MATH 1730 Precalculus

Fall 2022 Syllabus

Instructor Contact Information:

Instructor: Ms. Becky Peeler

Email: peelerb@apsu.edu or becky.peeler@cmcss.net 

Office: NEHS Rm 116

Office Phone: 931-648-5640 ext. 1116

Office Hours: M-F 7th Period (1:40 pm - 2:25 pm); or by appointment via email request

Course Information:

Meeting times: M-F, 6th Period, 12:50 pm - 1:35 pm

Classroom: NEHS Rm 116

Prerequisites:

Students must have an ACT Math score of 25 or higher and high school trigonometry; or MATH 1710 with a grade of "C" or higher. 

Students may receive dual credit, i.e. high school and college credit, IF they receive passing grades on all required assignments and meet other course objectives and expectations, including turning all work in on time. All students must complete an APSU application and a TN Dual Enrollment Lottery Grant application for Fall and Spring term. Students WILL owe the balance for the course if they do not complete and submit the grant. Students must maintain an A or B average in the course to receive the grant (for both Fall and Spring Semester). Please note that if you are taking another dual enrollment course, you may be required to pay for part or all of each course. 

 

Course Description:

Analysis of functions and their graphs, inverse functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, theory of equations, conic sections, circular functions and their graphs, trigonometric identities and conditional equations, solutions of triangles, trigonometric form of complex numbers, DeMoivre's Theorem, parametric and polar equations. Structured primarily to prepare students for Math 1910.

Student Learning Objectives:

• The student will improve his/her ability to read and interpret mathematical material
• The student will improve his/her ability to use correct mathematical language and symbols. 
• The student will improve his/her understanding of the function concept.  In particular, the student will understand the definitions of the trigonometric functions in terms of the unit circle.
• The student will improve his/her understanding of function inverses to include the ability to correctly interpret and use inverse trig functions.
• The student will be able to use trigonometry to solve application problems involving triangles.
• The student will be able to use identities to write trigonometric expressions in forms appropriate for a variety of applications.
• The student will be able to solve equations involving trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions.
• The student will be able to use technology such as a graphing calculator to solve application problems involving trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions.

Course Materials:

Textbook: OpenStax College. (2014). PreCalculus. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/details/books/precalculus?Book%20details

Calculator: A graphing calculator is required. The TI-84 Plus CE is recommended. The TI-83 is a much less expensive option and nearly equivalent. A scientific calculator is acceptable but not recommended. The graphing software Desmos, which is available for free online, is a good alternative to purchasing a graphing calculator. However, many activities are difficult to complete without the advanced features available on a graphing calculator, and you will need a graphing calculator during in-class exams. Calculators capable of symbolic notation, such as the TI-89 and TI-92, are prohibited. You are not allowed to share calculators during tests or quizzes. Use of cell phones as calculators is not permitted. Both the NEHS and APSU libraries have some calculators that can be checked out for a day, and various organizations on campus allow students to check out calculators on a semester basis. Please ask if you have questions about these resources.

NEHS Calculator Policy: TI-84 Plus CE calculators will be available for use during class time. In order to use the TI-84 from the classroom set, each student will be assigned a calculator by number and will be responsible for any damage or loss while it is in his/her use.  This classroom calculator must remain in the classroom  and returned to its designated area before the end of class. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the teacher immediately about any problems with the calculator assigned to them in class. If a student brings their own calculator to school, they must be responsible for protecting their own equipment.  Northeast faculty and staff will not be responsible for damage, loss or theft of a student’s personal calculator. 

APSU Email:

Students must activate their APSU email accounts and check it regularly, as they are responsible for the information sent via email.

Course Topics:

• Exponential Functions and Logarithmic Functions
• Trigonometric Functions
• Analytic Trigonometry
• Applications of Trigonometric Functions
• Systems of Equations and Inequalities

Grading:

Your course grade will be based on your performance on homework assignments, tests, and a  comprehensive final exam.  

Each Nine Weeks Grade will be calculated using the following weights:

Category	Weight
Classwork (Daily Work, Independent Practice)	40%
Assessments (Quizzes, Tests, Projects)	60%

Your semester grade will be calculated using the following weights:

Grading Period	Weight
Nine Weeks 1	40%
Nine Weeks 2	40%
Final Exam	20%

 

The final letter grade you earn will be based on your final average and standard scoring.  Per the policy of the Tennessee Board of Education, your grade for each nine weeks and the Final Exam will be increased by four (4) points, as long as that grade is 70% or higher. .  

Final Average	Letter Grade
90-100	A
80-89	B
70-79	C
60-69	D
<60	F

If you are unable, or believe that you will be unable, to attend class on a test day, please inform me as soon as possible before the test by email. Provide the reason for your expected absence and be prepared to discuss making alternate arrangements to complete the test. Any student who misses a test due to an approved school function will be allowed to take their test early. In these instances, please make arrangements with me at least a week in advance of the scheduled test.

