THE MATH 155 HOME PAGE - FALL 2009
The main course details are available as pdf files:
Further details, such as office hours, may be found by clicking the links below:
Solutions for Chapter 11:
ALEKS:
The course strongly builds on material from College Algebra. Further practice of these skills is developed via an
online tutoring program: ALEKS, which is mandatory for all students and lasts 6 weeks. You are given an Initial Assessment to determine
your strengths and weaknesses. The program uses artificial intelligence to provide tutoring solely in those topics needed in its Learning Mode.
It is most beneficial to spend time working on ALEKS in the FIRST WEEK or at least the early weeks and not
wait till the Midnight Monday October 5 deadline. This will give you the necessary skills early on in the course.
For most students an average of 4 hours per week spent on ALEKS should be adequate.
- USING THE WEB:
- IF YOU ACCESS VIA A LINK FROM BLACKBOARD MAKE SURE YOU GET A NEW WINDOW.
- EVERYONE IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO PURCHASE ALEKS ONLINE AS DETAILED BELOW!
- However, some codes are available at the NIU Bookstore, but will be subject to the stores markup and cost $40!
- If you purchase from the bookstore follow the instructions below under "Purchase Access Code & Register" but
enter your code at page 4 rather than purchasing another code.
- Repeating Students:
- DO NOT login to your old Aleks account and extend it.
- The record of any repeating student will be reset so you begin with a new Initial Assessment.
- If you are repeating the course and spent at least 20 hrs working on ALEKS then
a free extension is probably available so you should NOT purchase a new access code.
- Please e-mail Prof. P. Waterman: waterman@math.niu.edu stating:
- Your name.
- The section and semester in which you were previously registered.
- The section you are currently in.
- Purchase Access Code & Register:
- CAREFULLY enter an e-mail address that you check regularly! If you enter an invalid address then you may miss important
announcements.
- Take careful note of your Login Name and Password for Aleks.
- If the system prompts to download a plugin, you can deny permission or see the note below.
- Click on your Section below and follow the instructions to Purchase
ALEKS Prep for Calculus (6 weeks) for $30 from McGraw-Hill and to register with Aleks.
- ALEKS Plugin:
- If you intend using ALEKS on your PERSONAL COMPUTER and are comfortable with installing plugins
then you can make ALEKS more efficient:
- Use http://www.aleks.com to access ALEKS rather than http://www.aleks.com/plugin.
- When you first login, ALEKS will attempt to install the ALEKS plugin which you should allow.
- Initial Assessment: (To be completed by Midnight Monday 31 August or you will receive NO CREDIT FOR ALEKS.)
- Login to http://www.aleks.com/plugin and take the Initial Assessment to analyze your knowledge
of College Algebra. It should take 1 -2 hours but can be completed over several logins. Take it seriously and only answer
"I don't know" if you really have no idea! Your score is NOT your final ALEKS score but it will affect the amount of work you need to get a good
final score. For example, answering "I don't know" to every question will mean that ALEKS will require you to work many problems
from Intermediate Algebra!
- Learning Mode:
- Login to http://www.aleks.com/plugin .
Following the presentation of assessment results, the system will display a pie chart navigation tool ("MyPie").
By placing the mouse pointer over slices of the pie, you can see which concepts you are now most ready to learn.
Not all slices will contain concepts at any given time. They may have been mastered already, or work may need to be done in other slices
before they become available. The concept you click on becomes your entry into the Learning Mode.
- As you learn how to solve various problems, they will be TENTATIVELY added to your pie.
- When several topics have been tentatively learned, you will get a new Progress Assessment to see if you have truly
mastered the material.
If not, you will be given a second chance for further practice.
Failure to work these suggested problems correctly will result in the points being removed from your pie!
- If you remain logged in to Aleks with minimal progress for extended periods then you may be given a Login Assessment.
These should be avoided!
- Final ALEKS score:
- You should try and get as close to completing a "Goal Assessment" with a perfect 100% as you can.
(Offered when Assessment + Learning score reaches 100%.)
- Your Final score will be the highest percentage of latest assessment and material learned by
Midnight Monday 5 October.
- ALEKS bonuses:
- If you reach a score of 75% by Midnight Monday 7 September you will receive a 10 point bonus.
- If you complete a "Goal Assessment" with a perfect 100% you will receive a 10 point bonus.
Sample exams are available below:
EADDB DCEBD ABACD D(A or C)EDC
AAAEB BAADB ABDAB BCAEA