Programme: Introduction to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (INSTEM) 04SMET

Course Outline
COURSE NAME: INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICS A

COURSE CODE: IMA411S

COMPILED BY: Mr I.D.O NDADI

 Faculty of Health Natural Resources and Applied Sciences

Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science

COURSE OUTLINE: INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICS A

STATEMENT ABOUT ACADEMIC HONESTY AND INTEGRITY

All staff and students of the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), upon signing their employment
contracts and registration forms, commit themselves to abide by the policies and rules of the institution. The core
activity of NUST is learning and in this respect academic honesty and integrity is very important to ensure that learning
is valid, reliable and credible.

NUST therefore does not condone any form of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism and cheating on tests and
assessments, amongst other such practices. NUST requires students to always do their own assignments and to produce
their own academic work, unless given a group assignment.

Academic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

• Using the ideas, words, works or inventions of someone else as if it is your own work.
• Using the direct words of someone else without quotation marks, even if it is referenced.
• Copying from writings (books, articles, webpages, other students’ assignments, etc.), published or
unpublished, without referencing.
• Syndication of a piece of work, all or part of an assignment, by a group of students, unless the assignment was
a legitimate group assignment.
• The borrowing and use of another person’s assignment, with or without their knowledge or permission.
• Infringing copyright, including documents copied or cut and pasted from the internet.
• Asking someone else to prepare an assignment for you or to write or sit an assessment for you, whether this
is against payment or not.
• Re-submitting work done already for another course or programme as new work, so-called self-plagiarism.
• Bringing notes into an examination or test venue, regardless of whether the notes were used to copy or not.
• Receiving any outside assistance in any form or shape during an examination or test.

All forms of academic dishonesty are viewed as misconduct under NUST Student Rules and Regulations. Students who
make themselves guilty of academic dishonesty will be brought before a Disciplinary Committee and may be suspended
from studying for a certain time or may be expelled. All students who are found guilty of academic dishonesty shall
have an appropriate endorsement on their academic record, which will never be erased.

COURSE INFORMATION

COURSE CODE AND TITLE: IMA411S INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICS A

DEPARTMENT: Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science

PROGRAMME: Introduction to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (INSTEM) 04SMET

CONTACT HOURS: 5 hours per week

NQF LEVEL AND CREDIT: NQF Level 4 and credits 14

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course aims to:
• bridge the deficiencies in the mathematical background of the students and re-establish the required
mathematical knowledge of students.
• serve as an initial requirement for students to cope with higher levels of mathematics.
PRE-REQUISITES: None
OPTIONS (compulsory or elective): Compulsory
SEMESTER OFFERED: 1

COURSE DELIVERY METHODS:

Full-time lectures (including applications and tutorials); in-class discussions; topics for self-study; take-home
assignments.
The following communication tools will be used in this course:
notice board, unscheduled meetings, email, Moodle.
Course Format:
Contact: 80 hours
Assessment: 18 hours
Directed Self-Learning and Self-Directed Learning: 42 hours
Notional hours: 140 hours

EFFECTIVE DATE: 06 February 2023

LECTURER INFORMATION:

Lecturer’s Mrs A Sakaria Mrs L Khoa

Mr IDO Ndadi Mr T Kaenandunge Mr E Mwahi
name:

Email: indadi@nust.na tkaenandunge@nust.na asakaria@nust.na lkhoa@nust.na emwahi@nust.na

Office 061 207 2785 061207 2401 061207 2788

061207 2309 061207 2781
phone:
FHAS building FHAS building 2nd FHAS building FHAS building FHAS building
Office 2nd floor, office floor, office 2.214 Ground floor, Ground floor, 2nd floor, office
location: 2.168 office G50 office G49 2.167

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Only student emails (student webmail) should be used when emailing your lecturers.
2. Consultation hours: All lecturers are available for consultation with students. Lecturers to communicate to
their students
.

