Professor:

Stephen B. Robinson
Office: Calloway, room 305
Phone: X4887
Email: robinson@pilot.mthcsc.wfu.edu
Homepage: http://www.mthcsc.wfu.edu/~robinson/

Office Hours:

Please feel free to drop by for help during my office hours, which are

Monday: 9-10,12-1
Tuesday: 9-10
Wednesday: 9-10,12-2
Thursday: 9-11
Friday: 9-10,12-1

You may also meet me at other times, but in that case you should call ahead to be sure that I am available.

Help Sessions:

Our teaching assistant, Cindy Enloe , will be available to help you at the following times: TBA

Text:

Single Variable Calculus, Fourth Edition, by James Stewart

Topics:

Exponentials, Logs, and Inverse Trigonometric Functions: 7.1-7.5

Techniques of Integration: 8.1-8.5,8.8

Interlude on Approximation and Error:
    Taylor Polynomials (Handout)
        Applications to Physics (12.12)
        Applications to Theory (L'Hospital's Rule, 7.7)
    Approximating Integrals (8.7)

Sequences and Series (12.1-12.12)

As Many Applications as Time Allows (Selected sections in chapters 9,10,11)

Note: You will be responsible for all of the material assigned in the text even if it is not presented in class. Learning from a textbook can be difficult and frustrating, but you must have the courage and the self-discipline to keep trying. It is important that you read and reread each section of the text thoughtfully and carefully.

Homework:

During most class meetings I will suggest homework problems. I expect you to do all of the problems in a timely manner, and I expect you to ask questions promptly when you are having trouble. In fact, I strongly suggest that you read a section and attempt some of its problems before that section is discussed in class. If you do this then you will find that classtime is more meaningful and that your chances of subsequently solving the homework problems is higher.

On Fridays I will select a few problems that I want you to write up and then turn in at the beginning of class the following Monday.  I will usually select problems that you have had plenty of time to think about and solve. I expect the written solutions to represent your best work. Neatly written with clear and complete explanations.

At the end of the semester your total homework score will be converted to a 100 point scale.
 

Use of Technology:

We will be using MAPLE to help investigate and solve problems, and you will be expected to work through several short projects that require MAPLE as a necessary tool. These projects will be graded and added to the homework total.
 

Exams:

There will be two midterm exams, worth 100 points each, and a comprehensive final exam, worth 200 points. The midterm exams will be held during the regular class periods on Friday, 2/18, and on Friday, 3/31. The final exam will be held on Thursday, 5/4, from 9:00-12:00 in Carswell Hall room 208. (Your class schedule refers to this as the Math/Bus Block.)

You should be prepared for exams that reflect the grading policy outlined below. A little over half of the exam problems will ask you to demonstrate a knowledge of standard facts and computational methods. The remaining questions will test your understanding more deeply by asking you to explain and apply important ideas.
 

Extra Credit:

Occasionally I will offer extra credit opportunities in class. These opportunities will typically reward students who are paying attention, reading ahead, etc. Extra credit will be added to your homework total. (Note: I will not allow total homework scores in excess of 100 points.)
 

Grades:

One secret to earning a C is consistent hard work and good study habits. I have tried to set up my homework policy and exams so that this is a clearly attainable goal, and a grade to be proud of. Earning a C indicates that you have succesfully learned the standard methods and ideas of Calculus. To earn a B or an A you must reach beyond a standard computational understanding of Calculus. You must be able to explain the ideas behind the computations, and you must learn to apply those ideas to new situations. In particular, an A requires consistently excellent performance in all of the areas mentioned above. Although I reserve the right to make reasonable adjustments to the grading scale, the following should give you an idea of what to shoot for. (Notice that a total of 500 points are possible in this class.)

A: 450-500

B: 375-449

C: 300-374

D: 225-299