Ilva Mariani

Textbook: Discovering Geometry, An Inductive Approach, 2nd edition, by Michael Serra, Key Curriculum Press

Other required materials: Ruler (metric & English), protractor, compass, colored pencils (at least 2), blank paper, graph paper, scientific calculator, flash drive.

Course description: This course includes the study of triangles, quadrilaterals, circles, parallels, and similar figures. Skill development involving equalities, proportions, and areas of the above figures is included. Logical thinking is stressed in problem situations.

Student Learning Outcome: Among other mathematical ideas, in the course of the semester, students will learn to use concepts of similarity and congruence to solve and model real world applications.

Prerequisite: MATH 60 or equivalent with a grade of Credit or "C" or higher or satisfactory completion of the Math Placement Process. Prerequisites are strictly enforced.

Assignments: Daily homework assignments will be given. They are due at the time of the next class meeting. Students are responsible to check the answers to problems with the key at the back of the book, when available. At the beginning of each class session, if time permits, homework questions will be addressed. At the beginning of each class session, students need to have the section and number of the problem(s), and their work on the problem(s) about which they have questions written on the board. Students are encouraged to come with homework questions to office hours.

Homework assignments will be collected at the beginning of quizzes and/or exams and checked for completeness and neatness. They should be:

§ in chronological order;
§ on standard size paper;
§ with the date and assignment description on each page;
§ submitted in a folder.

Classwork assignments will be given regularly. Most will be done in small groups. There are no make-up classwork or homework assignments. You should keep all your classwork handouts with your work, separate from your notes, in a folder that will be submitted for credit once or twice during the semester.

Quizzes & Activities: Quizzes and/or activities will be given in preparation for the exams.

Exams: There will be three 150-point exams and a 200-point final exam. The final exam is Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 2 PM. Note the time difference! The final exam is comprehensive and required to pass the course.

THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS OR QUIZZES. If a quiz or exam is missed for a valid, documented reason, a weighted average of all quizzes and/or exams will be substituted for that grade. This may be done for only one quiz and/or exam during the semester.

Grading:                     Quizzes and Activities             up to 100 points
            Classwork and Homework       up to 100 points
            Projects                                          100 points
            Exams                                             450 points
            Final Exam                                      200 points

The final grade will be based on the percentage of total points earned as follows:

                          90%-100%      A
                          80%-89%        B
                          70%-79%        C
                          60%-69%        D
                          0%-59%        F

Due to privacy laws, an individual’s grades will be discussed only in the instructor’s office. When a student wants to discuss his or her grade, (s)he should have the grade sheet completed – all returned assignments entered and the current percent score calculated.

Attendance & participation: Attendance and participation in class is crucial to students’ success in the course. A student who

is absent more than a total of two weeks of the class may be dropped from the class. Students are expected to be in class on time and to stay for the complete class session. Excessive tardiness will result in the tardies being counted as an absence. Class participation will be considered in the final grade for borderline cases.

Classroom conduct: Students are expected to be focused on the work during class time and to be respectful of each other and the instructor. Interruptions of any kind during class time will not be tolerated. Make sure all electronic devices are turned off/silenced before the beginning of class.

Extra help: Students are encouraged to take advantage of the instructor's office hours to receive extra help. I may also be available outside of regular office hours. All you need to do is call or email and make an appointment. In addition, there is free tutoring on campus, and enrolling in the free/0 unit course that gives students access to the tutoring is strongly recommended:

Tutoring is in the Academic Support center in LC-166 located in the learning Resource Center, lower level.

"The test for understanding is often the ability to communicate to others; and this act itself is often the final and most crucial step in the learning process." - R.C. Buck