Classroom: Coates 228
Time: TR: 10:30 – noon
Office Hours: Tuesdays 9:30 – 10:30, Fridays 11:00 – noon
Textbook: The official, required text for the course will be Calculus (8e): Early Transcendentals, by James Stewart. We will also be using WebAssign for homework, so be sure that whatever copy of the text you purchase includes a subscription to that service.
Course Content
This course serves as an introduction to multidimensional calculus — in other words, calculus in dimensions greater than one. We will be discussing topics like functions of several variables, vector valued functions, partial derivatives, double and triple integrals, and vector calculus.
Importantly, while many of the topics covered in this class will have direct analogues in single-variable calculus class, there will be new geometric ideas involved. In some cases, this added geometric component adds a layer of complexity to traditional one-dimensional problem. In others, it provides new and helpful ways to view and understand the problems your trying to solve.
Homework and Grades:
Homework Policy: Submitted homework must be turned in by 4:00 PM on its due date. If you know in advance you will be unable to turn in homework when it’s due, you should plan to turn it in ahead of time. Holidays are not an excuse for late homework! If you know that there is an impending holiday, it is your responsibility to make arrangements to submit homework early. Since this is a course which focuses in part on mathematical communication, it is extremely important that submitted written work be neat, well-organized, and legible. Ragged margins, multi-column and otherwise over-dense formats, and unstapled sheets are unacceptable. If your handwriting is difficult to read, type your homework. If you tend to scratch out or erase incorrect parts of solutions, do a rough draft or type your homework. Write in paragraphs, sentences, and English words. Use punctuation and conjunctions to indicate your flow of thought rather than arrows or telepathy. Shoot for lucidity rather than terseness.
Exam Policy: There will be two midterms and a final. The midterms will be 120 minute in-class exams and are scheduled for February 14th, and March 28th. The final exam take place from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Friday, May 3rd.
No make-up examinations will be given in the course. If you are absent from a scheduled exam and your absence is excused (with supporting documentation from, e.g., a medical or legal professional), the portion of the course grade determined by the missing exam will be divided equally between the other exams (including the final). No credit will be given in cases of unexcused absences.
Final Course Grades: Your grade will be determined by your performance on the various assignments and exams throughout the term. Specifically, your final grade will be determined as follows:
- Homework: 25%
- Midterms: 20% (each)
- Final 30%
Here’s how the grading process works. First, I compute an overall course grade for you on a scale of 0–100 by combining your exam and homework grades using the weights above. Finally, after computing the above score score, I rank everybody in the class in order by their score and assign cutoffs for ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, and ‘D’. These are never above the traditional 90, 80, 70 and 60, and are generally somewhat lower. When setting the cutoff I consider the students immediately above and below the line and try to take into account improvement and other circumstances. That being said, the list is never, ever reordered. Regardless of other circumstances, a better score in the class should always earn at least as good a letter grade. Ultimately, I can only grade the course based on what’s in your written work.
Ethical Conduct: You are strongly encouraged to talk to others about the material you are learning — this includes fellow students, me and anyone else in the department. The more engaged you are with the material the better. That said, the work you hand in must be your own. The best way to ensure that the work you turn in accurately represents your own understanding of the material (and to avoid any suspicion of copying) is to write out your homework solutions on your own, not whilst working with a friend. Cheating on exams is unacceptable. Any cheating on homework assignments or during midterms or finals will result in you receiving no credit for the assignment/exam and having the matter reported to the Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability. Students must abide by LSU’s Code of Student Conduct.
Disability Support: Students who may need accommodations because of a documented disability should meet with me privately within the first week of classes. In addition, students with disabilities should also contact the Office of Disability Services.