TRI-COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

 Course Prefix & Number:    MAT 104

 Course Title:                          Mathematics Foundations

 Class  Hours                        Lab Hours                     Credits

Per week:  3                        Per Week:  0                  Awarded:  3

 Catalog  Description: This course includes the study of numeration, measurement (US customary and SI), basic algebra, geometry, statistics, and trigonometry. Applications of science and technology are integrated in a problem-based learning environment. Technology, communications, teamwork, and other workplace readiness skills are emphasized.

 Entry Level Skills: Basic Mathematics and Introductory Algebra.

 Pre-requisites: Satisfactory math placement test score.

 Co-requisites: ENG 104 and EGR 104

 Text(s)/Required Materials: Elementary Technical Mathematics; Ewen and Nelson; Thomson, Brooks/Cole, 2007(ninth edition).

 Equipment: Scientific calculator (Casio fx 300 recommended).

 Course Competencies and Objectives/ Major Course Topics:

 Unit 1:  Review of Fundamental Operations

 Upon completion of this unit (sections 1.1 – 1.15 and 2.1 – 2.6) the student should be able to do:

1.  Perform the four fundamental operations in arithmetic.

2.  Perform the operations of raising to a power and taking a root in arithmetic.

3.  Apply the English system of measurements correctly.

4.  Apply the order of operations correctly.

5.  Apply the concepts of percent correctly.

6.  Use the powers of ten in place value.

7.  Use scientific notation correctly in computations.

8.  Apply the concepts of length, area, and volume appropriately.

   Unit 2: The Metric System

 Upon completion of this unit (sections 3.1 – 3.7) the student should be able to:

1. Memorize and be able to apply the metric prefixes.

2. Memorize the metric units for length, mass, time, temperature, volume, electric current, area, force, energy, power, and plane angle.

3. Convert from one prefix to another within the metric system.

4. Convert from English measurements to metric measurements and vice versa.

  Unit 3:  Measurement   

  Upon completion of this unit (sections 4.1 – 4.2 and 4.5 – 4.7) the student should be able to:

1.  Identify an exact number and an approximate number.

2.  Identify the precision of a number.

3.  Apply the concept of significant figures.

4.  Identify the precision and accuracy in a measurement.

5.  Perform the four fundamental operations with measurements.

6.  Calculate the relative error and percent error.

7.  Identify and apply tolerances to measurements.

 Unit 4:  Introduction to Algebra

 Upon completion of this unit (sections 5.1 – 5.6) the student should be able to:

1.  Apply the order of operations correctly in a calculation.

2.  Correctly remove or add parenthesis to an expression or equation.

3.  Identify and collect like terms in an expression or equation.

4.  Add/subtract polynomials.

5.  Use the laws of exponents correctly.

6.  Multiply polynomials.

7.  Divide polynomials by a monomial.

  Unit 5:  Equations and Formulas

 Upon completion of this unit (sections 6.1 – 6.6) the student should be able to:

1.  Apply the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division properties of equality.

2.  Apply the order of operations correctly in solving an equation.

3.  Solve equations with variables on both sides of the equal sign.

4.  Solve equations containing parenthesis.

5.  Solve equations containing fractions.

6.  Translate words into algebraic symbols.

7.  Solve application problems.

8.  Translate algebraic symbols into word.

   Unit 6: Formulas and Applications  

  Upon completion of this unit (sections 6.7 – 6.9 and 7.1 – 7.4) the student should be able:

1.     Identify a formula.

2.     Solve a formula by substituting values.

3.     Solve a formula for a particular letter.

4.     Use a calculator to find the value of a reciprocal formula.

5.     Identify a ratio.

6.     Solve a proportion.

7.     Apply the product of the means equals the product of the extremes to solve a proportion.

8.     Identify and solve direct variation problems.

9.     Identify and solve inverse variation problems.

  Unit 7: Geometry

 Upon completing this unit (sections 12.1 – 12.7) the student should be able :

1.     Use a protractor.

2.     Identify complementary and supplementary angles.

3.     Identify acute, right, obtuse and straight angles.

4.     Use the parallel theorem on corresponding angles and alternate interior angles.

5.     Apply the correct area formula.

6.     Classify triangles as equilateral, isosceles, or scalene.

7.     Apply the Pythagorean Theorem.

8.     Calculate perimeter.

9.     Apply the concept of similar triangles.

10.  Calculate the area and circumference of a circle.

11.  Identify chords and tangents on a circle.

12.  Use and convert radian and degree measure.

13.  Find the volume and surface area of a prism.

  Grade Calculation Method:    Unit tests                        =   30 – 60 %

                                                           Projects                          =   20 – 40 %                                  

                                                           Homework, other        =     0 – 10 %

                                                           Final Exam                     =            20%

                                                           TOTAL                                          100%

Additional Information Pertaining to Grades: Students MUST PASS all 3 Gateway courses: MAT 104, ENG 104 and EGR 104. If a student fails any one or more of these 3 courses, that student MUST REPEAT all 3 courses.

Prepared by: Debra Bindschatel                   Date revised: January 9, 2007