ENGINEERING CALCULUS I-22M:035, section 231

SPRING SEMESTER 2000


SYLLABUS

Meeting times: 2:30-3:20 MWThF

Meeting place: 217 MLH

Prerequisites: 22M:002 and 22M:005, or 22M:009, or 3.5 years of high school mathematics including introduction to analytic geometry and trigonometry. APPROVED FOR GE: Quantitative or Formal Reasoning.

Instructor: Laurent O. Jay

Office: 225L MLH

Office hours: Wednesday 3:30-4:30, Thursday 1:30-2:30, Friday: 1:30-2:30 (subject to changes). I will also be available at other times. Just drop by my office or send me an e-mail to make an appointment.

Telephone: (319)-335-0898

Fax: (319)-335-0627

E-mail address: ljay@math.uiowa.edu

Mailbox: in Mailroom 15 MLH

Course web page: Assignments and other information about the course will be given in http://www.math.uiowa.edu/~ljay/m35_00.html. Students are responsible for checking regularly this course web page.

Course outline: This course covers fundamental concepts, methods, and techniques of integral and differential calculus of a single variable. We will cover roughly speaking the following topics: functions, limits, continuity, differentiation, integration, and some rudiments of vector analysis. This course plan may be modified during the semester. Such modifications will be announced in advance during class periods and on the course web page; the student is responsible for keeping abreast of such changes.

Textbook: Calculus with Analytic Geometry, Fifth Edition by Robert Ellis and Denny Gulick, Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth, 1994, ISBN 0-03-096800-3. Book chapters to be covered:

1. Functions.
2. Limits and continuity.
3. Derivatives.
4. Applications of the derivative.
5. The integral.
11. Vectors, lines, and planes.
Optional: Student Study Guide and Student Solutions Manual by Sandra Z. Keith. Use of symbolic mathematical software such as Maple and Mathematica is also a good optional complement.

Goals and objectives of the course: This is a standard first semester calculus course. Some of the most fundamental concepts in mathematics will be covered. This course will give you a thorough knowledge of basic elements of differential and integral calculus and of some of their applications. Without a good knowledge of these building blocks, you cannot pursue any good science in physics, chemistry, social sciences, economics, engineering, mathematics, biology, computer science, scientific computing, robotics, genetics, statistics, neuroscience, and so on.

Your goal has to be more than just reproducing what is told to you in the classroom. We also want to inculcate upon you confidence and self reliance in problem solving and calculation. The pace may be higher than what you are used to, but the sooner, the better, we are not in kindergarten here! It is your responsability to read and learn the material, you cannot be taught everything contained in the book during the class, most of this learning will take place outside the classroom by your reading. We may use the book in class. The instructor's job is to guide you in the learning process. Do not let questions accumulate since new topics will use what has gone before.

Everything valuable in life is not necessarily purely pleasurable, you may have some reticences at first with the material, but if you are willing to make the effort that we expect from you then by mastering the material you will probably even enjoy it. It is like learning to play basketball, piano, tennis, guitar, soccer, a foreign language, etc., only after long hours of practice you can fully enjoy it at a competitive and/or pleasurable level. The nice thing with mathematics is that once you have really understood a concept, you generally do not need to learn it by heart, because it has become second nature.

Class procedures: The majority of each class period will be lecture oriented. Take your own notes. It is strongly advised to read the material to be discussed before coming to class. Therefore, if there is a difficult point, you will know beforehand where it arises, so that you can benefit from the lecture more effectively. If the point remains unclear you can always ask questions.

Homework: Will be assigned weekly. Presentation of your results is very important. Scratch paper will not be accepted. Do not expect good grades if your solution to a problem is poorly communicated. Like for everything, if you cannot explain something in great details, you certainly have not fully understood it. The importance of doing homework cannot be overemphasized, most of human people learn by doing, not only by watching and/or listening.

Grading procedures: The final grade will be based on tests, quizzes, homework, and final examination as follows:

  1. There will be two tests during the semester, with each test to account for 20% of the course grade.
  2. Quizzes and homework assignments will account for 30% of the course grade. The best 75% of the total quizzes and homework given will be considered. Sometimes only a portion of each homework assignment will be graded, based on the availability of assistance from a grader for the course.
  3. The final examination will account for 30% of the course grade and this test will be comprehensive.
In assigning grades, plus/minus grading will be used.

Teaching assistant: Koman Ting, e-mail: kting@math.uiowa.edu.

Mathematics Tutorial Laboratory: Located on the third floor of MacLean Hall. Check the homepage of the Math Tutorial Lab for FREE tutorial services with the course material. Participation is optional, but strongly recommended if you experience difficulties. It offers personalized assistance and supplementary help. Just drop in during opening hours.

Final examination: To be held on Thursday, May 11, 2:15-4:15PM in room 217 MLH. Only under exceptional circumstances will a student be permitted to shift the time of this examination.

Attendance: Strongly advised. Random checks may be made during the semester. Since we are not in the army here, once again it is your responsability as free adults to come to class. However, your participation should be active, we recommend you to listen and to ask relevant questions. The best students are 99% of the time those who ask questions and really want to understand. Classes are intended to have interaction, so be proactive. Moreover, however talented you may be if you do not work regularly on an almost a daily basis, chances are great that you will not get good grade.

Notes to student: Read the accompanying sheets about student academic misconduct and complaints. The Department of Mathematics has offices in 14 MLH. To make an appointment to speak with the Chair of the Department, call 335-0714 or contact the Departmental Secretary in 14 MLH. Please let your instructor know if you have a disability which requires special arrangements.