CALCULUS I - MA 111 - (5 credits) - Fall 2012
FIRST YEAR SEMINAR

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The tangent line
 First Year Seminar Goal Statement

First Year Seminars at Saint Vincent College are courses designed to make new students feel welcomed and integrated into the SVC learning community on academic, social, and cultural levels. First-year students have the opportunity to establish a sense of camaraderie with their teachers as well as with one another, and to focus on areas essential for success in the Saint Vincent curriculum: academic responsibility, critical thinking, and presentation of ideas. First Year Seminars enable students to be effective learners and thinkers both in their major fields of study and in other areas of the curriculum. To complement this experience, students participate in extracurricular events and learn to apply their academic skills both in the classroom and in the world beyond campus.

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Botsko

TEXT: Calculus, 12th edition by Thomas, Weir, and Hass

COURSE CONTENT:

We will cover chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the above text. A list of topics includes:

  1.  Sets
  2.  Functions and their graphs
  3.  Combining functions
  4.  Trigonometric functions   
  5.  Limits
  6.  Definition of limit
  7.  One-sided limits
  8.  Continuity
  9.  Limits involving infinity
10.  The derivative
11.  Geometric interpretation of the derivative
12.  Differentiation rules
13.  Instantaneous velocity and speed, acceleration
14.  Derivatives of trigonometric functions
15.  The Chain Rule
16.  Implicit differentiation
17.  Related Rates
18.  The differential
19.  Extreme values of functions
20.  The Mean Value Theorem
21.  Monotonic functions and the first derivative test
22.  Concavity and curve sketching
23.  Applied Optimization
24.  Antiderivatives
25.  Summation notation
26.  The definite integral
27.  The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
28.  Indefinite integrals and the substitution method
29.  Substitution and area between two curves                                                           30. Volumes using cross-sections
31. Volumes using cylindrical shells
32. Arc length

OBJECTIVES:

Students are expected to know the basic concepts and the fundamental theorems of the course, to develop proficiency in applying the problem solving techniques in the course, and to make connections between Calculus and other area of mathematics. Quizzes, exams, and in-class presentations will be used to assess the level to which these objectives are being attained.

EXAMS:

There will be 3 exams and a final and you will be given a week's notice for each exam. In addition there will be a quiz at the beginning of each class consisting of one problem from the assignment due that day. At the end of the semester your 4 lowest quizzes will be dropped. The quizzes will then be averaged and that average will count as a part of your grade. No quizzes can be made up for any reason. If you miss an exam, you must have a legitimate excuse to make up that exam.
CLASS PRESENTATIONS:
An important part of our seminar will be student presentations of assigned problems. You will be required to present your solutions to problems during the Wednesday afternoon class meetings. Please be aware that your attendance on Wednesday afternoon is required. At the end of the semester you will be given a grade for these presentations.
EARLY PERFORMANCE GRADES:

You will be assigned an early performance (near mid-term) grade around the middle of October which will be based on your performance on the first exam.

GRADING POLICY:

The three exams and the final will each count as 20% of your grade. Your averaged quiz grade and your class presentation grade will each count as 10%. The grading system will be according to the current SVC bulletin.

CLASS ATTENDANCE:

Please make every effort to keep up with assignments and to attend all classes. Since you are not permitted to make up quizzes, it is vital that you be present for each and every class. Students who are planning to participate in official sports activities must, at the beginning of the semester, provide the instructor with a schedule of events which may conflict with class attendance. Do remember, however, that no more than 4 of your daily quizzes can be dropped. If for some reason class is cancelled, an announcement will be posted on the Blackboard site for this course.
TECHNOLOGY STATEMENT
As part of an effort at Saint Vincent College to enhance and expand student learning, this course incorporates technology as a significant component in the process of acquiring skill and knowledge. In this class, students will encounter assignments that require the following: Mathematica, graphing calculators, and Blackboard.

CALCULATORS:

We will be using the TI-86 or TI-84 Plus graphing calculator throughout the course. You will be permitted to use this calculator both for homework and for the quizzes and exams. This calculator will produce the graph of a function within an arbitrary viewing window, differentiate and integrate numerically, and solve equations.

MATHEMATICA:

In addition to using graphing calculators, we will also use the powerful computer algebra system known as Mathematica to study Calculus and to solve difficult problems. There will be four Mathematica assignments this semester. Each Mathematica assignment is equivalent to two daily quizzes.
ACADEMIC HONESTY:

“Saint Vincent College assumes that all students come for a serious purpose and expects them to be responsible individuals who demand of themselves high standards of honesty and personal conduct. Therefore, it is college policy to have as few rules and regulations as are consistent with efficient administration and general welfare.

Fundamental to the principle of independent learning and professional growth is the requirement of honesty and integrity in the performance of academic assignments, both in the classroom and outside, and in the conduct of personal life. Accordingly, Saint Vincent College holds its students to the highest standards of intellectual integrity and thus the attempt of any student to present as his or her own any work which he or she has not performed or to pass any examinations by improper means is regarded by the faculty as a most serious offense.”
Saint Vincent College 2009-2011 Bulletin, page 20.

CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:

An essential characteristic of Saint Vincent College is the dignity and civility with which students and instructors conduct themselves both inside and outside the classroom.  All students share in the responsibility of making the classroom a positive place to learn.  Attendance is more than just being in the classroom; students are expected to be prepared and attentive.  Some specific behaviors that are distracting and should be avoided include holding side conversations, laughing at other students or the instructor when mistakes are made, shouting out questions or answers without raising your hand and being recognized, arriving late and leaving early, or doing work for other classes.  Cell phones, pagers,
and other electronic devices should be turned off when students are in the classroom.
DISABILITY STATEMENT:   

Students with disabilities who may be eligible for academic accommodations and support
services should please contact the Associate Dean of Studies, Mrs. Sandy Quinlivan, by phone (724-805-2371), email (sandy.quinlivan@email.stvincent.edu) or by appointment (Academic Affairs-Headmaster Hall).  Reasonable accommodations do not alter the essential elements of any course, program or activity.

TUTORING FOR THE COURSE:

I will be in my office (4th floor of Alfred Hall) at the following times during the week. Do feel free to stop in when you are having any difficulty with the material.

Office Hours:

Monday: 9:30 to 10:30 and 3 to 4

Tuesday: 10:30 to 11:30

Wednesday: 9:30 to 10:30

Friday: 9:30 to 10:30

In addition to my office hours, student tutors will be assigned by the Mathematics Department and their hours will be given to you during the first week of class. You are also free to come to them for help in the course.

If you would like to preview our mathematica assignments, simply click here .

If you would like to see an informal discussion of various areas of mathematics, simply click on the following link. If you are interested in some famous curves, click on the second link.

Math pages

Famous curves index

Mathematica Tutorial

Student Tutors
Assignments and Other Information If this link doesn't work, click here.