MA 100 Syllabus

Mathematics Department
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA 15705

Course Number:           MA 100

Course Title:            Intermediate Algebra

Credits:                 3 semester hours

Prerequisites:           None

Textbook:                Concepts of Intermediate Algebra:
                                   An Early Functions Approach
                        (1st edition)
                        by R. David Gustafson
                        Brooks/Cole

Revised:         8/96

Catalog Description:

A basic course in algebra including factoring, exponents, and radicals, systems of linear equations, complex fractions and inequalities. Designed for those students who lack the basic algebraic skills required in MA 110 Elementary Functions. This course will not meet General Education or Liberal Studies math requirements. Note: A student may not take MA 100 Basic Algebra after successfully completing MA 110 or a calculus course without the written approval of the mathematics department chairperson.

Course Outline/Possible Time Schedule:


1.	Basic Concepts				(5 hours)
1.1.  Sets and the Real Number System	(Could combine 1.1 and 1.2,
1.2.  Arithmetic and Properties of Real Numbers		1.3 and 1.4)
1.3.  Exponents
1.4.  Scientific Notation
1.5   Solving Equations
1.6   Using Equations to Solve Problems
1.7   More Applications of Equations

2.	Integer Exponents and Polynomials	(5 hours)
2.1  Tables and Graphs			(Could combine 2.1 and 2.2)
2.2  The Rectangular Coordinate System
2.3  Slope of a Nonvertical Line
2.4  Writing Equations of Lines
2.5  Introduction to Functions
2.6  Graphs of Other Functions

3.	Systems of Equations			(2 hours)
3.1  Solution by Graphing
3.2  Solution by Elimination

4.	Inequalities				(2 hours)
4.1  Linear Inequalities
4.2  Equations and Inequalities with Absolute Values

5.	Radicals and Exponents			(9 hours)
5.1  Polynomials and Polynomial Functions	(2 hours on 5.8)
5.2  Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
5.3  Multiplying Polynomials
5.4  The Greatest Common Factor and Factoring by Grouping
5.5  The Difference of Two Squares; the Sum and Difference of Two Cubes
5.6  Factoring Trinomials
5.7  Summary of Factoring Techniques
5.8  Solving Equations by Factoring

6.	Rational Expressions			(7 hours)
6.1  Rational Functions and Simplifying Rational Expressions	(Could combine
6.2  Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions				6.7, 6.8)
6.3  Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
6.4  Complex Fractions
6.5  Equations Containing Rational Expressions
6.6  Proportion and Variation
6.7  Dividing Polynomials
6.8  Synthetic Division

7.	Rational Exponents and Radicals		(5 hours)
7.1  Radical Expressions		(Could combine 7.1, 7.2)
7.2  Rational Exponents
7.3  Simplifying and Combining Radical Expressions
7.4  Multiplying and Dividing Radical Expressions
7.5  Radical Equations
7.6  Applications of Radicals

8.	Quadratic Functions			(3 hours)
8.1  Completing the Square and the Quadratic Formula
8.2  Graphs of Quadratic Functions
8.4  The Discriminant and Equations That Can Be Written in Quadratic Form

Note: We do not cover complex numbers; if the discriminant is less than zero, simply state "no real number solutions".

This syllabus covers 38 hours, leaving 4 hours for tests and review. As you can tell by the title of the text, we want to introduce the students to the language of functions, so please use this language in class when appropriate.

Read this disclaimer.

Maintained by Charles Lamb <clamb@iup.edu>
Last Modified on Monday, 13-Aug-2001 16:53:18 EDT