STUDENT READINESS:
Technology & Equipment Readiness:
Non-programmable scientific calculator; graph paper; writing materials
Student Commitments And Contact Times:
Daytime attendance, according to timetable (5 hours per week); tutorials as scheduled.
Prescribed Reading:
Sadler, A.J.& Thorning, D.W.S.(1987): Understanding Pure Mathematics. Oxford University Press.
ISBN 9780199142439.
D’Emiljo, Karen (2012): y=mx + c to success. Mathematics Namibia Higher Level (part 2) Grade 12.
ISBN 9789994573035.
Recommended Reading:
Stroud, K.A.(2007): Engineering Mathematics 6th Edition: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 0333947908.
Emanuel, Rosemary: Pure Mathematics 1. Pearson Education Limited 2001. ISBN 0582405505
Any suitable mathematics textbook in the library.
Internet resources.
Lecture notes.
Mathematics tutoring centre http://mathstutoring.nust.na/
STUDENT LEARNING:
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course of study, you should be able to:
1. demonstrate logical thinking and analyses problems.
2. select techniques and suitable strategies for problem solving, in a concise and logical way.
 3. use mathematical knowledge and skills in a way which encourages confidence and provides
satisfaction and enjoyment.

COURSE SCHEDULE:

Topic
Week 1 1. Revision on Complex calculations
1.1 Use an electronic calculator effectively
1.2 Use standard (exponential) forms of numbers
2. Rate and Proportion
2.1 2.1 Calculation of percentages and percentage change
2.2 Use direct and inverse proportionality to find unknown quantities
Week 1-2 3. Algebraic Manipulation
3.1 Apply addition and subtraction on polynomials
3.2 Exponents (indices):
3.2.1 use basic laws for singular applications
3.2.2 simplify expressions by applying combinations of the laws
3.2.3 solution of simple equations
Week 3 3.3 Surds
3.3.1 simplification of root forms
3.3.2 simplification of surd expressions
3.4 Multiplication
3.4.1 multiplication of binomials and polynomials
3.4.2 expansion of products of algebraic expressions
Week 3-4 3.5 Factorisation:
3.5.1 use of brackets and extraction of common factor
3.5.2 apply factorisation to expressions using grouping, difference between two squares
3.5.3 apply factorisation to quadratic trinomials
write quadratic expressions in the form a ( x + p ) + q and use to determine the
2
3.5.4
maximum or minimum value of the expression
Week 4 3.6 Division of a polynomial by a binomial expression
3.6.1 identification of the quotient and remainder
3.6.2 application of the remainder theorem
3.6.3 application of the factor theorem
TEST 1
Week 5-6 3.7 Logarithms:
3.7.1 define logarithms to understand the relationship between indices and logarithms
3.7.2 use laws and singular applications to simplify logarithmic expressions
3.7.3 solve simple equations with and without logarithmic tables
3.7.4 sketch the exponential curve y = ax and logarithmic curve y = log a x
3.7.5 use logarithms to transform curves into straight lines
Week 6-7 3.8 Manipulation of technical formulae:
3.8.1 apply manipulation techniques
3.8.2 manipulate complex formulae involving roots, powers, fractions and factorisation
Week 8 3.9 Manipulation of algebraic fractions
TEST 2
Week 9 4. Algebraic functions
4.1 Solve linear equations:
4.1.1 simple equations and equations containing fractions
4.1.2 equations of the form ax + b = cx + d , ( a, b, c, d integers)

4.2 Solve quadratic equations: :

4.2.1 simple equations and equations containing fractions
4.2.2 equations containing square roots
Week 10 4.3 Solve cubic equations
 4.4 Solve simultaneous equations in two unknowns
4.4.1 two linear equations
4.4.2 one linear equation, one quadratic equation
Week 11 4.5 Solve advanced exponential and logarithmic equations
Week 12 4.6 Solve inequalities in one unknown:
4.6.1 linear inequalities
4.6.2 quadratic inequalities
4.6.3 simple logarithmic inequalities
4.6.4 inequalities of the form ax + b  cx + d and ax + b  cx + d , ( a, b, c, d
integers)
TEST 3
Week 13 4.7 Present the following functions graphically (accurate and sketch):
4.7.1 the straight line y = mx + c

the parabola y = ax + bx + c
2
4.7.2
4.7.2.1 Use the discriminant to determine the nature of the roots
4.7.2.2 Determine the equation of the graph from given information
4.7.3 the hyperbola xy = k ( k  0 )
Week 14
4.7.4 the circle x2 + y 2 = r 2
x2 y 2
4.7.5 the ellipse 2 + 2 = 1
a b
4.7.6 the exponential curve y = ax and logarithmic curve y = log a x
4.7.7 functions y = ax , y = ax + b , y = x + c , ( a, b, c, d integers)
4.7.8 solutions of simultaneous equations of the above
Week 15 5. Sequences
5.1 Distinguish between arithmetic and geometric sequences
5.2 Arithmetic progressions:
5.2.1 solution of problems by using formula for the nth term
5.2.2 solution of problems by using formula for the sum of the first n terms
Week 16 5.3 Geometric progressions: :
5.3.1 solution of problems by using formula for the nth term
5.3.2 solution of problems by using formula for the sum of the first n terms
5.3.3 use the formula for the sum to infinity
5.3.4 use Sigma notation
TEST 4

