Calculus I

Spring 2014

CRN 24103
MW 12:30-1:20, TR 12:00-12:50; PSYC 306 (MW), PSCI 314 (TR); 4 credit hours

Other resources:


Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Art Duval

Please feel free to stop by my office any time during scheduled office hours. You are welcome to visit at other times, but in that case you might want to make an appointment, just to make sure that I will be there then. You can make an appointment simply by talking to me before or after class, by calling me at my office or at home, or by sending e-mail.

I will also be available in the classroom after class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

You may also ask any questions directly via phone or e-mail. If I'm not in when you call, please leave a message on the voice-mail or answering machine with your name, number, and a good time for me to call you back. I will try to respond to your phone or e-mail message as soon as possible.

Prerequisites:

MATH 1508 with a grade at least C, or an adequate score on a placement exam. This generally means you should be comfortable with the idea of functions, including how to graph them, finding inverse functions, and applying transformations. Specific functions you should be familiar with include polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, and trigonometric functions.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Students are expected to have a clear understanding of the ideas of Calculus as a solid foundation for subsequent courses in mathematics and other disciplines as well as for direct application to real life situations.

Textbook:

Calculus, 10th ed., Larson and Edwards, Chs. 1-5. Available as e-book and hard- cover.

Required Reading: Read each section that we cover in class, both before and after class. Skim the section before class, even if you don't understand it fully, to have some idea of what we'll be doing in class. Read it more carefully after class to clarify and fill in details you missed in class.

Warning: Sometimes, we will not "cover" all the material from a section in class, but instead focus on a particular aspect of the section. In such cases, I will point out in class (and at this website) which other parts of the section I expect you to read on your own.

WebAssign:

You will also need to purchase WebAssign access, in order to submit homework, from http://www.webassign.net, but for better prices, go to the special UTEP calculus microsite. We recommend purchasing a Lifetime of Edition option (which gives you access as long as you are taking a course using this textbook), but single-term access is available as well.

Technology:

During class, we will make use of graphing technology, as appropriate. You are welcome to have a standalone graphing calculator, or graphing calculator application on a laptop or smartphone. Desmos is a particularly good (and free) web-based graphing calculator, which we will use in class. You are also welcome to use such technology on homework, but not on exams.

GRADES:

WebAssign (10%)

Individual homework will be assigned on a daily basis (with some exceptions). Homework is to be completed on the WebAssign system. You are allowed to work together on homework (in fact, I encourage you to do so), but, for maximum effectiveness, you must understand the solutions to all the problems. It is your responsibility to keep up with the homework, even when you have to miss class. Your four lowest homework scores will be dropped.

In-Class Quizzes (15%)

There will be written quizzes (some unannounced) and other written assignments in class on a regular basis.

Exams (15% each)

There will be three in-class exams, written by a committee, on the following days: Makeup exams can be given only in extraordinary and unavoidable circumstances, and with advance notice.

A Retake Exam, for improvement, will be administered in the Library after Exams 1, 2 and 3. The best grade will be recorded for student grade. To register for a retake exam click here. Each room has 35 seats, when the class is full you will not be allowed to register for that test time. Failure to register means that you may not take this optional exam.

Final (30%)

The final exam will be comprehensive over all material we discuss in class. The final will be on
Tue., 13 May, 1:00 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
A comprehensive test out exam will be administered after Maymester. A passing grade (70% or greater) on the comprehensive test out exam will replace a failing course grade with a maximum grade of C.

All exams are closed-book; you may use only standalone scientific calculators (not a cellphone calculator) with no graphing capability.

Grading Scale

90-100=A
80-89=B
70-79=C
60-69=D
0-59=F

POLICIES:

Academic dishonesty:

It is UTEP's policy, and mine, for all suspected cases or acts of alleged scholastic dishonesty to be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution for investigation and appropriate disposition. See Section II.1.2.2 of the Handbook of Operating Procedures.

Attendance:

Daily attendance at class is required; you are responsible to find out any assignment that must be made up if you are absent. My goal is for class meetings and activities to complement, rather than echo, the textbook, and thus for every class to be worth attending. Your active participation in this class is a vital part of your success.

Drop date:

The deadline for student-initiated drops with a W is Friday, April 4. After this date, you can only drop with the Dean's approval, which is granted only under extenuating circumstances.

I hope everyone will complete the course successfully, but if you are having doubts about your progress, I will be happy to discuss your standing in the course to help you decide whether or not to drop. You are only allowed three enrollments in this course, and students enrolled after Fall 2007 are only allowed six withdrawals in their entire academic career, so please exercise the drop option judiciously.

Courtesy:

We all have to show courtesy to each other, and the class as a whole, during class time. Please arrive to class on time (or let me know when you have to be late, and why); do not engage in side conversations when one person (me, or another student) is talking to the whole class; turn off your cell phone (or, for emergencies, set it to not ring out loud), and do not engage in phone, email, or text conversations during class.

Disabilities:

If you have, or suspect you have, a disability and need an accommodation, you should contact the Center for Accommodations and Support Services (CASS) at 747-5148, cass@utep.edu, or Union East room 106. You are responsible for presenting to me any CASS accommodation letters and instructions.

Exceptional circumstances:

If you anticipate the possibility of missing large portions of class time, due to exceptional circumstances such as military service and/or training, or childbirth, please let me know as soon as possible.