College Algebra at the University of Kentucky
College Algebra covers selected topics in algebra, such as a review of high school algebra, quadratic formula, systems of linear equations, introduction to functions and graphing. Please see this more detailed schedule. In particular, we will cover solving equations (linear, quadratic, rational, exponential, and logarithmic), graphing on the Cartesian coordinate system (with special emphasis on lines and their slope), solving systems of linear equations (with substitution and elimination), using technology such as graphing calculators, solving applied problems, and general functions (with emphasis on exponential, logarithmic, polynomial, and rational functions).
The Course Bulletin describes this 3 or 5 credit hour course as:
Selected topics in algebra. Develops manipulative algebraic skills and mathematical reasoning required for further study in mathematics and use in mathematical modeling. Includes brief review of basic algebra, quadratic formula, systems of linear equations, introduction to functions and graphing. This course is not available for credit to persons who have received credit in any mathematics course of a higher number with the exceptions of MA 111, 112, 123, 162, 201 and 202. Credit not available on the basis of special examination. Prereq: Two years of high school algebra and a Math ACT score of 21 or above or a Math SAT score of 510 or above or a Math SAT2016 score of 540 or above; or UK 096; or appropriate MathIndex; or grade of B or better in MA 111. Math placement test recommended.
The goal of this course is to prepare you to use the basic tools of algebra to manipulate both known and unknown numerical quantities. By succeeding in this course, you should be prepared to study elementary calculus (as presented in MA 123) as well as being able to understand and work with mathematical models in your other course work.
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
The TENTATIVE course calendar is available here as a pdf:
It is very important to keep up with your class and to inform your instructor as early as possible of any problems or concerns. Many instructors have multiple hundreds of students, and so there may be delays or special requirements needed to handle what may appear to be simple problems. On the other hand our instructors are highly trained professionals and may be able to help you solve what seem like insurmountable challenges. In either case, the more time the instructor has to consider your case, the more likely you are to have a good result.
Instructors hold drop-in office hours at the times and places listed below. You can stop by to ask questions about the course material or structure. Most instructors also are available in the Mathskeller where you can ask them (or any other instructor present) for help in the course.
| Instructor | Office Location | Office Phone | Office Hours | |
| Lewis Dominguez | Lewis.Dominguez@uky.edu | POT 702 | Mondays and Fridays 12-1pm in Mathskeller | |
| Jordan Sawdy | jordan.sawdy@uky.edu | POT 706 | Mondays 2-3 and Thursdays 1-2 in POT 706, and Wednesdays 11-12 in Mathskeller | |
| Dr. Chloe Urbanski Wawrzyniak | ChloeUWawrzyniak@uky.edu | POT 703 | (859) 257-8832 | Wednesdays and Thursdays 12-1:30 pm in POT 703 |
Active, engaged class participation is required in all sections. Make sure you know when and where your class meets and make sure to bring appropriate materials to class (a place to take notes, any calculator you want to practice using). Your active, engaged class participation is a major component of your final grade.
| Section | Meeting Times and Locations | Instructor | Final Exam Location |
| 005 | Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays: 2-2:50 pm in Whitehall Classroom Building room 214 | Dr. Chloe Urbanski Wawrzyniak | TBD |
| 013 |
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TBD |
| 014 |
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TBD |
| 015 | Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 11-11:50 am in Whitehall Classroom Building room 339 | Lewis Dominguez | TBD |
The textbook College Algebra, by Jay Abramson and other contributors at OpenStax serves as an important reference work for the course. This textbook is available for free online, or printed for around $50 to $60.
Technology such as calculators can be very helpful for exploring mathematics, and you may bring any calculator you have with you to class. You may find the free graphing calculator from Desmos particularly helpful. On the quizzes, you may only use a 4-function calculator (a calculator that can add, subtract, multiply, and divide, but nothing else).
For any written solutions to problems in this course, students are expected to submit work that is clear, legible, and well-written. Students should show all their work in an organized manner, using complete sentences to explain their solutions and justify their computations.
The textbook and your instructor's office hours are invaluable sources of information. You may also find the following useful for studying:
The Mathskeller is located in CB 063 in the basement of the classroom building. Many instructors from the Department of Mathematics will hold office hours in the Mathskeller. In addition, limited drop-in tutoring is available. The Mathskeller is open from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday (except academic holidays) during the semester. Additional information is available at https://math.as.uky.edu/mathskeller/.
