Course Information
Math 261: Calculus I –
Section 02, Fall 2014
4 Credits: MTWRF
11:00am – 11:50am Bridges Room 264
Textbook: Thomas’
Calculus by Thomas (rev. by Weir and Hass), 12th Edition [Required]
Instructor: Justin James, Mathematics
Dept. Office: MacLean
375M
Office
Phone: 477-4011
Office
Hours: MTWRF 9:00 –
10:50am Email: jamesju@mnstate.edu
MTWRF 2:00 – 2:50pm Webpage: web.mnstate.edu/jamesju
Other times by Appointment
Course Description:
Calculus of one
variable-differentiation, introduction to the integral. Students entering Math 261
should have a solid background in algebra and trigonometry. Must
have successfully completed College Algebra and Trigonometry or acceptable
placement score.
Prerequisites: In order to take Math 261, students must have successfully completed
College Algebra and Trigonometry or have an acceptable math placement score.
Learning Outcomes (MN Transfer
Curriculum)
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to do the
following:
·
Illustrate historical and contemporary applications of mathematical/logical
systems.
·
Clearly express mathematical/logical ideas in writing.
·
Explain what constitutes a valid mathematical/logical argument (proof).
·
Apply higher-order problem-solving and/or modeling strategies.
Learning Outcomes (General)
·
Understand limits and the derivative and how to use them to describe
real-world phenomena.
·
Read and interpret information presented in graphical form.
·
Use the derivative to solve real world optimization problems.
·
Understand numerical solutions to problems and error analysis.
Instructional Strategies: Lecture, discussion, small group work.
Course Requirements: You are expected
to complete all daily homework, labs, and writing assignments, and to take and
pass all exams and quizzes on their scheduled dates and times.
Attendance
and Academic Expectations
You are expected to attend class regularly and on time. The penalty for unexcused absences is that missed in-class assignments cannot be
made up. If you have to miss class for a
reason that you believe merits being excused, come see me (preferably in
advance). You are expected to read the
material in your textbook prior to each day’s lecture and to have attempted the
problems on the homework assignment.
During class, you should participate in discussions. When working in groups on labs, you should
participate fully in what the group is trying to accomplish. You are encouraged to form a group to study
and work with on homework and labs outside of class. You should bring your book with you to
class.
Homework and Labs:
I have listed suggested homework problems
on the course schedule. The listed
problems are primarily for your own
practice and study. I will occasionally
collect and grade a subset of the assigned book problems. You will be told in
class at least 2 days in advance which problems to turn in.
You will also have several lab
assignments. We will start lab
assignments during class and you will have some time to work together in groups
on them. You will be expected to finish
the remainder of the lab and to turn in the completed lab the day of the next
class meeting by 4:00pm.
The grades on these assignments will be combined to contribute 200
points toward your final course grade (at least 2 assignments will be dropped).
Activities, Quizzes and Presentations: We will sometimes
have in-class activities. These will be
handed out in class and collected at the end of the hour.
I will
occasionally give short quizzes during class time. These will generally be on definitions, statements
of major theorems, or short computational problems.
In order encourage you to develop your
ability to understand and communicate mathematical content from the course,
students will be given opportunities to present solutions to problems during class. Any reasonable attempt to present a problem
will replace a quiz grade with a perfect 5 point score.
Activities, short quizzes, and
presentations will count 70 points toward your final course grade (at least one
will be dropped).
There will also be two Major Quizzes –
one on differentiation techniques and one on integration.
Each of these major quizzes will contribute 25 points toward your final grade
in the course.
Reflective Writing Assignments: During the
semester, you will be given a few short writing assignments in which you will
be asked to give your personal thoughts and reflections on different aspects of
the course. These informal papers will
be graded mainly on how well they address the questions they pose, but you should
write in complete sentences and clearly express your thoughts. Reflection papers will contribute 30 points
toward your final grade.
Exams: This course will have four unit exams plus a comprehensive final exam,
as outlined in the course schedule. Be
sure to mark the date of each exam on your calendar, especially the final
exam. Exams will be closed book, and
closed notes. I will allow the use of an
approved calculator (no graphing calculators), but other electronic devices
(cell-phones, etc.) are not
allowed. Credit given on exam questions
will be proportional to the amount of correct work shown. Little to no credit will be given if
sufficient work is not shown, even when the final answer is correct. In your final grade, your each exam will be
worth 100 points. The comprehensive
final exam is worth 200 points.
Course
Grading Policy: Your final grade
in the course will be computed as follows:
Reflective Writing Assignments 30 points
Activities, Quizzes and Presentations:
70 points
Major Quizzes
50 points
Labs and Homework
(best 20 scores) 200 points
Unit Exams: 400 points
Final Exam: 200 points
Total: 950
points
I will compute the percentage of the total points you earned and then
assign letter grades based on the following scale:
96.5-100.0% A+ 81.5-86.4% B 69.0-71.4% C–
91.5-96.5% A 79.0-81.4% B– 66.0-68.9% D+
89.0-91.4% A– 76.5-78.9% C+ 60.0-65.9% D
86.5-88.9% B+ 71.5-76.4% C <60.0% F
Make-up
Work: Because
of the pace of summer courses and the fact that you are allowed to drop several
scores, I only give make-up assignments for extreme personal emergencies
or for absences which are officially sanctioned by the University. I will expect written documentation in either
of these cases. If you miss an exam and
a make-up exam is not warranted, you may replace your grade on one missed exam with your un-scaled percentage score on the final
exam.
Special Accommodations: Students
with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class are
encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Director of Disability Services at 477-4318
(Voice) or
1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY), Flora Frick 154 as soon as possible to ensure
that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Academic Honesty: You are expected
to do your own work. You may work with others and get help on
assignments, but the work you submit must be your own. During exams and
quizzes you will not be allowed to get help from others. Cheating
and plagiarism will not be tolerated in any course at any level. See the
MSUM Academic Honesty policy for more information on the possible consequences
of cheating.
Thanks,
and Let’s Have a Great Semester!!
Math 261 – Section 02 Course Page