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Syllabus for Calculus I with Applications

Rohr Science 220 (619) 849-2604 crowMA@ptloma.edu


Instructor:
Greg Crow, Ph.D.
Text:
Calculus
Hughes-Hallet, . . . et al.
New York: Wiley

Lab Manual:
Exploring Calculus with Maple
Artino, Kolod, Evans, & Johnson
New York: Wiley
Mth145_text.jpg - 39.8 K Mth145_lab_manual.jpg - 35.0 K
Table of Contents:

Course Description
Required Materials
Comment
Homework
Groups
Quizzes
Examinations
Grading Policies
Cheating Policy
The Final Examination
Class meetings:
MWF 8:45-9:35 a.m.
T 9:20-10:10 a.m.
Th 9:20-11:00 a.m.
Office hours:
Rohr Science 220



REQUIRED MATERIALS


Comment
We will try and avoid the following pitfall:

At the beginning college level, visualization is a big part of understanding. Consequently, students who are operating with few mental pictures are not really learning mathematics. Their calculus consists of a vast series of algorithms and a complicated cataloging system which tells them which procedure is used when. The effort put into this kind of teaching and learning is largely wasted: memorized algorithms are soon forgotten and, worse still, such courses perpetuate the idea that math involves doing calculations rather than thinking [emphasis added].

(by Deborah Hughes Hallet in Visualization and Calculus Reform, in the collection Visualization in Teaching and Learning Mathematics, edited by Zimmerman and Cunningham (MAA notes \#19))


Homework
The homework and labs are designed to allow you to grasp the concepts of Calculus; they are not ends in themselves. An assignment will be announced on a weekly basis, and the work will be due on the following Wednesday. There will be two parts to each assignment. The first part will be problems from the text, and the second part will be lab reports of your investigations in the computer lab.


Groups
There is almost a century of research showing that academic achievement, productivity, and self- esteem improve dramatically when students work together in groups. This method emphasizes teamwork, cooperation and support by others, rather than isolation and competition in learning.

You will be randomly assigned to a group on a monthly basis. Certain homework problems will be assigned to each group. If selected, your group will present their assigned problems to the class.


Quizzes
You are to stay on top of the material as it is presented. To encourage this scholarly activity (and attendance), six to ten quizzes will be given on days chosen by the instructor. If a quiz is missed, it cannot be taken later. The only days that are off limits are the first day of class and exam days.


Examinations
There will be two classroom skill exams, two lab skill exams, two classroom essay exams, and a comprehensive Final exam consisting of essay questions. No examination shall be missed without an official excuse. A score of zero will be assigned for a test that is missed without an official excuse. The exam schedule is included in the daily schedule.


GRADING POLICIES

Grading Distribution
Four skills exams at 75 points each 300 points
Two essay exams at 100 points each 200 points
Final Exam 200 points
Quizzes 100 points
Text book Homework 100 points
Laboratory Reports 100 points
Total 1000 points

Grading scale. Grades are based on the number of points accumulated throughout the course.
Approximate minimal percentages required to obtain a given grade are:

Grading Scale in percentages
A B C D
+ (87.5, 90) (77.5, 80) (67.5, 70)
[92.5, 100] [82.5, 87.5] [72.5, 77.5] [62.5, 67.5]
- [90, 92.5)[80, 82.5) [70, 72.5) [60, 62.5)

Other factors that affect grades are


CHEATING POLICY
A student who is caught cheating on a quiz will receive a zero on that quiz and may receive a zero for all quizzes for the semester. A student who is caught cheating on an exam will receive a zero on that exam and may receive an "F" for the semester.


THE FINAL EXAM IS A COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION.


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Last modified on August 27, 1996
Send comments and suggestions to GregCrow@ptloma.edu