Sample Quizzes

Instructor: N.V. Alexander (aka drn)
Office: 2041, Bldg. 2000 Phone: 510-723-6890
Email: nalexander@igc.org Web site: http://www.nvaphysics.com.  Click here for office hours. 

The textbook  is by Blitzer, titled Intermediate Algebra for Chabot + Study Aids at Chabot Bookstore.(Click here for Tentative Course Outline.)
Lectures will generally follow the text. Try to  scope the assigned material before you come to class. Please ask questions in class or during my office hours. I will be honest from the get. This course can get hectic. I strongly recommend you partner up in study groups and explore the wealth of resources I have tried to provide and point you to.  Read on ! 
Homework will be assigned but not collected. When it is set up, go to the Discussion  Board   to get hints on how to do the problems or for other questions; Conversate with your classmate and me !   For every even problem I do in class, you do the two adjacent odd numbered problems at home. I will try to relate each even problem I do to the examples worked out in the body of the section of the book. The problems are crucial to learning the material so you can elevate to the level !  Note: If you take the online course, you will be required to post to the discussion board. 

I will give weekly quizzes that will be collected and graded. These quizzes will be given online. You can  get to them by clicking the links to the left under "Sample Quizzes." These quizzes could account for 28% of your total grade. The quiz problems will be based on the odd problems that you do at home.

There will be 4 or 5 midterm exams that will be based on the material covered in the quizzes, and therefore on the odd problems that you do for homework.  Do your homework every night! These tests will  be on Scantron.  You shouldn't politic during the exams. Please  work independently; be original.  Shine on your own work. No make up exams or quizzes are allowed. Any disputes on grading must be resolved one or two days from the day that I return the test or quiz.

I am not responsible for errors due to erasures on the tests. Try to circle the answers on the problem sheet before you pencil (USE #2) in your choices on the Scantron.  For problems that are not Scantron, I will supply the white paper for your work. Do not use your own scratch paper for the quizzes/exams. When finished, hand in the Scantron and the written work in two different stacks.

You must remain silent when I am lecturing to the class otherwise you will disturb others and could be politely asked to leave the room. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

Attendance is critical to learning. If you miss class on a regular basis you could fall hopelessly behind. Use my website at http://www.nvaphysics.com to keep up to date on the homework problems you have missed. You could be dropped if you miss class 6 times. Vacations and job related absences would not be excused. You must work your personal and occupational schedule around the class meeting times.

All students should obtain an email address if they do not already have one. You can get one by going to any computer (check libraries or Kinko's), visiting http://www.hotmail.com and signing up. My own website has a link to the hotmail site. Once you have your email address, sign up to the Math 55 email list so you can receive messages from me related to the class i. e. reminders or changes of dates for exams or tutorial material related to points made in class.

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q10

Q12

Q13

Grades in the course will be based on a total score consisting approximately of the following contributions.

Quizzes: about 33%

Midterm Exams: about 67%

Letter Grades

90-100%=A

80-89%=B

70-79%=C

60-69%=D

TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE

Chapter

Topic

1(no 1.3,  1.7)

Algebra Review

2

Linear  Functions

4(no 4.5)

Inequalities

5

Polynomials

6(no 6.4, 6.5)

Rational Expressions

7

Exponents and Radicals

8

Quadratic Equations

Test 1|Test 2|Test 3|Test4|Test5