Math 201: Calculus I Spring 2018 Section Instructor Office/Phone: 201-01: MWF 1:00 2:45pm Dr. Van Nguyen Hodson 260 Hodson 235 (lecture) / 237 (lab) Email: nguyen@hood.edu (301) 696-3730 This class will be taught in a workshop style, which means that we will meet for two-hour blocks of time and engage in different types of activities experiments, collaborative work, computer labs, and more traditional lecture and class discussion. This course will emphasize reading and writing about mathematics, as well as learning and doing mathematics itself. We will use materials from Project CALC (Calculus as a Laboratory Course), an award-winning curriculum development project funded by the National Science Foundation. Required Textbook and App Textbook: Calculus: Modeling and Application, 2 nd edition, by David A. Smith and Lawrence C. Moore. Mathematical Association of America. This is an electronic textbook, which is available online. To purchase a one-year subscription to the text for $37.00, go online and buy the book at: http://maa.pinnaclecart.com/. You need to go through the purchase process to set up an account with a username and password to get access. After placing the order, you will receive an email with a link to the book. Clicking on the link will take you to a login page and after you log in (using the username and password you created during the purchase process) the home page of the book website will open. You should BOOKMARK that home page and in the future all you will have to do is click on the bookmark, the login page will pop up, you log in, and the home page opens. You must have access to the Internet in order to read the text; we usually do that using an ipad. PDF reader: You will need to use the ipad app Notability to read and annotate PDF files. It currently costs $9.99 on the App Store. If you already have other PDF annotate apps on your ipad, you may not need to purchase Notability, but please check in with me first. Course objectives This course fulfills the Quantitative Literacy component of Hood s core curriculum. At the end of this course, you will be able to: Interpret quantitative data arising in a variety of contexts Demonstrate computational fluency, including the use of technology as appropriate Create and communicate arguments using quantitative tools such as tables, graphs, and mathematical expressions Create and communicate arguments through narrative analysis.
In addition, several of the general objectives of the mathematics program at Hood are addressed in this course. By the end of the Calculus I course, you will be able to: Perform basic and advanced computational skills in calculus Apply critical reasoning and quantitative methods to solve real-world problems Speak about calculus coherently and logically Write about mathematics coherently and logically with mastery of disciplinary style and conventions Make effective use of the computer as a tool for computation, visualization, and exploration of calculus. This course will focus on using calculus to solve problems in the real world. By the end of this course, you should be able to: Understand and use the concept of a function in a variety of representations, including tabulated data, graphs, and formulas Understand the concept of derivative and its relationship to rates of change, including the connections with linear approximation, Newton s Method, Euler s Method, tangent lines, and instantaneous velocity Formulate problems which involve rates of change as initial value problems Solve initial value problems both numerically and formally, and explain and use the solutions Differentiate functions with proficiency Explain the relationship between data and theoretical models as a means of examining real world phenomena Read and understand an article about mathematics at an appropriate level Demonstrate a familiarity and facility with a computer as a tool for understanding mathematical concepts and as an environment for solving mathematical problems Write reports using Microsoft Word. Reading about mathematics Your textbook is designed to be read. It may not look like other textbooks you have used in the past; its format is quite different. But if you take the time to read it carefully, working through the problems in the way you are led, you will learn a lot. We will spend some time early in the course learning how to read this text, and how to get the most out of it. Reading assignments will be posted on Blackboard. I will also provide you with selections from The Mathematical Universe, a book of readings about mathematics. (You will use this text in many other mathematics courses at Hood.) You will also read other articles posted on Blackboard. A short quiz may be given in class on each of these readings; the quiz grades will be part of your homework grade. After the quiz, the reading will be discussed in class. Writing about mathematics The Hood catalog points out that the use of written English is an important part of the grade in every course you take here. We will spend some time talking about how, and why, one writes in a math course. You will write lab reports and project reports, and your homework and exams will involve writing. Collaborative learning The faculty members in the Department of Mathematics believe that people learn better in a collaborative, rather than competitive, setting. Working in groups will be important to you in many of your college courses, and in whatever career you choose. Most of the time, you will complete computer labs with a partner, and you will work
on several projects in groups of three to four students. You are encouraged to work with other students on your homework, and to read and study together regularly, but the work that you turn in should be your own: even if you work in a group on the problems, you should write your solutions yourself. Discovery learning You may have learned mathematics before by watching a teacher lecture to you or write on the board. I may sometimes use that kind of approach, but research shows that this is not the way that people learn best. Cognitive psychology tells us that people learn best when they construct their own knowledge when they work hard to discover things on their own, rather than being told by someone else. In this class, I will use that approach as much as possible. So you will perform experiments in real life or on the computer and try out different ideas. Attendance and Class Participation Since this class will run in a workshop style, it depends on your attendance and willing participation. We will work group problems in class, have regular discussions, and ask and answer questions of each other. We will go over certain expectations for group work in class. If you are willing to work hard and hold yourself to a high standard, I think you will find this class rewarding. Attendance is expected. If you know ahead of time that you will need to miss class, please let me know in person or email me. Excusable reasons to miss class include illness, medical emergency of a relative, a death in the family. Academic alerts may be issued in the event of repeated unexcused absences. After missing a class, it is your responsibility to find out what happened during that class e.g. get notes from a classmate, find out about assignments and announcements, etc. It is not appropriate to request a meeting with me to make up missed material. However, after you have made every effort to catch up and if you still have questions, I am happy to meet with you. Although attendance and class participation are not a formal part of your grade for the course, they may be used in determining borderline grades. Computer activities I will use the instructor s computer in the classroom almost every day, and you will use your ipad to read the text and complete worksheets. Approximately once a week, we will go as a class to the computer lab in Hodson 237, where you will work with a lab partner to investigate a problem in calculus. You should bring your College-issued ipad and stylus to class every day. We will use the mathematical software Maple, a powerful computer algebra system, to perform calculations, to graph functions, and to explore mathematical concepts. Maple is installed in computer labs around Hood s campus, and is also available through Hood s Virtual Computing Lab at https://lab.hood.edu. I will use Blackboard (go to https://hood.blackboard.com/) to post assignments, course documents, and announcements. Please make sure that the email address that Blackboard has for you is the one you want me to use, and check your email/blackboard course page regularly! We also use the online homework system WeBWorK.
