Math 141 – Calculus I
Section 01, Spring 2013
Dr. Matt Willis
Office: Bagby 110
Email: mwillis@hsc.edu (this is the best way to reach me!)
Office Hours: MWF 10:30-11:30am, T 3:30-4:30pm, or by appointment.
Class meets: MWF 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm in Bagby 022, Th 1:30 – 2:20 in Bagby 022.
Textbook: Calculus of a Single Variable by Larson and Edwards (8th edition). It is up to you
whether you’d like to purchase the physical textbook or the e-book on webassign.net.
Course Description: This is an introductory course in Calculus. My hope is that you will see
how Calculus is one of the great intellectual achievements of mankind and how it has many
applications to the world around us. I do not want you to feel that Calculus is just a collection
of formulas that are memorized and then forgotten. We will cover topics including: definition
of the derivative, limits, optimization, integration and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.
Attendance: Classroom attendance is mandatory. Excused absences must be documented. I
must be contacted before class for an absence to be excused. Excessive absences (more than
4) will be brought to the attention of the Dean of Students, with the potential of a student
being withdrawn from the course. You are responsible for what you miss in class and for the
homework due when you are gone. Bottom line: it is extremely difficult to succeed in this class
without strong attendance.
Make-ups: There are no make-up exams and no make-up homework. None. If you have a
conflict with one of the exam dates, let me know well in advance, at least 2 weeks prior.
Grading: Grades will be based on a ten point scale, with plusses/minuses given at the teacher’s
discretion.
Homework: 10%
Tests (4 exams at 15% each): 60%
Final exam: 30%
Exams: All exams are taken in class. The tentative exam dates are as follows:
Friday 2/8, Monday 3/4, Wednesday 4/3, and Friday 4/26.
Final Exam: Friday May 3rd, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Homework: All homework will be assigned, completed, and graded on webassign.net. If you
have not used webassign before, be sure to set aside some time to familiarize yourself with the
site. When you sign up, you will have the option to buy the e-book and/or the online
homework system. The homework system is mandatory, the e-book is optional. You will be
expected to check our class site regularly for new homework assignments, though I will try to
mention them in class as well.
While we are using an online homework system, you should go about as if the problems are
coming from a textbook. That is, write down the problem on paper, do all your work on paper,
and simply type your answer into the site. It will not take very long for you to adjust to this
system.
Class key (needed to sign up for webassign): hsc 7085 8015
Honor Code: The Honor Code applies to all work in this class. Working with others on
homework is ok (and even encouraged), but simply copying answers directly from another
paper is not acceptable. Also, copying answers from a textbook or online reference is not
acceptable. You will find that webassign has built in methods to prevent cheating.
Special Accommodations: Please let me know at the beginning of the semester if you need
special accommodations due to a learning disability. The policies relating to learning disabilities
may be obtained from the Dean of the Faculty or the Associate Dean for Academic Support.
Students are required to contact the Office of Academic Success in order to verify their
eligibility for appropriate accommodations.
Classroom Conduct: Please be sure to turn off or silence your cell phones before class begins.
In addition, please be sure to stay awake during class. Participation is strongly encouraged.
Other Issues: If at any point during the semester a problem arises with anything related to this
class that I should know about, talk to me ASAP. The longer you wait on an issue the less likely
it is that you will be able to fix it. This advice is not specific to this course, but is extremely
important.