MAT 113 - College Algebra

FAQ / Study Tips / Study Tips from Students / Tests and Quizzes from Summer 01

Chapter P review notes for your class:                            Class Notes

P.1 Real Numbers and Algebraic Expressions                                    Chapter 1

P.2 Exponents and Scientific Notation                                                Chapter 2

P.3 Radicals and Rational Exponents                                                   Chapter 3

P.4 Polynomials

P.5 Factoring Polynomials

P.6 Rational Expressions

Writing Assignments in pdf form. You need Acrobat Reader to open them. 

1 (85 KB)       2  (87 KB)  3 (48 KB) 4 (44 KB)

Sample writing assignment, Student's discussion problems.

If you cannot do the graphs on the computer please download this file and save it in your computer. (Save as WritingAssignment3_YourName).  Type your solutions, save it,  print it out and do the graphing using a pencil on the graphing grid.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Classes:

Q: Is it easier to take a class over the Internet than to attend a traditional class?

A: No. Internet classes require the same amount of work as the traditional face-to-face class. Internet classes do require you to be more self-directed than traditional classes. They also involve more reading.

Q: When do Internet classes start?

A: You will not have access to your course until the first day of the semester. Internet classes are NOT self-paced. They follow the college regular semester schedule, and have regular weekly assignments.

Q: How do I submit homework?

A: All homework is online. Homework has two attempts and has a due date. You are advice to do homework everyday. It is students’ responsibility to do homework before they expire. Don’t wait till last minute to try homework.

Q: How do a student learn math from online class?

A: Each module has a PowerPoint presentation. If you work with these PowerPoint notes you can be successful. Be an active learner. You cannot do math by just reading math.

Q: What do I do if I have questions about the notes?

A: WebCT has a discussion area where we discuss all sort of college algebra problems. In the discussion students help each other. You can find sample student answers here.

Q: What do I need to success in this class (or any other class)?

A: Correct Understanding, Correct Attitude, Correct Effort, and Correct Concentration, OR Right Understanding, Right Attitude, Right Effort, and Right Concentration.

Q: Who should signup for online college algebra class and who should not?

A: You should do well in this course if you are a student who: has at least a B average in your previous mathematics courses; are highly self-motivated; have the appropriate computer equipment and expertise; and you realize that this course will require more work on your behalf than the regular on campus classes.

You should not sign up for this class if you are a student who: has below a C average in previous mathematics courses; proudly claims that you are not good at mathematics or that you hate mathematics; are a habitual procrastinator; you want to sign up for this class because you think it would be easier or require less work than regular mathematics classes.

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Study Tips

This course is probably not like any other course you have taken. Mathematics is not a spectator course. Students learn mathematics by participating. This means reading the text, working problems, asking questions and going back and rereading some of the material. With this in mind we have compiled some suggestions to help make this a success for students enrolled in this section.

The material that you find on these web pages is not meant to replace your textbook. You are required to read the corresponding material in the textbook. In fact, you should make a habit of first reading through the assigned section and then come to the web pages. Read this material, do the exercises provided on the web pages. When you are sure you understand the material in the section then try the homework quiz on the WebCT. You get two attempts.

Keep in mind that each section has just a couple of basic principles, or new ideas. The rest is just an application of these ideas, or an integration of these ideas with previous ones. When you read through the material, determine what the main ideas are and how the rest is just an application of these ideas.

Do not skip over words you do not know when reading the course material. Make a habit of trying to understand what you read as you read it. On your first pass through a section, note the words you need to define. You can look them up in the text.

If you have questions, do not be afraid to ask others. You can use the Course Discussion to ask questions from the instructor, or your fellow classmates. There is no need to work in isolation. You can also get email addresses of others in the class and form study groups. At some point we may set up some teams of students to facilitate such discussion in small groups.

Pace yourself. You should work at least two hours a day on this course, or 14 - 20 hours a week. There are due dates for materials to help you keep this pace. Homework quizzes and tests also have expiration date. After that date the link to the homework or test is not going to be there. So plan ahead and don’t wait till the last minute.

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