The Peer Tutoring Program offers FREE drop-in tutoring for many University of Kentucky (UK) core courses. Offering proactive assistance, the goal of the Peer Tutoring Program is to enhance students' academic experience as early and as often as possible. The Peer Tutoring Program provides a welcoming and friendly atmosphere for students to drop in, as they wish, to seek help on homework or exam prep, or simply to study within a group environment. Peer Tutors in The Study Central and The Study North are nationally certified, well-trained undergraduate students who have successfully completed the course for which they tutor at UK. This makes them a great resource for questions about a professor or course format in addition to questions pertaining to the subject.
Peer tutoring is offered in two locations: The Study Central, on the bottom floor of Donovan Hall (entrance is catty corner from K-Lair) on central campus, and The Study North, on the first floor of Jewel Hall (residence hall across from the Student Center) on north campus.
There are seven standards that students will be assessed on throughout the semester:
| Grade | Requirements | |
| A | At least 6 standards completed | |
| B | 5 standards completed | |
| C | 4 standards completed | |
| D | 3 standards completed | |
| E | Less than 3 standards completed | |
Standards 1-6 are content standards and will all be assessed the same way. For each of these standards, students will have 5 quizzes throughout the semester that are worth 10 points each. In order to pass a quiz, students must earn at least 8 points on that quiz. In order to complete a standard, students must pass two quizzes on that standard.
That means that once a student has earned an 8 or higher twice on a standard, they are done with that standard and do not need to take any more quizzes in that standard. For example, suppose a student earns a 6 on their first Standard 1 quiz, a 9 on their second Standard 1 quiz, and a 10 on their third Standard 1 quiz. Since they have now scored an 8 or higher on two different Standard 1 quizzes, they have completed Standard 1 and do not need to take the last two quizzes in that standard. Note that the final exam is the last opportunity to take a quiz on a standard, but if a student has completed at least 6 standards before finals week, they do not need to show up to the final because they already have an A.
There is one exception to that policy. If a student has not earned an 8 or higher before finals week, they can still complete the standard. As long as they have earned at least a 6 on one of the first four quizzes, and they earn a 9 or higher on the final, we will count that as two passed quizzes, which will complete the standard.
Standard 7 is based on the daily work involved in being a successful student, such as preparing for class, attending and participating in class time, completing homework, and asking for help along the way. Standard 7 is a "pile of points" that students earn by completing homework assignments, attendind and participating in class meetings, and a few other assignments throughout the semester. There are more than 1300 points available throughout the semester. Student must earn at least 1100 points by the end of the semester in order to complete standard 7.
Mid-term grades will be posted in myUK by the deadline established in the Academic Calendar.
There are a number of important policies that can have a dramatic effect on your understanding and final grade in this course. These policies are intended to be uniform and simple, but if you have not read over them, they may have unexpected consequences.
The University of Kentucky provides an Academic Policy Statements web page, but summaries of policies are listed here.
Active, engaged, in-class participation is mandatory and forms a major portion of your final grade. You should be ready to work when class begins (for example: seated, notes and pencil ready, attention to the front, quiet at 8:00am if the class starts at 8:00am). You should not pack up or leave until class is over (for example: you should still be working at 8:49am if the class ends at 8:50am). You should be prepared to take notes either with pencil and paper or your preferred electronic writing device. If you are meeting your instructor for class via an electronic meeting, please log in on time and stay for the whole class. It is recommended, for maximum benefit, that you have both audio and video access, if possible. If you have special circumstances, please contact your instructor before class begins so that they can excuse late arrivals or early departures. Unexcused late arrivals or early departures may result in significant reduction in participation grade for each day on which they occur.
An absence can only be excused if the instructor is notified within a week of the absence. The choice to excuse the absence is with the instructor, though excuses will be granted (given timely notification) according to University Senate Rule 5.2.4.2: namely (a) serious illness, (b) illness or death of a family member, (c) University related trips, (d) major religious holidays, (e) other reasons deemed reasonable by the instructor. In the case of (c) and (d) notification must be provided one week in advance. In all cases documentation may be requested to ensure the absence does meet policy. For (a) a University Health Services Tier 2 or Tier 3 excuse is required, or a similar note from a health care provider who will confirm that you are a patient and were seen on the indicated day. Documentation that cannot be verified may result in the absence not being excused.
