Syllabus for "Analytic Geometry and Calculus II"

Ma241-003 Fall 2005

When ? Where ?
MTWTHF 9:10am – 10:00am HA 263

 

Prerequisites : You must have completed MA 141 (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 review of MA 141 please consider working thru some materials at ma141.

Overview : This is the second 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 241, I look forward to helping you toward that goal, but ultimately you must think for yourself. The ability to think in mathematics 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. It is my sincere desire that each one of you come to a deep and lasting understanding of the calculus.

Course Essentials :
  • Lecture Notes posted online cost to you, zero dollars modulo printing.
  • 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 scientific calculators ( TI-34 for example) during tests, but no graphing calculators. You should not need them anyway! (for my tests)

    • Information about your instructor :
    Instructor: Mr. James Cook
    Office: Hillsbourough Building 201, don't go there I'm not there usually
    "Office" Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 10-11am (in the library at the big tables 1st floor)
    I am also available in the tutorial center (HA 244) on monday 12:30-2:30 and friday 11:00am-12:00pm
    Email: testbetter@yahoo.com

    Grading :
    60% Tests (there will be 4 tests)
    10% Webassign Homework
    10% Maple (there are 6 maple assignments)
    3% Optional Paper
    2% Class Participation
    18% Final Exam

  • If your webassign average is greater than 95.00% you may replace your lowest test score with your final exam grade.

    • Letter Grades will follow:
    98+ --->A+
    93-97--->A
    90-92--->A-
    87-89--->B+
    83-86--->B
    80-82--->B-
    77-79--->C+
    73-76--->C
    70-72--->C-
    67-69--->D+
    63-66--->D
    60-62--->D-
    <59 --->F

    Homework
    The homework list for the whole semester is posted online. The homework has 3 types of problems
  • 1.Webassign (each of these corresponds to an even problem in the text)
  • 2. Recommended (these are the problems on the list that don't appear in webassign)
  • 3. Additional practice problems, for example 5.7 needs more trig subst. problems so I give you some to work on.

    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 starting the second week of the semester at Tuesdays: 3:30 am - 5:30 pm and Thursdays: 4:00 - 6:00 pm.

    Optional Paper :
    I want to learn some more about the historical development of calculus, but I decided I would let you do the work. So I'd like you to write me a paper. It should be typed and at least 500 words. You should ok with me the topic you would like to research by september 1. I will grade them on content, not so much grammar or spelling. This paper is worth upto 3pts overall in the course and is due November 18. Notice that even without writing this paper you can earn an A+ in the course.

    Tests/Final Exam
    Test 1 : Monday, Sep 12th
    Test 2 : Monday, Oct 3th
    Test 3 : Monday, Oct 31st
    Test 4 : Monday, Nov 21nd
    Final Exam: Friday, Dec 9 th, 8:00am - 11:00am (Ha 263)

    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 ( especially about webassign )
    3. Leaving Early
    4. Coming Late
    4. Using a Laptop to surf the web, play games exc... ( reading course notes is ok)
    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
    4. Sharing the format that webassign needs the answer to be in.
    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. The last two semesters I have not needed to deduct any student's participation points, I trust you will help me to continue that trend.

    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 33% .

    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.

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