Precalculus Syllabus

Course description: This course is intended to prepare the student for the study of calculus. Topics include:
properties of the real number systems; absolute values, inequalities; detailed study of linear and quadratic
equations; polynomial and rational functions and their graphs; exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric
functions.

Course goals:

1. To provide students with a solid understanding of the concept of function.

2. To develop students' dexterity in the use of basic tools that are routinely applied in calculus courses.

3. To familiarize students with elementary functions, their graphs and properties .

Learning objectives: A student who passes this course should be able to:

1. Recognize the properties that real numbers have.

2. Use the coordinate plane to represent equational relations and functions, and systems of inequalities.

3. Compute the distance between points on the plane.

4. Find the solution sets of systems of inequalities of limited complexity .

5. Understand the concept of function.

6. Expertly identify linear functions with their associated linear equations.

7. Expertly identify quadratic functions with their associated quadratic equations.

8. Become well acquainted with all elementary functions that show up frequently in calculus problems,
including polynomial functions, rational functions, trigonometric functions , logarithmic and exponential
functions, absolute value function , etc.

9. Become adept at the graphic display of the qualitative behavior of arithmetic combinations of functions.

10. Understand the notion of composition of functions, and become adept at the graphic display of the
qualitative behavior of the composition of a function with simple linear functions.

11. Understand the concept of an inverse function, and correctly graph the inverse function of a given
invertible function.

12. Understand thoroughly exponential and logarithmic functions and their uses.

13. Understand thoroughly trigonometric functions and their uses.

14. Understand the rudiments of polar coordinates, parametric equations, and conic sections .

Attendance policy: An advance notice for an absence to class is typically an e-mail sent to me 12 hours
or more in advance of the class meeting the student will not attend. Permission for absence is typically an
e-mail from me to the student to acknowledge receipt of an advance notice. Excused absences are absences
for which I have advance notice, and for which the student has a permission for absence. Excused absences,
if not excessive in number, will not negatively affect a student's grade. An unexcused absence during a day
when an assignment, quiz, or exam is due will result in a grade of zero for the assignment , quiz, or exam. I
reserve the right to penalize students with more than three unexcused absences by reducing their final grade
by one letter grade. In the event that I wish to exercise this right, notice will be given to students in advance.
The student is responsible for completing all course requirements and for keeping up with all
that goes on in the course (whether or not the student is in attendance).

Textbook: Faires and DeFranza, Precalculus, Thomson, 4th ed., ISBN 9780495188384 (Required)

Class format: This will be a standard lecture/discussion class. Often the instructor will spend some class
time explaining the basic concepts of the course, and occasionally students will gather in groups as signed by
the instructor and discussions of the material will take place.

Online homework: Homework assignments will be submitted online through a system called WebAssign.
 Students are required to purchase an access code for the semester, and to keep up with strict deadlines
for the submission of homework.

Online quizzes: Weekly quizzes will also be taken online, through Webassign. Strict deadlines will be
enforced.

Exams:
 

Grading scheme: I reserve the right to change the following grading scheme, but it will very likely stand :