Math 31190: College Algebra +
Supervisor: Matthew Auth
Condensed, fast-paced, two-credit intersession course designed for students who have recently completed Math 19000 with a grade of C or above. Course will cover all topics in math 19500 in 1/2 the class time of a usual math 19500 course. After completing College Algebra + with a grade of C or above students may enroll in Math 20100 or Math 20500.
Completing Math 31190 with a grade of C is equivalent to completing math 195 with a grade of C or above. Students can use math 31190 in lieu of math 19500 to enter any subsequent CCNY course requiring math 19500 as prerequisite. Students should NOT take both math 31190 and math 19500. They contain the same course topics. Students who do take both 19500 and 31190 will only be given credit for one of the two courses.
Prereq: ONLY students who have successfully completed Math 19000 with a grade of C or above can enroll in College Algebra +. 2 hr./wk.; 2 cr.
Syllabus and Course Topics
Course Topics, Textbook Exercises, Videos, Practice Problem Sets
Here is some good advice: Read the textbook. Learning how to read a math textbook will be helpful in all your future math courses. Start practicing reading your math textbook now. You can find topics, advice reading textbook, examples in the section to know, examples in the section to avoid, end of section exercises to try (odd answers in back), as well as relevant Khan Academy videos, practice problem sets, and overviews in the course topics link above. Khan Academy practice problem sets are often easier than webassign questions and can be a good place to start when you are stuck.
Here is some more good advice: Consistently do lots of problems. Between WebAssign, textbook examples and exercises, and Khan Academy practice problem sets linked above there are more problems than any one student (or instructor) can complete. It is better to consistently to spend an hour every day doing an assortment of math problems than to spend the weekend before an exam cramming. Consider the final exam like running a marathon and the problems as your training sessions. If you consistently do problems (train) then you will be well-prepared for the final exam but if you take long gaps between working on problems you will always have difficulty getting back into the math mindset necessary to complete the problems. The first day of training is always the most painful.
Final piece of good advice: Form study groups and go to office hours or tutoring when stuck. There is evidence that students who form study groups perform better in college math classes than students who work alone. A quick conversation with a group of students after class sometimes clear up a confusing point. Do not spend more than a day or two being stuck on a problem or idea. There is not enough time in the semester to remain stuck and not practicing. Ask for help instead.
Grading Factors
Quiz Average: 20% of course grade.
Midterm Exam 1: 20% of course grade.
Midterm Exam 2: 20% of course grade.
Final exam 40% of course grade
However at then end of the course if your final exam average is superior to your quiz average, your midterm 1 grade, or your midterm 2 grade, then you can use your final exam grade to replace all lower average(s). For instance if your quiz average is 85, midterm 1 grade 70, midterm 2 grade 77, and final exam grade 81 then your course grade will be computed as 20% * 85 + 80% * 81 = 81.8 course grade. Even if you miss multiple quizzes and both midterms but do well on your final exam, you will then use your final exam grade as your full course grade. One way to think of these grading factors is that your performance on quizzes and midterms cannot hurt your final grade, as compared to your final exam grade. Your performance on the quizzes and midterms can only help your grade in comparison to your final exam score.
If possible you should take all the quizzes and midterms because the quizzes and midterms will help you prepare for the final exam. With these grading factors you will be less stressed taking quizzes and midterms knowing that you can replace a bad score with your final exam score. Moreover if you feel ill, test positive for covid, are a close contact, or must assist a sick family member or friend, you can skip any assessment, except the final. You must take the final. If you are sick for the final, do not come to campus. There will be a make-up. There will be no other make-ups. Please remain off campus when you are feeling unwell.
Quiz and exam questions will be similar to the assigned WebAssign homework questions, exact replicas sometimes. You should attempt all the assigned WebAssign homework problems to learn the material and prepare for quizzes and exams. If you have done all assigned webassign hw problems there should be no surprises on quizzes and exams. If you get stuck while working on a webassign hw problem you can use the "Ask My Teacher" button to ask your instructor for help. This is a great way to communicate with your course instructor. The suggested textbook examples, exercises, and Khan Academy problem sets linked above in "Course Topics" are helpful for variety but the assigned WebAssign problems will be the templates for quiz and exam questions.
Sample Exams
All sample exam questions modeled on the assigned webassign homework problems. If you've worked through the assigned webassign homework problems there should be no surprises on exams.
Sample Exam 1. Questions from exam 1 are picked from sections between (and including) 1.1-1.8 on our syllabus.
Sample Exam 2. Questions from exam 2 are picked from sections between (and including) 3.1--5.2 on our syllabus.
Sample Final Exam. Questions from the final exam are picked from all sections on our syllabus.
Course Materials: Webassign Access Code + free digital copy of textbook ($40)
The course will use the same materials as Math 190: the same textbook and the same webassign access code. The 190 Webassign Access code you purchased in your Math 190 course will still be valid in this course. Do not purchase a second Math 190 webassign access code.
If for some reason you have not already purchased a math 190 webassign access code, you can purchase one for $40 by following each step until you reach step 5A in the Strong Start Student Guide. If you already purchased a 195 Webassign Access code in a previous semester, do NOT purchase another code. Your old code will work this semester. The access code remains valid even if you need to take College Algebra + multiple times. Before you purchase an access code, you should take advantage of the free trial before purchasing in case you need to drop the course. A 190 Webassign Access Code will NOT work in math 195. If you have not already purchased a 195 access code, you will have to purchase one, if you end up taking math 195.
