MATH-0050
Instructor: Bill Knott

Welcome to
Fundamentals of Mathematics!

Instructor Information

Instructor:  Bill Knott

• E-Mail: knottb@macomb.edu
• Phone: 586.445.7177
• Office: South Campus, G-401-5
• Office Hours: 7am-8am, M-Th.
  
• Text: Basic Mathematical Skills with Geometry, 7th Edition by Hutchinson, Bergman & Baratto.
• Webpage: www.macomb.edu > For Current Students > Faculty Course Webpages > (Knott, Bill) Math 0050
• Semester: Fall 2007

Course Description

The core of this course is fundamental arithmetic and its use in solving practical problems. The course also includes some basic topics from measurement systems (English and metric), unit conversion, geometry, statistics and algebra. Although the course is primarily for students who need work on basic arithmetic, students usually have a wide range of mathematical backgrounds and abilities. To accommodate this diversity, instruction will be individualized and self-paced. Each of you can work on the material that you have difficulty with and at your own pace—as fast as possible or as slow as necessary—within the constraints of the length of the semester and the Course Schedule.

In a self-paced course, you are not forced to follow a lecture or textbook pace in the traditional lock-step fashion. Instead you customize the course according to your needs, background and ability; you skip material you already know and concentrate on material you don't. To accomplish this, you must use the diagnostic tests, called Pre-Tests, located at the start of each chapter, and Self-Tests, located at the end of each. The purpose of these tests is to help you identify what you already know and what you need to learn. Used correctly, they will tell you which sections of the textbook you can skip and which cover the material you need to learn. Always take the Pre-Test first as you start a chapter. Each pretest contains typical problems covered in the chapter. Work the problems you can, skip those you can't. Then grade yourself; the answers are in the back of the book. Next to each problem or group of problems is a section designation in brackets. The same section designation will also appear next to the answers. For example, in the Pre-Test Chapter 1 next to question 1 is the section designation [1.1]. This tells you section 1.1 explains how to do that type of problem. Keep a record of each problem you had difficulty with by listing its section number. Work all of these sections. When you have completed these sections, take the Self-Test at the end of the chapter as a double check. If you work all of the Pre-Test correctly, proceed immediately to the Self-Test. The Self-Test is similar to the Pre-Test but provides a more in-depth diagnosis. Again, work the problems, grade yourself using the answers in the back of the text, and list the sections you need to rework. Remember, the purpose of a diagnostic test is to help you determine where to concentrate your efforts. Work all section for problems that you have any difficulty with. If you work all of the problems on both the Pre-Test and Self-Test correctly, proceed to the next chapter. If you don't know any of the material, work the entire chapter. Again, the intent of this approach is to diagnose difficulties and determine where to concentrate your efforts.

Organizing your work will help you organize your thinking. It will also help you find and understand work you have previously done if you need to refer back to it in the future. Organize your work in a spiral bound or loose-leaf notebook. Start each chapter by taking the Pre-Test. Record your name, the name of the test, and the date at the top of the page. Do your work in a neat, organized fashion and record your answer. Grade your work and record the sections you need to work as described above. Then, work the listed sections in order. Work each “CHECK YOURSELF” problem in your notebook. List the section number, the problem number, and show your work. When you finish a CHECK YOURSELF problem, check your answer; the answers are at the end of the section. The purpose of the CHECK YOURSELF exercises is to immediately determine whether you understand what the text is trying to teach. If you do not understand the text's explanation, ask me. I will attempt to clarify, explain the problem in a different way, or find some other way of overcoming the difficulty. When you finish a section, judge how much practice you need on it to insure that you have mastered the material. If the material is review and your mistakes were simply careless errors, you may not need to do much practice. However, if the material is new, you may want to do a lot of practice to help the material sink in. If you need practice on a section, work the Exercises at its end. Again, record this work in your notebook for future reference. The answers to the odd-numbered problems are at the end of the exercises. If you work the even-numbered ones, ask me for the answers. When you have worked all of the sections indicated by the Pre-Test, work the Self-Test as a double-check. Again, record you work just as you did for the Pre-Test. If you take care of the difficulties identified by the Pre-Test, you should do well on the Self-Test. I will check your notebooks periodically, especially early in the term, to make sure you are using the diagnostic process and the text correctly.

Your text and your instructor are your primary resources for his course. But videotapes, computer assisted instruction, individual and group tutoring are all available, at the Learning Center, to help you as well. Use them!! In any case, if you have problems, let me know.

