BA 123: Math for Accounting and Business

Marge Segraves

CLASS INFORMATION:
BA 123-01 (037622) . . . This class is fully online, delivered through Blackboard.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The focus of this course is on interpreting problems and understanding common business calculations.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By completing the requirements of this course, you will:

become familiar with a wide range of business applications that use mathematics;
understand and use the terminology and concepts of numerical information presented in financial statements;
sharpen your mathematical skills.

PREREQUISITES OR COREQUISITES:
None. It is recommended that the student be eligible for ENGL-151B and MATH-151.

You must have a computer and Internet access. If you don’t have access to these at home, they are available on campus in our computer lab (HH-119).

TEXTBOOK:

text pic Practical Business Math Procedures, 8th ed
author is Slater;
publisher is McGraw-Hill/Irwin;
ISBN is 0072967137

The basic schedule for the course is to cover one or two chapters per week, with a test for every two or three chapters. The tentative schedule looks like this.

WEBSITES REQUIRED:

Blackboard site:   http://ohlone.blackboard.com
Your user name is FFLL####, where
   FF are the first two letters of your first name;
   LL are the first two letters of your last name;
   #### are the last four digits of your student ID.
Use ALL CAPS and no spaces.

When you first get your account, your password will be student (all lower case).
You should change it as soon as you log on the first time.
[If you had an account with WebCT, it did not transfer over to Blackboard.]
Slater Business Math website: http://www.mhhe.com/slater8e

IMPORTANT DATES:
Here are a few dates you might want to know.
For a more complete list, go to
http://www.ohlone.edu/org/admissions/fallacademiccalendar.html

Sep 2	First day of class
Sep 5	Last day to add - without instructor's signature
Sep 15	Last day to add - with instructor's signature Last day to drop and receive no grade
Sep 26	Last day to apply for CR/NC
Nov 18	Last day to drop and receive a "W"
Dec 15 - 19	Final Exam Week

GRADE COMPONENTS:			GRADING SCALE:
Participation Multiple Choice Quizzes Payroll Project Payroll Project Misc. Assignments Chapter Tests Final Exam	10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 30% 20%		90 - 80 - 65 - 55 - 0 -	100 89 79 64 54	= A = B = C = D = F

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
If you need reminders, read the "Things to Do" each week.
The week runs from Sunday through Saturday.

Read each chapter and complete the practice quizzes at the end of each unit.
The problems are for your own benefit - not to be submitted to the instructor.
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Review the Chapter Organizer (in the book at the end of each chapter).
This lists each topic, key point or formula, and an example calculation.
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Do (at least) the odd-numbered problems at the end of each chapter.
Answers to all odd numbered problems are provided at the end of the text in Appendix B.
All tables are in the Business Math Handbook (that came with your text).
These are for your own benefit - not to be submitted to the instructor.
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Read the "Lecture" for each chapter and do the problems at the end.
These are for your own benefit - not to be submitted to the instructor.
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Take the Multiple Choice Quiz (MCQ) for each chapter.
You can find these through the Assessments link in the Course Tools menu as well as on the Slater website.
These will benefit you, but will also earn points for you toward your grade.
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Post comments on the Discussion Board.
Each week I will give you a topic (or several) for discussion. Choose one and post a messge in response to it.
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Review the online resources for each chapter.
Go to the Slater Business Math website, click on "Student Edition," then select a chapter.

Multiple Choice Quiz
- for review to prepare for exams
(These are also available as Assessments in the course.)
Fill in the Blanks
- vocabulary review
PowerPoint Presentations
- introduce key vocabulary, demonstrate step-by-step analysis of problem solving, provide completed solutions to sample problems
Crossword Puzzles
- for your enjoyment
Excel Templates
- for use in solving homework problems
Internet Resource Guide
- links to sites you might find useful or interesting
Word Problems
- some problems for more practice
Calculations and Applications
- some more problems for more practice

Check the Website on a regular basis for postings, instructor comments and online discussions.
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Refer to the class schedule for all other assignments and due dates. If you’re having difficulty, contact the instructor via email.
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HOW TO EARN POINTS FOR YOUR GRADE:
To determine your grade, calculate your percent score for each area, multiply it by the appropriate factor above in the Grade Components section, then find the corresponding grade in the Grading Scale.

PARTICIPATION:
Log on to the class: one point if you log on once during the week; two points if you log on more than once.

Post an original message to the Discussion Board in response to the weekly topic: four points.
You could lose points, though, if your post is late (one point), or posted in a different topic (one point), or without your name in the subject (one point).

