Check out daily activities at the course calendar.  You will find reading assignments, homework exercises, web links, and important dates.  This calendar will change from time to time, so return to it regularly throughout the term to keep updated on course information!
 

Course Content:	The science and technology that pervades our world today would not be possible without the application of mathematical ideas; one of the more important is the concept of a function.  This fundamental mathematical tool has allowed us to describe, model, and predict quantifiable phenomena all around us. This course is about properties of a wide range of functions, including linear, exponential, logarithmic, and polynomial functions.  They are studied from multiple perspectives: verbally, numerically, graphically, and symbolically.  We consider the notions of the inverse of a function, and composition of functions as a means to create new functions.  Applications to real world situations appear throughout as means to show the power of these ideas.  This course is also a good preparation for calculus, as functions are the fundamental objects of study in this branch of mathematics; but the course will provide you with helpful mathematical skills regardless of whether you study calculus later or not.
Time & Place:	HAI 17, MW 6:15 - 9:30pm
Instructor:	Daniel E. Otero
Office Hours:	MTWR 5:30 - 6:15 in the classroom; also by appointment in my office, Hinkle 104
Phone:	745-2012 (voicemail available)
Email:	otero@xavier.edu
Textbook:	Functions Modeling Change, 3nd ed., by Connally, Hughes-Hallett, Gleason, et al.: Wiley, 2007.
Calculators:	We will make substantial use of the TI-83 Plus or TI-84 calculator, widely available in department stores for about $100.   They are currently the standard brand of calculator for our department.  (You're on your own if you choose to use a different model of calculator; I may not be able to assist you with models that are unfamiliar to me.)
Grading:	A standard scale (A = 90%, B = 80%, C = 70%, D = 60%) based on a total 700 pts:   Classroom work = 100 pts Homework = 100 pts Test 1 (W 9 Jul) = 100 pts* Test 2 (W 16 Jul) = 100 pts* Test 3 (W 23 Jul) = 100 pts* Test 4 (W 30 Jul) = 100 pts* Test 5 (W 6 Aug) = 100 pts* Test 6 (W 13 Aug) = 100 pts The lowest of the first five test grades listed above (indicated by an asterisk) will be dropped.  Homework is assigned for each class period (see the course calendar), and you should collect all your solutions in a three-ring binder. Regular short assignments prepared for completion in the classroom will be another important component of course work; homework and in-class assignments will be graded only for completion, not for correctness. No other extra credit work will be assigned for this course. The Department of Mathematics & Computer Science has adopted this Statement of Grading Standards, which you should review.
Attendance:	Attendance is mandatory and participation in class is expected.  During class, all cell phones must be turned off; if using your cell phone should disrupt the class or the instructor, you may be asked to leave the room for the rest of the period. If you foresee that you will not be able to attend class for any reason, make arrangements with the instructor beforehand to schedule a time to make up the exam.  Even a phone message before 7pm on the day of the missed class is sufficient; no special arrangements will be made otherwise.  Remember that each class meeting is 1/12 of the entire course! It will be very difficult for you catch up with the coursework if you should miss a class period. Note that extra credit work will not be assigned.
Homework:	The course calendar provides a schedule for the entire term. For each class date, there is an assignment of exercises from the textbook for you to work to help you to understand the concepts we discuss that day. I will grade these problems weekly for completion (not necessarily for correctness), but we will spend a great deal of time in class answering your questions regarding them. You should do as many of these problems as you can to prepare for the weekly tests; be aware that it may be very difficult to complete them all in the time available to you! Many of the homework exercises are odd-numbered problems with answers in the back of the book. Come early to the classroom to make use of my office hours if you feel you cannot do this entirely on your own. Read the textbook! You'll be surprised how much more useful class time is if you train yourself to read what will be covered in class ahead of time. And be patient. Even if the text is difficult to understand, reading through it (and rereading what seems obscure) will alert you to terms, definitions, and concepts that will be discussed in the upcoming class; you will be better able to formulate intelligent questions if you prepare in advance. Note that reading mathematics is different from reading any other kind of material. Have pencil, paper, and calculator handy as you read and work through the examples for yourself. The best preparation for the tests is diligent attention to working as many of the assigned exercises as you can in the limited time you have, as the tests will contain problems utilizing techniques from these exercises. I will go so far as to say that it is impossible to learn mathematical ideas without doing a fair amount of problems that explore these concepts. The pace of the summer course is lightning-fast, so it is vital that you make as efficient a use of the time you have to make these ideas intelligible and to master them sufficiently well that you can work standard problems that employ them.