Course Syllabus

Fall 2025 | MAT-1230-VO02 - College Algebra

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Lindsay Vanoli
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Julie Dalley

General Education Requirements

Mathematics

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course prepares students for precalculus by reviewing the fundamental concepts of algebra. Topics include equations and inequalities, exponents, radicals, functions, systems of equations, polynomials, and applications. Prerequisite: Intermediate Algebra or equivalent skills.

Essential Objectives

1. Solve linear equations and inequalities.
2. Graph linear equations in the Cartesian Coordinate system using slope and intercepts and, given information about a line, find its equation.
3. Simplify radicals and solve radical equations.
4. Solve quadratic, rational equations, and systems of equations.
5. Define, identify, and graph functions.
6. Define properties of logarithmic and exponential functions, discuss their applications, and demonstrate their basic operations.
7. Apply algebraic concepts to problem-solving and the solution of word problems.
8. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding, interpreting, evaluating, and applying quantitative data and information to real-world situations.
9. Apply mathematical reasoning to analyze social justice problems in a variety of different contexts and consider whether these approaches are just and equitable.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

Textbooks and Calculators:

We will use a free OpenStax textbook for this course and Pearson MyLab Math Select which costs around $40. Information for how to access the Pearson platform will be provided in Canvas or can be found in the eCampus Bookstore.

Free Online Textbook: College Algebra 2e ISBN-13: 978-1-951693-41-1

You will need a graphing calculator for this course that can be used for all assignments, quizzes, and exams. For our purposes, you can use the free graphing calculator at desmos.com (link will be provided in Canvas). I only recommend purchasing a graphing calculator if you plan to continue on in math and will need it for subsequent courses.

You may find it helpful to have a physical scientific calculator for this course that has a square root and “^” button. You will find a link to an example of such a calculator posted on Canvas. Please reach out if you have any questions on the type of calculator you need or where to find one. You can generally find one anywhere that sells school supplies (Walmart, Target, Rite Aid, the grocery store, Amazon, etc.) for around $10-15. Alternatively, you can also use the free scientific calculator at desmos.com (link will be provided in Canvas).

Teaching Methods:

You will encounter a variety of teaching methods throughout this course to help you learn the material and engage with the classroom community. These methods could include textbook readings and practice problems, video lectures, group work, discussion forums, critical and creative thinking tasks, graphing technologies, and more. I encourage you to embrace a flexible mindset as the syllabus is subject to change and/or adjustment as we work through the course.

At CCV, the “start” of the week is every Tuesday and the “end” of the week is the following Monday. All assignments for the week are due by midnight the following Monday.

Each week you will find required reading assignments in the textbook and instructional videos to watch covering that week’s material.

Homework will be assigned each week and will be completed in MyLab Math. Completing the homework is essential for understanding the concepts along with completing the reading and watching the videos. You will find the most success in this course if you complete the homework each week by its due date.

After completing the homework each week, you will take a short quiz in MyLab Math that will be due the following Monday. You will have two attempts for all quizzes and the higher of the two scores will be kept. At the end of the semester, I will drop your lowest quiz grade or you can skip a quiz one week which will count as the dropped grade. You will take two exams and a final in this course in MyLab Math.

You will participate in weekly discussions in this course through the Canvas discussion forum to engage in the classroom community and help further your learning. You are encouraged to interact with your classmates, ask questions, and learn from each other. Participating in discussions is also how you demonstrate your attendance each week. There are no make ups or extensions for missing discussions so please make sure to engage each week!

You should always feel free and encouraged to contact me via email or the canvas inbox if you have questions as you move through the course. You are also encouraged to attend weekly virtual student support sessions or schedule a meeting time with me if you need extra support. See Canvas for more details.

Evaluation Criteria

Your grade in this course will be based on the following:

Discussion Participation: 20%

Homework Assignments: 20%

Weekly Quizzes: 20%

Tests/Final: 40%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

I encourage you to get the most out of our time together by fully and actively participating in class. This looks like:

• Thoughtful engagement during class discussion each week
• Completing each week’s assignments fully and on time
• Listening to others attentively and with an open mind
• Positively contributing to class discussion and activities
• Contributing to a respectful and supportive class culture where everyone is free to take academic risks, make mistakes, and learn
• Asking questions and seeking help when you need it
• Challenging yourself to do your best work

Missing & Late Work Policy

I encourage you to strive to submit assignments by the due dates noted in the detailed syllabus and on Canvas so that you can revive timely feedback and stay on track as you work through the course.

• Completing assignments after their due dates or completing a large amount of assignments at once can impede your ability to successfully master the learning targets of the course and receive meaningful feedback.
• Please reach out to me as early as possible if you know you will be absent or will have a delay in submitting work so that we can work out a plan to best support you.
• If you encounter challenges meeting deadlines, please communicate with me as soon as possible so we can discuss potential solutions.
• While there is flexibility throughout the semester, you must submit any late or missing assignments by the last day of the semester to receive credit.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.