Bellarmine College Preparatory

Mathematics Department

Mr. Mathurin

Fall 2015

If you have questions or are having trouble, do not hesitate to see me in room 216 of the Lokey Academic Center during the days and times listed at right. Other meeting times can be arranged in advance by contacting me in person or by email at  amathurin@bcp.org

The textbooks you will use are Cryptological Mathematics by Robert Lewand published by the Mathematical Association of America and Cryptography:The Science of Secret Writing by Laurence Dwight Smith published by Dover. Vital online resources can be accessed at __destweb__  This site has the course schedule that lists homework assignments, tests and quiz dates, as well as links to sample tests with worked-out solutions. Visit this site regularly as it will be updated regularly.

Learning occurs when you take an active role as a student by faithfully completing nightly homework assignments that allow you to review, practice, and apply methods and skills presented in class. Learning occurs when you are willing to try a new or different way of approaching an already familiar task. Learning occurs when you make time to reflect and ask questions. Ultimately, you are responsible for learning. A more complete description of the expectations of you as a student can be found in the Bellarmine Student Handbook.

In accordance with the Bellarmine Student Handbook, you are expected to conduct yourself in a manner that promotes an environment conducive to learning and that fosters in one another a willingness to learn. You should exhibit concern for your fellow classmates that is grounded in the belief that every person is a uniquely created by God. Thus, I expect is that you treat yourself and others with respect as manifested by not talking over other people, not disrupting those trying to learn, and not using abusive language (i.e. racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.). Use of cell phones, smart phones, and other electronic devices during class exhibits a lack of respect of the teacher. If you engage in behavior that exhibits a lack of respect towards others, you will merit disciplinary consequences.

You are expected to conduct yourself in a manner that fosters an environment conducive to learning and minimizing distractions. Thus, I expect that the only time you will use electronic devices while in the classroom will be when you have been directed or when it is appropriate. Choosing to use technology inappropriately or violating the policies/rules specified in the current Bellarmine Student-Parent Handbook will merit disciplinary consequences.

You must demonstrate both an understanding of the concepts as well as the ability to perform established mathematical procedures accurately. Your understanding and performance will be evaluated using several means including test/quiz scores, class discussions, assignments, homework, classwork/notes, and group activities. More specific details on grading rubrics/policies are found further down on this page.

Your final grade will be determined by assigning the letter grade corresponding to the scale indicated on the adjacent table.

At the end of the semester there will be a final exam whose point value will account for 15% of the total points for the semester.

On tests and quizzes, each multiple-choice, true/false, matching, and fill-in-the-blank question will be worth between 1 and 3 points. The number of points earned will be based on the correctness of your answer.

On tests and quizzes, each question that requires you to generate your own solution from scratch will be worth a maximum of 5 points. The number of points earned will be based on the quality of your solution in relation to the areas of reasoning, communication, procedures/computations, and final answer shown the rubric shown below.

Be aware that based on the above rubric, if you provide a correct final answer without showing how you obtained/arrived at your answer, you will only earn 1 point.

As incentive for motivating/encouraging you to become an active learner and take responsibility for your learning, the homework and classwork you complete can earn you points. At the end of each test/quiz you are encouraged to submit the homework and classwork that was assigned since the last test/quiz. The number of points earned will be based on the following scheme:

·  2 points for attempting at least 3 of the homework and/or classwork assignments

·  0 to 5 points for each Golden Task

A Golden Task is a specifically selected homework assignment or class activity that will be formally assessed in the same manner as a test/quiz question. The Golden Tasks will be the same for all the students in the class. No less than one (1) and no more than two (2) Golden Tasks will be selected for assessment.