MATH 190-75, Spring 2010

This class has completed. Information on this web page may not be applicable to future semesters.


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Course information:

Instructor: Jake Wildstrom
Office: Natural Sciences Building 231
Primary office hours: Tuesday 13–14, Wednesday 15–16, Thursday 14–15
Secondary office hours: Tuesday 14–15, Wednesday 14–15, Thursday 13–14 or by appointment
Phone number: (502)852-5845 (x5845)
E-mail: dwildstr@erdos.math.louisville.edu
Lecture: TR 17:30–19:15 in Natural Sciences Building 317
Prerequisites: Appropriate placement score or equivalent coursework.
Description: MATH 190 normally prepares student for MATH 205. Advanced topics in algebraic and rational expressions, factoring, exponents, and radicals; theory of equations and inequalities; functions. Analytic geometry, trigonometry.
Special notes: MATH 190 normally prepares student for MATH 205. Advanced topics in algebraic and rational expressions, factoring, exponents, and radicals; theory of equations and inequalities; functions. Analytic geometry, trigonometry.
Textbook: Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus by James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, and Saleem Watson, fifth edition.
Objectives: In this class, we will learn to construct and manipulate functions, specifically polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions. We will use these functions for modeling and problem-solving.
Responsibilities: You are responsible for attending class on a regular basis and maintaining comprehension of the scheduled class objectives for each day. You are expected to be active participants in class, and to attend quizzes and examinations. Assignments are provided for your benefit and you are expected to work on them for your own benefit in order to grasp concepts for the course.
Special needs: Any scheduled absence during a quiz or examination, or any other special needs, must be brought to my attention during the first week of class. Unscheduled absences will be handled on a case-by-case basis, with exceptions generally made only for documented emergencies.
Calculators: Calculators are unnecessary for any in-class work, and may not be used on quizzes or examinations. Calculators will also be unnecessary for most homework problems, but may be used at your discretion. For any calculation more complicated than simple arithmetic, you are expected to show your work.
Honesty: There are many resources available to help you succeed in this class, including consultation during office hours, secondary textbooks, and cooperation with other students. It is important, however, that all papers handed in be the result of your individual comprehension of the course material. Duplication of others' work is both a disservice to your own education and a serious violation of the university's academic honesty policy.
Grades: Homework is ungraded and is provided for study purposes. Quizzes will be based on the homework problems, and will account for one-sixth of your grade. The three midterm examinations will each be worth one-sixth, and the final examination is worth one-third. A 90% overall guarantees a grade of A–, 80% guarantees a B–, and 70% guarantees a C–.
Changes: The syllabus is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and updated online.

Course schedule

This schedule is tentative and may not reflect our progress at any particular time in the class; treat this as a rough guide only.

Week Tuesday Thursday
1
January 5
January 7
Sections 1.1–1.6
2
January 12
Sections 1.6–2.1
Add/drop day
January 14
Sections 2.2–2.3
Quiz #1
3
January 19
Sections 2.4–2.5
January 21
Sections 2.7–2.8
Quiz #2
4
January 26
Sections 3.1–3.2
January 28
Sections 3.3–3.4
Quiz #3
5
February 2
Sections 3.5–3.6
February 4
Exam #1
6
February 9
Sections 4.1–4.3
February 11
Sections 4.4–4.5
7
February 16
Sections 5.1–5.2
February 18
Sections 5.3–5.4
Quiz #4
8
February 23
Sections 5.4–5.5
Withdrawl day
February 25
Sections 6.1–6.2
Quiz #5
9
March 2
Section 6.3
March 4
Sections 6.4–6.5
Quiz #6
10
March 9
Review/Catchup
March 11
Exam #2
11
March 15–March 19
Spring break
12
March 23
Sections 7.1–7.2
March 25
Bullitt lecture
13
March 30
Sections 7.2–7.3
April 1
Section 7.4
Quiz #7
14
April 6
Section 7.5
April 8
Section 11.1–11.2
Quiz #8
15
April 13
Section 11.3
April 15
Exam #3
16
April 20
Review/Catchup
April 22
Reading day
17
Thursday, April 29
Final exam, 17:30–20:00

Schedule of assignments

Boldface problems are particularly advanced and will test problem-solving skills beyond the core of the course material.


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