Chris Pollett > Old Classes > Math 1A, Fall 1996

You should be enrolled in the lecture listed above. Your lecture meets MWF 4-5 in HSS 2250 and it also has a regular fourth lecture hour during which quizzes or examinations are given most Wednesday evenings at 6:00 - 6:50pm in Peterson 108. All Math 1 students will have a common final examination that will be given on Wednesday evening, December 11, 1996 at 7:00-10:00pm. [You are expected to be able to attend these scheduled quizzes and examinations; make-up quizzes and exams are not given.]

Consult the Schedule of Classes for the time of your Discussion Section which meets on Tuesday in Center Hall 217A. You will need to know your discussion section number (e.g. Section F01, Section F02, etc.) because you must list it on all your work such as homework, quiz and examination papers.

Required Materials

• Text: Applied Calculus for Business, Social Sciences, and Life Sciences by D. Hughes-Hallett, A. M. Gleason, et al, (Wiley, 1996 preliminary edition);
• Calculator: TI-82 Graphics Calculator, and Guidebook (Texas Instruments).

Course Description: Math. 1A is a beginning course that covers the concepts and applications of calculus. This course begins with a discussion of commonly studied mathematical functions and give numerous examples of their applications in modeling the real world. We will then proceed to discuss the derivative, with an emphasis on getting a good conceptual understanding of what it means and how to use it in regards to these real world applications. To acquire the kinds of understanding expected for this course, you will need to spend time reading the book, thinking, and experimenting.

Calculators: The purpose of the TI-82 calculator is to allow you to quickly graph functions and analyze data that might otherwise be time consuming to do by hand. Being able to see the graphs of the functions you are working with will hopefully help you build an intuition about the mathematics you are learning. If you already own another suitable graphing calculator you may use it at your own risk. You can obtain assistance in the use of the TI-82 in the calculus lab, but we do not offer support for other calculators. [The TI-81 is not appropriate as it lacks equation solvers, differentiation and integration functions, and tables.]

Class Participation: Class participation is encouraged. Neither myself nor the TA are known to bite and if something is not making sense to you about the lecture or the homeworks chances are there are other people with the same problem. As far as questions about homeworks go, it is usually more constructive if along with your question you explain what you tried before you got stuck.

Homework: There are two categories of homework-``individual'' and ``group''. ``Individual'' homework is not turned in, but you are responsible for the subject matter. i.e., Questions from the individual homework may show up on quizzes. ``Group'' homework is worked by a small group of students and is handed in by a group member who has the earliest section (among members of the group) on Tuesday. Group homework is turned in to the TA at the beginning of that earliest group-section and it will not be accepted late. Group homework should include the names (printed) and signatures AND SECTION NUMBERS of the group members listed on it, and the assignment should be written on standard 8¹/₂ X 11 paper. (Paper torn out of spiral notebooks will not be accepted.) It is of great importance that you make every effort to complete every ``individual'' and ``group'' homework assignment, and that you seek help with problems you have not been able to handle. It is okay (and useful) to collaborate with fellow students on both individual and group homework after you have made an honest attempt on your own. With both individual and group homework, you can get help in the calculus lab or from the TA or the instructor during office hours. The Student Answer Manual has brief answers but not full explanations for the odd-numbered problems. Your group homework assignments will be graded for quality and clarity of exposition as well as for mathematical understanding and correctness.

Groups: For the group homework you are expected to become a member of a small group consisting of 3 or 4 individuals (exactly 3 or 4). We will not accept or give credit for group homework papers unless 3 or 4 students have signed the work. A student signature on such a paper indicates that the student contributed to the assignment. If you need more members or if you need to amalgamate with another group or if you wish to split your group, you should register with the tutors in the lab. [Be sure to leave telephone numbers.] The best way to approach group homework is to have each group member first try the group problems alone, and then the group can come together to exchange ideas and partial (or total) solutions and to refine and complete your understanding of the problems. The group effort should encourage critical thinking and should culminate in a carefully written description of your solutions. Writing explanations is an integral part of the solution process. Only those group members who contribute to the group effort should be listed. If some group members are not contributing regularly, your group has the right to drop them. In that case you should register with the tutors in the lab for new group members.

Quizzes and Exams

• Seven quizzes will be given during seven of the fourth lecture hours on Wednesday evenings. There will not be quizzes on Sept. 2 (the first Wednesday), Nov. 13 (midterm examination date), and Nov. 27 (Wednesday before Thanksgiving break). Each quiz will consist of one or two problems. Some but not all quiz problems may be related to problems discussed in class or assigned as homework. Your best six quiz scores will be used as partial input in determining your course grade.
• A midterm examination will be given in the fourth hour on Wednesday November 13, covering the entire course to that point.
• The final examination will be given on Wednesday December 11 at 7-10pm and will cover the entire course.
• Your quiz and exam papers will be graded for quality and clarity of exposition as well as mathematical understanding and correctness.
• Be sure to bring a photo ID to quizzes.
• Any missed quiz will be assigned the score zero. One of your lowest quiz scores will be dropped from the seven and the remaining six quiz scores will be used as partial input for your course grade.
• Make-up quizzes and exams are not given.
• The quizzes and exams will be open book and open notes, and you are expected to have a TI-82 (or equivalent) calculator available and to use standard 8¹/₂ X 11 paper.

Grading Policy This class will be graded out of a 1000 possible points. The class will be curved; however, if you score above an 880 you will be guarenteed an least an A-. A score above 760 guarentees you at least a B-, and a score above 640 guarentees you at least a C-.

The point breakdown is as follows:

The 30 pts for lab attendance can be gotten by going to the Calculus Lab four times during the quarter and getting the lab consultant (either a TA or a tutor) to sign your lab attendance sheet. Each time you go to the lab you are expected to stay at least 1 hour. Two of these lab hours should be before the midterm. The Calculus Lab is in APM 2402 and meets MTWTh 8-12.

First Assignment

• For Monday Sept. 30, read and work through ``Getting Started'', pp. 1-14 of the TI-82 Guidebook. Know how to use ``tables'', ``graphs'' and ``zoom''. Also read Section 1.1, pp. 1-14 of the text Applied Calculus. There is no group homework assignment due Tuesday Oct. 1, but there is an individual homework assignment.
• The first individual homework assignment (= hw-1) consists of exercises 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17, 20 from Sec. 1.1 of Applied Calculus, and is assigned for Tuesday Oct. 1.
• No later than Tuesday Oct. 1, form groups of three or four persons (perhaps from within your Discussion Section). Schedule a time or times, and a place, where you can meet as a group at least two hours or more per week outside of class. Exchange names and phone numbers.