APPLIED CALCULUS
Math 1251, Spring 2006
Instructor: Dr. Rachel Hall
Office: 229 Barbelin
Office Hours: M 11-12, T 2-3, R 3:45-4:45
Telephone: (610) 660-3096 (Office)
E-mail: rhall@sju.edu
Course Description: This course
covers the fundamental topics of functions, limits, and derivatives with
emphasis on methods, optimization, and applications in business, economics and
life sciences. It is especially directed towards Biology, Business and Social
Science majors in order to provide a valuable and useful device to help them
solve problems.
Prerequisite: MAT 1201 or
adequate performance on the calculus readiness test.
Text: Applied Calculus,
3rd edition, by Berresford and Rockett, Houghton Mifflin,
2004. We will cover parts of chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and some
supplementary material. This list is subject to change.
Calculators: You should bring a
graphing calculator to every class. You can use any calculator that does
not do symbolic differentiation (in the TI system, you can use anything below
TI-89). Please see me if you are in doubt about your calculator.
Homework: Homework assignments
will be posted on Blackboard. They
will be collected once a week, and the lowest grade will be dropped. You
should start working on the homework problems for a section as soon as that
section is covered in class.
Tests: There will be three tests,
spaced throughout the semester. The final exam will be given during
finals week. Makeup tests will only be given to students who
contact me within 48 hours of missing a test. Students with a valid, verifiable
reason for missing a test may take a
makeup without penalty if they bring a note; those who have missed a test
without a valid, verifiable reason may take a makeup with a 30% penalty,
assuming that they contact me within 48 hours. Valid excuses
include illness, death in the family, or an official university activity such
as an athletic event. The final will be cumulative. You
have the option of replacing your lowest test grade with your final exam grade.
Class participation: Students who
come to class prepared every day, demonstrate their preparedness by answering
questions when called on, and participate in all class activities will receive
full credit. If you have been
absent or unprepared for class, you can gain class participation points by
presenting homework problems or other material to the class and volunteering to
answer difficult questions.
Grades: Grades will be weighted as
follows:
45% three test grades
35% final exam grade
15% homework grades
5% class participation
The grade cutoffs are 94% A, 90% A-, 87% B+, 84% B, 80% B-, 77% C+, 74% C,
70% C-, 67% D+, 60% D, and below 60% F. Grades may be curved at the end of the
semester.
Academic Honesty: Dishonesty
includes cheating on a test, falsifying data, misrepresenting the work of
others as your own (plagiarism), and helping another student cheat or
plagiarize. At the very least, an academic honesty infraction will result in the
filing of a violation report and a grade of zero on that particular assignment;
serious or repeated infractions of the Academic Honesty policy will result in
failure of the course. For complete information about the University’s policy
on Academic Honesty, consult the Student Handbook 2005-2006.
Attendance: Class attendance is
mandatory. Although I do not have a rigid cut policy, anyone who has
missed lots of classes and is doing poorly in the course should not expect much
sympathy from me. If you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to
obtain the notes and assignments from another student and make sure your
homework is turned in on time. In case of illness or other emergency, notify me
by e-mail (rhall@sju.edu).
Course Goals: The student should be able to