Class Information

Course Title Math 1410 (Section 03): Elementary Functions

Instructor Kameryn Williams

Website http://kamerynjw.net/teaching/2023/math1410/

Email kameryn.j.w [ at ] shsu ( period ) edu

Class Hours and Room MWF 8:00–9:15 LDB 208

Office Hours WF 9:30–10:30; W 3:30–4:30; or by appointment

Office LDB 413

Textbook None required, but the free online OpenStax text Precalculus is a helpful reference.

Course Description Elementary Functions and their applications, including topics from algebra, trigonometry, and analytic geometry, are used to assist in the algebraic and graphical description of the following elementary functions: polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions. This course is for students intending to take calculus (Math 1420).

Prerequisite Passing score on MATH TSI Assesment or equivalent.

Course Objectives Math 1410 is designed to meet the objectives of Component Area 2 of the core curriculum and to prepare students for calculus courses. Students completing this course should expect to improve upontheir:

  • Critical Thinking Skills. Students will analyze and synthesizemathematical concepts and ideas. Students will be able to solve mathematical problems related to the topics of polynomial, rational, exponential, and trigonometric functions.

  • Mathematical Communication. Students will be able to explainproblem solving processes and logical reasoning in writing.

  • Quantitative Skills. Students will be able to set up and perform calculations related to polynomial, rational, exponential, and trigonemetric functions.

Learning Objectives

A major purpose for this class is to prepare you with the skills you need to suceed in calculus and future classes that build on this material. The content is divided into six learning objectives for you to master over the course of the semester.

  • (A) Functions as covariation

    • The connection between tangent and secant lines and rates of change

    • How to calculate average rates of change

  • (B) Pointwise behavior of functions

    • How to solve forward and inverse problems for functions

    • How to find x- and y-intercepts of functions

  • (C) Large scale behavior of functions

    • How to determine where a function is increasing, decreasing, concave up, concave down

    • Extreme points and inflection points

    • How to determine where a function is positive or negative; sign diagrams for polynomials and rational functions

  • (D) Graphs of functions

    • How to sketch graphs of functions

    • How to read information about a function off its graph

  • (E) Function algebra

    • How functions can be built algebraically from simpler functions

    • What function composition means and how it affects the behavior of a function

    • How to find inverses of functions

  • (F) Evaluating and rewriting functions

    • How to simplify or rewrite a function in an equivalent form

    • How to calculate transcendental functions—exponential functions, logarithms, and trig functions

Grading Policy

Your grade is comprised of two components, an exam component for approximately 7/10 of the overall grade and a homework component for approximately 3/10.

  • (72%) Exams. This is broken down by learning objective, with each exam (two midterms and one final given equal weight). Each exam consists of one section for each learning objective. So each section of each exam is worth 4% of your overall grade. The point of this breakdown is to give you more precise feedback so you have a better idea of where to focus your studying efforts.

    • (12%) Functions as covariation

    • (12%) Pointwise behavior of functions

    • (12%) Large scale behavior of functions

    • (12%) Graphs of functions

    • (12%) Function algebra

    • (12%) Evaluating and rewriting functions

  • (28%) Homework. This portion of your grade is based on the online homework for the class.

Exam Policy

There will be two midterm exams throughout the semester, plus one cumulative final. Each exam is broken up into six sections, one per learning objective. Exams are in-class, written, individual efforts.

No calculators nor notes are allowed for exams.

Exam dates:

  • Midterm 1: Friday, 2/24

  • Midterm 2: Friday, 4/14

  • Cumulative Final: Thursday, 5/11, 8:00–10:00

Minor Assessment Policy

Online homework will be given through the free and open source MyOpenMath system. Homework is due weekly, and broken up by topic. That said, you are strongly encouraged to do homework every day we have class. Mathematics is a cumulative discipline, and the way to learn it is to do it. You don’t want to struggle with Friday’s material because you put off learning Monday’s material until the weekend.

Info about how to access the MyOpenMath site for the class can be found on the Blackboard site and the class discord.

For online homework, at the end of the semester I will drop your 8 lowest homework scores. Additionally, MyOpenMath is set up to give you 20 “late passes”. These allow you to extend the due date on one topic by 72 hours, giving you a no-questions-asked extension.

Textbook Information

There is no textbook required, but the free online OpenStax text Precalculus is a helpful reference. Let me also reiterate here that the online homework system for the class is also free.

In sum, the cost of required books, materials, etc. for this class is $0. I suggest you look into what your books for other classes cost and, if it would save you money overall, opt out of the bookstore’s Bearkat Bundle program. This program charges you a flat fee based on your total credits taken each semester to provide you with required textbooks, etc. If you have other classes which, like this one, cost significantly less than the Bearkat Bundle credit fee (approx. $27 per credit), you could save money by opting out of the program and buying your books yourself.

Attendance Policy

No portion of your grade is directly based on attendance, but exams are in-person and you do have to be present for them. That said, I strongly advise you to attend every class. Like most math classes, the material in this class builds upon itself, so that if you fall behind early it is very difficult to get back on track.

If you must miss an exam period please contact me in advance so we can schedule an alternative. It is prohibitively difficult for me to arrange an alternate if you wait to contact me.

Communication Policy and Office Hours

Announcements will be posted to the public course website and class discord. I will use blackboard only for the gradebook feature.

There is a discord server for this course, which is a place to contact me, ask questions, and discuss course material with your classmates. You can also email me, but that is less likely to be seen as quickly. If you do email me, please mention the class number (Math 1410) in the subject of the message.

Office hours are held multiple times in the week, to give you an opportunity to ask questions and receive help in-person outside of class time. If you prefer to meet virtually via zoom, or to meet at a different time, please contact me to arrange that.

Covid Policy

Per the governor’s orders, the university is not allowed to require you to vaccinate nor institute a mask mandate. That aside, I encourage you to get vaccinated, including booster shot(s), if you have not yet already done so. You can get vaccinated through the Student Health Center, who also offer covid testing. Both vaccines and testing through the SHC are free of cost.

The CDC recommends indoor masking in areas with significant or high transmission rates.

If you have a positive covid test, or have strong reason to think you may have covid pending a test, you should self-isolate. Contact me so I know you will miss class and we can work out how you can continue to follow class progress during your quarantine.

Academic Honesty

The work you present is expected to be your own. For many majors, mathematics classes form part of the core base of skills you need to succeed in later classes, and you are harming the future version of yourself if you try to avoid learning the material for this class.

Cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty are not tolerated.

Accessibility

Students with disabilities are legally entitled to reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to education. Any student who feels they may need accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Students with Disabilities office. I am committed to providing students with equal access to this class, and am happy to work with you to ensure reasonable accommodations. Because the accommodations offered are usually forward-looking modifications rather than mitigating poor grades you may have already received due to your disability, it is important to get in touch with the office as soon as you can. Further information and contact details can be found on their website.

The ADA defines a disability as a medical condition that substantially limits one or more major life activities—including things like walking sleeping, taking care of yourself, learning, and regulating your emotions—or major bodily functions. If you have a medical condition—including mental health conditions—that significantly interferes with your schoolwork, you probably qualify. You do not need to disclose your condition to your instructors to receive accommodations.

Other Campus Resources

Additional Information

Further information about campus-wide policies for all classes, can be found at this site.