MA 4002PreCalculus and Modeling 2

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About the Course

The second semester of Precalculus and Modeling (PreCalc 2) focuses on a detailed analysis of exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions. This course continues to emphasize the connection between school mathematics and the real world, with a goal of preparing students for continued work into Calculus and beyond.

Course Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to...

1. Apply exponential and logarithmic functions to solve real world problems
2. Apply trigonometric functions to solve real world problems

Instructional Materials

The purpose of the instructional materials is to enrich and support the learning outcomes for students. In addition, instructional materials are meant to increase student achievement by supporting student learning.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

• Contemporary PreCalculus Through Applications
  

  • Department of Mathematics. Contemporary Precalculus through Applications. (Third Edition), North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, 2021.
    

• Other materials will be posted to Canvas.

REQUIRED SUPPLIES

• Pen/Pencil
• Loose leaf lined and/or graph paper
• Graphing Calculator
• Laptop Computer

Grading Policy

This course consists of four types of graded assignments: quizzes, applications, a midterm project, and a final project. Each assignment type, as well as ungraded homework, is described in below. The number of assignments and their associated point values are included in the assignment type header.

HOMEWORK (Ungraded)

Each week, we will assign a set of suggested homework problems that align with the course learning objectives for the week. Completing these problem sets is entirely optional; however, it is in the student's best interest to attempt these problems as preparation for weekly skill quizzes.

QUIZZES (10 quizzes @ 8 pts each = 80 pts)

Each Monday, students will complete a 2-question quiz to assess the skills learned in the previous week. Each quiz will have a time limit of 20 minutes, unless approved accommodations are required.

Quizzes will be taken outside of the standard class day, opening at 4:00 pm and closing at 10:00 pm. (If cheating is suspected, instructors may choose to give quizzes during regular class time.) Students who are unable to complete the quiz during this window (for valid reasons) may request to complete the quiz with the instructor during office hours.

(Note: The 14-week course allows for more than 10 weekly quizzes. Only the 10 highest quiz scores will be recorded in the final course grade.)

APPLICATIONS (5 Applications @ 32 pts each = 160 pts)

Every two weeks, students will complete a connected problem set based on a real-world setting focused on the most recent course material.  These applications may contain problems using any course material up to the date when the lab was assigned.

Applications may be individual or partnered assignments. Student will be given one week to complete each application assignment.

PROJECTS (1 Midterm @ 60 pts, 1 Final @ 100 pts)

Students will complete a mid-term project worth 15% of the total grade and a final project worth 25% of the total grade.  Teams of students will be given a week of class time to complete these projects.  Projects will be graded based on a pre-determined rubric.

LATE SUBMISSION POLICY

All assignments will due at 10:00 pm on the stated due date. Please, make every reasonable effort to meet these deadlines. Students will be granted a 48-hour grace period after the due date to submit application problems with no grade deduction. After this grace period, assignments will be locked, and no student can submit without requesting an extension for a valid reason.

Any student who needs an extension beyond the 48-hour window must submit a request by email to both the instructor and the student's family (using the NCSSM email address) which includes an explanation why the student was unable to complete the assignment on time.

• Some valid reasons for having to request an extension may include but are not limited to
  • major sport tournaments (not regularly scheduled games),
  • extracurricular events that conflict with the due date (HOSA conferences, debate tournaments, etc.),
  • scheduled school or family trips, scheduled school breaks (during which your proctor will not be available to administer a test).
• Be aware that your instructor may not always be able to grant your request.

PROCEDURE FOR REQUESTING RELIEF

In the case that a student has an unusually large workload during a given week, the student may request relief from some amount of work by having due dates extended.  To request relief, students must follow the following process:

1. As soon as possible, students should write one email, including all relevant instructors as recipients, to explain the situation and ask if any of the instructors are able to grant an extension or an opportunity to submit an assignment early. Instructors can then communicate with the student and each other by replying to all email recipients.
2. If a resolution cannot be reached by Step #1, the student may contact the Academic Programs Office for assistance. The student must submit, in writing, a list of the courses, instructors, and assignments involved. The request should be submitted as early as possible, but no later than two academic days in advance. Academic Programs needs time to contact instructors and determine the best course of action. The student and instructors are then notified of the approved change. (Page 84 of Student Handbook (Links to an external site.))