Any change to due dates or test dates for an individual student should be verified by the student in an email to the instructor ahead of time. This includes situations where the student and instructor have discussed the changes in person.

If a student misses a test for any reason, the test will be administered the day the student returns to school. Students are expected to take tests on the stated test day, regardless of attendance prior to the test.

Retesting

• Students who score at least 70% on a unit test may choose one of two options to improve the test score: 1) correct missed problems for half of the missed points, or 2) take the full retest. 
• Students who score below 70% are required to complete the retest review with at least an 80% before they can take a retest. 
• In the first retest attempt, the student has the potential to make a max score of 100%. Any retest attempt after the first will be limited to 60%. 
• The higher score between the original test and the retest will be entered into the gradebook. 
• The retest must be completed by the due date set by the teacher.  
• Students must email the teacher in advance to arrange a retest.

Homework

Most homework assignments will be accessed through Canvas and will consist of assigned problems in MyOpenMath that were not completed during class time. The practice problems assigned from MyOpenMath will be graded for accuracy, but you will have unlimited attempts on each problem with no penalty. The amount of time to complete assignments will vary according to the length and difficulty of an assignment. Recording your thought process on paper is strongly recommended. This will help you and I identify and resolve the breakdown in understanding.

• Assignments will close at midnight on the due date.
• 10 late passes given each grading period.
• Late passes extend a due date by 48 hours from the original due date. 
• Closed assignments will remain available for review in practice mode, where questions can be regenerated for additional practice. (Scores will not be recorded.)
• Assignments may not be the same for all students in class both in length and skills practice. When possible homework and classwork will be differentiated, based on need.

Midterm Grades:

A midterm grade shall be awarded for all students in this course. The grade awarded may not necessarily be based on 50% of the course requirements and may or may not differ from the final grade. Your midterm grade will be posted on AP Web Self Service and can be accessed through OneStop.

Attendance:

Regular attendance and class participation are required components of this course. You are expected to arrive on time and remain in class for the duration of the class period. Please refer to the NEHS Bell Schedule for class times.

Student Responsibilities:

• Responsible for material and content presented in class whether present or not.
• Complete and submit assignments on time. 
• Commit at least six hours per week outside of class to the study of PreCalculus..
• Maintain appropriate standards of conduct and meet behavioral expectations at all times.

Behavior Expectations:

Academic and classroom misconduct will not be tolerated. Read the "Code of Student Conduct" in the Student Handbook for an understanding of expectations within the academic setting. 

You are expected to show respect, follow directions and stay on task; therefore, I ask that you observe the following:

• Except for the rare occasion when the teacher has determined there is an instructional use and given permission to use, cell phones will not be permitted, and the teacher will follow CMCSS and NEHS policy for discipline concerning cell phones. Before class begins, please silence and put away your cell phone.
• Water is the preferred beverage allowed in class. Beverages must be in a sealable container and kept safely away from laptops and calculators.
• Avoid conversations during teacher instruction and take turns speaking in class discussion.  
• Stay in your assigned seat for the duration of class.
• Remain silent during any quiz or test for the duration of the testing period.

Academic Support Tutoring:

Your success in this course is very important to me. Please talk to me as soon as possible if you are having problems understanding the material. In addition to office hours, I’m available to assist you other times with prior coordination. Feel free to email questions/concerns at any time or to request an appointment. Additional tutoring services are available through Academic Support located in the Marks Building, and in the MMCS computer lab.

NEHS Online Resources:

• District website – https://www.cmcss.net/
• School website – https://northeasthigh.cmcss.net/
• My website – From the NEHS website, click on “Faculty & Staff Directory”, then search for Peeler
• Power School – From the NEHS website, click on “Parents”
• Canvas – From the district website, choose Student Resources under Students tab; site contains class notes, assignments, lecture videos, study tools, etc.

Students with Disabilities:

Austin Peay State University abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which stipulates that no student shall be denied the benefits of an education “solely by reason of a handicap.” Disabilities covered by law include, but are not limited to, learning disabilities, hearing, sight, or mobility impairments. 

If you have a documented disability that may have some impact on your work in this class and for which you may require reasonable accommodations, communicate with me or Disabilities Services: 931-221-6230 or 931-221-6278 (V/TTY).

Policy on Minors:

Minors (any non-student under the age of 18) accompanying staff, faculty, students or visitors on campus are not permitted in the classroom. Furthermore, minors are not permitted in academic labs, computer labs, science labs, or the library and may not be left in halls outside of classrooms. For additional information on minors on campus, contact the Office of Student Affairs in Morgan University Center.

Syllabus Changes:

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are made during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes through the teacher web page and Canvas.