Contact Info:
Email: James.Christensen@gcccd.edu
Office Hours: Mon: 8:30 to 10:20 PM (H134); Mon(Lab): 7:30 to 8:20 PM (H119); Wed: 8:30 to 10:20 AM (H134)
Course(s):
Course Links:
SyllabusClass Notes and Problems
Homework
Practice Probs
Course Notes:
What we do
Math 90 is a credit/no-credit course designed for students who may have been away from school for several years or who need a math refresher course to prepare them for more advanced subjects such as Math 103 or Math 110. In this course we review numeric and algebraic operations such as manipulating fractions, factoring polynomials, working with exponents, graphing and solving various types of equations. The course requires five hours of class time and one hour of computer lab each week.
Course Materials
This course utilizes the textbook "Beginning and Intermediate Algebra" by Bittinger, Ellenbogen and Johnson (ISBN-13: 978-1-256-97660-8). Associated with this course is a math computer lab administered by www.MyMathLab.com in which participation is required. The textbook is available as an ebook through this lab but a hardcopy is also available if you prefer. The textbook is especially created for Grossmont/Cuyamaca Colleges and may be purchased at the college bookstore. Pricing for the lab and for the textbook will vary depending on the vendor but, for planning purposes, the lab with ebook will cost about $100 and the hardcopy textbook will cost about $100. You will also need a calculator such as the TI30 and you will need a notebook, quadruled graphing paper, a clear straight-edge for graphing, pencils and a good eraser.
Expectations
The course follows the textbook very closely presenting one section of the text each 50 minutes of class time. Each class 'hour' will consist of a short lecture covering the essential points of the target section and, following the lecture, worksheets will be distributed where you are expected to apply the material covered in the lecture to specific algebra problems. You are expected to work together on these worksheets and, of course, I am available to help where needed. The worksheets are handed in at the end of class, they are graded that evening and returned the next class day. If you miss a day of class you get a zero on that days worksheet so you are expected to be present each class day.
This site
This site will contain the latest schedule and homework for our Fall 2013 Math 90 class. The syllabus, schedule and homework pages are each accessed individually and are not grouped as was done on the first day of class. The site provides for pdf file download of all pages.
Recent changes
I will insert changes, notes or other pertinent information here from time to time.
Useful Links for Math 90 Students
Here are a few links you may find helpful in your studies.
Cuyamaca Math 90 page
Professor Scott Eckert also has a very well developed site with videos and practice tests
For those needing practice with multiplication tables and fractions, here is a pretty good on line site multiplication games
