Math 118
Calculus I Syllabus
Spring 2006
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:45-9:50 a.m. in Sci. 112W
Instructor:
Jim Wiseman
Office:
Buttrick 331
Phone:
x6202
Email:
jwiseman@agnesscott.edu
Office hours: Wed. 3-4, Thurs. 2-4, and by appointment.
Course information:
Available on Blackboard
and the course website, http://ecademy.agnesscott.edu/~jwiseman/mat118
Textbook:
Hughes-Hallett et al., Calculus (Single Variable), 4th edition,
available in the bookstore. (There are copies of the 3rd
edition and the 3rd edition student solutions manual on reserve in the
library – the 4th edition student solutions manual isn't
available yet. Also on reserve are videotape tutorials on the
TI-83, TI-86, and TI-89 calculators.)
Plan:
We'll cover most of chapters 1-6. There's a more detailed
schedule on Blackboard
and at http://ecademy.agnesscott.edu/~jwiseman/mat118/schedule.html,
but it's subject to change.
Homework:
Working problems is vital to learning math; there will be homework
assignments nearly every week. You don't have to turn in your
solutions, but on Fridays there MAY be a quiz consisting of problems
from your assignment. (There won't be a homework quiz every
Friday, but I won't tell you in advance whether there will be
one.) Assignments will be posted on Blackboard
and at http://ecademy.agnesscott.edu/~jwiseman/mat118/assignments.html
– you are responsible for checking the assignments, as I
won't give them in class.
Honor code and group work:
All students are expected to follow the honor code throughout the
semester.
I strongly encourage you to work on the homework in groups. I
suggest that you work on the problems by yourself first, making a note
of anything giving you trouble; then meet with your group and work
through the remaining problems together; and finally write up the
solutions by yourself.
Every group member must write up her own solutions independently; just
copying the group's answers is plagiarism and is unacceptable.
Getting help:
As Talking Barbie says, "Math class is tough." (Unless she's
the hacked version - then she says, "Eat lead, Cobra.")
Chances are that sooner or later you'll get stuck on something, so
don't get frustrated. Think hard, and if you're still stuck,
do something else for a while. (It's amazing how often that
works.)
My office hours are above - these are times when I'm guaranteed to be
in my office and willing to talk. If you want to see me at
other times, the best thing to do is to set up an appointment with me
by email or after class. Of course, you're welcome to just
drop by my office, as long as you don't mind if I'm not there or don't
have time to talk.
Our Learning Support coordinator, Ms. Schwarzlose, together with
student learning assistants will be able to provide help throughout the
week. More details, including the schedule, will be on Blackboard.
You are encouraged to use this service, and should think of it as part
of your weekly mathematics regimen.
Finally, I can't emphasize enough that your classmates are your best
source of help.
Course goals:
-
Learn to examine mathematical concepts graphically, numerically, and
algebraically
-
Be able to define, describe, and apply the concepts of calculus (in
particular, derivatives and integrals)
-
Develop skills in problem analysis and problem solving
-
Learn to interpret real-world problems in the language of mathematics
-
Learn to communicate mathematics effectively, both orally and in writing
Exams:
We will have two midterm exams and one final exam, all
closed-book. The midterms are in-class exams, and the final
is self-scheduled. The first midterm covers all material up
to that point, the second covers all material since the first, and the
final is cumulative.
- First midterm – Wednesday, Feb. 22
- Second midterm – Wednesday, Apr. 5
- Final – self-scheduled
Gateway test:
All Calculus I students are required to pass a "differentiation gateway
test." This test will have 8 differentiation problems and you must get
each problem correct in order to pass. You may re-take the test as
often as needed until you pass it, but you may not take more than one
test per day. You should be able to answer all the questions after we have finished Chapter 3, and the deadline to complete the gateway test is Monday, 4/24. This test is 5% of
your final grade, and no partial credit will be given. Unlike your
other tests, the gateway test is given on-line. To take the test, you must first register for the class on Egrade: http://aca-egrade.agnesscott.edu/classes/118AS06
. Once you've registered, you can take the test by selecting the
"Differentiation Proficiency" assignment and clicking "Go."
Compute the derivatives of the 8 functions you're given, then
select "Grade" from the menu at the top. If you have any trouble
with Egrade, just let me know. You can work practice problems for the differentiation gateway test by going to http://aca-egrade.agnesscott.edu/classes/118BF04/ and selecting "Differentiation Practice."
Assessment:
Your grade will be based on:
- Homework – 10%
- Midterms – 25% each
- Final exam – 35%
- Gateway test – 5%
Letter grades will be given as follows: 90 and above is an A, 80-89 B,
70-79 C, 60-69 D, below 60 F.
Late assignments and exams: Late assignments won't be accepted, and you
won't be allowed to make up missed exams, except under very exceptional
circumstances (e.g., the sasquatch attacks - and even then you should
get a note from the sasquatch). In the case of a conflict
that you absolutely can't resolve, you may arrange to take a midterm
exam early.
Attendance: I expect you to be at every class, on
time. However, tardiness or absence will have no (direct)
effect on your grade, unless of course you miss a quiz or exam day.
Feedback: I'm very interested in your feedback throughout the
class: what you like, what you don't, what's working for you,
what isn't - anything that you think might help me make the course
better. If you have any comments (and you probably should),
the easiest thing to do is to talk to me (or send email) about
them. If you want to remain anonymous, you can fill out the
anonymous feedback form on Blackboard.