PROPOSED COURSE OUTLINE

Instructor: Arlan Rodrigo

e-mail: arlan_rodrigo@rocketmail.com

Course Number: Math 11

Course Title: COLLEGE ALGEBRA
Course Credit: 3
Course Requirements: 3 Long Exams = 2/3 of Final Grade
1 Final Exam = 1/3 of Final Grade
Attendance, Participation, Quizzes, Homework (Bonus points for Exams)
Passing Grade: 60%
Consultation Hours: By appointment (send me an e-mail)
Main Reference: Modern Algebra and Trigonometry Third Edition (Vance)

Course Objectives:
At the end of the course, the student is expected to know the basic concepts of College Algebra. In
particular, the student is expected to know the following:

• Basic concepts in Set Theory

• Simplifying and solving algebraic expressions and algebraic equations
• Problem-solving using algebraic equations
• The Geometry of Real Numbers, The Cartesian Plane, The Circle
• Relations and Functions and differentiate them from each other
• Topics in Linear and Quadratic Functions
• Topics in Polynomial Functions
• The concept of inverse functions including its relationship with the original function
• Exponential and Logarithmic Functions including compound interest
• Matrices and Determinants including solving systems of linear equations using Cramer’s Rule

Exams:
There will be 3 written Long Exams with a cumulative weight of 2/3 of the Final Grade. Aside from
this, a Final Exam will be given at the end of the semester and this will make up 1/3 of the Final Grade. The
passing grade at the end of the semester is 60%. Standard college rules will be used in determining the Final
Grade to be marked in the grading sheet.

Exemption from the Final Exam:

If the student has obtained an average of 80% or higher for the 3 Long Exams, he/she can opt not to
take the Final Exam. If he/she does so, then the Final Grade will be the average for the 3 Long Exams.

Attendance, Participation, Quizzes, Homework:

Extra Bonus points or percentage points will be given to students who have a good attendance. Points
Earned from quizzes and homework also have their corresponding merit in the Examinations. Please refer to
the table at the end for more information.
Class Policy:
1. If a student is late for more than 15 minutes for a particular class period, then he will be marked
absent for that period.
2. There will be no make-up for missed quizzes and unsubmitted homework or homework submitted
past the deadline.
3. If a student misses a Long Exam for a valid reason (requires documentation), then he/she must take
the Final Exam and the grade for the missed Long Exam will be the grade of the Final Exam. If a
student misses a second Long Exam, then it is automatically ZERO regardless of the reason. A
student who misses an exam for an invalid reason will have a grade of ZERO for that exam.
4. Cheating, in any form, including copying homework will not be tolerated.

COURSE OUTLINE

Meeting No. Topic Reference/s Quiz Homework

1 Self-Introduction by the teacher and the students, Wikipedia / other external Reading
discussion of class policies, Overview of the subject / sources assignment
History of algebra
2 Sets and basic notation, subsets and counting, Vance ( pages 2 – 15 ) YES
operations on sets
3 Algebra of Counting Numbers ( Axioms ), Integers Vance ( pages 17 – 24 ) YES
and Factorizations
4 Integers and Factorizations, Multiplicative Inverses Vance ( pages 24 – 33 ) YES
and Division, Rational and Irrational Real Numbers
5 Algebraic Expressions ( Addition, Subtraction, Vance ( pages 36 – 44 ) YES
Multiplication, Division )
6 Synthetic Division, Special Products ( Factors and Vance ( pages 45 – 53 ) YES
Factoring ), Simplification of Fractions
7 Operations on Fractions ( Addition, Subtraction, Vance ( pages 54 – 58 ) YES
Multiplication, Division )
8 Exponents ( Integral and Rational ), Introduction to Vance ( pages 58 – 64 ) YES
Radicals
9 Multiplication and Division of Radicals, ( short Vance ( pages 65 – 69 ) YES YES
review plus QUIZ )
10 The Geometry of Real Numbers, the Cartesian Plane, Vance ( pages 71 – 86 ) YES
the Distance Formula and the Slope Formula
11 The Circle, ( review plus QUIZ ) Vance ( pages 86 – 93 ) YES
12 EXAM 1
13 Functions and Relations, Graphical Representation Vance ( pages 95 – 106 )
of Functions and Relations
14 Linear Functions ( plus problem solving ) Vance ( pages 172 – 175 ) YES
15 Arithmetic Progressions, Introduction to the Vance ( pages 176 – 184 ) YES
Quadratic Function
16 The Quadratic Formula, Inequalities Vance ( pages 185 – 192 ) YES
17 Relations between zeros and coefficients of the Vance ( pages 193 – 198 ) YES
Quadratic Function, Equations in Quadratic Form
18 Equations Involving Radicals, Variation Vance ( pages 199 – 203 ) YES
19 Solution of Two Linear Equations, Solution of Three Vance ( pages 204 – 215 ) YES
Linear Equations, Solution of One Linear and One
Quadratic Equation
20 Polynomials, Synthetic Division, Fundamental Vance ( pages 248 – 252 ) YES
Theorem of Algebra
21 Graphing of Polynomial Functions, General Remarks Vance ( pages 253 – 258 ) YES
on Zeros and Roots, Rational Roots
Meeting No. Topic Reference/s Quiz Homework

22 Irrational and Imaginary Roots, ( plus review on Vance ( pages 259 – 264 ) YES
polynomials )
23 EXAM 2
24 Matrices, Basic Properties, Products of Matrices Vance ( pages 217 – 228 ) YES
25 Multiplicative Inverses of Matrices, Determinants of Vance ( pages 229 – 237 ) YES
Order Two, Solution of Systems of Equations by
Matrices
26 Determinants and Systems of Equations of Order Vance ( pages 237 – 244 ) YES
Three
27 Inverse Functions, Graphing certain relations Vance ( pages 266 – 271 ) YES
28 The exponential function, geometric progressions Vance ( pages 307 – 311 ) YES
29 Geometric Progressions with infinitely many terms, Vance ( pages 312 – 318 ) YES
The Logarithmic Function
30 Common Logarithms, Computation by use of Log - Vance ( pages 318 - 324 ) YES
arithms, Compound Interest and its Generalization
31 Compound Interest and its Generalization, Vance ( pages 324 – 328 ) YES
Applications of the Exponential Functions
32 EXAM 3
33 Review For Final Exam ( Sample Exam to be given )
34 Review for Final Exam
35 FINAL EXAM

BONUS POINTS !!!

CRITERIA

Attendance Per 5 classes attended : + 1% in Long Exam

Complete Attendance : + 1% in Final Exam

Quizzes Per 10 points earned : + 1% in Long Exam

90% and up for total : + 3% in Final Exam

Homework Per 15 points earned : + 1% in Long Exam

95% and up for total : + 1% in Final Exam