Math 210  Spring 2010


Dear Students,

You are no doubt aware of California's budget deficit and economic crisis.  The California State University System (CSU) is facing a $585 million dollar reduction in funding.  The cut to CSUN is in the tens of millions.  By cutting back on salaries for faculty, administrators, managers, staff workers, maintenance workers, nurses, instructors, librarians, etc., our campus can make up a part of this shortfall.  These cuts come in addition to your recent 32% increase in tuition.  All of these are ways this campus is trying to deal with the reality of the budget cuts to CSUN.

In order to save jobs of colleagues, most of the workers mentioned above voted for a furlough plan, which means the workers will see a ~10% reduction in pay over the school year and a corresponding reduction in workload. This semester you will see the whole campus closed on designated days.  The faculty will also personally select nine furlough days for the semester, days which we must designate in writing.  We cannot do any work on a furlough day: no returning or taking of phone calls, no reading emails, no grading papers, no teaching, nothing.

You are paying more for your education now than ever before but note that these new rules for faculty mean that your instructors may have to cancel some class meetings, may not get papers back as quickly as in the past and in many cases cannot do what we normally do to help our students as in years past.  As you know many course sections cannot be offered, only limited seats are available, and classes have been canceled.  Please know that this situation is outrageous and heart breaking for us.  We want you to have the best academic preparation possible, but that goal is becoming more difficult to reach given the economic realities we all face. We encourage you to step up and get involved in your higher education, your future, and the future of California. 

There is no shortage of government money when it comes to waging wars, bailing out investment bankers, and paying corporate executives massive bonuses, all to the tune of trillions of dollars.  And yet, we are told that there is not enough money for healthcare, transportation, protecting the environment, or education.  The corporate controlled government would rather bomb hospitals and schools in Iraq and Afghanistan than build and fund them here.  They tell us that there is never enough money for the people who actually work to create the wealth that the capitalists spend on destruction.

Contact your representatives and tell them what you think. Contact the Governor.  Consider attending rallies and events that will occur on campus this semester.  Consider joining the Students for a Quality Education (SQE) group on campus.  By taking action, change is possible.

Go to  www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html  to find out who your assembly and legislative representatives are.

Please note Furlough Days for this class are: 

February 2, March 30

QUIZ: "What's Wrong With This Picture?"

Download this document:  Furlough Quiz Flyer


Math 210  Spring 2010

Instructor: David Klein                                                   

Office: 127 Santa Susana Hall (formerly: Faculty Office Building)
Email: david.klein@csun.edu
Phone: 818 677-7792
Website:  www.csun.edu/~vcmth00m
Office hours: Thursdays 10-11, Fridays 11-12 a.m. & by appointment


Course Goals

Math 210 is devoted to elementary school mathematics. The main goal is to enable you to gain a solid knowledge of arithmetic and number systems. Additional goals of the course are to teach you: (i) how to present the material in the simplest, clearest way, (ii) the appropriate sequential order for developing mathematics skills, (iii) what elementary school students will find difficult and what errors they are likely to make, and (iv) how each topic helps advance the mathematical level of the students.

Textbooks

These books will also be useful after you begin your teaching career.


Expectations


Classes will be primarily lectures, with problem solving individually and in pairs. You are expected to take complete notes, to participate in class activities, and to ask questions about what you do not understand. Attendance is mandatory.

Grading Policy

There will be 2 hour long exams, each worth 100 points, and a final exam worth 200 points.  In addition, there will be some quizzes, including pop quizzes based on homework assignments, each worth 30 points. Missed exams and quizzes will count as 0 points. Only under extreme circumstances (such as illness with a doctor's written excuse) will make-ups be allowed or averaging of other grades be permitted.

Participation in class will be evaluated subjectively.  Positive contributions include sincere questions and comments. Disruptive behavior that interferes with instruction will contribute negatively to your final grade.  Since this is a course for preparing future teachers in the classroom, developing a professional attitude is important.  Professional attitude includes being engaged in the class, and able to work with others in a positive and constructive manner. 

