Written by Administrator | 17 November 2009

Syllabus for Algebra 2

Rogue Valley Adventist Academy, 2009-2010

Instructor: Shaun Meharry, BS-Math Education  E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Office: Meharry Homeroom     Telephone: (541) 773-2988 Ext 117

Office Hours:  3:33-4:00 M-Thu, 12:00-12:30 F and all half-days or by appointment

Help Sessions: Meharry Homeroom, 3:33-5:00 M or by appointment 

Prerequisites: One full year of Algebra 1 with a passing grade.

Class Meeting: 11:16-12:01 pm, M-F, Meharry Homeroom

Textbook: Larson, Boswell, Kanold, Stiff, Algebra 2. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2004

Description: Algebra 2 is designed to prepare students for successful study of pre-calculus and science. With a focus on functions, graphing, and trigonometry, students learn to represent data graphically, interpret graphs and to solve and use functions of more than one variable.

They have wide exposure to solutions of equations and inequalities, complex numbers, polynomial functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, rational functions, trigonometric functions, and their inverses. Through technology-based methods, the course balances and connects algebraic, numerical, graphical and verbal approaches to representing problems.

Calculator: A graphing calculator is required for this course. The calculator’s functionality should be equivalent to the TI-84Plus. You are, in fact, urged to acquire a TI-84 and have it with you in class each day. Class presentations will regularly include demonstrations using the TI-84 to solve a variety of problems.

Students, who use this specific calculator, will have obvious advantages in learning the mathematics presented.

A Philosophy of Teaching and Learning:

 Many of the skills and technical aspects of this course will be out of date in a few years.

There will be newer, easier-to-use software packages on the market. There will be faster, more efficient hardware on your desk. It is certain that your professional career will involve change, adaptation, and retraining.

Much of the new information and skills you will need in this high-tech, computerized society will be gleaned from books, journals, or technical manuals. Consequently, our primary goal for this class is that you, the student, will be learning to learn. If you leave this class knowing how to learn more about mathematics and technology on your own, you will have mastered the most critical skill.

Knowing how to learn involves appropriate use of manuals and reference materials, such as the Guidebook (grapher owner’s manual) accompanying the TI-84 graphing calculator.

Knowing how to learn includes:

1) Understanding the concepts and principles of the subject matter.

2) Being able to study manuals with minimal anxiety

3) Finding answers to questions through effective use of indexes, tables of contents, and summaries.

4) Resolving problems through reading messages accompanying error codes.

5) Understanding the importance of the trial-and-error method of learning--”Don’t just stand there; do something.”

If you want to be learning to learn about mathematics and technology, you must be actively engaged in the process of reading about, experimenting with, trying out, and doing mathematics with your calculator and/or computer. People learn some by hearing, and more by seeing, but most by doing. For this reason you will be asked to do a lot in this class. You will not be asked to do much memorizing (in fact, the exams are open-book), but you will be expected to become proficient in using your books and manuals to solve complex problems.

You will need to understand the mathematical concepts and theory.

The examinations for this class are intended to be challenging, maybe even difficult--not to cause you to get a poor grade, but to motivate your studying and learning. We aim to set a high standard for your learning, but we also aim to provide ample assistance to help you attain those standards and earn the grade you want.

Sometimes students choose to study less for open-book exams. We want you to know that this is not wise. The exams in this course will test your ability to conceptualize, to apply the theory, and to make discriminating analyses. If you have not attended class regularly, if you have not done your reading and homework, if you have not carefully thought about your assignments, if you have not reviewed, you will likely find the examinations to be hard and frustrating. It takes thorough preparation to be ready for the exams. Thorough preparation means regular, sustained effort on a daily basis. It does not mean cramming for a few days just before the exam. If you are well prepared, the exams will be challenging and reasonable.

If you are not well-prepared, the exams will appear to be tricky and impossible.

Problem Solving Skill

The primary purpose of this class is to develop your ability to solve a wide variety of problems. Frequently, students expect to be given an example or specific instruction before a particular type of problem is assigned. However, this is not the most effective method for learning to solve real-world problems, which come in unpredictable formats and descriptions. Consequently, you will often be assigned problems where one of that particular type has not previously been discussed in class. In class you will be provided with basic mathematical techniques and skills for problem solving, but then your homework assignment may include problems that require trial-and-error approaches, additional reading, extra effort, and interaction with fellow students outside class.

Student opinion that a teacher should not assign a problem unless a specific example has already been presented and explained is, of course, not unique to Rogue Valley Adventist School students. Dr. Deborah Hughes-Hallett, director of the Calculus Consortium at Harvard University, has mentioned how Harvard students are somewhat offended when a problem is assigned for which there is no example in the textbook or in their class notes. Understanding how students feel on this issue but still disagreeing, the Consortium’s textbook has contained the following statement of principle: “Our problems are varied and some are challenging. Most cannot be done by following a template in the text.”