You will submit many assignments electronically, using OneDrive, an electronic file-sharing service embedded into your Office 365 email account with Hood. I will set up an individual OneDrive folder for you; look out for an invitation from me. Calculators If you own a calculator, graphing or otherwise, you are generally welcome to use it on homework or in class. Because our computer activities are designed to make you comfortable with using a computer for computation and graphing, calculators are generally not allowed in lab. During class exams, you will use a Math Department scientific calculator. We will practice using those calculators in class before each exam. Office hours My office hours for the semester are MF 11:30-1pm and Thursdays 1-2pm in Hodson 260, also by advanced appointments. I am here to facilitate your learning. I encourage you to email me (at nguyen@hood.edu) or come to my office hours if you need help with the course material or have any question or concern. If these times do not suit you, you can also email me in advance to set up an appointment. To make the best use of office hours, come prepared with specific questions about the material. It is a good idea to have already started the homework before asking questions about it. Email is also a very quick way to contact me. Please include the course number and a brief description in the subject line of your email (e.g. Math 201 appointment/hw2 questions). Homework Homework is crucial to your success in this course and, because I want you to succeed, I give you lots and really want you to do it. I will assign some sort of homework following almost every class period; you should always check Blackboard to see what the assignment is, even if I do not announce it in class. Some of your assignments will focus on quick, short-answer problems. You will do some of those in WeBWork, an electronic homework system that lets you check your work as you go along. Other assignments will involve carefully written solutions. If you cannot get the homework in on time, YOU SHOULD STILL DO IT. Late written homework will be accepted only up to the beginning of the next class after the assignment due date, and with a late penalty dropping one letter grade for late submission. Still, a few points are better than no points, and you will still get the benefits of having done the work when exam time comes. Late WeBWork assignments will only be accepted in extenuating circumstances. Exams There will be three in-class exams and a scheduled final exam. You may bring an index card with hand-written notes to each exam I will provide the cards and instructions. Tentatively, the midterm exams will be held on Exam 1 Friday, February 23: Chapters 1 and 2 Exam 2 Friday, March 9: Chapter 3 Exam 3 Friday, April 13: Chapter 4 The two-hour cumulative Final Exam is on Friday May 11 th at 12-2pm. This date cannot be changed!
If we miss too many classes because of bad weather, I may need to change the dates of the midterm exams. I will try to announce any weather-related delays of midterm exams in advance. As a course that satisfies the Quantitative Literacy (QL) portion of the Hood College Core, you will also take a Quantitative Literacy Assessment during the semester. You will also receive homework credit for this assessment. Details will be provided as the semester progresses. Grading Your final grade will be determined as follows: Exam 1 15% Exam 2 15% Exam 3 15% Labs and team projects 10% Homework, classwork, quizzes 20% Final exam 25% Academic Honor Code and the Code of Conduct A complete description of Hood's Academic Honor code is available in Appendix B of the Student Handbook, which is available at http://www.hood.edu/policies/. This page also contains information about Hood's Code of Conduct as well as a statement of Policy 55: Prevention and Resolution of Bullying, Discrimination, and Harassment at Hood College. You are expected to abide by the Hood College Honor Code. On each piece of work you submit, please write and sign the honor pledge: I pledge that I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment. If you worked together on a homework assignment, for instance, you should also write: I worked with Ada and Jose on these problems. Even if you work together with a classmate on homework, your paper should not look exactly like hers/his. Working together and copying are not the same thing, and copying is not acceptable! Cell phone policy Cell phones should be stored out of sight and in silent mode during class. The only exceptions to this policy are in cases where you are on call in case of an emergency, e.g.: you have a sick relative. Computers and ipads should be used only for calculus class-related purposes! Studying mathematics You may know the old rule: for every hour you spend in the classroom, you should spend two hours outside of the classroom on that course doing homework, reading the text, writing lab reports, working on projects, studying
for exams. That means that you should spend at least ten more hours each week on calculus! And if you do that, we can almost guarantee success. Getting help There are tutors available to help you with both writing and mathematics at no cost to you in the Josephine Steiner Center for Academic Achievement and Retention (CAAR) in Rosenstock Hall 330. Check with the Center for details; I will give you the schedule for calculus tutors once it is available. Special needs If you have a disability for which special accommodations would be helpful, please discuss this with me as soon as possible. The Disability Services office provides academic support for students with disabilities. Examples of disabilities include, but are not limited to, mobility impairments, blindness/low vision, psychiatric conditions, recurring medical conditions, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and others. The following are examples of academic accommodations: Extended time on exams Note-taking support Textbooks in alternative formats (electronic, audio, etc.) ASL interpreting services If you have a documented disability and are interested in finding out more about academic accommodations, please contact Kate Gmuer by e-mail at gmuer@hood.edu, by phone at (-./) 121-!"#$, or by visiting CAAR.