Syllabus for "Analytic Geometry and Calculus I"

Ma141-003 Summer II 2005

When ? Where ?
MTWTHF 10:20am – 12:30pm HA 371

 

Prerequisites : You must have completed MA 111 (or it's equivalent somewhere) with grade of C or better to take this class. The reason for this is simple, you'll need it! If you need a additional review of MA 111 please ask me early in the course and I'll try to help you.

Overview : This is the first in a 3-semester course on Calculus. The methods and concepts presented in this course are fundamental to most if not all technical disciplines. It is important that you master the techniques of MA 141, I look forward to helping you toward that goal, but ultimately you must think for yourself. The ability to think in math comes from practice ( for most of us anyway ) so make sure you set aside plenty of time thoughout the week to work out the subject for yourself.

Course Essentials :
  • Required Text is: Calculus Concepts and Contexts, 2nd NC State University edition, by James Stewart, Brooks/Cole, 2001.
  • Recommended Supplementary Text: Thomas' Calculus , 10th edition, by George B. Thomas, Jr.,Addison Wesley Longman 2001.
  • No calculator is required for this course. Maple can do much more than even the best graphing calculator.
    Note: I will allow (basic) scientific calculators during tests, but no graphing calculators. You will (or should) not need them anyway!(for my tests)

    • Information about your instructor :
    Instructor: Mr. James Cook
    Office: don't have one at the moment
    Office Hours: 15 minutes before and after class everyday in or near HA 371, and by appointment.
    Email: testbetter@yahoo.com

    Grading :
  • Gateway : If your overall MAPLE score is less than 50% you will get an automatic "F" in this course.
    • Otherwise, your final average will be computed as follows:
    45% Tests (there will be 3 tests) ***Your lowest test score may be replaced by your final exam score (if helpful).***
    20% Quizzes
    7% Maple Lab Assignments
    3% Class Participation
    25% Final Exam (the final exam will be cumulative)

    Letter Grades will follow:
    98+ --->A+
    93-97--->A
    90-92--->A-
    86-89--->B+
    82-85--->B
    78-81--->B-
    74-77--->C+
    70-73--->C
    66-69--->C-
    62-65--->D+
    58-61--->D
    54-57--->D-
    <53 --->F

    Homework and Quizzes The homework list for the whole semester is posted online. Solutions for many selected problems are posted on that page as well. Quizzes will follow the assigned homework. Here is how it should typically work:

    1. we cover material in lecture day one.
    2. you do the homework monday after class on day one.
    3. day two we have a quiz over the homework assigned day one.

    We will have a short quiz almost everyday, if you make a serious attempt at the homework they should be no problem for you.

    MAPLE :
    Maple is divided into six assignments. They can be found at www.math.ncsu.edu/calculus . Maple no longer has a lab, it is self taught and automatically graded by the "egrader" Most students do not need help with Maple because the assignments are self-explanatory for the most part, however just in case there are several help sessions offered every week in G-108 under Harrelson Hall
    Thursdays: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
    Fridays: 10:00 am - noon and 3:00 - 5:00 pm
    I have (or will shortly) changed the due-dates of the Maple assignments, this is to give you some flexibility on when to do them. Do not put them off to the end, I will not entertain requests for extensions even if you have a good reason past July 25th. All your maple assignments are due on August 1.

    Tests/Final Exam
    Test 1 : Friday, July 15th
    Test 2 : Monday, July 25th
    Test 3 : Friday, August 5st
    Final Exam: Tuesday, August 9th, 8:00am - 11:00am

    Attendance and Class Participation : Attendance is required, it goes towards your class participation grade. The rest of your participation grade comes from "good" and "bad" participation. What is bad participation? Basically anything which distracts your fellow students from learning, just to be explicit from the start let me make a list of common problems:
    1. Talking out of turn
    2. Talking and or audibly wispering to your neighbor
    3. Leaving Early
    4. Coming Late
    4. Working on a Laptop ( Please no Laptops during lecture )
    5. Complaining
    If you make a habit of any of the above you will loose points from class participation. Sorry, for all the rules but they're for your protection. What is good participation? Basically anything which encourages and or helps your classmates to learn, for example:
    1. Pointing out typos on the board
    2. Asking questions (often your not the only one who doesn't understand)
    3. Noticing errors on the course web page I don't require you to ask a question, but if you have one please raise your hand. I'd rather not make these comments but experience has taught me otherwise.

    Absences & Excused Tests : IF YOU HAVE AN UNIVERSITY APPROVED ABSENCE, then you may make up the test on the final exam.
    This means for example if you missed 1 test then the final exam will be weighted 40% .
    There will be no makeup quizzes or extensions to MAPLE.

    Disabilities : If you have any special needs, please contact me as early as possible to make arrangements.
    Please do not wait until the test. It's your responsibility to tell me now so I can help you. Thanks.

    Disclaimer : While I have attempted to completely specify the content of this course, I reserve the right to change this sylabus if necessary.