MATH 021

The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.

MATH 021: College Algebra I (3:3:0). Quadratic equations; equations in quadratic form; word problems, graphing; algebraic fractions; negative and rational exponents; radicals.

Prerequisite: Math 4 or satisfactory performance on the mathematics proficiency examination. Students who do not meet the prerequisite may have great difficulty in the course.

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Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of MATH 021, that student should be able to:

1. Simplify rational expressions.
2. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational expressions.
3. Solve rational equations.
4. Translate applications into algebraic models and solve.
5. Simplify expressions with exponents.
6. Convert from radical notation to rational exponent notation and from exponent notation to radical notation.
7. Simplify radical expressions.
8. Solve radical equations.
9. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide complex numbers.
10. Solve quadratic equations by factoring, completing the square, and the quadratic formula.
11. Determine the number and type of solutions to a quadratic equation using the discriminate.
12. Graph linear equations by plotting points.
13. Graph nonlinear equations using symmetry, intercepts, and other points.
14. Graph solutions to linear inequalities in two variables.
15. Determine distance between two points in a plane.
16. Determine slope of a line.
17. Determine the point-slope equation of a line.
18. Determine the slope-intercept equation of a line.
19. Determine if two given lines are perpendicular or parallel.
20. Complete the square to obtain the standard form of the equation of a circle.
21. Graph circles.
22. Solve a system of two linear equations in two variables by substitution or elimination.

 

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Frequent Questions

What if I have never taken an online course?

This course is taught completely online. You will use Penn State's course management system, ANGEL, to communicate with the professor and your classmates through chat and e-mail. You'll also submit some course work through ANGEL.

It's important to realize that an online course is not easier than on-campus course. In fact, it takes a lot more self-discipline. You must be willing and able to commit the same amount of time as you would for attending class and studying for a traditional course. You must also be a motivated, organized student who feels confident about reading to learn and who is comfortable working independently.

What are the technological requirements for this course?

To complete this course, you must have the following equipment or capabilities:

1. have access to a computer that meets the ANGEL technological requirements.
2. be comfortable with navigating the Internet

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Unit Outline

Unit Topic

1. Extensive review of basic algebra topics. Upon completing the initial ALEKS assessment, the student is expected to demonstrate a mastery of at least 80% of the first 100 ALEKS objectives. Ideally, a student will commit a minimum of 10 hours to ALEKS within the first two weeks of class.
2. This unit will focus on the simplification of rational expressions.
3. Solving rational equations and applications, review topics associated with linear equations (graphing lines, writing equations of lines) and set and interval notation.
4. Exponents and Radicals.
5. Quadratic Equations.
6. Systems of Linear Equations and Circles

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Course Expectations

Both algebraic skills and conceptual understanding will be expected and assessed.

Algebraic skills will be primarily developed through work on ALEKS. ALEKS is a web-based tutorial system which provides students with ongoing skills based assessments and tracks progress. The midterm and final exams will also entail skills based problems.

Conceptual skills will be incorporated into quizzes and home work assignments. Such assignments will be due approximately every other week. If necessary, lectures will be done via Elluminate. The midterm and final exams will also incorporate questions which relate to the conceptual tasks.

Students will be expected to do:

ALEKS work. Essentially all of the skills based work will be conducted through ALEKS. The ALEKS system will do ongoing assessments of skills based problems and track student progress. ALEKS is a major component of the course and a typical college algebra student will need to plan on 4-6 hours of online work each week (50-60 hours for the course). Skills based points will be earned by measuring mastered objective milestones and skills based ALEKS quizzes.

Work through ANGEL. The course management system is ANGEL and most correspondence will be conducted here. Conceptual ideas will be enhanced through activities which may include the ANGEL discussion board where ideas amongst students are discussed. The ANGEL drop box will be used to submit specific activity based assignments. ANGEL quizzes will be used for conceptual based quizzes, the midterm exam and the final exam.

Communicate with your instructor! Please be sure to let your instructor know when you are experiencing difficulty with the course content.

Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account userid and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year from the day the course began (with the exception of library reserves).

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Required Text, Equipment, Software

The following materials are required:

• Intermediate Algebra. Julie Miller, Molly O'Neill, and Nancy Hyde. 2nd edition. Published by McGraw-Hill, 2010. ISBN: 978007732112. The hard copy is optional as the electronic copy will be available along with one semester of ALEKS online access.
• One-semester subscription access to ALEKS.
• Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
• Flash Player [Download from Adobe]
• Microsoft Office
• iTunes/Quicktime

Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.

The following material is optional:

• Wacom - Bamboo USB Tablet with Cordless Pen. (This may be purchased from your favorite vendor, for example, Best Buy)

Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can

• access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
• borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
• get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
• much more. 

You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service.  The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.

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Technical Requirements

Technical Requirements

Operating System	Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version
Processor	2 GHz or higher
Memory	1 GB of RAM
Hard Drive Space	20 GB free disk space
Browser	We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion, and for advice on downloading a supported version, please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers. Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses.
Plug-ins	Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe] Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe]
Additional Software	Microsoft Office (2007 or later)
Internet Connection	Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required
Printer	Access to graphics-capable printer
DVD-ROM	Required
Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers	Required
Monitor	Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution

If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.

For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!

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Course Schedule

Will be available in the real space for you to view the detailed Assignment Schedule, Points, and Grade Cut-Offs.

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Assessment and Grades

The total number of points for the course will be 750 points. Students will have an opportunity to earn 200 points in each of the following two areas: 1) Basic Skills (ALEKS work), and 2) Conceptual Understanding (Homework and ANGEL quizzes). The last component of the course consists of two (2) proctored exams, a midterm exam (150 points) and the comprehensive Final Exam (200 points). The final grade will be determined by the sum of these three areas.

Submissions via ANGEL	Basic Skills (ALEKS)	Proctored Exams
200 points	200 points	350 points
2 Homework (10 pts each)	Initial Assessment (5 pts)	Midterm Exam (150 points)
6 ANGEL Quizzes (30 pts ea)	6 ALEKS Quizzes (25 pts ea)	Final Exam (200 points)
	6 ALEKS Completion Units (5 pts ea)
	Final Set Objectives (15 pts)

GRADE	% Score	POINTS
A, A+	90 -100	672-750
B+, B, B-	80 - 89	597 - 671
C+, C	70 - 79	522 - 596
D	60 - 69	447 - 521
F	0 - 59	0 - 446

Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.

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Final Examination

The midterm and final exams will be available via ANGEL. They are proctored exams.

Arranging a Proctor

You will need to secure a proctor in order to take exams in this course. A proctor will not automatically be assigned to you; rather, you must make the necessary contacts to secure a professional who will serve in this capacity.

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Deferred Grades

If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.

For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.

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Academic Integrity

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.� Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.

How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, as well as a civil community.

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.

All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .

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University Policies

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.

In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.

1. Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor.  As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
2. Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
3. Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
4. Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
   1. Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
   2. Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
5. Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
6. Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
7. For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
   1. Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
   2. Penn State Values.

The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.

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