Spanish-American Institute

301 Business Mathematics 24 classes

Prerequisite(s): None

Textbooks: Mathematics for Business, Stanley A. Salzman, et al, Prentice Hall, 2007 (or comparable text).

Course Description: While developing English language skills, this course teaches elementary business math concepts and applications.

Objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able:

• to read and better understand English language descriptions of situations requiring business mathematics activity or solutions;
• to read, discuss, and understand directions in English for using arithmetic functions and skills;
• to read, discuss, understand, and respond to English language basic business mathematics word problems;
• to understand the basic vocabulary of payroll, checkbook procedures, marketing, inventory, depreciation, finance, and investment mathematics; and
• to perform basic arithmetic operations with whole numbers, decimals, percents, fractions, and simple equations.

Instructional Methods: Students will read and discuss English language descriptions of problems requiring mathematical solutions and will respond arithmetically to word problems in English. Students will also be asked to talk and write about how they solved a problem.

Grading: The final grade is based on the following:

Class Participation	25%
Assignments	50%
Exams	25%
Total	100%

The grading scale is: A=90-100%, B+=85-89%, B=80-84%, C+=75-79%, C=70-74%, D=65-69%, F=60-64%

Course Outline:

Week	Topics	Assignments and Tests
1	a.) Using the text: parts of the book, glossaries, profiles, visuals, charts, margin information, objectives, summaries, cases, and other learning aids. b)Reading, thinking about, and discussing why business mathematics is important in a specific context. c)Addition and subtraction: whole numbers, decimals, and rounded numbers; adding and subtracting basic number and decimal combinations; understanding why addition and subtraction are the basis for most business application problems. d.)Reading and understanding word problems.	Assigned exercises
2	Reading, thinking about, and discussing why business mathematics is important in a specific context. Multiplication and division: multiplying and dividing basic number, larger number, and numbers with decimal combinations; multiplication and division shortcuts. Reading and understanding word problems.	Assigned exercises
3	Reading, thinking about, and discussing why business mathematics is important in a specific context. Fractions: different types of fractions; procedures for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing numbers with fractions. Reading and understanding word problems.	Assigned exercises
4	Reading, thinking about, and discussing why business mathematics is important in a specific context. Portion, rate, and base: simple conversions for percents, fractions, and decimals; three formulas for finding portion, rate, and base; understanding how these formulas can solve many real-world business application problems. Reading and understanding word problems.	Assigned exercises
5	Elementary algebra: simple equations. Review	Assigned exercises. Review and exam.

rev. 2/04, 2/07