Students should be aware that habitual unexcused absences and tardiness will result in lowering of grades.   Two or more unexcused absences will lower your grade by half a letter grade (e.g. from an A- to a B+, or B+ to a B).  Tardy arrival or early departure from class without permission will be considered an unexcused tardy.  Four unexcused tardys will lower your grade by half a letter grade.

Homework

Homework will be assigned daily in class, but not collected.  However, the quizzes will include exact assigned homework problems.  It is important to attempt all assigned problems.  You should plan on spending at least 2 hours of homework for each class meeting. Do not let yourself get behind the class! As in most math courses, the material progressively builds upon itself. If you do not understand a particular topic, ask in class or during office hours.

Calculators
: Calculators will not be used for this class, and will not be allowed for exams.

A successful elementary school teacher should be confident and comfortable solving problems mentally and on paper. One of the goals of this course is to increase those facilities.

Free Tutoring

Free tutoring for Math 210 students is available in the Math Tutoring Center in Live Oak 1327 (a new location), during the following times:

M,T,W,Th 10:00-5:30
Friday  10:00-3:00
Saturday 11:00-2:00

      

Dates of Exams and Quizzes

Quiz 1: Tuesday, Feb. 9, on homework from Sections 1.1 through 1.6
Quiz 2: Thursday, Feb. 25, on homework from Sections 2.1 through 4.2

Exam 1: Thursday, March 4; Coverage: through Sect. 4.2

Quiz 3: Thursday, March 25, on homework from Sections 4.3 through 5.5 and "extra homework problems"

Exam 2: Thursday, April 29; Coverage: Section 4.3 through 8.3 and 9.1.

Final Exam Date:  May 8, 2010   11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Sierra Hall 342

Final Exam Practice Problems

Click here for Practice Problems for the Math 210 Final Exam (pdf file).
Solutions are posted here by section:

Section A
Section B
Section C
Section D
Section E
Section F
Section G
Section H

Some References and Tools


"High Achievement in Mathematics: Lessons from Three Los Angeles Elementary Schools"

Student Practice Problems for grades 1 to 8 (Algebra I) California Math Standards

Solving Algebra and Other Story Problems with Simple Diagrams: a Method Demonstrated in
Grade 4–6 Texts Used in Singapore
by Sybilla Beckmann

Integer Arithmetic  An alternative to the development of integer arithmetic in Chapter 8 of Elementary Mathematics for Teachers

Overhead Slides from The Winning Equation An inservice program for Grade 4-7 teachers

Student behavior, academic dishonesty, university policies

Please arrive on time and avoid leaving early.  No text messaging.  Cell phones should be turned off during class.  Please be aware of the University's Student Conduct Code available at:

http://www.csun.edu/a&r/soc/studentconduct.html



Homework Assignments and Solutions

General instructions:
Avoid unnecessary writing. Make your answers short and clear.  When appropriate, use the "list format," described in problem 2c on page 13 of the textbook.

Assignments

Week 1


Carefully read the preface and "About the Textbook" pages iii to x.

Read Sect. 1.1, and do Problems 1-8
Read Sect. 1.2,  and do Problems 1-6
Read Section 1.3,  and do Problems 2, 3, 5, 7, 8

For more help with Roman numerals, use this Roman Numeral Calculator
For help with Egyption numerals click here:  http://www.discoveringegypt.com/numbers.htm
For help with Problem 6 in Sect. 1.2, see this Introduction to Base 5, which includes the solution.


