Course Information
Calculus I, Math 170 - Section 2
Kriloff, Spring, 2006

Office Hours: M,F 9-10am, T 2:30-3:30pm, and by e-mail or appointment at other times.
I will hold one office hour from 11:00am-12:00pm on Thursdays in PS 306 specifically for this course.

You should use office hours (for all your classes) as an ongoing resource to address questions or difficulties that were not addressed in class.  Knowing your professor is great motivation and a good way to get advice on courses and other education and career related decisions.

Free tutoring is available from the Math Center in the Center for Teaching and Learning, Museum 433 in Pocatello, CHE Room 306 in Idaho Falls.  Hours and information at www.isu.edu/ctl/math/math1.html.

Objectives:
Mathematics is an important part of a broad education, is used in all science and many social science fields, and is crucial in thinking logically and critically.  Mathematical literacy includes not only mastering various technical principles but also developing the ability to use the precise language of mathematics, and can help you both in your future career and in daily decisions.  Learning these skills can be difficult and frustrating at times.  But solving a problem, expressing an answer clearly, and making a decision based on understanding mathematical evidence are all rewarding processes that contribute to becoming a well educated and well rounded person.  This course focuses on finding instantaneous rates of change and areas underneath curves, both of which involve taking limits of functions.  Emphasis will be placed on material, concepts, and skills needed in Math 175, for which this course is a prerequisite.

By the end of this course you should:

• Thoroughly understand the concepts of differentiation, integration, and their relationship.
• Be able to solve problems related to limits, derivatives, and integrals and communicate clear solutions.
• Be confident formulating questions, solving problems, and presenting solutions clearly.
• Have developed learning and study skills to succeed in this course and beyond.

Prerequisite: Math 147 or Math 143&144 with a grade of C- or better or demonstrated equivalent proficiency in Precalculus is required.  Math 170 assumes and uses most of the ideas from algebra and trigonometry; in particular, the material in Chapter 1 is assumed known - review on your own as needed.

Accommodations: If you have a disability or think you have a disability (physical, learning disability, hearing, vision, psychiatric) which may need a reasonable accommodation, please contact the ADA Disabilities & Resource Center located in Graveley Hall, Room 123, 282-3599 as early as possible.

Format and Evaluation
Class time will include a mixture of brief lectures and cooperative group work.  Come to each class prepared with questions by having read and thought about the material ahead of time and attempted some problems in the section marked on the calendar for that class.  You are responsible for material covered in all class sessions regardless of whether you have reason to be absent.

Homework will be assigned and some will be collected.  Show all work and include complete, clear explanations.  Organize and present your work neatly.  Papers should be stapled with no ragged edges.

Studying together and discussing problems are encouraged, after you have worked hard on the material or problem yourself, since this can be a very effective and rewarding way to learn mathematics.  Such sessions are most useful if you write up solutions yourself.  Answers in the book or a study guide are also most valuable when used after completing a problem.  In order to be fair to your colleagues and to ensure your own understanding, you must write up solutions in your own words and acknowledge in writing assistance you received from any human, print, or web sources. Sharing or copying complete solutions is not allowed.

Quizzes will be given weekly over definitions and problems similar to homework.  Calculators may not be allowed for some quizzes.  Since your lowest quiz and lowest homework grade will be dropped, I will accept no late homework and give no make-up quizzes.

In order to earn a grade of C- or better in Math 170, you must pass a Mastery Quiz.  This will consist of 8 straightforward differentiation exercises and will likely be given in class on March 6.  In order to pass you must work 7 of the 8 problems perfectly.  You may repeat the quiz as often as necessary after correcting all errors from the previous attempt (a different version will be given each time).  Repeat quizzes will be given by arrangement with me at a time outside of class mutually convenient to as many students who have not passed the test as possible.  If you have not passed the Mastery Test by May 5, the highest grade you can earn in the course is a D+, regardless of your exam and quiz grades.

Exams will be closed book with graphing calculators allowed.  Each will include some questions that involve applying familiar concepts in new situations. Exams can only be made up in cases of documented emergencies or exceptional circumstances and you must notify me as soon as possible and no later than the next class meeting.  The final date is firm, so please mark it down now.

Grades of A, B, C, D will be guaranteed by earning overall percentages of 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%.  Cutoffs for +/- will be these values +/-2 percentage points.   

Philosophy: All of you have the potential to succeed in this course and hard work helps dramatically.  I continue to learn by expanding my knowledge of mathematics and its connections with other subjects, by doing original mathematical research, by understanding more about learning and teaching, and by working to teach in ever more effective ways.  I expect that you will also deepen your knowledge of mathematics and its applications, will learn to formulate questions that lead you to construct your own understanding of mathematics, and will know more about the process of learning and solving problems after you complete this course.  The most important skill you can gain in college is the ability to learn independently.

How to Succeed:  You will need to work hard and learn a great deal both during class and outside of class.  Expect to spend 2-3 hours outside of class for every hour spent in class.  College differs from high school in that the pace is faster (perhaps two to three times as fast) and the understanding expected is deeper (beyond working template problems).  Some habits that will help you learn actively (both in and outside of class) and succeed in this course are:

• Read the section before we discuss it in class.  Do not expect to understand everything the first time.  But reading the material ahead of time and trying some problems will help you

(1) be familiar with the basic ideas so you can participate and understand more in class, and
(2) identify what you do not understand so you can ask questions in class or office hours.
 
• Read productively so you will understand and retain the material better.  As you read, write down all questions you have, observations you make, and examples or computations you work out.  Take notes, make outlines, summaries, and lists of results in your own words.  Read when you are alert.


• Re-read.  Almost everyone (including me) finds it necessary to read mathematics several times to fully understand it.  You will understand the material more deeply when you re-read it.
  
  
• Focus on definitions, conclusions, and methods. Mathematics is a language and it is absolutely necessary to understand the precise definitions of key terms.  Methods for solving problems and general results and conclusions are also crucial.
  
  
• Form study teams and discuss what you read and learn with others.  Talking to someone about the material will strengthen your knowledge and make studying more fun, even if that person is not in the class.  Working together you can get further than you can separately.
 

• Formulate, record, and ask questions.  If you work hard on a problem yourself and become stuck or do not understand an idea, seek out help from me, the Math Center, or fellow students.  Attempt assigned homework early so you have time to ask questions about it.


• Participate actively in group work and discussion during class.  Attend every class session on time.
 

• Take thorough notes in class, using your own shorthand and abbreviations in order to keep up.
  
  
• Learn from mistakes of your own and others (including me) made on homework or in class.
 

• Be organized, clear, and accurate.


• Work productively by developing efficient and effective study and problem solving skills.  Work 12 hours per week (on average) on the course outside of class time.  Doing this by spending 1-2 hours on reading, doing problems, and reviewing old material every day is more productive than putting in all of the time once or twice a week.  Keep a time log of how you spend each half hour of the day for a couple weeks to become more aware of your use of time.

I look forward to a successful and rewarding semester of learning together!