Precalculus
Math 2412-1003 (T/Th 3:20-5:00)

FALL 2009 Syllabus

INSTRUCTOR:
Randell Simpson
PHONE: 298-8976, 1-800-460-4636-8976
FAX: 298-8977
EMAIL: randell@templejc.edu
WEB ADDRESS: www.templejc.edu/dept/Math/RSimpson/Simpson.htm
TEXTBOOK: any edition of Precalculus by Mark Dugopolski **INSTRUCTOR HAS FREE COPIES AVAILABLE**
EVALUATION: 450 pts = A; 400 pts = B; 350 pts = C; 300 pts = D; <300 pts = F
METAPHOR: How Far Is Heaven?

GRADING COMPONENT
POINTS
QUIZZES & APPLICATION EXERCISES
100
MIDTERM
200
FINAL EXAM
200

APPLICATION EXERCISES:
Following every lecture students will have suggested homework problems to work plus an "Application Exercise." The application exercises must be submitted to the instructor at the beginning of the following class day. Each application exericse is worth 1 pt. Application exercises will not be accepted late.

QUIZZES:
Each day following a lecture the instructor will administer a 4-point quiz comprised of problems representative of the suggested homework problems. Quizzes cannot be taken late nor can they be made up. Besides preparing for the quizzes, students should also work the suggested homework assigned in class.

ATTENDANCE:
Attendance is a necessary component of the course. The instructor may withdraw a student for non-attendance, but it is the student's responsibility to drop the class if he or she wishes to withdraw. November 13 is the last day to drop the class (& the college closes early that day).

MAKEUP POLICY:
The midterm exam may be made up. If a student misses the midterm, they should contact the instructor as soon as possible. A different version of the midterm exam will be made available by appointment. Quizzes cannot be made up. Application exercises cannot be made up. The final exam cannot be made up.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY & DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR:
Disruptive behavior, cheating, plagiarism, and academic dishonest can all lead to severe disciplinary sanctions. Students should refer to the Temple College Student Handbook regarding policies dealing with academic integrity and disruptive behavior.

VIDEO LECTURES:
The instructor has posted video clips of abridged lectures at http://www.youtube.com/user/randellsimpson.

COMPANION TEXT to DUGOPOLSKI's PRECALCULUS

Measuring Heaven 

T/Th LECTURE SCHEDULE (subject to change during the semester):

DATES
TUESDAY LECTURE
THURSDAY LECTURE
Aug 25/27  Introduction & Angle Measurement  Trig Functions Defined 
Sept 1/3  Another Day with Trig Function Definitions  Winding Function 
Sept 8/10  Right Triangle Trigonometry  Trig Graphs 
Sept 15/17  Dilations  Translations 
Sept 22/24  Inverse Functions  Basic Identities 
Sept 29/Oct 1  Sum & Difference Identities  Double-Angle Identities 
Oct 6/8  Product to Sum Identities  Conditional Identities 
Oct 13/15  An Extra Day with Identities  REVIEW 
Oct 20/22  MIDTERM EXAM  Law of Sines 
Oct 27/29  Law of Cosines  Vectors 
Nov 3/5  Complex Numbers  Roots 
Nov 10/12  Polar Coordinate System  Parametric Equations 
Nov 17/19  Conics  Hyperbolas 
Nov 24/26  Sequences  HOLIDAY 
Dec 1/3  Series  Binomial Theorem 
Dec 7-10  REVIEW  FINAL EXAM
TO BE ANNOUNCED
 

Course Content:

Students will be required to do the following:

  1. Explore angles and their measure
  2. Define trigonometric functions
  3. Prove alternate triognometric function definitions
  4. Evaluate trigonometric functions using right triangle trigonometry
  5. Graph circular functions
  6. Reflect graphs of trigonometric functions and dilate their amplitudes
  7. Translate and phase shift graphs of trigonometric functions
  8. Invert trigonometric functions
  9. Prove basic trigonometric identities
  10. Use basic trigonometric identities to verify further identities
  11. Verify and use sum and difference identities
  12. Verify and use double angle identities
  13. Verify and use product and sum identities
  14. Solve trigonometric equations
  15. Solve application problems by creating right triangles
  16. Solve problems using the Law of Sines and Law of Cosines
  17. Perform vector operations and compute dot products of vectors
  18. Solve vector problems
  19. Apply vectors to applications involving force and work
  20. Convert complex numbers to trigonometric form
  21. Perform operations with complex numbers in standard and trigonometric form
  22. Find the n nth roots of a number
  23. Graph polar equations in the polar coordinate system
  24. Convert equations from polar to rectangular representation and vice versa
  25. Graph relations described by parametric equations
  26. Eliminate parameters
  27. Graph and transform conic sections
  28. Define sequences and find the general term of sequences
  29. Define series and express a series using summation notation
  30. Compute the sum of a finite series and of an infinite geometric series
  31. Calculate combinations
  32. Use the binomial theorem to expand binomials
  33. Develop problem solving strategies

 

 


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