MAT 149 Precalculus

 

 

Instructor Name:    Carol Murphy

Office:                      Room 2604, Des Plaines Campus
                                 Room B 200, Ray Hartstein Campus

Phone:                      847-635-1961

Email:                      murphy@oakton.edu

Course:                    MAT 149 Precalculus                  5 credit hours   5 lecture hours    0 lab hours

Prerequisite:            MAT 053 or geometric proficiency, MAT 120 or the equivalent with a grade of C or better, or appropriate score on the OCC Mathematics Assessment Test.

Course Description:

This course focuses on the study of functions including polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions. Additional topics include the conic sections, series, parametric equations and polar equations. Use of technology is integrated throughout.

System Requirements

            You will need a Pentium Multimedia PC operating with Windows 95 or above, an ISP using a 56K modem (minimum), and either Netscape Navigator 4.7 or above or Internet Explorer 4.0 or above (America Online browser is not supported). Internet Explorer is the preferred browser to use with course software. You will also need a minimum of 32 MB RAM. 

 

Instructional Materials

Precalculus plus MyMathLab, 3e, M. Lial,  J. Hornsby,  D. Schneider. Addison Wesley Longman, Inc., 2001            Special Online edition with MyMathLab registration card.

Graphing calculator (such as TI 83 Plus) is required.

Learning Objectives

A. Understand the concepts of relations and functions.

B. Understand the basic characteristics and graphs for the following functions: polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric and inverse trigonometric.

C. Apply algebraic techniques to trigonometric expressions, identities, and triangles.

D. Understand the basic characteristics and graphs of the conic sections.

E. Understand the concepts associated with vectors and their operations.

F. Apply the concepts of sequences and series.

G. Understand parametric equations.

H. Understand polar equations.

I. Use technology for graphing and evaluating functions.

1. Generate the complete graph for the elementary functions.

2. Solve equations involving elementary functions.

Academic Integrity

The very nature of higher education requires that students adhere to accepted standards of academic integrity. Therefore, Oakton Community College has adopted a Code of Academic Conduct and a Statement of Student Academic Integrity. These may be found in the Student handbook. You may also find a summary of the Code of Academic Conduct on the College Catalog. Among the violations of academic integrity listed and defined are: Cheating, plagiarism, falsification and fabrication of records and official documents, personal misrepresentation and proxy, and bribes, favors, and threats.

It is the student's responsibility to be aware of behaviors that constitute academic dishonesty.

Pursuant to the due process guarantees contained in the Policy and Procedures on Student Academic Integrity, the minimum punishment for the first offense for a student found in violation of the standards of academic integrity is failure in the assignment. In addition, a disciplinary record will be established and kept on file in the office of the Vice-President for Student Affairs for a period of 3 years.

Outline of Topics 

A. Functions and Their Graphs 

1. Operations on functions: combinations 

2. Graphing techniques

3. Translations and Rotations 

4. Inverse functions 

B. Polynomial Functions: Graphs and Zeros 

1. Quadratic functions

2. Polynomial functions of higher degree 

3. Remainder and Factor Theorems 

4. Complex zeros of polynomial functions

5. Fundamental Theorem of Algebra 

6. Applications 

C. Rational Functions and Conic Sections 

1. Rational functions and their graphs 

2. Conic sections 

a) Center at origin 

b) Translations 

D. Exponential and Logarithmic Functions 

1. Exponential functions and their graphs

2. Logarithmic functions and their graphs 

3. Properties of logarithms 

4. Solving exponential and logarithmic equations 

5. Applications 

E. Find the Intersection of Two Polynomial Functions (Substitution Method) 

F. Sequences and Series 

1. Fundamentals of sequences and series 

2. Arithmetic sequences 

3. Geometric sequences 

4. Applications

G. Trigonometric Functions 

1. Measurement of angles 

2. Circular functions 

3. Graphs of sines and cosines 

4. Graphs of the other trigonometric functions 

5. Inverse trigonometric functions and their graphs 

6. Trigonometric identities 

a) Pythagorean identities 

b) Sum and difference formulas 

c) Multiple and half angle formulas 

d) Sum-to-product; product-to-sum 

7. Solving trigonometric equations 

8. Applications 

a) Complex numbers and their trigonometric form 

b) Solving right triangles 

c) Law of Sines, Law of Cosines 

d) Roots and powers of complex numbers 

e) Polar coordinates 

f) Parametric equations 

H. Vectors 

1. Geometric and algebraic representation of vectors 

2. Basic operations with vectors 

I. Technology 

1. Generate the complete graph of each trigonometric and inverse trigonometric function including setting aproper window, tracing and zooming. 

2. Graphically locate the x-intercepts, the relative extrema and determine asymptotic behaviors. 

3. Solve equations graphically, numerically and/or symbolically. 

Methods of Instruction

Course material will be delivered online. Interaction with instructor will be via e-mail, and, if student desires, face to face during office hours.

Course Practices

Students must contact instructor by e-mail, tracked exercises or quizzes once a week and take at least one on-campus exam by midterm or risk being dropped from the course.
 

Methods of Evaluation

Chapter online quizzes                        10% of grade
Online Homework                              10% of grade
Four on-campus exams      each 20% of grade

Grading
 

90-100

A

80-89

B

70-79

C

60-69

D

Below 60

F

Other Course Information:
 

If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability, you may be entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services. To request accommodations or services, contact the ASSIST office in Instructional Support Services. All students are expected to fulfill essential course requirements. The College will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course or degree program.