College Algebra II represents a significant opportunity for students to discover the beauty and practical power of mathematics. Concepts and skills are taught while at the same time a sense of algebra's utility in the real world is imparted. This course provides in depth coverage of college algebra topics that students continuing in mathematics will require. This is the kind of mathematics that students will use the rest of their lives in many fields. MATH 022 is a preparatory course intended to provide mathematical background in algebra with a function/graph emphasis required in calculus courses. Linear, polynomial, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions and their graphs provide necessary models for mathematical applications.
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
College Algebra, 2nd Edition by John W. Coburn (McGraw-Hill, 2010) pre-packaged with one-semester access to ALEKS
| Unit | Topic(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Extensive review of intermediate algebra topics. The review will include: solving linear equations and inequalities, fundamental concepts associated with quadratic equations, solving equations and inequalities with absolute values and other miscellaneous equations involving rational expressions and radical expressions. An introduction to complex number arithmetic is also included. |
| 2 | General concepts associated with relations and functions. Topics such as the algebra of functions, function composition and range and domain are studied. The graphical representation of linear and quadratic functions are also presented. The algebraic and graphical representation of circles will also be studied as it pertains to terminology associated with relations in general. Basic graphical transformations are introduced. |
| 3 | Polynomial and rational functions are studied in detail. In particular, ideas associated with zeros of polynomials, end-behavior, and graph sketching are discussed. The unit includes synthetic division, the remainder theorem, the conjugate root theorem, horizontal and slant (oblique) asymptotes, and vertical asymptotes. |
| 4 | Exponential and logarithmic functions are studied in detail. Specific skills entail working with the rules of exponents and logarithms and solving exponential and logarithmic equations. Concepts associated with one-to-one functions and the existence of inverses are also studied. Sketching and recognizing the graphical representation of exponential and log functions is included. |
Algebraic skills will be primarily developed through work on ALEKS. ALEKS is a web-based tutorial system which provides students with ongoing skills based assessments and tracks progress. The midterm and final exams will also entail skills based problems.
As necessary, lectures will be done via BlackBoard Collaborate. The midterm and final exams will be administered via Canvas.
Conceptual Skills will be incorporated in lectures, reading, and activities. Lectures and activities will be conducted approximately every other week. A typical lecture and/or activity will tie skill based ideas together to provide a larger overview of the topics. Lectures will be done via Elluminate and activities will be based upon discussion board prompts and/or assigned tasks from the text. The final exam will also incorporate questions which relate to the conceptual tasks.
Essentially all of the skills based work will be conducted through ALEKS. The ALEKS system will do ongoing assessments of skills based problems and track student progress. ALEKS is a major component of the course and a typical college algebra student will need to plan on 4-6 hours of online work each week (50-60 hours for the course). Skills based points will be earned by measuring mastered objective milestones and skills based ALEKS quizzes.
The text will be primarily used to tie ideas to concepts and skills together. This will be done through assigned readings and suggested problems. Occasionally, a problem may be selected to emphasize a specific skill that ALEKS did not adequately incorporate. Some of the activities will stem from the text. Finally, the text will support the ALEKS work in that explanations within ALEKS will reference specific areas from the text for further reading.
Elluminate is the web-conference utility where the virtual classroom resides. This may also be used for more "face-to-face" group correspondence with students.
The total number of points for the course will be 1000 points. Students will have an opportunity to earn 200 points in each of the following three areas: 1) Basic Skills (ALEKS work), 2) Conceptual Understanding (Activities and quizzes), and 3) the Final Exam (incorporates both basic skills and conceptual understanding). The final grade will be determined by the sum of these three areas. The minimum of the three area scores and the maximum of the three area scores will be incorporated twice and thus each of these two areas will will contribute to 40% of your overall grade as each will be worth 400 points. This rubric emphasizes that all three areas are of utmost importance.
| Conceptual Assessment | Basic Skills | Final Exam | Minimum 3 Areas | Maximum 3 areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Activities (5 pts / each) | 4 ALEKS Units (40 pts / each) | 1 Proctored Exam (200 pts) | ||
| 4 Quizzes (20 pts / each) | Final Set (40 pts) | |||
| 2 Midterm Exams (50 pts / each) | ||||
| 200 pts | 200 pts | 200 pts | 200 pts | 200 pts |
| Letter Grade | % Score | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
| A | 90-100 | 896-1000 |
| B | 80-89 | 796 -895 |
| C | 70-79 | 696-795 |
| D | 60-69 | 596-695 |
| F | 0-59 | 50-595 |
In this class you may take your tests remotely and they will be proctored by a service called Examity®. Please log in as soon as possible to set up your profile. You will not be able to schedule exams until your profile is complete. Examity® system requirements are:
After you create your Examity profile, you will have the option to schedule proctoring times for each of your exams. On the day of your exam, go to your Examity dashboard using the single sign-on link and select the ‘Start Exam’ button to meet the proctor.
Examity’s proctors are highly-trained individuals who go through a rigorous process of selection, including background checks and comprehensive training. All proctors have a college degree, advanced technical and communication skills, and have completed online courses.
This course may require you to take exams using certain proctoring software that uses your computer’s webcam or other technology to monitor and/or record your activity during exams. The proctoring software may be listening to you, monitoring your computer screen, viewing you and your surroundings, recording and storing any and all activity (including visual and audio recordings) during the proctoring process. By enrolling in this course, you consent to the use of the proctoring software selected by your instructor, including but not limited to any audio and/or visual monitoring which may be recorded. Please contact your instructor with any questions.
This information is provided by Penn State World Campus
If you have any technical questions or concerns, contact Examity’s support team 24/7 via emailor phone at (855) 392-6489.