MTH 103                                     Contemporary Mathematics                          Fall 2006

Prerequisite: Completion of MTH 101 with a minimum of “C”

 

Course Description: This is a one-semester, liberal arts mathematics course that satisfies the minimum general education mathematics requirement. The course emphasizes global, unifying ideas in mathematics and stresses the connections between contemporary mathematics and modern society. Topics are selected from elementary mathematics, logic, probability and statistics, discrete systems, geometry, measurement, and consumer applications.

 

 Rationale and General Course Objectives:  The purpose of this course is to first help students understand that mathematics is a universal language. In other words, mathematics informs public policy, underlies modern technology, plays an essential role in many disciplines, and enchants the mind.

 The second goal of this class is to demonstrate how mathematics will prove to be an engaging part of preparation for any career and most of all for informed citizenship.

            To accomplish these aforementioned tasks, students will be engaged in meaningful experiences that will a) increase the quantitative reasoning/ literacy needed for informed citizenship and in the workplace, b) improve every student’s ability to communicate mathematical ideas orally and in writing, and c) strengthen the analytical thinking abilities/ critical thinking skills that will be useful in other disciplines. Finally, it is the intent of this course, to encourage students to develop positive attitudes and perceptions about the study of mathematics.

 

* Measurable student objectives are on file in the Department of Mathematics.

 

Required Text:

Blitzer, R. (2005). Thinking mathematically (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

 

Additional Required Materials:

Scientific calculator

Notebook or folder

University Requirements:

One of the goals of the University is to ensure that every educational program and/ or course taught at Norfolk State in some way provides opportunities for aspiring professionals to develop or enhance the following skills and/or dispositions:

 

1.      Quantitative Reasoning

2.      Critical Thinking

3.      Information Technology Literacy

4.      Scientific Reasoning

5.      Oral Communication

6.      Critical Thinking

7.      Writing

 

Therefore in this course you will be required to complete an alternative assessment project that will require all of the aforementioned. Rubrics and directions for this project will be distributed before the assignment.

 

Course Requirements:

1.   Each student must obtain the appropriate textbook/materials and attend all lectures.

2.      Each student must complete homework assignments online.

3.       An 80% mastery level is required per homework set.

4.       The student should complete the homework assignment successfully before the in-class test.

5.      Each student must complete all assignments in a timely manner.

 

Instructions for Completing Web-based Homework Assignments:

1.      Purchase your textbook and Student Access Kit.

2.      Write down the Course ID number that will be provided by your instructor in-class.

3.      Register online at http://www.coursecompass.com using the register button for students and following the on-screen instructions.

4.      Then follow the step-by-step guide for logging in and beginning your homework in MyMathLab. Be sure to download all plug-ins before you attempt your assignments.

 

Computer Technology Requirements:

1.      Students must have Internet access.

2.      Students must purchase a text that with the MyMathLab Student Access Kit or purchase a code separately in the book store.

3.      Students who are completing on-line homework assignments from locations off-campus must use computers that

·        Have Windows 2000,XP, Macintosh 9.2, OS X Version 10.1, or 10.2 as an operating system.

·        Have a minimum Internet connection speed of 28.8 kbps (kilobits per second) and either Microsoft Internet Explorer (Version 5.x up to Version 6.0) or Netscape Navigator 7.0 as the browser.

·        Have the following plug-ins downloaded: Adobe Reader, Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Shockwave Player, Apple QuickTime, and RealNetworks RealOne  Player.

 

Topical Outline and Schedule

 

Date

Section (s)

Topic(s)

WK

 

 

Housekeeping

1

 

1.1,1.3

Reasoning in Numeric/ Conceptual Contexts

Introduction to problem Solving: Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

 

 

1.2

Estimation and Graphs

 

 

 

Review/ Reinforce

2

 

2.1

Basic Set Concepts

 

 

2.2

Venn Diagrams and Subsets

 

 

Sept. 4

Holiday (No class)

3

 

2.3, 2.4

Venn Diagrams and Set Operations

 

 

2.5

Surveys, Review, and Reinforce

 

 

6.4

Ratio, Proportion, and Variation

4

 

 

Review/ Reinforce

 

 

 

Test 1

 

 

8.1

Percent

5

 

8.2, 8.3

Simple and Compound Interest

 

 

8.4

Installment Buying *

 

 

8.5

Investing in Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds*

6

 

 

Test 2

 

 

9.1-9.3

Reasoning in Geometric Contexts

Measurement: Making Conversions Using Dimensional

Analysis

 

 

 

Review/ Reinforce

7

 

10.1

Points, Lines, Planes, and Angles

 

 

10.2

Triangles

 

 

10.3

Polygons, Quadrilaterals, and Perimeter

8

 

 

Review/ Reinforce

 

 

10.4

Area and Circumference

 

 

10.5

Volume

9

 

 

Review/ Reinforce

 

 

 

Test 3

 

 

11.1-11.3

Reasoning in Data Representation and Chance Contexts

The Fundamental Counting Principle; Permutations; Combinations

10

 

11.4,11.5

Fundamentals of Probability

 

 

11.6

Events involving Not and Or; Odds

 

 

11.7

Events involving And; Conditional Probability

12

 

11.8

Expected Value

 