Although you will be working at your own pace, attendance is important and I will record it for each class. If you complete all requirements for the class early, you will be excused from further attendance.

If you are good at mental arithmetic, you will probably be able to do all computations required in this course by pencil and paper and you should strive for this level of mastery. But, calculators are inexpensive and powerful mathematical tools that offer another—often much less tedious—method of computing. Working a problem by more than one method often helps detect careless errors. Calculators are also indispensable if you are not good at mental arithmetic. In any case, a calculator is required for this course and will be allowed on all exams . If you have had difficulties with common fractions, get a model that has a fraction key. A fraction key usually looks like this:

Examinations

Regular Exams: As shown on the Class Schedule, an exam will be given on: Chapters 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-9, and 10-11—not on individual chapters. You may take an exam as soon as you are ready. Each time you must turn in your notebook so I can determine that you are using the Pre-Test correctly to diagnose difficulties, doing enough work to master those difficulties, and using the Self-Test as a final double-check. My exams will be graded from 0% to 100% according to the percentage correct. If you do not get 100% on an exam, you may take a retest over the same material. The better of the two grades will be used to calculate your final average. Exams will be given at the start of each class—you must start within the first fifteen (15) minutes—and you may take only one (1) exam per class period. If possible, I will grade your exam and review it with you before the end of the class period. Exams must be taken in order; once you take an exam for one part, you can't take an exam for a prior part.

Final Exam: After you complete the course, you will be given a comprehensive final examination. If you do not do well on your first attempt, again, you may take a retest so try to save the entire last week of class for final exams.

Grading

Final Grade: Each regular exam grades, the best from each part, is worth 15% of your final average. The Final Exam is worth 25%. Your final letter grade is determined by your final average:

An I or Incomplete grade is issued only for a limited amount of unfinished work, provided that the work was unfinished because of unavoidable circumstances. The W grade is issued if you officially withdraw during the first three-quarters (3/4) of the term. You may not officially withdraw during the last quarter (1/4) of the term and can only be given an A, B, C, D, E or I grade. To officially withdraw you must complete the required form and return it to the Enrollment Office, G-301 (FAX: 586-445-7140). For additional information on the MCC grading system and withdrawal policy see your College Catalog or Schedule of Classes. See your registration receipt for the last date of withdrawal from this class.

Classroom Conduct

Remember, mathematics requires concentration. Although this class will be informal, it is a place for learning and you are expected to conduct yourself accordingly. Discuss your math problems with fellow students and with me, but activities that are distracting, disruptive or discourteous to others will not be tolerated. Cell phones must be turned off or put in silent mode.

Timelines

A major difficulty with a self-paced course is the tendency to procrastinate. It is important to maintain a pace that will allow you to complete the course with a reasonable chance of success. The material gets more difficult toward the end. Do not try to crowd too much into the last few classes; that courts disaster. The purpose of the Course Schedule is to establish a reasonable minimum pace that will allow enough time to master topics without having the difficult ones pile up at the end of the term. The Class Schedule shows where you should be, at a minimum, by the end of each class. Of course, if you can go faster, do so. If you fall behind, spend more time to catch up.

Advanced Study Option

As a student in a self-paced MATH 0050 section, you have the opportunity to start, even complete, Beginning Algebra, MATH 0070, during this term. To attempt this you must first complete MATH 0050 with a grade of B or better and with a significant portion of the term remaining. If there is a late-starting MATH 0070 section that fits your schedule, you may register for it. If not, see me and I will attempt to find a MATH 0070 section that is self-paced or computer assisted instruction where the instructor will allow late entry. Grades and testing procedures for these classes will be those the instructor has in place for that section.

Conclusion

Learning mathematics is not a spectator sport. You must work to learn. Some people require more work than others. You must do as much work as you need. Self-Tests (from the text) are an excellent way to judge how much you need. But they only show where you need work, they are not a substitute for that work. Remember, work is the key! If you do the work, there is no reason you cannot earn a good grade in this class. Now, it's up to you. Good luck!

Additional Information

Provided below are links to the Course Schedule and the Errata. Each is provided in Adobe PDF format. (If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in installed on your computer, click here to go to Adobe's web site and download it for free.)

FUNDAMENTALS OF MATHEMATICS: COURSE SCHEDULE (pdf)

TEXT ERRATA (pdf)