Disclaimer: All information on the syllabus is subject to change if the instructor finds it necessary. Any change will be announced during a class session and posted on the website. Absent students are still responsible for any announced changes. It is the student’s responsibility to determine from their peers what they missed in class due to an absence.

Course Meetings:               T Th  1:00pm – 3:15pm,  Room FL1   208,  Folsom Lake College

Text: Beginning Algebra, 6th Edition, by Tobey & Slater

Instructor: Kevin Pipkin

Phone: (916) – 608 - 6674

Office: FL1 – 144

E-mail: pipkink@flc.losrios.edu

Webpage: http://flc.losrios.edu/~pipkin

Office Hours:                      Mon.                    12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
                                            Tues, Thurs.          10:15 am – noon
                                            Fri.                        8:30 am – 9:30 am
                                            or by appointment              ‘just ask’

Pre-Requisite Enforcement:
In order to enroll in Math 100, you must have completed Math 30 (formerly Math 210) with a minimum grade of
“C”  (in the Los Rios district) or you must show proof of placement into Math 100 via the assessment process at
any school in the Los Rios district.  Proof of necessary prerequisite is required by Tuesday, August 29.  If you
have not provided proof of pre-requisite at that point, you will be dropped.  Please note that self-assessments
from ARC (or any other school) are not accepted.

 Classroom Expectations:
You should act like you are in an institution of higher learning.  You are expected to behave in a courteous manner both toward your classmates and me at all times.  Profanity is unacceptable.  If you must enter or leave the classroom at any time during class, please do so without disrupting the rest of the class.  I do not allow any electronic devices such as cellular phones, pagers, headsets, etc. in the classroom.  If you are behaving in a manner that inhibits me from teaching or anyone around you from learning, you will be asked to leave.

Course Objectives/Requirements:
This is a five-unit course that meets for 5 hours of lecture each week.  Credit for this course is degree applicable
but not transferable. The objective of this course is to present fundamental concepts and operations of algebra
with problem-solving and critical thinking skills incorporated throughout. 

Grading: Letter grades will be calculated based on the following percentages:

Scores will be weighted as follows:

Homework:          Homework will be assigned each lecture and collected at the beginning of the next class day. I assign many odd problems so that you may check your work in the back of the book but I will also assign even problems.  I will not be able to answer homework questions during class.  Homework will be accepted until 1:05 pm. After that time, no homework will be accepted.  See the “Homework Guidelines” handout for grading criteria.

Exams & Quizzes:            
Quizzes will be given frequently during the semester to check your progress.  Quizzes may be unannounced and
take place at various times during the class meeting and.  Quizzes may not be made up for any reason.

Exams will be given approximately every two chapters and will be announced in advance.  Calculators and notes will not be allowed on exams.  Exams may not be made up for any reason but the final exam may be used to replace one regular exam score.

The final exam will be cumulative and is a requirement of the course.  Please note:  Information from this syllabus will be fair game on any tests and quizzes.  You should know and understand all class policies.  Calculators will not be allowed on exams. 

Academic Integrity:
Cheating will be punished swiftly and severely. If you are caught cheating on an exam, you will receive a zero on the exam and not be allowed to replace your score or take any kind of makeup. Further, you will not be allowed to submit any extra credit work. I will complete paperwork to ensure that there is a record of your dishonesty.

When you are taking a test, it is your job to cover your work so that no one else can see what you are doing. Keep your eyes on your own paper and make it abundantly clear to me that you are working alone. I may assign seating during tests or ask you to change seats during exams. During an exam, you should not speak to anyone other than me. You may only have materials approved by your instructor on your desk. All notes and electronic devices are prohibited.

Attendance:
FLC policy states that you may be dropped after missing 10% of the class meeting time. If you have missed this much class time, you may be dropped from the course at my discretion.

Resources: The best resources for any student are classmates. Make a point of meeting a few people in class and
exchanging phone numbers or e-mail. They can help you fill in a missing point in your notes, compare
homework, study with you for tests and tell you what you missed if you were absent. There is also free tutoring.
The schedule is posted around campus (including my office). Additionally, I am available for assistance, both
during my office hours and by appointment if my office hours are not convenient for you.

How to Succeed in Math 100:
Many students find themselves quickly overwhelmed in Math 100. What do you need to do to be a “Math 100
survivor”? First, take the time to read the section(s) we’re covering in class that day before you come to lecture.
It will seem confusing at first but it will make class time much more productive for you. I’m usually pretty good
about putting the material we’ll cover for a week or so on the board, but if I forget, just ask! Skipping even one
day’s homework will make it hard to catch up. Put aside time to study for this class every day. If you have a
question/problem on homework, take care of it right away…call a classmate, find a tutor, or come see me, but
don’t let your questions go unanswered! Finally, start studying for exams about a week ahead of time, setting a
schedule for yourself so that you don’t cram. If you come to class prepared every session, take the time to do
your homework well, and are proactive about getting help, you’ll be well on your way to success in Math 100.

What should I expect from college and this course in particular?
1. You should expect to spend at least double the number of units outside of class to get a C- in the course. If you are hoping for an A, you should budget 3 to 4 times the number of units during your weekly schedule.
2. You should expect that there will be material not covered in class that you must know from the text.
3. You should expect to read and learn from your textbook
4. You should expect that I will be available to help you during office hours. You should expect that I will be available to help you by appointment if you cannot come to my office hours.
5. You should expect that you will need to either form a study group or make use of the drop-in tutoring (free!)
6. You should expect that I will cover all the material that you will need to succeed in the next course.
7. You should expect to leave class a little bit confused. There is not time in class to cover everything in a thorough enough manner for everyone to be completely comfortable. For this reason, you should begin work on your homework ASAP after class ends so that you can make sure that the material is clear in your mind before you move on to another activity.

If you have any special circumstances that I need to be aware of, please let me know immediately.