Course Syllabus

Spring 2026 | MAT-1230-VO03 - College Algebra

Online Class

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

Faculty

Tomas Ketcham
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 is a no cost textbook or resource class. ***

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

1.Students will be expected to watch and take notes on video lessons, work through digital activities, complete weekly quizzes, and complete regular practice problems and projects.

2.Weekly discussion boards will consist of sharing problems and solutions with the class. Each week, the student will choose problems from the assignments to post, depending on the criteria provided by the teacher, highlighting aspects that stood out to them or that they had a challenge with. These discussion boards will require responses as well.

3. Homework will be assigned from the textbook or other posted documents. The student is expected to complete all homework the week it is assigned, in preparation for exams.

4. There will be practice exams prior to each real (graded) exam. The real exams will be similar to the practice exams

5. There will be regularly scheduled projects, some short ones and some larger more complex ones.

Evaluation Criteria

1. There will be 3 exams in this course worth a total of 45% of the final grade.

2. Most weeks there will be a short quiz on the prior week's material, accounting for 25% of the grade.

4. Canvas Discussion Participation/Attendance accounts for the final 30% of the grade.

Evaluation Breakdown:

Exams: 45%

Canvas Discussion Participation: 30%

Quizzes: 25%

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

This course will be conducted asynchronously, via Canvas LMS. Though you will have flexibility within the week on when you engage with the material and assignments, consistent participation multiple times a week will be required. The course is not self paced, and will have multiple deadlines a week that must be tackled during that week, on multiple separate days (you will not be able to complete the week/ total course early or at the last moment). Your attendance will be monitored by your timely completion and submission of each module, assignment, and participation in the discussion forums. Discussion posts should be substantial and include meaningful contributions to the discussion.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Late assignments that are completed independently (projects and exams) will see a deduction of 5% per day late. Late assignments that require interaction with other students will see a 10% deduction per day, as your lateness prevents your peers from engaging with your work. If you have extenuating circumstances that you think might impact your ability to complete assignments in a timely manner, please reach out to me directly.

Missing assignments that are significantly late may be available for submission for partial 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.