 

 

Review/ Reinforce

 

 

12.1

Sampling, Frequency Distributions, and Graphs

13

 

12.2

Measures of Central Tendency

 

 

12.3; 12.4

Measures of Dispersion; Applying the 68-95-99.7 Rule

 

 

12.5

Scatter Plots and Regression Lines

14

 

 

Test 4

 

 

Nov. 25

Thanksgiving Break (No Classes from 11/23 to 11/26)

 

 

 

Final Exam Review

15

 

 

Final Exam Review

 

 

 

Final Exam Review

 

*Optional

 

Academic Integrity Policies:  Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Missing 20% or more of such sessions may result in an automatic failing grade. Further information regarding academic or academically related misconduct, and disciplinary procedures and sanctions regarding misconduct may be obtained by consulting the NSU Student Handbook. Also, individual professors may provide information regarding his or her particular class.

 

*Note: In accordance with section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, we ask if you have a disability or think you have a disability, please make contact with the Supporting Students Through Disability Services (SSDS) Office in the Lyman Beecher Brooks Assistive Technology Lab in room 240 (2nd Floor) of the library. The coordinator for the program is Ms. Marian E. Shepherd and she can be reached at 757.823.8014.

 

Evaluation

 

Final grades will be determined as follows:

 

A Minimum of 4 Tests and coursework*: 50% 

Online Homework Sets: 25 %

Final Exam: 25%

 

* Additional course work may include projects, writing assignments, readings, quizzes, etc. that will be given at the instructor’s discretion.

 

 

FINAL EXAMINATION: Monday, December 4, 2006 (3:00 p.m. –5:30 p.m.)

                                             Place: Gill’s Gymnasium

 

 

Grading Scale

 

A (+,-) :100-90      B (+,-):89-80          C (+,-):79-70       D(+,-):69-60           F: Below 60

 

Methods and Resources for enhancing student Success:

 

Although the method of instruction for this course is lecturing, students should be aware of the make resources available to them in order to enhance their chance for success

 

·        Multimedia instruction with homework assignments

·        Campus wide tutorial centers

·        The Tutor Center for students who have their student access code and Course ID (For information about The Tutor Center, call the instructor line at 1-888-777-0463, 5 p.m. –12 a.m. EST Sun-Thurs)

 

Measurable Student Objectives:

 

At the completion of this course, students should be able to:

1.       Express a fraction as a percent.

2.       Express a decimal as a percent.

3.       Express a percent as a decimal.

4.       Use the percent formula.

5.       Solve applied problems involving percents.

6.       Calculate simple interest.

7.       Use the future value formula.

8.       Use the simple interest formula on a discounted loan.

9.       Use compound interest formulas.

10.    Calculate present value.

11.   Understand and compute effective annual yield.

12.   Identify and use inductive reasoning with an emphasis on discovering patterns.

13.   Identify and use deductive reasoning.

14.   Use estimation techniques to arrive at an approximate answer to a problem.

15.   Apply estimation techniques to information given by graphs.

16.   Solve problems with numeric, algebraic, geometric, conceptual, statistical, and chance contexts using the four-step problem solving process.

17.   Identify and use the appropriate symbols when writing in set notation.

18.   Determine a set’s cardinal number.

19.   Identify equal and equivalent sets.

20.   Use Venn Diagrams to visualize set relationships with an emphasis on a survey’s results and answer questions about the survey.

21.   Perform operations with sets.

22.   Evaluate an exponential expression.

23.    Find ratios.

24.   Solve problems using proportional reasoning.

25.   Demonstrate quantitative literacy in the U.S. Customary and metric systems of measurement.

26.   Convert from one unit to another within the same or different systems using dimensional analysis.

27.   Use appropriate units for making measurements.

28.   Read a calibrated scale or measurement tool such as a ruler or protractor.

29.   Determine measurements needed to solve a problem.

30.   Identify and use geometric concepts in making linear, area, and volume measurements.

31.   Solve measurement problems by using a formula, proportional reasoning, or nonstandard unit.

32.   Identify and use geometric properties and relationships in both pure and real-world situations such as determining a distance using the Pythagorean relationship.

33.    Use the Fundamental Counting Principle the number of possible outcomes in a given situation.

34.   Evaluate factorial expressions.

35.   Distinguish between permutation and combination problems.

36.   Solve problems using the permutations and combinations formulas.

37.   Compute and compare theoretical and empirical probabilities.

38.    Compute probabilities with the Fundamental Counting Principle, permutations, and combinations.

39.    Find the probability that an event will not occur.

40.    Compute probabilities of compound events.

41.    Use and compute odds.

42.    Compute conditional probabilities.

43.    Compute expected values.

44.   Identify trends and deceptions in visual displays of data.

45.   Organize and present data.

46.   Select an appropriate sampling technique.

47.   Calculate, compare, and select the best measure of central tendency given a data set.

48.   Determine the range and standard deviation for a data set.

49.   Recognize the characteristics of a normal distribution.

50.   Define the empirical rule within the context of a real-world situation.

51.   Make a scatter plot given a table of data points.

52.   Interpret information given a scatter plot.

53.   Write the equation of the regression line.

54.   Predict values for the dependent variable using the regression line.