Solutions to homework problems:


Section 1.1 solutions
Section 1.2 solutions
Section 1.3 solutions

Week 2

Read  Section 1.4, and do Problems 2a, 3, 4, 5, 7
Read Section 1.5, and do Problems 1a, 2cd, 3a, 4, 6, 7a, 8, 9
Read Section 1.6, and do Problems 1, 3abc, 4, 5, 6
Read Section 1.7 carefully

Solutions to homework problems:

Section 1.4 solutions
Section 1.5 solutions
Section 1.6 solutions

Week 3

Read Section 2.1, and do Problems 1-5 
Read Section 2.2, and do Problems 1, 2, 4
Read Section 2.3, and do Problems 2b, 4, 5

Solutions to homework problems:

Section 2.1 solutions
Section 2.2 solutions
Section 2.3 solutions

Week 4

Read pages 57 to 62, Section 3.1 and do Problems 2, 4ab, 5
Read Section 3.2, and do Problems 1, 2, 3, 5a, 7
Read Section 3.3, and do Problems 5, 6
Read Section 3.4, and do Problems 4-7
Read Section 3.5, and do Problems 3-6

Solutions to homework problems:

Section 3.1 solutions
Section 3.2 solutions
Section 3.3 solutions
Section 3.4 solutions
Section 3.5 solutions


Week 5 & 6


Read Section 3.6, and do Problems 1d, 2ad, 3, 4
Read Section 4.1, and do Problems 5, 6, 7, 8, 9c, 10
Read Section 4.2, and do Problems 7ab, 8, 9, 11


Solutions to homework problems:

Section 3.6 solutions
Section 4.1 solutions
Section 4.2 solutions

Weeks 7& 8

Read "Solving Algebra and Other Problems with Simple Diagrams..." by Sybilla Beckmann

Read Section 4.3, and do Problems 1, 2, 3, 4abc, 5ab, 6, 7, 8ab, 10
Read Section 5.1, and do Problems 4 - 7
Read Section 5.2, and do Problems 1, 3, 4
Read Section 5.3, and do Problems 1ab, 2, 3, 4, 5

Solutions to homework problems:

Section 4.3 solutions
Section 5.1 solutions
Section 5.2 solutions
Section 5.3 solutions


Week 9

Read Section 5.4 and do Problems 1, 3, 4, 5
Read Section 5.5 and do Problems 1, 3, 4, 5ab, 6, 7, 9, 10
Do these Extra homework problems for chapter 5

Section 5.4 solutions
Section 5.5 solutions
Extra homework problems for Chapter 5 solutions

Weeks 10 and 11 (finish these problems over Spring Break)

Read Section 6.1 and do Problems  2c, 3, 4a, 5, 6abcf, 7
Read Section 6.2 and do Problems 1, 3ab, 4, 7, 8
Read Section 6.3 and do Problems 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11
Read Section 6.4 and do Problems 1, 3, 4, 5, 6abc
Read Section 6.5 and do Problems 4, 5, 7
Read Section 6.6 and do Problems 2, 6abcdegi

Sections 6.1 & 6.2 solutions
Section 6.3 solutions
Section 6.4 solutions
Section 6.5 solutions
Section 6.6 solutions


Weeks 12 - 15

Before looking at solutions, attempt the problems on your own.  This is important!  You will learn more that way.

Read Section 7.1 and do Problems 1-5
Read Section 9.1 (page 202) and do  Problems 1abc, 2ghi, 4ab, 6a, 10, 11ab
Read Section 7.2 and do Problems 7, 8
Read Section 7.3 and do Problems 1-6

Section 7.1 solutions
Section 9.1 solutions
Section 7.2 solutions


Read Section 7.3 and do Problems 1-6
Read pages 74-80 in Math 6A.  Then do Problem 7 on page 81 and Problem 2 on page 82
Read Section 7.4 and do Problems  4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Read Section 8.1 and do Problems 1a (i only), b (i only), 3, 4, 5bd, 6
Read Section 8.2 and do Problem 4
Read Section 8.3, Problems 8, 9, 10, 11


Section 7.3 solutions
Section 7.4 solutions
Sections 8.1 & 8.2 solutions
Section 8.3 solutions


Reread  Section  9.1
Read Section 9.2, Problems 1, 2, 3, 4abefh, 5, 7
Read Section 9.3, Problems 1, 2, 4, 5, 7

[Reference tool:  Fractions and Decimals  Full set of overhead slides]

Section 9.2 Solutions
Section 9.3 Solutions