SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE

ASSOCIATE DEGREE CREDIT COURSE OUTLINE

 

Department:   Mathematics

Subject Area and Course Number:   MATH 74

Course Title:  Prealgebra Refresher

Discipline:    Mathematics

Units:   1

Repeatability:    None

Catalog Course Description:  Short courses intended for those students who have assessed into Math 4 and wish to improve their assessment level; those who have successfully completed Math 4 but need more review; or students who unsuccessfully attempted Math 100 and need review of prealgebra skills.  Features a computer program to refresh those concepts identified as needed for each student, plus weekly contact with the instructor. Successful completion of this course may serve as a petition to challenge Math 4.  Course does not replace a failing grade in Math 4.

Description for Schedule of Classes: Prealgebra refresher for students who desire higher placement; students who completed Math 4 but need review; or those who have attempted Math 100 and need prealgebra review. 

Lecture Hours per Week:    18 Hours Total (Short Course)

Laboratory Hours per Week:   None

Plus Hours:     None

Prerequisites:  None

Co-requisites:  None

Skills Advisories:  None

Course Advisories:     None

Limitation on Enrollment:    None

Course Objectives:   At the end of the course, the successful student will be able to:

1.                    Work with all operations involving signed numbers and fractions.

2.                    Work with whole numbers and exponents.

3.                    Translate words into mathematical expressions.

4.                    Use all four operations with polynomials.

5.                    Solve linear equations.

6.                    Solve application problems involving the preceding areas.

Course Content and Scope: 

 I.         Whole Numbers

              A.               Place value

              B.                Properties and Facts of Addition

              C.                Addition and Subtraction with Whole Numbers; Perimeter

              D.               Rounding Numbers

              E.                Multiplication and Division; Areas and Volumes

              F.                The Distributive Property

              G.               Exponents and Order of Operations

II.        Introduction to Algebra

              A.               Positive and Negative Numbers

              B.                Addition, Subtraction, and Negative Numbers

              C.                Multiplication, Division with Negative Numbers

              D.               Simplifying Algebraic Expressions

              E.                Multiplication Properties of Exponents

              F.                Addition, Subtraction and Multiplication of Polynomials

III.       Fractions and Mixed Numbers

              A.               Meaning and Properties of Fractions

              B.               Prime Numbers, Factors, and Reducing to Lowest Terms

              C.               Multiplication and Division of Fractions; Area of a Triangle

              D.               Addition and Subtraction with Fractions

              E.                Mixed-Number Notation

              F.                Four Operations with Mixed Numbers (Optional)

  IV.   Solving Equations

              A.               Distributive Property and Algebraic Expressions

              B.               The Addition and Multiplication Properties of Equality

              C.               Linear Equations in one Variable

              D.               Word Problems

  V.     Decimals

              A.               Decimal Notation, Place Value and Rounding

              B.               Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division with Decimals

              C.               Circumference and Area of a Circle

              D.               Fractions and Decimals

              E.                Volume of a Sphere

              F.                Equations containing Decimals

              G.               Square Roots

              H.               The Pythagorean Theorem

 VI.     Ratio, Proportion, and Unit Analysis

              A.               Ratios

              B.               Length, Area, Volume, Weight

              C.               Proportions

VII.    Percent

              A.               Percents, Decimals, and Fractions

              B.               Basic Percent Problems

              C.               General Applications of Percents

              D.               Sales Tax and Commission (Optional)

              E.                Percent Increase or Decrease, Discount (Optional)

              F.                Interest (Optional)

 

Methods of Instruction:   The course will include use of email, ALEKS computer-based tutorials, interactive computer-based activities, and regular computer-based assessment tests. 

 

Required Assignments: 

Students will do the assigned components of ALEKS (which is equivalent to regular homework assignments) and take the assigned assessments at the appropriate level.

 

Methods of Evaluation: Students' grades will be based on their performance on the assigned components of ALEKS, the assigned assessments at the appropriate level and an in-class Math 4 final exam.

 

Appropriate Texts and Supplies:

 Software: ALEKS, McGraw Hill, 2.0 ed

ALEKS is a diagnostic and tutorial software package which will be adjusted to cover the specific topics in this course.  The software can be downloaded from the web and students will enroll via a password from the instructor.

 

Textbook: (Not Mandatory) The following or equivalent: 

Charles P. McKeague, Prealgebra, 4th edition (Wadsworth Publishing Co.), 2002.

 

 

 

PG/mej

Approved September 24, 2007

FRC (10/19/07 gb)