the computer will be grading the online assessment questions. It is your responsibility to review your graded work. If you have an answer that you believe has been graded incorrectly, you should send me an email inside Canvas, and let me know the specific quiz and problem number(s) you would like me to examine. I will either correct the grading or explain why a deduction was made. Do realize, however, no credit shall be awarded for deductions made because of ignoring or neglecting to follow any listed instructions.
  • If a requisite image fails to properly load while taking a quiz, hold down the shift key and reload the page. If that does not work, contact me immediately. NOTE TO MAC USERS: Do not use Safari, as it does not play well with Canvas. Use Chrome.

Technical Problems: Technical problems on your behalf will not serve as an acceptable excuse for missing deadlines or neglecting to complete the online assessments. The assessments in this class are available for extended periods of time, and it is your responsibility to make sure they are completed by the dates and times listed in the schedule at the end of this syllabus.

Free Tutoring: The CSN Centers for Academic Success (CAS) have partnered with Smarthinking.com to provide 24/7 online tutoring. To access this resource, follow the link in the left side rundown of links available in the CSN Canvas shell for this class.

Calculators: Calculators are allowed in this class. In fact, you will probably need one. A good scientific calculator can be purchased for $15-20.

 

Instruction/Coursework:

Study: You are expected to read the text, do the suggested homework problems, study the indicated website materials, and ask questions when necessary. Answers to assessment questions will come directly, or be derived, from the content found in the textbook and/or presented in the class. DO NOT seek out alternative answers from resources not specified in the class. Answers from such resources that conflict with those presented in the textbook or through the class content shall be deemed incorrect.

Textbook Exercises: Unless directed otherwise, you are to assume every exercise in the textbook should be completed. Or, at the very least, you should do enough of them so that you understand the corresponding concepts. These assignments are there for your benefit; no textbook exercise will be submitted for grading.

Section Worksheets: Like the textbook exercises, the worksheets are there for your benefit. They will not be collected or graded, If, however, you would like some additional feedback, you are free to download, complete, and email/text me photos of them.

Syllabus Quiz: You will begin the class by taking a quiz over the information and policies laid out in this syllabus. You MUST get a perfect score on the Syllabus Quiz before you are allowed to proceed in the class. If you do not get a perfect score, review your answers and this syllabus, and then retake the Syllabus Quiz.

  • Any work missed due to a failure to take or get a perfect score on the Syllabus Quiz will be scored as a zero, and no make-up work will be allowed or offered for any reason, and no deadline will be extended.
  • At the end of the term, the 10 points earned on the Syllabus Quiz will be used in place of the lowest section quiz score.

Section Quizzes: During the semester, there will be an online quiz covering every section from the textbook. Each section quiz will consist of 5 two-point questions, and will have a 30-minute time limit. Each section quiz may be taken up to twice, but both attempts must be completed before the posted deadline. Only the highest score on each section quiz will be counted toward your course grade.

  • Due dates and times for the specific quizzes are indicated in the schedule found at the end of this syllabus. Any quiz not taken or rescheduled before the specified deadline will be scored as a zero. Absolutely no make-up quiz will be offered for any reason.
  • Questions appearing on the quizzes will come from the material covered in the textbook and/or in supplemental materials provided in class. DO NOT seek out alternative answers from resources not specified in Canvas. Answers from such resources that conflict with those presented in the textbook or specified course resources shall be deemed incorrect.

Time Limits: Unless official alternative arrangements are made in writing prior to the posted deadline, each section quiz MUST be completed within 30 minutes after its activation. You are not allowed to start a quiz, and then return to it at a later date/time to complete it. Any quiz activated and then left unattended for more than 30 minutes will be scored as is.

Time Management: Once you have earned 10/10 on the Syllabus Quiz, all the section quizzes in this class will be available to you. Be sure not to activate them until you are ready to complete them. The schedule of due dates is provided in this syllabus. If a due date falls on an inconvenient date for you, arrange your schedule to complete the quiz earlier than the posted deadline.

  • Every section quiz must be completed by 11:59 PM on the posted due date. The quizzes shut off at 11:59 PM, regardless of when they were activated. So, if you want to have the full 30-minute period to complete one, be sure to activate it no later than 11:29 PM on the due date.
  • If your work or personal schedule may prevent you from taking a quiz within the last couple of hours of the designated due date, then you need to responsibly arrange your activities so that the quiz can be completed earlier in the day or, possibly, a day or two before the posted due date.

 

Grades:

Class Grades: There will be a total of 20 10-point section quizzes throughout this class, and the 10 points earned on the Syllabus Quiz will be substituted for the lowest score on the section quizzes. That means a total of 200 points will be available in this class. Point totals will be rounded to the nearest whole point, and +/- grades will not be assigned.

  • Class grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

180-200: A
160-179: B
140-159: C
120-139: D
Below 120: F

Grade Displaying in Canvas: Canvas displays grade book scores in terms of points and percentages. The final class grades, however, will be based solely on the point totals using the algorithm and scale as described in this syllabus.

IMPORTANT: By default, the grade percentage displayed in Canvas reflects ONLY the performance on the work you have completed. If you score 100% on the first graded work, but neglect to take/submit any subsequent work – and get no points for them - Canvas will still display your grade as 100%, instead of a correct percentage that would be much lower. In previous semesters, this led some students who missed coursework to erroneously believe they were earning a passing grade. Remember, in this class, your overall class grade will be based on an accumulation of points and will assigned according to the grade scale provided in this syllabus.

Extra Credit: Absolutely no extra credit will be offered in this class. Simply put, those in need of additional points should be spending their time studying the requisite material in the class. And, those who do not need to put in the extra time studying will not be in need of any extra points.

 

Disclaimer & Advice:

Disclaimer: As the instructor, I reserve the right to change the class syllabus, schedule, and policies as necessary. You will be given appropriate notification in the event of any corresponding changes.

Be Wise with the Quizzes: As long as they are both done by the posted deadline, you will get two attempts on every quiz. You are STRONGLY advised to review your first attempt and learn from any mistakes you may have made BEFORE you take the second attempt. History has shown that students who take both quiz attempts back-to-back in the same sitting rarely improve upon their score. If you spend a day or two reviewing your first attempt, you stand a much better chance of getting a better score on the second one.

Do Not Procrastinate: History has shown that students who wait until the last day to begin the corresponding work often run out of time and, hence, get low scores. To make things worse, sometimes those students are occasionally distracted by family situations or preoccupied by work, causing them to miss deadlines, altogether. Every quiz is available from the beginning of the term, and if you feel you may become distracted or preoccupied, you should strongly consider working ahead a bit in the class. In fact, in previous semesters, some students have actually finished all of the requisite work in the class in just a couple weeks.

 

Important Notes:

  • Every quiz is named for the corresponding section from the required textbook.
  • Every section quiz is due by 11:59 PM (Pacific time) on a the indicated date. Plan accordingly.
  • Two attempts are allowed on every section quiz, but they both need to be completed by the deadline. Only the higher of the two scores on each section quiz will be counted.
  • You have 30 minutes to complete each section quiz. NOTE: The 30-minute timer begins the moment you activate a quiz and continues running even if the browser window is closed. Make sure you are prepared to complete the quiz once it is started.
  • You are more than welcome to work ahead, but no makeup work will be offered for missing work.

 

Important Dates:

  • Last Day for a 50% Refund: 2/1/2021
  • Last Day to Drop a Class WITHOUT a Grade of W: 2/1/2021
  • Last Day to Change from Credit to Audit: 3/26/2021
  • Last Day to Drop a Class WITH a Grade of W: 3/26/2021

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due