Portland Community College—Cascade Campus
P.O. Box 19000
Portland, OR 97280-0990
Math 251, Winter 2015 (CRN 12247—4 credits)
Meets T/Th 1:00 pm to 3:50 pm, in Terrell Hall 101
Office Hours: (see below for complete schedule)
Mon: 1pm – 3pm
Wed: 2pm – 3pm
Instructor: Noah Dear
Office: SSB 317
Phone/Voice Mail: 971-722-5677
Text: 503-268-3095
Email: noah.dear@pcc.edu
Website: noahdearmath.weebly.com
Tutoring Hours (Cascade Learning Center TH 123)
Wed: 1pm – 2pm
Thurs: 4pm – 5pm
Prerequisite:
MTH 112 or CMET 131
Course Description:
Includes limits, continuity, derivatives and applications of derivatives. This is the first course of four courses in
the Calculus sequence. Lab time shall be used by students to work on group activities - the activities to be used
during lab are on the mathematics department home page. A more complete description may be found online at
http://www.pcc.edu/ccog/default.cfm?fa=ccog&subject=MTH&course=65
Required Materials:
Calclulus: Concepts and Contexts by Stewart, Fourth Edition, Brooks/Cole
ISBN-13: 978-0495557425, ISBN-10: 0-495-55742-0
Or the shortened custom version which only contains the 251 and 252 material:
Single Variable Calculus: Concepts and Contexts by Stewart, Fourth Edition, Brooks/Cole
ISBN-13: 978-0495559726, ISBN-10: 0-495-55972-5
Portland Community College MTH 251 Laboratory Manual by Simonds,
Available at the PCC bookstore or on my website for you to print yourself.
Graphing Calculator, preferable the TI-89 or Cassio Classpad 330
Important Dates:
Jan 9th – Last day to change to Audit grading option.
Jan 10th – Last day to drop with removal of tuition and fees (via My PCC).
Feb 28th – Last day to change grading to P/NP. Last day to withdraw.
Feb 3rd – Exam 1 (tentative)
Feb 24th – Exam 2 (tentative)
Mar 17th – Final (1pm – 2:50pm)
Grading:
The following are approximations. I will provide extra credit assignments as deemed appropriate.
Homework
Lab Write-Ups
Exam 1
Exam 2
Final
200 points
200 points
100 points
200 points
300 points
Approximate Total:
1000
A: 90%+, B: 80%-89.99%, C: 70%-79.99%, D: 60%-69.99%, F: below 60%.
Your percentage will be calculated by dividing total points earned by total without extra credit.
The schools grading policy can be found at
http://www.pcc.edu/resources/academic/standards-practices/documents/G301GradingMarch2011.pdf
Attendance:
Attendance will be taken for the first week of class and is mandatory. Any student who does not attend every
day of the first week of class will be dropped from the course. After the first week, while I will not be taking
attendance, there will be in class worksheets daily, homework will be due every day and there are regular
quizzes. If you are unable to attend class, it is your responsibility to acquire any worksheets we may have gone
over and complete the section covered before the next class. Missing a class does NOT excuse you from
understanding covered material or doing the assigned homework.
Tardiness:
Be respectful of your time, your peer’s time and my time. Be on time. If you are late, please enter quietly
without interrupting any more than you have to and find a seat towards the back.
Classroom etiquette:
You are expected to participate in the learning environment without becoming an obstacle for others’ learning.
There will be no sleeping in class, cell phones must be silenced, laptops put away. Texting during class will not
be tolerated. Learning is about paying attention, taking an active role and being respectful of the others trying to
learn around you. Any student repeatedly disregarding these concepts will be asked to leave. The student code of
conduct may be found at www.pcc.edu/about/policy/student-rights/student-rights.pdf#code-of-student-conduct
Cheating:
Don’t do it. Cheating, plagiarism and other acts of academic dishonesty are regarded as serious offences.
Depending on the nature of the offence, serious penalties may be imposed, ranging from the loss of points to
expulsion from the class or the college. Failure to follow directions regarding working together/sharing work
may result in a zero score for the assignment. Copying others’ work will not be accepted at any time, even when
working together is allowed. Penalties are applied to both the copier and the one allowing the copying. For more
information please go to www.pcc.edu/about/policy/student-rights/student-rights.pdf#academic-integrity
Assignments:
I will assign homework almost every class to be due by the beginning of the next class. Homework must be
completed by the beginning of class every day. Lab write-ups will be assigned each week to be due the
following Tuesday.
You have an allotment of 4 late homework/lab write-up assignments. Furhter late homework assignments
will not be accepted. For each day an assignment is late, it counts as 1 late homework!
Extra Credit:
Extra credit assignments may be available during the term as I deem appropriate. These are not mandatory, but
they sure do help! I do not accept late extra credit work.
Exams:
There will be exams on February 3rd, February 24th, and March 17th. If for some reason you are unable to attend
one of these dates, you are required to let me know at least 2 classes BEFORE the exam in order to reschedule.
If you have an emergency and are unable to attend an exam at last minute, I will require proper documentation
in order for you to reschedule. You are required to take all exams and manage at least 210 points on the
final exam to earn a passing grade.
Formatting:
ALL graded work will be evaluated on mathematical correctness, syntax (use of symbols and notation of
mathematics), format (organization and presentation), the clarity of your arguments and reasonableness of your
answers. Answers are NOT enough; justify all work by showing process and presenting a logical argument.
Verify results whenever possible.
You will be marked down for incorrect notation.
ADA Accommodation:
Any student who feels he or she may need an accommodation for any type of disability should contact the Office
for Students with Disabilities at 971-722-4341 or www.pcc.edu/resources/disability. Please also see me during
the first week of class to ensure that your needs are fully met in this class. Accommodations are not retroactive
and only begin when I receive the OSD Approved Academic Accommodations form.
Learning Center:
PCC has a learning center that is free with your tuition. The Learning Center is located in TH 123. I highly
recommend that you go to the Learning Center to work on your homework, so that if any questions come up,
you have a tutor right there to help you understand your problem.
Changes to Syllabus:
The instructor reserves the right to modify course content, dates of exams and/or substitute assignments and
learning activities in response to institutional, weather or class situations. If you come to class, you will be kept
up to date on any changes. Changes will also be sent to the class via e-mail so be sure to check your PCC email
(or have it forwarded to the email account you check the most often).
Instructor Availability:
As your instructor I am dedicated to making myself available to you as much as possible. If you need to see me
in the ALC Lab you may do so but know that I cannot make you first priority and my time will be limited. If you
need help for more than 15 minutes please make arrangements so that I can make sure I’m available.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Prep
Prep
8:00
Prep
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
1:00
2:00
Prep
Prep
ALC
TEB 216
ALC
TEB 216
ALC
TEB 216
ALC
TEB 216
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
MTH 251
TH 101
Office Hour
Learning Center
Office Hour
SSB 317
MTH 251
TH 101
Meetings and/or
Prep
Office Hour
SSB 317
ALC TEB 216
3:00
4:00
MTH 65
TH 200
MTH 65
TH 200
Office Hour
Learning Center
5:00
You may also always contact me by phone or e-mail! Helpful idea: If you’re stuck on a problem, take a picture
of it and text it to me. I cannot promise to get right back to you but as soon as I’m by a piece of paper and a
pencil I can write out the solution with an explanation, take a picture and send it back to you.