None, although assumes at least one course of high school algebra.

For All Practical Purposes: Mathematical Literacy in Today's World, by the COMAP consortium, 7th Edition, 2006, W.H. Freeman, ISBN: 0-7167-5965-9.

Companion Web Site: http://www.whfreeman.com/fapp7e

Other software we may be using for this course:

• Microsoft Logo for Windows
• Microsoft Excel

Both are available on Transy's LAN.

The main purpose is to learn skills that will enable a liberal arts student to be mathematically literate in the modern world. This includes logical and critical thinking.

You are expected to attend all lectures.  If you must miss for any reason, please send me email as soon as you know you must be absent. No makeup work will be given.  If you miss a regular exam, for any reason, the final exam will count in its place.  If you take all three exams and score higher on the final exam than one of the regular exams, you may count the final exam in place of your lowest regular exam score.  So if your first three exam scores are 85, 54, 92 and your final exam score is 87 I will drop the 54 and use the 87 in its place.  Thus the four exam scores become :  85, 87, 92, 87. Scores will be posted to Moodle as soon as the exams are graded.

Several individual and/or small group projects will be assigned during the semester, which emphasize writing skills. You are expected to submit work on time. Each project will have a specified time and date that it is due. You must submit the project to be graded by this deadline to have the possibility to earn full credit. Late work will be penalized severely, 50% for each class period that it is late unless specified otherwise. Instructions for submitting assignments will be given in class. Scores will be posted to Moodle as soon as the projects have been officially graded.

You are expected to do all assigned homework exercises, in a small group. The makeup of the groups will change throughout the course. One grade on the homework exercises will be assigned to the group, and each group member will receive that grade. Moodle Forums may also be used to discuss homework problems.

The schedule of topics is subject to change (due to progress rate of the class) so be sure to check the Schedule of Topics page in Moodle periodically for latest information. You are expected to complete the appropriate reading assignments before class.

You are getting a hard copy of this syllabus at your first lecture.  But some of this will change during the course of the semester.  (Grading policy, exam dates, etc. will not change but lecture schedule will probably change.)  All pertinent class information will be available though Moodle, including very useful FAQ's, tips, hints, suggestions from other students, etc., available through the Discussion Forums.

You are encouraged to keep a notebook for the course, primarily to focus on how to accomplish certain tasks.