Grading:

A 90 -100% B 80 - 89 C 70 - 79 D 60 – 69 F below 55

A- 89-90 B- 79-80 C- 69 – 70 D- 55 - 60

Evaluation: Possible

Max% Evaluation Item Points

75% Regular Examinations 3 x 100 = 300

25% Daily ERA (Effort, Responsibility, Attendance) = 100

25% Writing Component 10 + 30 + 60 = 100

– Acceptance of e-mail = 10

-- Assessment Reports 2 x 15 = 30

-- Quarter Project 1 x 60 = 60

100

Total points possible before drop: 500

Drop low score: -100

Total points for calculating final grade: 400

 

Points:

~ There will be three 100-point examinations during the quarter for a total of 300 points.

These will be open-book exams, and you will be expected to use your calculator.

~ Regular Effort, Responsibility, and Attendance (ERA) will earn additional points—a combined value of 100 possible. These points are earned by:

< Completing homework assignments on time (usually solving problems and answering questions related to the assigned reading in the textbook)

< Attending and being on time for class

< Completing practice tests

~ The writing-component points (combined total of 100 possible) come from two sources-- assessment reports and the quarter project:

< Your acceptance of e-mail will be worth 10 points.

< Two assessment reports (each worth 15 points) will account for 30 points.

< The quarter project will be worth 60 points.

~ Before your points are summed at the end of the quarter, a 100-point score will be dropped--whichever is most to your advantage:

< One of the first three exam scores

< ERA total

< Writing component total

Homework:

You will be expected to prepare a written homework assignment for each class meeting.

Unless otherwise noted, assignments are due at the beginning of the hour at the next class meeting after being given. In order to earn full credit for these assignments, it is necessary to show steps, display effort toward solving a problem, and give reasons to support answers.

These assignments are for learning and practice. Consequently, full credit may be earned even though mistakes are made. However, answers without solution steps and/or reasons will not earn full credit.

Except for excused absences (approved as a result following school procedure), no credit will be given for late homework. In case of an excused absence, the homework should be made up within a week after you return to class. Homework assignments are to be done on 8 ½ x 11 binder paper (no spiral notebook paper, please).

Traditionally, the high school standard has been, “Students should expect to study up to 45 minutes outside of class for each fifty-minute period the class meets.” While you will often need to study at the 45 minute rate for this class, you are not expected to study more than that. If you have been regularly completing your homework assignments, but find that a certain assignment is taking you more than 45 minutes, you should notify the instructor by e-mail and you may receive full credit although you do not complete the assignment. (You must, however, turn in on time what you have completed.) Address the following points in your email, which is to be sent at least six hours before the assignment is due:

@ How much time you have spent on the homework assignment

@ What you have completed and what remains to be done

@ Specific skills, concepts, or problem types that you are finding difficult

@ Your desire for extra help, if needed

The heading of all homework assignments is to be according to the following plan:

Student’s Name

Algebra 2: # xx (assignment)

Section/problem numbers

Due: mm/dd/yy

Assignment Policies:

1) Your homework score is based on the number of problems correct from the corrected portion of the assignment.

2) Completion of all problems on a homework assignment counts as extra credit on the homework portion of ERA for the quarter.

3) Homework is due at the beginning of the next class period after which it is assigned. There is no credit for late assignments unless your absence is pre-excused through e-mail. Any work missed because of an excused absence is to be made up within a week after returning to class.

4) You have a week to complete and resubmit any homework assignment that is turned in on time with at least 3/4 of the assigned problems completed.

5) Assignment completion and resubmission is to be done on another paper (not the original homework paper). It should have the standard heading together with “Resubmitted on mm/dd/yy”. It is to be stapled on top of the original homework page(s) and then placed in the homework stack before class.

Assessment Reports:

Two times during each quarter, students are asked to assess their own learning experience in this class and to submit a report. The assessment report should be between half-page and full-page in length. In this report you are to address the following points:

L Highlights of what you have learned in the past month (or since the last report).

L How you feel about your learning and its value.

L What you particularly like about the learning experience provided in this class.

L Any ideas as to how your learning could be more efficient, more effective, or otherwise improved.

