MA180
Syllabus
(revised 7/26/06)
Fall 2006
Instructors: Ray Toland (Science Center 314; x2360; ray@clarkson.edu)
Course Homepage: http://www.clarkson.edu/mcs/fall2006/ma180. All course updates,
grades, etc., will be posted on the library electronics reserves page under Toland-MA180.
Required for course:
Text:
Calculus for Business, Economics, Life Sciences, and Social Sciences, 10th Ed, Barnett,
Ziegler, and Byleen, Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2005/
Springboard to Calculus: A Workbook Approach, R. Toland and A. Chaney, Thomson
Custom Publishing, 2004.
We will cover material from Appendices A,B,C and Chapters 1,2 of the text, and all of
the workbook. See attached course schedule for detailed assignments.
Calculators:
A TI83 or TI83+, or equivalent, is required for this course. Calculators should be brought
to all lectures and discussions.
Topics covered:
Algebra, geometry, and trigonometry fundamentals and review, exponents, radicals,
factoring, linear and quadratic equations, applications, sequences, series, elementary
functions, graph sketching, exponential and logarithmic functions.
Recitation/discussion:
Recitation sections meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Attendance is essential to get the
most from the course. A significant portion of the course grade depends on recitation
participation. Grading for recitation is as follows: 3 points for attendance (must be
present start of class), 1 point for getting most of one quiz problem correct,1 additional
point for solving the problem entirely correctly. It is possible to obtain 1 bonus point for
correctly solving a board problem (maximum of 5 recitation bonus points for the
semester). 1 point deleted for tardiness.
Homework:
Homework is assigned daily, and is numbered with the lecture number to which it
corresponds. Homework will be collected on a random basis at start of recitation
period – tardy homework will not be accepted: one of the preceding Wednesday, Friday,
or Monday homework assignments will be collected and graded as follows: 2 points for
attempting some problems; 3 points for attempting all problems; 4 points for attempting
all problems and mostly solving one of the problems selected at random by the grader;5
points for doing all problems and substantially correctly solving the problem selected at
random by the grader. 2 point deletion for homework without name, student number
and recitation section correct.
September
October
November
December
Quizzes:
There will be frequent, unannounced, in-class quizzes worth 20 points. Quizzes will
normally stress recent material; but all material to date is fair game. At the instructor’s
descretion, bonus points may be given for an extra point problem or attendance.
Maximum of 5 lecture bonus points for the semester. 2 points deletion for
missing/incorrect name, student number and recitation section.
Exams:
There will be a mid term exam worth 100 points (See attached schedule for date). There
will be a 200 point final exam. The final exam date is to be determined, and will be
announced a minimum of 30 days prior to the exam.
Calculators are permitted for use in examinations. However, in long answer problems,
the calculator model and outline of steps used are part of “showing all work” for partial
credit.
Students may prepare ONE 8.5 x 11 crib sheet for use in examinations. Both sides of
the sheet may be use.
Attendance policy:
Attendance at all lecture and recitation sessions is expected. The frequent quizzes will be
given to gage progress in the course; and constitute an encouragement to participate and
attend class. Any absences, other than emergencies, should be excused by writing the
instructor via email prior to the absence. All emails to the instructor must include
“MA180-xx (the recitation number) in the subject line. No action will be taken on
those which do not have this information. Students will receive email acknowledgment
on all actions taken on their behalf, and should keep a copy of such correspondence
for any potential dispute resolution. Emergencies are automatically excused; however,
students should, at their earliest convenience, notify the instructor of the emergency so
that accommodation for makeup can be made. Unexcused absences will result in a grade
of zero for the day’s work. Excused absences will be graded 0 points out of 0 points (see
method of grade determination below).
Seminar bonus points (optional):
Students may elect to attend technical, scientific, or engineering seminars for 2 bonus
points per seminar, up to a maximum of 10 bonus points during the course. Any
mathematical, technical, engineering, or scientific seminar given at Clarkson University,
or any other accredited post-secondary institution qualifies. Other seminars permissible
by prior authorization of the instructor.
Students wishing to obtain bonus points for seminar attendance, must submit a brief
written report (1 page) within one week to the instructor. An outline of the report
follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Name, student number, recitation section, course (MA180)
Name and institutional affiliation of the Seminar Speaker
Date, time, place of the seminar
A paragraph synopsis of the seminar’s content
What did you learn?
Grading:
The final course grade will be determined by calculating the fraction of accumulated
points on quizzes, recitation, homework, and the final exam to the total possible number
of points. Letter grades will then be assigned according to the following:
90-100%
85-89%
80-84%
75-79%
70-74%
65-69%
60-64%
<60%
A
B+
B
C+
C
D+
D
F
The grading scale is guaranteed. If, at the end of the course, any slight changes are
needed to make numerical scores accurately reflect knowledge, cutoffs could be slightly
moved downward.
It should be noted that students can determine progress at any time during the course by
dividing points earned to date (plus any bonus points) by available points to date.
Example: It is the 6th week in the course, and the following collections have occurred:
5 homework assignments, 7 lecture quizzes, 5 recitations.
Student’s accumulated points
Homework:
Lec Quizzes
Recitation
Bonus points
20
120
22
2
Grade to date = 164/190 = 86% = B+
Available points
25
140
25
Academic Integrity:
Clarkson University Code of Ethics states:
“The Clarkson student will not present, as his or her own, the work of another, or any
work that has not been honestly performed; will not take any examination by improper
means, and will not aid and abet another in any dishonesty.”
Violations of the Code will be seriously dealt with, and may result in immediate failure in
an exam, the course, or expulsion from the institution.