Math 1: Fall
2008 Calculus with
Algebra and Trigonometry
Course Information
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Course Goals & Attack Plan |
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Concrete Goals (you can tell they're concrete because they are in bullet form):
Use algebra skills for calculus and other mathematics
Be able to compute derivatives of a variety of functions
Communicate mathematics
Understand the applications of calculus
Be ready for further studies of calculus
Abstract Goals/Attack Plan (you can tell they're abstract
because they are in paragraph form in italics):
In addition to the
concrete goals listed above, here are a few more words about our
(more abstract) plan of attack for this course. These words were written by
Dr. Frank Swenton, Middlebury College, and since it is doubtful they can be paraphrased to
achieve any greater clarity, they are quoted here as motivation for the course ahead.
| "Our aim is
not only to obtain an understanding of calculus, but also to learn to think
mathematically—-a skill valuable far beyond the realm of a calculus course.
Show up in mind as well as body. Follow along mentally, reason
things through yourself, and ask questions when you have them. Think. Think, think,
think! Don’t just sit back and watch… As far as class notes: don’t overdo it with them. It’s difficult to think and write at the same time, and you can guess from the above which one I’d rather you did. Treat your note-taking as you would a highlighter when reading a book—don’t blindly copy down everything that I say and write; instead, write down only the key ideas and observations about the mental processes going on. Remember that what you need to learn is not neccessarily what is on the board, but instead the understanding of how your mind should come up with it. When a problem comes up in class that you do not at first know how to approach, be careful to learn what it is that you should see in the problem that cues you to the right thing to do. I’ll try to make it clear what I see and what I am thinking when working a problem at the board, but be sure to ask if you don’t see it—this is what you’ll need to know to do similar problems yourself. As far as out-of-class discussion: Do it! Honestly. You’ll learn the material better, and in the process, you’ll get to know your classmates a little better too. Homework is an essential tool for learning the material, as well as your first gauge of your understanding of the material. Essential! Seriously. Despite this fact, homework is the most often neglected component of the course…thus its long treatment here. Take the correct approach to homework: your goal in doing a homework assignment should not be simply to get it finished as quickly as possible, but instead to take whatever time is necessary to work through all of the problems until you really understand them in every detail. Don’t underestimate the importance of homework—it plays a crucial role in the process of learning mathematics. As far as using your notes and solutions when doing homework: don’t misuse them. What does this mean? Make sure that whatever you need to know to do a problem sticks around in your head long enough for you to get a chance to remember it. If the process runs as: confused by problem .. look up the answer .. done with problem, all in the span of a minute, then you’ve (unfortunately) run a successful brain-bypass. Sure, the homework problem goes smoothly—the only problem is that you usually don’t learn whatever it was that you needed to. Work at your own pace, and know what you’ve done after you’ve done it—understand every nuance of each problem that you work. Take a little more time to think an issue through if it isn’t immediately clear. This time spent thinking through topics for yourself is the most valuable time that you can spend when studying mathematics, so don’t avoid it or bypass it in a rush to be “finished”—this time of contemplation is where real learning happens. I strongly suggest looking over the material before you start your homework (almost like studying for a quiz), then trying first to do the problems without any outside materials. If all goes smoothly with the problems, then you’re well on your way to a good basic understanding of the material. Finally: There is NO REASON that you should come away from any topic we cover without fully understanding it, if you carefully review your notes, work observantly on your assignments, and come to office hours to clear up any material with which you’re not yet comfortable." |
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Course Meeting Structure |
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Monday |
lecture |
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Tuesday |
x-period for quiz and lecture |
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Wednesday |
lecture |
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Friday |
lecture |
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The Honor Principle |
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On Exams and Quizzes: No help given or
received. All exams and quizzes will be closed book. No
calculators or computers are allowed--please let this guide your use of them elsewhere in the course.
On Homework:
Working together is permitted and encouraged, but NO
COPYING. You are welcome to work in
groups to discuss the ideas and specific problems (also feel free to
talk with your instructors, tutors, and anyone else you may find).
However, each student is expected to produce the final written
homework set individually and independently. This means you
cannot simply copy down the solution arrived at by the group, even if
you were a member of the group. Computing devices are allowed
on homework.
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Attendance |
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Class meets four times per week, and you will be expected to attend; excessive absences will affect your course grade.
If you must miss class, please contact your instructor in advance.
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Grading |
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Assignment |
Points Each |
Total Points |
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Quizzes |
15 |
90 |
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Webwork |
3 |
approx. 48 |
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Written Work |
10 |
90 |
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Midterms |
100 |
200 |
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Final |
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150 |
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Total |
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approx. 578 |
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Textbook |
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Title:
Single Variable Calculus: Early Transcendentals, 6th
Edition
Author: James Stewart
ISBN: 978-0495-38559-2
The book is available at Wheelock Books.
Some solutions for problems in this textbook are available at www.hotmath.com. For password information, please email your instructor.
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Disabilities |
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Students with disabilities enrolled in this course and who may need disability-related classroom accommodations are encouraged to make an appointment to see me before the end of the second week of the term. All discussions will remain confidential, although the Student Accessibility Services office may be consulted to discuss appropriate implementation of any accommodation requested.
Whether or not you have a disability, the Academic Skills Center is an excellent place to visit. Take some time to look at their videos and other resources. Would you benefit from some of the planning tools? Do you think you could improve your note-taking skills? Is stress eating your life? You're the only one who knows what might benefit you, and it doesn't hurt to look.
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Quizzes |
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Quizzes will be held weekly during the x-period, in clear reference to the homework material. Calculators and notes are not permitted on quizzes.
See quizzes and exams for more details.
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Exams |
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There will be two midterm exams and one final. Midterms will be held on Wednesday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM. Review sessions will be held during the x-hours preceding the exams. The final will be held on Saturday December 6, 2008. Calculators and notes are not permitted on exams.
See quizzes and exams for more details.
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Timetable of Meetings |
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Section 1 Instructor: Paige Rinker
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MWF 11:15 – 12:20 PM |
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Office: 221 Kemeny Hall |
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Section 2 Instructor: Greg Petrics
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MWF 12:30 – 1:35 PM |
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Office: 214 Kemeny Hall |
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Instructors |
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Instructors for this course are Paige Rinker and Greg Petrics. Both instructors would be happy to meet with you to discuss anything pertaining to the course. If you cannot drop in during the scheduled office hours, please email us to set up an appointment.
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Tutors and Study Groups |
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Study groups, organized by the Academic Skills Center
and the First Year Office, will be led by experienced tutors:
Shun Aonuma, Hayley Jones and Amma Serwaah-Panin. In addition
to group meetings on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, the tutors
will hold drop-in tutoring on Monday evenings. If you have any
questions regarding study groups, you may contact Dean
Leigh Remy (ext. 62681).
The meeting times and places are:
Wednesdays, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Goldstein Hall, 2nd Floor Seminar Room
Leader: Shun Aonuma
Wednesdays, 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Russell Sage Hall, Basement Lounge
Leader: Shun Aonuma
Thursdays, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m
Brown Hall, Basement Lounge
Leader: Amma Serwaah -Panin
Thursdays, 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
River Cluster (exact location will be e-mailed to you)
Leader: Amma Serwaah-Panin
There is also drop in tutoring available as follows:
Mondays, 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Russell Sage Basement Lounge
Tutor: Hayley Jones
