SYLLABUS

I. MATH 121-122 MATHEMATICAL REASONING AND PROBLEM SOLVING I, II 3,3 cr.hrs.

II. Fall 2001; Spring 2002 INSTRUCTOR: Joyce Mears

OFFICE LOCATION: 206 Farr-

e-mail: jmears@inetlmu.lmunet.edu Chinnock, Ext. 6238

Office Hours: Office hours are posted on the door of my office, together with my complete schedule.

III. COURSE PREREQUISITES: MATH 100 or 2 years of high school algebra, ACT score 18 or higher.

IV. COURSE DESCRIPTION/COURSE GOALS: This course invites students to explore the thinking processes used in mathematical reasoning through a variety of applications. Emphasis is on the following areas which are stressed in NCTM's Standards: functions, rate of change, systems of equations, logic and problem solving, geometry and measurement, patterns and relationships, spatial sense/visual thinking, and statistics.

V. Course goals include:

1) Understanding of the extensions of basic ideas and principles of mathematics to include functions, set theory, statistics, and logic.

2) Ability to identify and use problem solving strategies related to the student's everyday experience.

3) Knowledge of graphs and graphing, geometry.

VI. TEXT: Kime and Clark, Explorations in College Algebra, 2^nd edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2001.

VII. Course Objectives: The student will:

1) Practice methods of problem solving as outlined in the text.

2) Demonstrate basic knowledge of statistics.

3) Be provided with opportunities for understanding and developing mathematical concepts and for communicating these ideas to others.

4) Review geometry concepts from an elementary viewpoint.

VIII. OUTLINE OF COURSE CONTENT/UNITS OF INSTRUCTION:

MATH 121 Chapters 1-4 in text.

MATH 122 Chapters 5-8 in text.

IX. REQUIRED READINGS

TEXT

X. SUGGESTED READINGS/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Geometry Forum, internet site

XI. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION AND LEARNING

Small group and individual problem solving, lecture, and discussion. Students need to have access to computers, graphing calculators, and the internet.

XII. COURSE REQUIREMENTS/MEHTODS OF ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION

EVALUATION OF STUDENTS:

Students are expected to attend regularly and participate actively in class discussions, board work, and computer work. Homework will be assigned regularly.

Grades will be based on the following scale (Minus or plus grades will be assigned in borderline cases.):

90-100 A

80-89 B

70-79 C

60-69 D

below 60 F

Grades will be calculated in the following manner:

Midterm 30%

Final 30%

Journal 30%

Attendance 10%

XIII. CLINICAL/LABORATORY/FIELD EXPERIENCES

Class will meet in the computer lab one day per week.

XVI. DATE OF REVISION: August 2001