This course is INACTIVE
School
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
Division
Mathematics
Academic Level
Undergraduate
Course Subject
Mathematics
Course Number
081
Course Title
Mathematical Literacy for College Students
Credit Hours
4.00
Instructor Contact Hours Per Semester
62.00 (for 15-week classes)
Student Contact Hours Per Semester
62.00 (for 15-week classes)
Grading Method
A-E
Pre-requisites
S grade in ENG-081 or satisfactory score on the reading placement exam
Catalog Course Description
Prepares students pursuing a liberal arts curriculum or a program without a specific mathematics requirement for MATH 131-Mathematics for the Modern World. Includes creating and interpreting various types of graphs; geometry, including area, volume and the Pythagorean Theorem; algebra; basic statistics; and arithmetic with signed numbers, fractions, and scientific notation.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
Goal Statement
- To prepare students to use quantitative tools to present and explain issues arising in students' college course work and daily lives
- To strengthen communication skills, both written and oral, of mathematical ideas
- To strengthen mathematical competence in algebra, proportional reasoning, arithmetic, geometry, and basic statistics
Core Course Topics
- Arithmetic
- Add, subtract, multiply or divide fractions.
- Add subtract, multiply or divide integers and other signed numbers.
- Apply whole number exponent rules.
- Use exponent rules with negative exponents.
- Use the order of operations.
- Convert between scientific and standard notation.
- Multiply and divide numbers written in scientific notation.
- Find the approximate square root of a number using a calculator.
- Find the square roots of the first few perfect square whole numbers without a calculator.
- Algebra
- Differentiate between variables and constants.
- Apply whole number exponent rules.
- Use exponent rules with negative exponents.
- Apply the commutative and associative properties.
- Apply the distributive property.
- Simplify algebraic expressions by distributing and combining like terms.
- Factor the greatest common factor from an expression.
- Write equations to model linear situations.*
- Write equations to model exponential situations.*
- Evaluate formulas with values given for the independent variables.
- Verify a solution to an equation.
- Solve linear equations in one variable analytically.
- Graphs and graphing
- Interpret or create a Venn Diagram.*
- Interpret or create a scatterplot.
- Interpret or create a pie chart.
- Plot points in the Cartesian coordinate system.
- Find the slope of a line given two points or the graph.
- Write the equation of a line in slope-intercept form.
- Find the y-intercept of a linear graph given the graph or the equation of the graph.
- Interpret the slope as a rate in applied problems.*
- Graph a line using either a table of values or the slope and y-intercept.
- Geometry
- Apply formulas to find area and volume.
- Explain the difference between length, area and volume.
- Use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve problems about right triangles.
- Use the Pythagorean Theorem or the distance formula to find the distance between two points.
- Proportion
- Increase or decrease a number by a percentage.
- Calculate percent of increase or decrease.
- Solve percent problems.*
- Write and solve proportions.
- Solve problems using proportions.*
- Calculate a rate or unit rate.
- Statistics
- Calculate a median.
- Calculate a mean.
- Determine whether a median or mean better supports an argument based on data.*
- Calculate a standard deviation.
Assessment and Requirements
Assessment of Academic Achievement
The final exam for Math 081 must count at least 15% of the students grade. All other assessment is left to the instructor's discretion.
Approval Dates
Effective Term
Spring 2018