LATE WORK AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER

No work (other than final exams) may be accepted after the last class day in each term. Counselors may request administrative extensions for students who have documented extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency, medical issue, or mental health issue. If administration grants an administrative extension, make-up work must be prioritized over recreational activities upon completion of final exams and must be submitted to instructors by the deadline specified by the administrative extension. (pages 100-101 of the Student Handbook (Links to an external site.)) 

Grade Scheme

The following grading standards will be used in this class:

Attendance Policy

It is the responsibility of every student at NCSSM to attend all scheduled classes, meetings or other required activities on each academic day. Instructors enter a report of student attendance into the school database for all class periods.

Faculty members record students who are not in a class or required activity as absent in the school database. The Attendance Coordinator will determine the reason for the absence and then enter the appropriate coding designation. If an absence is coded as Medical, Counseling, Excused or Approved, instructors are obligated to allow students to make up the work they missed as a result of the absence. The student is responsible for arranging the make-up work at the convenience of the Instructor and the student.

If an absence is coded as Unexcused, instructors are not required to provide students an opportunity to make up work missed during the unexcused absence. A summary of all reported class or other absences (regardless of coding) is readily available to students and their parents online in the school’s student database. Students who believe they have received and Unexcused absence or Tardy incorrectly have up to 3 academic days from the date of notification to present written documentation to the Attendance Coordinator (or Academic Programs Office) that the coding is incorrect. It is the student’s responsibility to address any such absences/tardies and the coding will not be altered after this deadline.

As per school regulations on absences and tardies, any tardies that exceed 20 minutes will be marked as unexcused absences. Four tardies per class also count as an unexcused absence for that course.  

Academic Integrity

Authentic learning is a hallmark of courses at NCSSM.  Students who successfully complete coursework are prepared not only for the next academic course, but also for applications of mathematics in a real world setting.  As such, it is vital that students invest the time and effort necessary to produce work that is a reflection of their own understanding of course material.  Cheating, whether receiving or giving unauthorized assistance, demonstrates both a lack of integrity and a lack of understanding.  CHEATING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

NCSSM ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

All work turned in by you should be the result of your own efforts unless otherwise instructed. All tests and quizzes should be done individually with no help from others. Specific instructions on how to collaborate are given for any assignments that are completed with a partner or a group. Tutorials may be available to you, but only if your teacher allows you to get help on an assignment. It is always to your advantage to make a serious attempt at an assignment before seeking help.

For essays and research assignments, students must cite all sources for ideas that are not their own. For a guide to citing sources and avoiding plagiarism, a student should confer with the course instructor and Purdue Online Writing Lab's citation guides (Links to an external site.).

The following are considered a breach of academic honesty:

1. Giving or receiving help during a test or quiz;
2. Discussing the contents of a test or quiz;
3. Programming unauthorized information into electronic devices to be used during a test or quiz;
4. Completing graded assignments for other students - violation for both the giver and recipient of the work;
5. Collaborating on assignments that have clearly been designated as individual work; unless the submissions notes a group assignment, it is considered an individual assignment.
6. Not citing correct sources for ideas and evidence in written and, in some cases, oral work (including copying or heavily paraphrasing summaries or abstracts from scholarly or academic work and representing them as your own)
7. Taking credit for more work on an assigned group project than was actually contributed;
8. Submitting work previously done for another class at NCSSM or elsewhere without acknowledgement.

An instructor who suspects that a student has violated academic honesty expectations should discuss the situation with the student and, on the basis of that discussion, decide whether the perception is accurate or inaccurate. If the instructor believes that a violation did occur, the procedures stated in the Code of Student Conduct should be followed. In accordance with school-wide policies and the list above, the instructor sets the standard for what does or does not constitute academic dishonesty in a specific class.

Communication Policy

• When you email your instructor, you can expect a response normally within 24 hours.
• All minor assignments will be graded within 5 business days from the due date.  Major assignments, such as term papers and projects will be graded within 10 business days of the due date. Feedback will be provided when assignments are graded.