University of St. Thomas Center for Applied Mathematics
Math 114 Course Syllabus
Calculus - Early Transcendentals
Basic Information
- Meeting Time/Place: OSS325, 10:55-12:00 MWF.
- Instructor: Dr. Patrick J. Van Fleet
- Office/Phone: OSS224/962-5552
- Email: pjvanfleet@stthomas.edu
- Office Hours: MWF 1:30-3:00 or by appointment. I am around quite often at other times - mostly Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I will probably be unavailable on Thursdays and some Tuesdays. Certainly you are free to drop by and if I have time, I will be glad to help you.
- Text: Calculus: Early Transcendentals, by Jon Rogawski.
- Webpage: The course website is http://cam.mathlab.stthomas.edu/pvf/Math114/
- Getting Help: It is important that you do not get behind in this course. You are always free to stop by office during my office hours (no appointment necessary) or make an appointment for another time. The Mathematics Department also houses the Mathematics Resource Center (MaRC). At the MaRC, you can work on your homework with classmates or get free help from tutors. Click http://www.stthomas.edu/mathematics/marc/ for more information.
- Instructor: Dr. Patrick J. Van Fleet
Course Content
- Daily Log: The Daily Log link at left will be updated after each class period and will include a summary of what we covered and what work you should have done before the next class period. It will also contain reminders of upcoming due dates as well as hints for computer labs or homework sets. Make sure to check the Daily Log even if you don't miss class.
- Material: We will cover most of the material in Chapters 6 through 11 in the text. Warning: Trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions are heavily utilized in this course. If you have not mastered these functions and their basic properties, the course will be very difficult for you.
- Class Meetings: We will begin each (nonexam) hour with question/answers from homework assigned during the prior class meeting. The rest of the time will be used for lecture, computer work, and in- class problem sessions. You are strongly encouraged to ask questions during class time.
- Computer Work: We will use Mathematica in class and I strongly encourage you to force yourself to learn how to use the software. It can be an effective learning tool and you will be required to demonstrate proficiency with the software on quizzes and exams. The University of St. Thomas is part of a consortium that has a site license for Mathematica. As a UST student, you are entitled to check out a copy of the software (make sure it is version 5.0 or higher) and install it on your personal computer. I strongly encourage you to do this as soon as possible. Many students get frustrated with packages such as Mathematica and this typically leads to the question:
Why do I have to learn this software and when will I ever use it??? This is a fair question. To answer honestly, I would say there is a very small chance you will ever use Mathematica directly in your job once you graduate. But there is a very large chance that when you are employed you will be asked to learn and master a specialized software package and use it regularly. Speaking from experience, it is always easier to do something the second time. Take these thoughts with you when you work with the software and try to keep a positive attitude.
- Homework/Quizzes/Exams/Final Exam: Your grade will be determined based on your performance on quizzes, four hourly exams, and a cumulative final exam. Each exam counts for 75 points, the quizzes will typically be four points each and given most periods. You can drop your four lowest quizzes and the remaining points are converted to a 75-point scale. The final exam is worth 125 points. Homework will be assigned daily. You are not required to turn in your homework, but failure to keep up on the homework will be apparent to me on your quiz performance and typically leads to bad grades in the course. There are four unit exams. Click on the Important Dates link at left to see a list of tentative exam dates.
- Mathematica on Quizzes and Exams: In this class you are required to achieve a certain level of competence with the software package Mathematica. We will use the software during several class periods and you will be asked various questions about the software on quizzes and exams. A tutorial will be distributed during the first week of class and you are encouraged to use the software during class lectures.
- Material: We will cover most of the material in Chapters 6 through 11 in the text. Warning: Trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions are heavily utilized in this course. If you have not mastered these functions and their basic properties, the course will be very difficult for you.
Grading Scale
There are 500 possible points available. The grading scale is| A | 500 - 470 points |
| A- | 450 - 469 points | B+ | 432 - 449 points | B | 416 - 431 points | B- | 400 - 415 points |
| C+ | 382 - 399 points | C | 366 - 381 points | C- | 350 - 365 points | D+ | 332 - 349 points |
| D | 316 - 331 points |
| D- | 300 - 315 points |
| F | 0 - 299 points |