Fall 2021
Section: 01
CRN: 41104
Semester Credit Hours: 3
Instructor: Dick Schwanke
Email: dschwank@harford.edu
Phone: 443-412-2000
Offices: Edgewood, Darlington, or Aberdeen Hall
Office Hours: By Appointment
I will respond to students within 24 business day hours. I try to grade all assignments within 4 days of the due date. If I am behind for any reason, I will notify the entire class.
Originally, this course is scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:00 – 9:20 AM. For the Fall 2021, this course is being presented concurrently as a face-to-face continuing education course and a remote credit course.
Finite Mathematics: An Applied Approach (11th edition), by Michael Sullivan II
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011 (www.wileyplus.com)
This course is designed for students in Business Management, Computer Information Systems and other appropriate transfer programs. Topics include graphing linear functions, systems of linear equations, linear programming, matrices and Markov chains, game theory, counting techniques, probability, logic and logic circuits. Prerequisite: qualifying score on the math assessment or MATH 026. This course is an allowable prerequisite for MATH212 Calculus with Business Applications.
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to demonstrate competence in various areas of finite mathematics by:
1)
Solving financial
problems involving interest payments, annuities, sinking funds, and present
value
2)
Solving systems of
linear equations using linear programming techniques, including matrix methods,
graphing techniques, and utilizing current technology
3)
Using logic
methodology to construct arguments and design logic circuits,
4)
Using and
understanding counting techniques including their application to probabilities.
5)
Appling matrix algebra and probability techniques to solve Markov chain and game theory problems.
6)
Developing an
appreciation of finite mathematical techniques as a tool for business decision
making
The instructor reserves the right to modify and/or change the course syllabus with reasonable notification to students.
List Instructional Methods. {Modify as needed}
There will be numerous opportunities for assessment throughout:
a) Take-home Examinations: two for a total of 150 points
b) In-class Examination: (if on-campus, otherwise take-home): one at 150 points
c) Final Examination: one at 150 points
d) Technology Assignments: three Excel projects at 50 points each for 150 points
e) Quizzes: multiple ones, both in and out of class, at random times, to total 150 points
f) Projects: multiple ones, both in and out of class, both individual and group, to total 200 points
g) Attendance and Participation: counted every class period for up to 50 points total.
The total is 1000 possible points in course. Extra Credit may become available throughout the semester.
a) Letter Grade of A will be assigned for total points at or above 900.0 points.
b) Letter Grade of B will be assigned for total points between 800.0 and 899.9 points.
c) Letter Grade of C will be assigned for total points between 700.0 and 799.9 points.
d) Letter Grade of D will be assigned for total points between 600.0 and 699.9 points.
e) Letter Grade of F will be assigned for total points below 600.0 points.
Students will receive a final grade based on grades from exams, technology assignments, quizzes, projects, and class participation.
Major due dates are described on the course’s Anticipated Schedule Webpage and/or functions within this course’s Blackboard site. The same locations also list the suggested homework problems by textbook section.
This course is divided into four separate units of unequal size:
1)
Applying interest calculations to solve problems involving various types of financial instruments
(20%);
2)
Solving systems of linear equations including using linear programming techniques for optimization
(35%);
3)
Using logic methodology to construct arguments and design of logic circuits (10%);
4)
Applying probability concepts to solve problems involving expected value, Markov chains, and game
theory (35%).
Working suggested homework problems, submitting technology assignments, and taking quizzes/exams are a major part of this course. Assignments are designed to reinforce basic concepts and illustrate new ones. Timely completion of assignments and class participation constitute a major part of the final grade. At the discretion of the instructor, missing due dates for the submission of assignments may cause that assignment to be scored as zero.
Regular and punctual class participation is required of all students, both during the online time and (if any) the on-campus classes. It is the student's responsibility to confer with the instructor about missed course work. Blackboard use is tracked and counts toward class participation.
The instructor may also hold Virtual Office Hours on an occasional basis. Participation in the Virtual Office Hours are optional, but will be considered as class participation.
A list of hours and locations for Student Services is available in OwlNet, on the Academic Life tab, under Quick Links.
HCC students are bound by the academic policies outlined in the most current HCC Catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to review these policies (over 20 of them) prior to the start of each semester.
HCC offers a wide variety of
There are ten HCC
A calculator will prove useful in certain portions of this course. Graphing calculators used in other HCC mathematics courses (such as the TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, or TI-84 Silver Edition) will be more than adequate. Business calculators (such as the HP-12c or TI-30) also will work successfully.
Microsoft Excel will be used,
both during class sessions and for completion of the technology
assignments. The purpose of these
assignments is for the student to demonstrate a reasonable proficiency with
spreadsheets, specifically Microsoft Excel for the PC. All HCC Students have
access to the Office 365 suite of applications, which includes Excel. There
will be demonstrations of how to use Excel in class, as well as a discussion of
the specific problems to be worked. The
HCC Learning Center has people available to assist with Finite Math specific
Excel projects.
The textbook author proposes either Chapter 1, 5, 6, 9, or 11 as the starting point for the course. For Harford Community College use, all topics listed in the course description (as printed in the college catalog and shown at the top of this syllabus) must be covered, regardless of order. So that the technology assignments and the in-class tests are spaced more evenly throughout the semester, the order for this course will be chapters 6-1-2-3-4-5-11-7-8-10
The schedule is tentative and can be modified at any time if needed. While every effort will be made to adhere to the syllabus, the instructor does reserve the right to amend the syllabus. The student is responsible for noting any of the instructor's changes, which will be announced during class periods