The assessment reports are generally to be in accordance with the standards of good writing as presented in the English courses. They are to be submitted to the instructor by

e-mail before class time as specified below:

Date Subject Heading (outside)

9/4/09 (Fri) Algebra 2: AR #1 11/6/09 (Fri) Algebra 2: AR #3

10/2/09 (Fri) Algebra 2: AR #2 12/4/09 (Fri) Algebra 2: AR #4

 

2/5/10 (Fri) Algebra 2: AR #5 4/16/10 (Fri) Algebra 2: AR #7

3/5/10 (Fri) Algebra 2: AR #6 5/28/10 (Fri) Algebra 2: AR #8

Heading within e-mail message

Student’s Name

Algebra 2

AR #x Due: mm/dd/yy

Absences:

Absences are excused when school policy is followed. Whenever ill or otherwise unable to attend class, you should e-mail the instructor (before missing the class and as early as possible) to notify him of the need to be absent and the reason. In the case of a school-sponsored activity, the email communication should occur a week before the absence. Any work missed is to be made up within a week after returning to class; otherwise there is no credit.

Quarter Project:

Students are expected to do in-depth study and present a computer-printed report of their project, which is to be based on a proposal that has earlier been submitted by e-mail and approved before beginning the enterprise. Individuals have considerable latitude in choosing their topics and approaches to projects. Some possibilities follow, but projects are not limited to these:

9 biographical research of a mathematician

9 exploration of career

9 community service activity involving math opportunities in mathematics

9 creation of calculator/computer program

9 demonstration of technology mathematical topic

9 development and analysis of a survey

9 proof of a theorem

9 experimental study and data analysis

9 solutions of 20 unassigned, even numbered word problems chosen from a variety of sections in your textbook.

 

Date Item Due

8/26/09 (Wed) Proposal for project (include two or more references; at most one from the Internet) Outside heading should be: Algebra 2: Proposal.

10/12/09 (Mon) 1^st Quarter project

10/28/09 (Wed) Proposal for project

12/11/09 (Fri) 2^nd Quarter project

1/13/10 (Wed) Proposal for project

3/15/10 (Mon) 3^rd Quarter project

4/14/10 (Wed) Proposal for project

5/24/10 (Mon) 4^th Quarter project

E-mail, Why?

Students are asked to use e-mail in submitting their assessment reports, project proposals, requests for alternate testing times, etc. Reasons for using e-mail are the following:

1) The teacher can easily and quickly reply through e-mail.

2) Paper handling in the classroom is reduced.

3) E-mail results in increased communication between students and the teacher.

4) E-mail provides a running summary of questions, discussion, and answers related to student-teacher interactions outside class.

5) The teacher can send to students information that they receive immediately.

 

Help Sessions

Whenever you experience difficulty in solving assigned problems, you should take advantage of the help sessions or the instructor’s office hours for individual help. It is often not efficient to take class time to go over problems that are proving difficult for only a few students. Class time will primarily be directed toward getting the class ready for the day’s assignment; minimal class time will be spent going over previously assigned problems.

In those cases where you sense a pressing need for a homework problem to be discussed in class the next day, you are asked to e-mail the instructor by 11:00 p.m. the evening before. Your description of the troublesome aspects and your explanation of help already gotten will influence what is done in class the next day.

Dropping a Score

While there are 500 points possible during the quarter, your final grade in this class will be based on 400 points (after dropping your lowest score: Exam 1, Exam 2, Exam 3, ERA, or Writing Component). Therefore, it is possible for you to earn an A grade even after totally “blowing” one of the first three exams, the ERA, or the Writing Component. As you can see, students who object to writing or who resist doing homework, etc. can still be successful.

The student who can consistently perform well on tests can afford to let something else slip.

On the other hand, the student who has difficulty with tests can still be rewarded with a high grade by carefully completing homework, faithful attendance and participation, and outstanding performance on the assessment reports and quarter project.

To get the most out of your learning experience in this class, you are urged to do your best on all assignments, the quarter project, assessment reports, exams, etc. By doing your best on all learning activities, you will increase your chances for an A. Conversely, you may carefully choose to let one area slip and still earn an A, provided you are careful to perform at a high level in each of the other areas

Homework

1. Each student will have a choice as to whether his or her homework assignments are scored according to:

a. effort shown

b. accuracy of work and answers

2. It will be assumed that a student prefers the “effort shown” method, unless the student notifies the instructor by e-mail that “accuracy of work and answers” is preferred.

 

 

Course Outline

 

I. First Quarter Topics

a. Chapter 1 Equations and Inequalities

b. Chapter 2 Linear Equations and Functions

c. Chapter 3 Systems of Linear Equations and Inequalities

II. Second Quarter Topics

a. Chapter 4 Matrices and Determinants

b. Chapter 5 Quadratic Functions

c. Chapter 6 Polynomials and Polynomial Functions

III. Third Quarter Topics

a. Chapter 7 Powers, Roots and Radicals

b. Chapter 8 Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

c. Chapter 9 Rational Equations and Functions

IV. Fourth Quarter Topics

a. Chapter 13 Trigonometric Ratios and Functions

b.

Chapter 14 Trigonometric Graphs, Identities and Equations