Instructor: Orlando Merino, Tyler 220, 874-4442, merino@math.uri.edu
Text: Bittenger et. al. Precalculus,Graphs and Models (Second Edition)
Calculator: A graphing calculator is required
Exams and Grading: There will be two exams, a final exam, and quizzes and/or homework. Your course grade will be based on a 600 point system as follows:
| Exam 1 | 100 points |
| Exam 2 | 100 points |
| Final exam | 200 points |
| quiz+HW | 200 points |
| TOTAL POINTS | 600 points |
Students with disability (documented through Disability Services for Students, 330 Memorial Union) should see their instructor as soon as possible to work out reasonable accommodations.
GOALS OF THIS COURSE: The primary goal of MTH 111 is to prepare you for further courses in mathematics, especially calculus.The calculus sequence is often an essential step toward degree and career objectives, so MTH 111 is also such a step. Thus MTH 111 is aimed at the student for whom it will be the first of an important series of courses rather than a last math course. This course is NOT a good choice simply to fulfill a general education requirement. It demands a very substantial amount of hard work for 3 credits.
EXPECTATIONS: We expect that you will give this course 6-7 hours a week of your undivided attention, in addition to class time. This is an approximate figure of course, but don't assume that you can spend less time than this and still get a grade you'll like. We also expect that you will ATTEND YOUR CLASS.
ADVICE: The key to success in this course is the problem material. It is very important that you try all the assigned problems listed on the syllabus. The problems chosen for each textbook section indicate what we feel is important in that section and which ideas and skills you should focus on. THE EXAMS WILL REFLECT THIS PROBLEM SELECTION! Also, an important part of this course is strengthening your algebra skills and using them in new ways. Much of your success in precalculus depends on your grasp of basic algebra -- be prepared to review basic algebra and seek help as needed.
Practice Problems for Exams: Before each of the hour exams we will post, on this website, a set of practice problems for review. These problems will provide a good idea of the kinds of problems that will appear on the actual exam. Although answers will be posted shortly before the exam it is essential that you work the practice problems by yourself, before looking at the answers. Your instructor may require that you hand in your solutions.
Precalculus also has a body of mathematical facts that you will have to learn. Be prepared to memorize some formulas and theorems as you learn about their meaning and uses.
1. Calculators. You will need a graphing calculator for this course. If you already have one and are comfortable using it, you needn't buy another one. We recommend the TI-83, or TI-86 if you do not currently have a calculator. Calculators may not be permitted for some class quizzes and for parts of exams. Storage of unauthorized information in calculator memories during exams will be considered cheating.
2. Quicktime and Acrobat Reader. To make effective use of the course web-site from your personal computer you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. You probably have it already, but if not, it is available free of charge from www.adobe.com
To use the audio and video on-line material provided in the course syllabus, you will need to have the Quicktime plug-in on your machine. This can also be downloaded free of charge from www.apple.com
Note: Both Quicktime and Acrobat Reader are installed on all machines you will encounter in campus labs, so you can use the campus labs to access any material that requires them.
3. Audio and Video. There are a number of on-line videos which you can link to from the syllabus, but you will need a high-speed internet connection to view them--phone dial-up will not be satisfactory. Again, these should work well from any campus lab. You will need a personal headset to listen to the audio components if you will be using a computer in a campus lab.