6 points per week x 16 weeks = 96 points possible.
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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZZES (MCQs):
Take the Multiple Choice Quiz for each chapter: five points if you take it before you take the test; three points if you take it later. You may take it multiple times if you want to, but your score is irrelevant. It's simply a way for you to test yourself on the material before you take the actual test.
If you do them through the Slater website, please submit your results to the instructor via email (msegraves@ohlone.edu).

5 points per chapter x 18 chapters = 90 points possible.
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COURSE PROJECTS:
There will be two major course projects:
1. Payroll:
  - Find the current withholding rates for payroll taxes and fees.
    These rates will be used for the chapter test, the Project, and the final.
  - Given salary/wage information for the employees of a fictitious company, calculate the earned income, deductions, and other taxes and fees paid by the employees and the company.
  - 100 points possible.
2. Financial:
  - Find the most recent "10-K" (annual report) and "10-Q's" of a designated company.
  - Analyze the financial information in those documents.
  - 100 points possible.
More information, including instructions for online submission, will be made available shortly before the assignment start date.
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MISCELLANEOUS ASSIGNMENTS:
There will be three Introductory Assignments and an Introductory Quiz at the beginning of the semester and a Survey at the end. Your scores on these will contribute to this part of your grade. There may also be other assignments during the semester that will help you out here.

80 points possible.
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CHAPTER TESTS:
Exams will consist of matching, multiple choice, true/false, and short answer problems. They will be timed. Each one will be available for four full days, Saturday through Tuesday, so that you may take it at your convenience during that time. You may start it at any time during the availability window, but once you start it, you must submit it within the specified time. If you fail to take an exam without contacting me prior to the exam, you will be assigned a score of zero for that exam and you will not be allowed a make-up.

After the availability period for the test is over, the test will be graded and scores released. During the following few days, an assignment will be available through which you will have the opportunity to submit your work to support the answers you submitted on your test. This is NOT an opportunity to re-do your work. The assignment itself does not contribute points toward your grade, but it allows me to assign partial credit for your incorrect answers on the test. If you do not submit a "Show Work" assignment, I will not assign partial credit for any of your answers on the test.

Calculate your percent score on each test. If you take all seven tests, I will average the best six.
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FINAL:
The final will be comprehensive.
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OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW:

INSTRUCTOR IDIOSYNCRACIES:
Any time you write a dollar amount, it must include a dollar sign ($).

Numbers must be rounded off (correctly) as specified. If a problem doesn't specify where to round off, choose appropriately. Consider the size of the number, what it represents, and the accuracy required.

Dollar amounts must be rounded to either the nearest dollar or the nearest hundredth (penny), never the nearest tenth (dime). The only (apparent) exception to this would be if the number represents hundreds, thousands, or millions of dollars, in which case rounding to the nearest tenth would be acceptable.

Numbers greater than 1,000 must have commas separating groups of three digits.
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ONLINE LEARNING:
This is not a self-paced class; all assignments have specific due dates. Keep in mind that online learning is active and self-initiated, and therefore requires self discipline. Don't think that this class will be easier because it is online; it will probably be harder.
Here are some tips for successful completion of an online course:
   - Prepare in advance
   - Set specific day(s) and time(s) for doing the work
   - Prepare a physical setting (close the door, eliminate interruptions, etc.)
   - Ask lots of questions in the Discussion Board if you don't understand something

Want some advice? Here is what previous students had to say.
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ONLINE ETIQUETTE:
If you haven't participated in online communication very much, you might want to visit a few web sites that explain "Netiquette." Here are some:
       RFC 1855: Netiquette Guidelines
       http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/09netiqt.htm
       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netiquette
       http://songweaver.com/netiquette.html
       http://www.netmanners.com/ . . . read through Online Etiquette 101.
or you can do an Internet Search to find others.
Then take a Netiquette quiz to see how much you know about it:
       http://www.netmanners.com/netiquette_quiz.html

Briefly,
   - Use polite, understated, good language
   - If you disagree, do so politely
   - Avoid negativity
   - Do not get emotional
   - Do not type in all caps (that's shouting)
   - Think of your comments as being printed in a newspaper
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ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
As a student at Ohlone College, you are expected to pursue your course work with honesty and integrity. If you do not, I will abide by Ohlone Board policy, which you are expected to know. You can read it here. For this particular class, work that appears to have been copied will receive a score of zero.

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