Calculus (MATH 131) - Spring, 1996

Instructor: Mei Q. Chen

Office: Capers Hall - 221B

Phone: 953-7896 (office), 577-9868 (home)

Office Hours: 11:00-12:00am, 2:30-3:30pm MWF and 2:00-4:00pm TR or by appointment

Text: Calculus by Hughes-Hallett, Gleason, Flath, Gordon, Lomen, Lovelock, McCallum, Osgood, Pasquale, Tecosky-Feldman, Thrash, and Tucker. The first five chapters will be covered this semester. Please see attached tentative outline for details.

Grading

It is based on the collected homework, quizzes, projects (calculator, MatLab, MathCad), four hour exams and a two-hour comprehensive final exam.
  • Homework: 10% of the final course grade. Exercises will be assigned for each section and some of them will be collected for grading.
  • Quizzes: 7.5% of the final course grade. There will a quiz every Friday. The length of each quiz will be about 10-15 minutes. Some of the problems on quizzes are similar to the previously assigned homework problems and some are similar to the problems on the next hour exam.
  • Projects: 7.5% of the final course grade. Calculator, MatLab or MathCad projects will be assigned and collected.
  • Hour exams: 50% of the final course grade. Four (4) one hour exams are tentatively scheduled for January 31, Febuary 26, March 19 and April 17, respectively. It will be reannounced a week before each exam. Each exam covers the material that has been gone over in the class since the previous hour exam.
  • Final exam: 25% of the final course grade. The final exam will be comprehensive and is prepared as a two-hour exam.

    • Note Calculus I is the first course in a sequence of three calculus courses followed by many other mathematics courses. Each of those courses builds on the preceding ones. To have a solid base for your future study in sciences, it is absolutely essential that you start on a good note and hard work. Tips for succeeding: practice at least one hour every day, be active in class and seek assistance when confused.

    If any two of you like to work on homework assignments and projects as a team, you may do so and turn in one copy of your work with two names on it. There will be no credit for any late homework and late project.

    Where to seek help ?

  • Math Lab: It is located in Room 207 in Capers Hall and is staffed by students, graduate assistant and faculty members. Lab hours are 7:15-10:15pm MTWR and Sunday. Ms. Chris Maceo and Ms. Tracy Goins also provide individual tutoring during the day. Please assign up for individual help if you need it.
  • Office hours: I will be in my office at above listed office hours to assist you. I will also work in the Math Lab {\bf every Tuesday} evening. Besides those scheduled hours, if you need any assistance please just stop my office or make an appointment with me.
    • What science can there be more noble, more useful for men, more admirably high and demonstrative, than this of the mathematics? -- Benjamin Franklin