ma115 syllabus

This is the syllabus for ma115. See the links above for course notes & guides.

instructor

Dr. Josh Thompson | office - JAMR 2226 | email

classroom

math 115 | 2:00 - 2:50 pm | MTWR | JAMR 3301 | zoom

your daily attendance is required

textbook / homework

We use achieve

office hours

  • Monday: 3pm - 4pm
  • Tuesday: 3pm - 4pm
  • Wednesday: 3pm - 4pm
  • Thursday: 3pm - 4pm

prerequisites

You need either:

  • C- or better in ma111
  • B- or better in ma 104
  • A satisfactory score on the math placement exam

grading

  • homework 25%
  • exams 50% (4 @ 12.5% each)
  • final 25%

quizzes

Unannounced quizzes may be given on occasion

exams

  • exam 1 - February 5
  • exam 2 - February 26
  • exam 3 - March 26
  • exam 4 - April 16
  • final - April 29 10am - 11:50am

week schedule

  • week 1: january 12 - january 16
  • week 2: january 19 - january 23
  • week 3: january 26 - january 30
  • week 4: february 2 - february 6
  • week 5: february 9 - february 13
  • week 6: february 16 - february 20
  • week 7: february 23 - february 27
  • spring break: march 1 - march 8
  • week 8: march 9 - march 13
  • week 9: march 16 - march 20
  • week 10: march 23 - march 27
  • week 11: march 30 - april 3
  • week 12: april 6 - april 10
  • week 13: april 13 - april 17
  • week 14: april 20 - april 24

calculators

Calculators and graphing software will often be used in class and will be allowed on some exams and quizzes. Unless otherwise notificed, you are not allowed to have any information saved in your calculators during quizzes and exams.

You are not required to have a calculator: there are many free online graphing calculators available. [my favorite is desmos.com]

laptops & phones

Do not use your laptop, phone or electronic media device in class unless instructed to do so.

other resources

Some of the best math videos on youtube:

Both free and paid tutoring is available, in the tutoring lab on the 2nd floor of Jamrich.

outcomes & assessment

Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

  • manipulate mathematical expressions.
  • apply mathematical models to solve contextualized problems.
  • recognize and analyze the natural functions and their properties. -construct graphs of functions and interpret the results.

Evaluation of these learning outcomes will be done through a mix of assignments, class exercises, projects, research papers, group work, written & oral quizzes and tests.

course description

The first two weeks of the course we will learn some fundamental concepts and how they are used. It is very important to get a firm grasp on the fundamentals.

  • chapter 1: prerequisites - week 1
  • chapter 2: equations and inequalities - weeks 2 & 3
  • chapter 3: functions - weeks 4 & 5
  • chapter 4:-chapter 5: polynomial and rational functions - weeks 5 & 6
  • chapter 6: exponential & logarithmic functions - weeks 7 & 8
  • chapter 7: the unit circle - week 9
  • chapter 8: periodic functions - weeks 10 & 11
  • chapter 9: trig identities - week 12
  • chapter 10: law of sines & cosines - weeks 13

natural sciences requirement

this course satisfies the foundation of natural sciences/mathematics requirement. students who complete this course should be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of mathematical logic; use mathematics to solve scientific or mathematical problems in college classes; express relationships in the symbolic language of mathematics; and appreciate the role of mathematics in analyzing natural phenomena.

university policies

Academic Honesty: Cheating is not only unethical and pathetic, but is a violation of the Northern Michigan University Student Code and University Policy - and grounds for your dismissal from the University.

Discrimination & Harassment: Northern Michigan University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, height, weight, martial status, handicap/disability, sexual orientation or veteran status. If you have a civil rights inquiry, contact the Affirmative Action Office at 906-227-2420.

*Americans with Disabilities Act Statement: If you have a need for disability-related accommodations or services, please inform the Coordinator of Disability Services in the Dean of Students Office at 2001 C. B. Hedgcock Building (227-1737 or disserv@nmu.edu). Reasonable and effective accommodations and services will be provided to students if requests are made in a timely manner, with appropriate documentation, in accordance with federal, state, and University guidelines.

The Registrar: Withdrawing from any course or any matters relating to registration are the responsibility of the student. For more information regarding this topic, check out the Registrars Website.