Absences can affect three major types of grade, and the policies for how absences affect each grade differ: Homework extensions should be requested before the homework solutions are available. Homework is available many weeks in advance, so that absences of type (c) and (d) can usually be handled without recourse to a homework extension. Active Participation measures a continued commitment to engaged and active participation with course content. Consult your individual instructor for details on how this will be measured, and how excused absences affect this measurement. Absences for exams are quite serious. An unexcused exam absence results in 0 for the exam grade, which lowers your final grade by at least a letter grade. To allow for exceptional circumstances, please speak with your instructor if an alternate exam is needed. We have a number of alternate times available to take each exam, and any reasonable request received before two weeks prior to the exam for one of those times will be automatically granted (excused). On the other hand last minute requests or requests that would require undue hardship are likely to be rejected (unexcused) or only given with a severe point penalty. Absences of type (a) and (b) should be reported within 24 hours of the exam to ensure that a reasonable accommodation can be found. Exam absences not reported within a week are automatically unexcused and result in a zero on the exam.
The University of Kentucky is committed to our core values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and human dignity, and a sense of community ( Governing Regulations XIV ). We acknowledge and respect the seen and unseen diverse identities and experiences of all members of the university community ( https://www.uky.edu/regs/gr14 ). These identities include but are not limited to those based on race, ethnicity, gender identity and expressions, ideas and perspectives, religious and cultural beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin, age, ability, and socioeconomic status. We are committed to equity and justice and providing a learning and engaging community in which every member is engaged, heard, and valued. We strive to rectify and change behavior that is inconsistent with our principles and commitment to creating a safe, equitable, and anti-racist environment. If students encounter such behavior in a course, they are encouraged to speak with the instructor of record or the college's diversity officer, who is charged with addressing concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusiveness (uky.edu/inclusiveexcellence/college-diversity-inclusion-officers). Students may also contact a faculty member within the department, program director, the director of undergraduate or graduate studies, the department chair, or the dean. To submit an official report of bias, hatred, racism, or identity-based violence, visit the Bias Incident Support Services website (https://www.uky.edu/biss/report-bias-incident). Official DEI Statement here.
Please notify your instructor in advance if you need accommodations due to disability. Exam accommodations require one week notice to get everything in place. Most accommodations can be worked out with the disability resource center. They will provide you with a letter for your instructor that should make finding accommodations easy. You should still check with your instructor that everything looks fine (and arrange a private meeting if details need to discussed).
All assignments, exams, quizzes, and exercises completed by students for this class should be the product of the personal efforts of the individual(s) whose name(s) appear on the corresponding assignment. Cheating or plagiarism is a serious offense and will not be tolerated. Any potential cheating case will be thoroughly investigated, and could lead to failure in the course or even to expulsion from the university. See Student Rights and Responsibilities in the University Senate Rules (Sections 6.3.1 and 6.3.2) for information on cheating, plagiarism, and penalties. A summary of recent changes to rules on cheating can be found at the academic ombud website. The Senate-maintained web page of Academic Offenses Rules for Undergraduate and Graduate Students also lists all applicable course policies on academic offenses.
Students are expected to be actively participating during class. Students are also expected not to distract others. If you arrive late, leave early, are distracted by your phone, or are otherwise not actively engaged with the class you may not receive credit for participating that day. If you are disrupting class, you may be asked to leave.
College Algebra is traditionally a very difficult class, and many of your classmates will be having a hard time adjusting both to the university and to the demands of the class. You are expected to treat your classmates with respect. It is reasonable to disagree, but you should express your disagreement respectfully. Personal attacks or statements denigrating another on the basis of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender or gender expression, age, national/regional origin or other such irrelevant factors are considered a severe disruption. Harassment will not be tolerated.
The University of Kentucky faculty are committed to supporting students and upholding the University's non-discrimination policy.
Discrimination is prohibited at UK. If you experience an incident of discrimination we encourage you to report it to Institutional Equity & Equal Opportunity (IEEO) Office, 13 Main Building, (859) 257-8927.
Acts of Sex- and Gender-Based Discrimination or Interpersonal Violence: If you experience an incident of sex- or gender-based discrimination or interpersonal violence, we encourage you to report it. While you may talk to a faculty member or TA/RA/GA, understand that as a "Responsible Employee" of the University these individuals MUST report any acts of violence (including verbal bullying and sexual harassment) to the University's Title IX Coordinator in the IEEO Office. If you would like to speak with someone who may be able to afford you confidentiality, the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program and Bias Incident Support Services (Frazee Hall – Lower Level), the Counseling Center (104 Mandrell Hall), and University Health Services are confidential resources on campus.
Homework score and active participation score continue as usual. Homework is due and the typical measures of in-class participation will be present. No papers or exams will be given during Prep Week.
University Senate rule 4.3.3 allows department chairs to prevent a student from registering in a course for a third time, unless a student has withdrawn for urgent, non-academic reasons. The Department of Mathematics enforces this rule for students attempting a fourth registration in MA 109, 110, 113 and 137.