Northern Wyoming Community College District

Sheridan College Gillette College

3059 Coffeen Avenue 300 West Sinclair Street
Sheridan, Wyoming 82801 Gillette, Wyoming 82718

MATH 1000-32
Problem Solving
3 credits, Spring 2020
Department of Mathematics

Instructor: Beau Corkins

Office: GCMN 123E
E-mail: bcorkins@sheridan.edu
Phone: 307-681-6272

Methods of Communication:

Instructor feedback will be provided by emails, discussion comments, online chat or personal
phone calls.
Most important announcements will be posted on the Announcements page within Blackboard.
Some announcements will also be posted on the discussion board and/or communicated through
email.
Emails will be returned within 24 hours (possibly longer on weekends and holidays).
Phone calls will be returned within 2 weekdays (often longer) (e.g. call back on Monday if
voicemail is left on a Friday or a weekend).
Assignment grading and related feedback will be completed and made official within 5 days
following the specified due date.

Office Hours:

I will have online office hours via appointment in Zoom. If you would like to have a tutoring
session, please feel free to contact me via email to set up an appointment.
Course Description:

This course focuses on methods, processes, and strategies used to solve mathematical problems
in a wide variety of contexts. It demonstrates the uses and structure of mathematics while
developing diverse ways to approach both mathematical and non-mathematical problems. There
will be an emphasis placed on George Polya’s four step procedure for problem-solving. Specific
topics to be covered are number sequences and patterns, geometry and unit measurements,
consumer math, counting principles, and probability. Other optional areas that may be covered
could include algebraic modeling, numeration systems, set theory, or descriptive statistics.

Prerequisite:

MATH 0900 Pre-Algebra with a “C” or better OR Math Placement Level III.

Co-requisites:

None

Text/Materials:

1. MyMathLab Student Access Kit - available at one of the campus bookstores or purchase
online at www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com. You will sign up via Canvas and you do not
need any course ID.
2. Blitzer, Robert. Thinking Mathematically. 7th edition. Pearson Education Inc., 2018 (ebook).
3. Any calculator will suffice, but I recommend the TI-30X or better.

Purpose:

MATH 1000 Problem Solving meets the Basic Math general education requirement. MATH
1000 is not appropriate for students who wish to pursue an advanced degree in the sciences,
business, or technical fields.

Course Format:

Online
Grading:

The grading scheme is based on percentages, NOT total points. The points assigned will be
summed up and multiplied by the below scheme.

20% - Homefuns 40% - Quizzes/Exams

25% - Activities/Discussion Board 15% - Project

The below grade scale is guaranteed, but if necessary, I will curve the course.
A B C D F
Percent: 90-100 80-89 70-79 60-69 0-59

Notes Regarding Grading:

1. Activities/Homefuns/Exams/Projects are due by 12PM (noon) of the specified day as stated in

the Assessment Checklist. Late work will not receive credit.
2. All feedback and solutions to the quizzes will be made available to students after the due date.
3. Lectures are not worth any points as they are only learning activities to aid you in learning the
material.
4. All grade disputes must be brought to my attention within one week of the posted grade.
5. If you complete 93% or more of the Homefun Assignment, you will receive full credit on the
assignment. This is called the "good enough" assignment fulfillment.
6. Homefun scores will be posted to canvas after the homefun due date.

Activities:

Do not be afraid to submit activities multiple times. I have the grade display as "highest score."
This means that you can repeatedly attempt each activity until you reach your desired score.

Testing Procedures:

The midterm and final exam are to be worked independently by each student. Failure to do so
will result in a score of 0 for that particular assessment. Please refrain from discussing any
specifics until everyone in the class has completed that particular exam. Refer to the Academic
Honesty statement.

Students will be able to complete this course without setting testing center or proctor
arrangements.
Course Outline:

Sections Topic Weeks

1.1 & 1.3, 5.7 Problem Solving, 1
Sequences
8.1 - 8.5 Consumer Math 1
N/A Variation/Ratios 1
9.1 - 9.3 Measurement 1
10.1 - 10.5 Geometry 2
11.1 - 11.7 Statistics 1
Review and Final 1

Minimum Student Competencies:

Upon completion of MATH 1000 Problem Solving, the student will:

1. Solve problems using George Polya's four step procedure.

2. Solve problems involving number sequences.
3. Solve problems involving number patterns.
4. Solve problems with algebra in areas of finance.
5. Solve problems involving exponential growth, proportions, and variation.
6. Solve problems using various counting methods.
7. Solve problems using probability theory.
8. Solve problems in the areas of geometry and measurement.
9. Examine data using various descriptive statistical methods.
Attendance Policy:

Online courses require active participation. Your instructor is required to verify attendance for
financial aid and other purposes. Attendance in online courses is first determined by login dates
until the first engagement activity commences. Common engagement activities include
discussion forum posts, live chat sessions, and assignment submissions. Simply logging in
periodically will, therefore, not count as attendance in this course.

Since this is an online class, this means completing assignments or being in regular contact with
me if you are unable to do so.

Academic Honesty:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity.
Academic honesty means performing all academic work without lying, cheating, deceit,
plagiarism, misrepresentation, or unfairly gaining advantage over any other student. Violations
of academic honesty are in violation of District standards for student conduct and shall result in
disciplinary action.
Disability Accommodations:

Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class must contact
the disabilities services coordinator on their campus as soon as possible to request such
accommodations.

Browser Usage:

Firefox is the recommended internet browser. There are far fewer issues when using Firefox in
regard to Canvas, MyMathLab, and StatCrunch. There have been multiple instances of
compatibility issues when using Internet Explorer and safari. Google Chrome also tends to have
minimal issues.

Disclaimer:

This is a tentative schedule for the semester. It may be necessary to adjust the schedule to meet
the particular needs of this class and it is the responsibility of each student to keep abreast of any
such changes.