Schedule and Notes

Course Number and Title: Math 130 Finite Math
Semester: Fall 2012
Credit Hours: Four (4)
Prerequisites:  Math 025 or satisfactory placement score.

Text: Finite Mathematics for the Managerial, Life, and Social Sciences, 10th ed, by Tan.  ISBN # 9780840048141

Office Hours:
OPEN: 1:30-2:30 MTWTh
BY APPOINTMENT: As necessary

Note: OPEN office hours are done on a first-come first-serve basis. I will make every effort to be in my office at these times, and to let students know in advance when I am unable to do so. BY APPOINTMENT office hours are just that: you must make prior arrangements to meet with me at these times. If no appointments are made, it may be the case that I will be out of my office at these times without notice. If you are unable to make any of my posted office hours, see me about making other arrangements. I am very flexible in this regard, as long as appointments are made in advance. If you wish to contact me by phone, please, do so during my posted office hours if at all possible. I read my e-mail several times daily, so that this is a very reliable way to contact me. My homepage contains a link to this class, which includes a daily calendar.  If you miss a class session, look here first to see what was covered and any assignment made.

Students are reminded that the Division of Natural Sciences maintains a Math and Science Tutoring Center in MLH 320, where well-trained student tutors are available to assist you in this course.

Calculators: A Voyage 200 Calculator/CAS or TI-nSprir/CASis required for this course.  All students in the course pay a non-refundable $30 fee for the use of this calculator at time of registration.  If you do choose to provide your own calculator, your $30 fee will be refunded through the Division office.   If you drop this course, you must return your rented calculator at that time.  Failure to do so will result in an academic hold being put on all of your student records.   I consider a student to have dropped the course for calculator return purposes once he/she has missed an hour exam without contacting me.  Academic holds will be put on student records at this time, even if the student has not officially dropped the course.

Class Meeting Times:  MTWTh 10:30AM - 11:20AM; MLH B30

Purpose:  Math 130 is a collection of courses, not necessarily related each to the other, presented in the spirit of the general education core with applications that could be viewed as "survival skills" for daily living.  Topics include, but are not limited to, probability and statistics, the mathematics of finance, linear programming,  matrix utilization, and basic mathematical modeling.  Students learn to abstract fundamental mathematical concepts so that they can be used in areas totally unrelated to the specific ones taught in Math 130.  Basic to, but not the focus of, study are the symbolic manipulations usually associated exclusively with a study of mathematics.  Whenever possible, a computer algebra system is used for computational work.  For most students taking Math 130, it is a terminal college mathematics course.  Students leave it able to "think like mathematicians" as these abilities apply to all aspects of their lives. These include the obvious of borrowing/saving money, understanding statistics, and optimization strategies for business; and, the not so obvious such as making reasoned political choices.    

Methods of Instruction: Course content is delivered primarily by lectures.  The lecture sessions are very informal, and students are expected to interact throughout.  They should feel free to ask questions or interject comments at any time they feel it appropriate.  Instruction on the calculators will be on an as needed basis, delivered in conjunction with the mathematical concepts being addressed at the moment.  Most students find the calculator very intuitive. 

Homework is fundamental to the learning of mathematics. Time will be reserved at the start of each class period for the discussion of homework problems or readings. Students should not leave a particular homework assignment until they are reasonably certain they understand every problem given. There is an expectation that students work cooperatively on homework, either with each other, the personnel in the math lab (MLH 320), or with me in office hours.

Methods of Evaluation: Students will be assigned homework routinely, with homework cumulatively counting for 20% of the final course grade. No late homework will be accepted for any reason whatsoever. Three homework assignments will be disregarded in determining a final homework grade.

A total of seven hour-exams will be given, each equally weighted, and cumulatively accounting for 70% of the final course grade.  No makeup exams will be given for any reason whatsoever. Students who know of an exam conflict in advance must make arrangements to take the examination prior to its being administered to the rest of the class. Students who miss an examination for an unforeseeable reason, such as last minute illness or emergency, must make arrangements with the instructor to compensate for the missing grade.  A comprehensive final exam will account for the remaining 10% of the course grade.

The minimum score for each grade is : A 92; A- 89; B+ 86; B 82; B- 79; C+ 76; C 72; C- 69; D+66; D 60.  Grades below 60 will be scored as F.  For those students required to get a 2.0 or better in this course, it should be noted that a grade of C- is insufficient.  A grade of at least C must be achieved.

Disability Statement: If course adaptations or accommodations are needed because of a disability, if you need to make me aware of emergency medical information, or if you need special arrangements in case of building evacuation, please contact me immediately. I ask that you put any request in this regard in writing.