MAC 2311 Honors Calculus 1: Course Policies (preliminary)

Spring 2007

Instructor: Dr. Eugene Belogay	(pronounced Beh-law-GUY)	Email: ebelogay@fau.edu
Office: HC 162	Phone: 799-8028 (6-8028)	URL: www.fau.edu/~ebelogay/teach/2311/
Hours: MW 3:30-6, F 10-11. By appointment only: M 6-7, F 3-5.		Tutors: TBA

Course Description. Inspired by problems in astronomy and geometry, Sir Isaac Newton and Wilhelm Gottfried Leibnitz derived the principles of differential and integral calculus more than 300 years ago. Since then, calculus has provided the foundation for advances in many fields, such as chemistry, physics, economics, biology, medicine, business, psychology, and, of course, mathematics. Calculus is so important, that it is often considered as the gateway to many of those fields.

In this course we will engage in the full mathematics process: we will search for patterns, order and reason, attempt to model our world (in order to clarify and predict better what happens around us); try to understand and explain ideas clearly, and apply familiar mathematics to solve unfamiliar problems. This variety of mathematical activities is quite challenging and, for many of you, the experience will be vastly different from your experiences in more traditional mathematics courses.

Goals. By the end of this course, you should be able to

• identify, transform, and use elementary functions;
• compute or estimate derivatives in four ways: algebraically, graphically, numerically, and verbally;
• compute or estimate integrals in four ways: algebraically, graphically, numerically, and verbally;
• set up discrete and continuous mathematical models;
• set up and solve simple optimization problems and differential equations;
• improve their logical thinking and problem-solving skills;
• work effectively in heterogeneous teams;
• communicate (especially, in writing) complex ideas effectively and precisely;
• use with ease technological tools such as graphing calculators and spreadsheets;
• improve your logical thinking and problem-solving skills ;
• engage in life-long learning.

Required Textbook: Calculus, Hughes-Hallett et al, 4th edition, ISBN 0-471-48481-4, Wiley 2005.

Recommended (optional) text: How to Ace Calculus, Adams et al, ISBN 0-7167-3160-6, Freeman.

Required scientific graphing calculator: TI-83, 83 Plus (recommended), 85, or 86. The models TI-89 and TI-92 (and other symbolic calculators) are fine, but will not be allowed during quizzes and tests.

Attendance. Be here! Be here for every class and be on time (being late is disruptive and plain rude). Missing more than two classes will negatively affect your success (and final grade). Whether you are in class or not, you are responsible for all assigned work; there will be no credit for missed work. Your cell phone must not ring in class.

Workload. Expect to spend approximately 8-12 hours each week, outside of class, reading the textbook and your class notes, solving problems, working in the lab or in groups, editing project reports, and organizing your skills in preparation for quizzes and exams.

Help. I cannot teach you; I can only help you learn. Please ask questions and seek assistance as needed. You may email me at any time, and I encourage you to make use of my office hours. It is a good idea to do most of your lab work before 6 pm, so I can help you in real time. The math tutors will become available the second week of classes. Browse the various helpful resources that I have assembled; they include guidelines for effective group work and strategies for studying for tests.

Homework and Quizzes. Do all of the problems as soon as they are assigned, attempting unassigned problems as well. Seek assistance with any problem that gives you trouble. Write the homework on loose paper and keep it neatly arranged and labeled in a 3-ring notebook; I may collect your homework notebooks biweekly. (Keep your homework solutions, without the scratch paper, in a section by itself, rather than mixed in with your class notes.) We will have weekly quizzes on the readings and homework exercises. The grade for a missed quiz is –1. The two worst quiz grades will be dropped. No make-ups will be given for quizzes. The key to success in this course is doing the homework.

Project Reports. Team projects will be assigned, collected, and graded as scheduled.  I encourage you to submit a preliminary draft report before you submit the complete project.  Reports will be graded not only for correct mathematical "answers,'' but also for the clarity of your write-up. Material form the projects will appear on quizzes and tests.

Tests. There will be five major tests (four midterms and a gateway) and a comprehensive final exam. No make-ups will be given for tests, except in the case of a documented emergency. You may take the gateway test as many times as you need to pass it (the scores do not affect your final grade); failure to pass it before the last day of class lowers your semester grade by one full letter.

Due Dates and Late Policy: Work is due at the beginning of class on the announced due date. I will accept late work only before I complete the grading of the assigned work; each day past the due date decreases your grade by 10%.

Grading. Your semester grade will be based on the following course activity (tentative) weights:

Activity in Class Discussions	Bonus
Quizzes and Handouts (on HW and reading)	10 %
Team Projects (worst grade dropped)	15 %
Midterm Tests (worst grade at half-weight)	40 %
Final Exam	35 %

Acing (scoring more than 95 points on) the final exam automatically converts a B semester grade into A.

Students with Disabilities. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, students who require special accommodations due to a disability to properly execute coursework must register with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and follow all procedures. (The OSD is a part of Diversity Student Services on the MacArthur Campus in Jupiter and is located in the Student Resource building in SR 117; the phone number is 799-8585, TTY 799-8565).

Honor Code and Collaboration.

Homework. I encourage you to talk to each other while you are thinking about a homework problem and examine each other's solutions. Nevertheless, you need to understand the idea yourself and your final solution must be your own.

Team Projects. Each contributing team member must sign the team report, acknowledging substantial contribution to the joint work. All contributing members of a team receive the same grade.

Quizzes and tests must be completed individually, according to the Honor Code. If you have any questions about what constitutes doing individual work, see me immediately.

Warning: Copying (completely or in part) somebody else's work or submitting work that is copied with cosmetic changes, added in an attempt to seem superficially different, constitutes gross plagiarism (and infraction of the Honor Code) and will not be tolerated.

Last updated: 1/7/07 7:42 PM