Spring 2015 - MATH 119
Mathematics for Biology
Dr. Jürgen Gerlach
Office 239 Walker Hall
Phone 831-6320
E-mail jgerlach@radford.edu
Homepage http://www.radford.edu/jgerlach
Office Hours
Monday 11:00 – 12:00
Wednesday 2:00 – 4:00
Friday 10:00 – 11:00
and by appointment
Catalog Entry
MATH 119. Mathematics for Biology. (3)
Three hours lecture.
Mathematical techniques for biology. Topics include a review of real number operations, probability,
graphing, linear, exponential and power functions and difference equations with numerous applications in
biology. This course has been approved for Core Curriculum credit in Mathematical Sciences.
From the official detailed course description:
Students successfully completing this course will be able to apply mathematical techniques in solving
problems from biology. In particular, the student will be able to




identify and interpret relationships among symbolic, numeric and graphical information
generate and use models for biological applications
solve problems arising in a biological setting
use Excel or other software for data analysis and graphing
Text (optional)
Langkamp/Hull: Quantitative Reasoning and the Environment, Mathematical Modeling in Context.
Pearson, 2007. We will cover chapter 1 through chapter 10.
The Power Points from the lectures and worksheets with exercises will be posted online.
Computing
A graphing calculator is recommended; we will also work with EXCEL.
Assessment
Test 1
Test 2
100 points
100 points
Monday, February 16
Wednesday, March 18
Test 3
100 points
Monday, April 20
Homework
160 points
Final Exam
Total
140 points
600 points
Wednesday, May 6 at 8:00
Graded homework will be assigned in class and posted online. We will have about 10 assignments, worth
20 points each, and the eight best scores will count toward your grade.
Routine homework is posted in worksheets on D2L. You are expected to keep up with these assignments
at all times. On occasion I might review your progress on these assignments. Please keep a separate
notebook for this work.
Minimum Grade Requirements
A
B+
90% (540 points)
87% (522 points)
B
C+
C
80% (480 points)
77% (462 points)
70% (420 points)
D+
D
67% (402 points)
60% (360 points)
D2L
Homework assignments, worksheets, the power point presentations from class, your test scores and other
course information will be posted on D2L (Desire to Learn). If you are properly registered for the class,
you can link to D2L from the RU portal, or you can access D2L directly at https://learn.radford.edu/.
Class Policies
Attendance
You are expected to attend class regularly. On each test, including the final exam, I will award extra
credit for attendance. Here are the rules:



Perfect attendance will result in four extra points.
For each day you missed I will deduct
o one point, if I receive a written note or an e-mail explaining your absence within two
days,
o two points otherwise.
Absences due to official university business will not result in a loss of attendance points.
These points will be added at the time of an exam, after the exam the count starts over. Attendance points
must be earned, and I reserve the right to revoke points if you





are late for class,
leave class early,
disrupt the class,
if you spend your time texting or playing games on your cell phone
express a disinterest in the class in other ways (napping, working on assignments for other
classes).
Extra Credit
Extra credit may be awarded at the instructor’s discretion for working problems on the board, for class
participation, or for other contributions which move the class forward. This credit will not exceed five
points for any period between exams.
Extra credit assignments (additional homework or other special projects) to “bring up your grade” will not
be given.
Missed Exams
Generally tests cannot be made up. If you miss one of the regular tests, I will count 60% of your score on
the final exam in place of the missed exam. Example: You score 122/140 (87.1%) on the final. Then the
missed exam will be counted as 73.2 (=122 x 0.6) points. Additional missed exams will be counted as
zero. If you miss the final exam, your grade for the course will be an "F".
Emergencies
Please keep me informed if you have to miss class for an extended period of time. If you want me to make
exceptions from the above policies, I need a prompt and written request (e-mail is fine), which should
include verifiable information - the amount of documentation should reflect the extent of your request.
For sports or school-related absences, have your teacher or coach send me a note.
Students with Disabilities
If you are seeking academic accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are required
to register with the Disability Resource Office (DRO). It is located in Tyler Hall Suites 54-69; phone:
831-6350, fax: 540-831-6525, email: dro@radford.edu.
By accepting admission to Radford University, each student makes a commitment to understand,
support and abide by the University Honor Code without compromise or exception. Violations
of academic integrity will not be tolerated. This class will be conducted in strict observance of
the Honor Code. Refer to your Student Handbook for details.