North Carolina State University, Department of Mathematics
MA 131-001 Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A, Spring 2014
Instructor: Jason Scott
Office: 4123 SAS Hall
Office Phone: (919) 515-0689
Email: jrscott@ncsu.edu
Website: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~jrscott
Office Hours: M: 10:15a – 11:15a and W: 8:00a-9:00a
Lecture Time: M/W/F 9:10a-10:00a in SAS 2203
Recitation: Thursdays, 6 sections with different times
Teaching Assistants:
 Daniel Bernstein (dibernst@ncsu.edu)
Office: Laundry Building/Language and Computer Lab Room 202
Office Hours: T/Th 3:00p-4:00p
 Melissa Ngamini (mgngamin@ncsu.edu)
Office: Laundry Building/Language and Computer Lab Room 202
Office Hours: T/Th 9:00a -10:00a
Text: 1) Calculus and Its Applications, 13th edition by Goldstein, 2014 Published by Pearson
2) MA 131 Supplement (available at NCSU bookstore)
Course Objectives: This is the first of a two-semester course in calculus for students in the
life and management sciences. The main topics include first order linear difference
equations, with a focus on financial models, differential calculus and its applications, and
integral calculus.
Credit not allowed for more than one of MA 121, 131, and 141.
Prerequisites: C- or better in MA 107 or MA 111, or 520 or better on the SAT subject test
in Mathematics, Level 2 on the NCSU Math Skills Test, or 2 or better on an AP Calculus exam.
Attendance: University policy requires a record of attendance for all 100 level courses.
Attendance is expected for the entire scheduled class time. Coming to class late (by more
than 15 minutes) or leaving early will be counted as an absence. It is in your interest to
routinely attend class and be on time.
Class will meet January 6, 2014 – April 23, 2014 with the exception of the following dates:
 Monday, January 20 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
 March 10-14 (Spring Break)
 Thursday, April 17 (no recitation) (Spring Holiday)
 Friday, April 18 (Spring Holiday)
Course Grade: Final grades will be based on 4 exams, WebAssign, and the final exam.
Tests
50%
WebAssign
25%
Final Exam
25%
Final letter grades will be assigned as follows (You should not expect any rounding or
curves):
97-100
A+
93-96 A
90-92
A87-89
B+
83-86 B
80-82 B77-79
C+
73-76 C
70-72 C67-69
D+
63-66 D
60-62 D0-59
F
.
WebAssign: Homework will be assigned through the online-based WebAssign. You will
need to purchase access ($22.95) at webassign.ncsu.edu.
Tests: There are 4 in-class tests. The tests will consist of problems similar to WebAssign
and examples seen in class. Graphing calculators are NOT allowed on tests, but 4 function
and scientific calculators are permitted. For students with 5 or fewer absences, excused
and unexcused, throughout the semester, the lowest test grade (not including missed tests)
will be dropped (departmental policy).
The tests dates are as follows:
Test 1
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Test 2
Friday, February 21, 2014
Test 3
Monday, March 24, 2014
Test 4
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Blue Books: All tests and the final exam will be taken in blue books supplied by you.
Please buy 5 small-sized blue books and turn them in no later than January 27. Do not
write in or on them. Blue books must be collected on or before January 27. If a student has
not turned them in by this date, then that student cannot take the first test.
Comprehensive Final Exam: A cumulative final exam will be given Wednesday, April 30,
2014, 8:00a-11:00a. All students must take the final. The final exam will not administered
before this date.
Test/Quiz Make-Up Policy: If necessary, there will be one make-up test day at the end of
the semester for excused absences on test days. The make-up test day will be Friday, April
25. Please give notification (by email) of an excused absence no more than 24 hours after
the scheduled test time. University policy requires written documentation to allow makeup exams.
Academic Integrity: All students are expected to adhere to the university’s regulations on
academic integrity (i.e. no cheating or plagiarizing). See
http://policies.ncsu.edu/policy/pol-11-35-01 for a detailed explanation of academic
honesty. When you submit a test to me you are indicating, "I have neither given nor received
unauthorized aid on this test or assignment."
Students with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with
verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, student
must register with the Disability Services Office (DSO) (http://www.ncsu.edu/dso), 919515-7653. Students must have the DSO send the instructor a letter verifying their
disability and listing the reasonable accommodations. This must be done before the first
test day that the student wishes accommodations to be observed.
For more information on NC State's policy on working with students with
disabilities, please see the Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Regulation at http://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-02-20-01.
Seeking Extra Help: In addition to attending office hours, students may form study groups,
or use the University’s tutorial services. One-on-one tutoring is available on a first-come,
first-served basis in the Mathematics Multimedia Center located in SAS Hall 2105. The
tutoring center is generally open 8:00a-5:00p, Monday-Friday, and a schedule of tutors can
be found at: http://www.math.ncsu.edu/mmc/tutoring.php .
Office hours are meant for the sole purpose of answering students’ questions, so please
attempt the homework problems beforehand. Answering questions about homework
problems via email is difficult, so please use office hours and the designated class time to
inquire about specific problems.
Classroom Expectations: Please leave all distractions such as laptops, newspapers, iPods,
and work for other courses in your backpack. Also, silence or turn off (not vibrate) all cell
phones during class.