KNOWLEDGE AREAS:

Classification of Basic Complimentary Computing & Engineering Engineering Mathematical

Knowledge Areas Sciences Studies Information Design & Sciences Sciences
(Weighted by Technologies Synthesis
Percentage) 100%

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES (GAs):

1 2 3 4 5
Problem Application of scientific Engineering design Investigations, Engineering methods,
solving and engineering experiments & data skills and tools, including
knowledge analysis information technology
XX X XX
6 7 8 9 10
Professional & Sustainability & impact Individual, team & Independent Engineering
technical of engineering activity multidisciplinary learning ability professionalism
communication working
 XX XX
11
Engineering
management

Legend: X – Minor; XX – Significant; XXX – GAs examined at exit level.

IMPORTANT DATES:
NOTE: The following dates are subject to change based on the needs of the students at the lecturer’s prerogative.
Students will be notified ahead of time of any changes.

Date Important Information

17 March 2023 Test 1
21 April 2023 Test 2
19 May 2023 Test 3
07 June 2023 Test 4
13 June 2023 Second opportunity test

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:

Method of assessment: Diversified continuous assessment.

Assessments will be done in the form of compulsory tests (class examinations) and compulsory application-oriented
assignments/tutorials. Four (4) tests, one assignment and tutorial(s) will be conducted to give a total of six (6)
assessments.
Each test will cover all the topics of the previous tests.

The weighting of tests and assignments will be as follows:

The average of the tests contributes 80% to the final mark and the average of the assignment and tutorial(s)
contributes 20% of final mark.
A student will have to obtain a minimum overall average of 50% to pass the course, on condition that all six
assessments were written.
If after all the assessment components have been done and a student fails to obtain an average of 50% as final mark,
the student will have to sit for the end of semester supplementary test (class examination). The mark obtained in such
a tests will replace the lowest of the class tests marks previously obtained. There will be no supplementary for the
assignment/tutorial.

The supplementary tests will cover the whole course syllabus.

Assessment Weight

Test 1 20%

Test 2 20%

Test 3 20%

Test 4 20%

Assignment 10%

Tutorial 10%

Total: 100%
Minimum pass requirement for this course: 50% and the condition that all six assessments were written.

COURSE POLICIES
General Academic Policies:
It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with and adhere to NUST Policies. These Policies can be found
in the NUST Yearbooks or online at www.nust.na.
 Cell Phones:
It is expected that cell phones are switched off during lecture sessions. Students are not allowed to send or
receive any text message/SMS during a lecture session.
NO cell phones will be allowed during a written test, assignment or exam.
DATE REVISED: February 2023

FAILURE TO PAY FEES:

A student who fails to pay his/her fees may not be allowed to write the examination and if allowed, the results will be
withheld until all outstanding fees are paid in full.

IMPORTANT STUDENT SERVICES AT NUST

There are a variety of services which you can use at the NUST. These services are to your advantage – Use them!!! They
include the following:

• Student Counseling and Career Development – Department: Students Services

• Writing Centre and student academic problems –Teaching and Learning Unit (CTL)
• Campus Health and Wellness Centre (CHWC) - Student Services’/ NUST Clinic

AUTHORISATION:
This course is authorised for use by:

___________________________________ 03/02/2023
Head of Department Date

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY STUDENT

(To be completed by all students on the course, detached from the course outline and kept on record in the
department)

I, ………………………………………………………….., (Student number………………………………..), hereby acknowledge that I have

received this course outline for Introduction to Mathematics A IMA411S and that I have familiarised myself with its
content, in particular the statement about academic honesty and integrity. I agree to abide by the Policies and
arrangements spelt out in this course outline.

______________________ _______________________
Signature of Student Date