CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO

Learning Skills 7A

Course Information

Fall 2006

 

Instructor:  Daniel C. Orey, Ph.D.                        Office:             Eureka 214

Phone: 278-5531                                                     Office Hours:  TR 3-4pm or by appointment (Eureka 214)

Email:  orey@csus.edu

 

 

Tentative TR Schedule

Homework Assignments Fall 2006

ENTRY LEVEL MATHEMATICS REQUIREMENT (ELM)

Mathematics Lab in Lassen 2110

Mathematical Humor

 

Winner To Get Free Tuition; Winning Ad To Air On Jon Stewart

Textbooks:  PreAlgebra: A Worktext, Third Edition, D. Franklin Wright, Hawkes Publishing, 2002.

                    Basic Geometry for College Students, Tussy/Gustafson, Thomson Publishing, 2003.

                    Supplementary Activities for Prealgebra and Geometry, Leslie McCurry, 2006.

 

Calculator:  A scientific calculator (recommended: Texas Instrument TI-30Xa or TI-36X) is required after Section 5.4 in the textbook.  Graphing calculators are not permitted.

 

Attendance:  Regular attendance and effort in this course is the best guarantee of your success.  For that reason, attendance is mandatory and there are consequences for non-attendance.

            ·  Attendance is required and taken in all classes.

                        ·  Missing more than 20 minutes of class is considered an absence.

                        ·  Missing up to 20 minutes of class is considered a partial absence.

                        ·  Three partial absences are equivalent to one absence.

            ·  If you have three or more absences within the first four weeks of the semester, you may be disenrolled from the University.

            ·  After 3 absences, you should discuss the situation with your instructor.

            ·  After 4 absences, you may be given a no credit (NC) grade.  In order to avoid receiving a NC grade, you must ask your instructor for information about submitting a written petition.  You must submit your petition to the LS 7A/B coordinator, Leslie McCurry.  If you do not submit a petition within one week of your fourth absence, you may receive a NC grade.

            ·  If your written petition is approved and you have further absences, you must see your instructor regarding your status in the class.

            ·  Students who entered the University after Fall 1998 must fulfill the entry level mathematics requirement within two semesters.  Failure to do so may result in dismissal from the University.

 

Electronic Device Policy:  All electronic devices must be turned off while class is in session.  This includes cell phones, i-Pods, PDAs, etc.  You may use a scientific calculator only when directed to by your instructor.

 

Disability Accommodations:  If you have a documented disability and are registered with Services to Students with Disabilities, please see your LS 7A instructor regarding any required accommodations.

 

Classwork:  Classwork will be assigned daily.  You may not make up missed classwork. 

 

Homework:  Homework will be assigned daily.  Homework assignments will be collected at the beginning of the following class.  Late homework will be accepted for half credit.  Late homework must be turned in within one week of the date it was assigned. 

 

Quizzes:  Quizzes will be given frequently and cannot be made up. 

 

Exams:  There will be four exams given during the semester.  Exams may not be retaken to improve the score.  If you miss an exam, a make up exam will be given on the last day of instruction.  Students may take at most one make up exam.

 

The exams cover the following material:

Exam 1:   Chapter 1, Chapter 2 and Sections 3.1 – 3.3   (no calculators permitted)

Exam 2:   Sections 3.4 – 3.7, Chapter 4 and Sections 5.1 – 5.4   (no calculators permitted)

Exam 3:   Part of Exam 3 will be without a calculator and part will be with a calculator.

                Without a calculator:   Sections 5.7, 6.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.6, 8.1 and 8.6

                With a scientific calculator:   Sections 5.5, 5.6, 6.2, 6.4 and 6.5

Exam 4:   Geometry 1 – 7, Geometry Lab 1 and Geometry Lab 2   (scientific calculator permitted)

 

Final Exam:  The final exam is comprehensive.  In order to be eligible to take the final exam you must have taken all four exams.  The final exam will be given at the time and date published in the schedule of classes.  You may not make up or retake the final exam.  Part of the final exam will be without a calculator and part will be with a scientific calculator.  The final exam review will serve as a guide as to which topics will be on the non-calculator portion and which topics will be on the calculator portion.

 

Academic Dishonesty Policy:  Although you are encouraged to share information and ideas for most of the course, you may not share information on exams or quizzes.  Cheating on exams or quizzes is a serious offense and may result in expulsion, suspension or probation from the University.  Furthermore, cheating on exams or quizzes will result in a NC grade in this course.

 

Course Grade:  This course is graded as credit (CR) or no credit (NC).  It may also be possible to receive a report in progress (RP) grade.  If you receive an RP grade, you will be required to pay for and attend a three-week post session.

 

Assessment will be based on the following point scale:

               4 Exams (100 points each)                                          400 points (55%)

               Comprehensive Final Exam                                         200 points (27%)

               Homework                                                                   40 points (6%)  (by percent)

               Classwork                                                                    40 points (6%)  (by percent)

               Quizzes                                                                        40 points (6%)  (by percent)

               Total                                                                          720 points

 

To earn a CR grade, students must complete the course with a 70% average (504 points out of

720 points) AND pass the final exam with a score of at least 70% (140 points out of 200 points).

 

Retaking the Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) Test:  If you retake and pass the ELM test during the semester you are enrolled in LS 7A and wish to receive a CR grade in LS 7A, you may complete the course and earn a CR grade by the above course grade criteria. 

 

If you choose to not complete LS 7A after you have passed the ELM test, but would like to receive a CR grade in LS 7A, you must:

·  Be attending your LS 7A class regularly (i.e. have no more than 4 absences) AND

·  Talk to your LS 7A instructor regarding passing the ELM test AND

·  Take and pass the EGAD (Elementary Geometry Algebra Diagnostic) test with a score of at least 22.

Failure to meet all three of these conditions will result in a NC grade in LS 7A.

 

If you retake the ELM test and place into LS 10 (ELM score of 36 – 48), and wish to receive a CR grade in LS 7A, you must complete the course and earn a CR grade by the above course grade criteria.  You will be required to enroll in LS 10 the following semester.

 

Additional Help:  Additional help is available during your instructor’s office hours.  The Learning Skills Math Labs in LSN 2110 and LSN 2107 provide drop-in tutorial assistance to Learning Skills math students.  The Math Lab in BRH 118 also provides drop-in tutorial assistance.  The schedules for these labs are posted outside the indicated rooms.