Information and Policies

Instructor:

M. Randall Holmes.

Office number:

MG240A

Office telephone:

426-3011.

Office hours:

See ``open office policy'' below.

Home telephone:

345-2899 (please do not use after 8:30 pm or between 6 pm Friday and noon Sunday).

Internet:

E-mail holmes@math.boisestate.edu
Web page

http://math.boisestate.edu/~holmes

This syllabus and other course information will be accessible from my web page. The online version is the official syllabus and homework schedule, and any changes will be made there and not distributed on paper. You should look at my web page regularly in case I have any announcements for the class.

I made the summer 2003 web page by editing the summer 2002 page, and I may have made mistakes in doing this; please call any such errors to my attention!

Title of Course:

Math 170, Calculus I.

This course is a Core course and meets certain learning objectives of the Boise State core curriculum. To find out about this, and to find out about department expectations about this course, you can see the department generic syllabus for this course, found here

Schedule:

Monday through Thursday, 9:40-11:20 in MG 139.

Final exam date and time:

Thursday, July 31, 9:40-11:20 in MG 139.

Textbook:

Calculus with Early Transcendentals (fourth edition), Stewart. This book has been used earlier, so there should be some used copies in the bookstore.

Now it seems it is the fourth edition after all!!! If it does turn out to be the fifth, I have a version of the homework schedule for that book as well...

Prerequisites:

Normally, a grade of C or better in Math 143/4 or Math 147 or the equivalent in transfer credit, or satisfactory score on a placement exam or on the mathematics component of the SAT or ACT. Students who do not meet the prerequisites will be administratively withdrawn if this comes to my attention.

Calculators:

You are expected to have a graphing calculator in this class. You will sometimes be permitted to use a graphing calculator on exams and sometimes not (usually not!), so you also need to have a plain scientific calculator without graphing or symbolic calculation capabilities. You have been warned.

You may not use a cell phone or a palmtop computer (such as a Palm Pilot or Pocket PC) as a calculator during an exam under any circumstances. Such devices may not be turned on during exams for any reason whatsoever.

Getting into the Class:

I will not under any circumstances override the class size limitations. Due to the failure of the university to restrict web registration, I cannot offer you any help in getting into the class: I can't maintain any kind of waiting list for you because anyone, anywhere, can sign up for an opening as soon as it appears.

Attendance:

Attendance will not be formally taken, except for the first two meetings of the class. Students who do not attend at least one of the first two meetings are subject to administrative withdrawal. In general, you are expected to attend this class every day. To encourage this, I maintain a policy of no makeups for the periodic homework quizzes.

Homework:

Homework will be assigned every day, and will generally be due two class sessions later (with opportunity for discussion, so exam dates do not count as intervening days). A complete schedule of homework is attached to this syllabus, though it may be subject to change.

Homework will be evaluated in two ways. I will record homework handed in on time by checking it off - this will count for 30% of your homework grade (exclusive of Maple labs). I will periodically give quizzes at the beginning of the class period, which will consist of questions that appeared on the homework, and for which you will be allowed to consult your homework paper and use calculators (but not your book). Grades on these quizzes will constitute 70% of your homework grade (exclusive of Maple labs). Some small number of missed quizzes will be forgiven; there will be no makeups for quizzes except in the case of students who have official university activities for which university policy requires that makeups be given. Quizzes will not necessarily be announced. Regular attendance is strongly encouraged!

Maple labs might also be a component of your homework grade. See the homework schedule for information about my intentions about holding Maple labs (the current version is entirely noncommittal). Maple labs will be done with a lab partner and turned in electronically.

Exams:

There will be three ``hour exams'' (you will have the whole period to take them) and a final exam (which will contain new material but also have a cumulative aspect) in this course. Class time will not be officially devoted to review for exams, except that there may (time permitting) be a review day for the final. Exam dates are June 19, July 3, July 17, July 31 (final).

Late Work and Makeups:

Makeups for exams will be possible, and should if possible be arranged in advance of your absence. There are no makeups for quizzes, as noted above. Homework turned in late will be given a late check with half the value of the check for homework turned in on time.

Computation of Grades:

Exams will usually be scaled linearly so that the median class grade is 75%, then graded with 90's = A, 80's = B, 70's = C, 60's = D, etc. I may change the scaling if I am displeased with the class performance (though this seldom happens); I will never scale grades downward.

Your total homework grade has the same weight as an hour exam (it will not be scaled or adjusted); your final exam will have the weight of two hour exams. Your lowest hour exam grade (or your homework grade if it is lowest) may be replaced by your grade on the final exam if this helps you. Your course grade will be the sum of your hour exam grades and your homework grade (the lowest of these four grades being replaced by the final exam grade if this helps) plus twice the final exam grade, divided by six.

Open Office Policy:

My office hours for these classes will be one hour before class and one half hour after class each day that we meet. I will almost always be in my office at the officially scheduled times, and I will try to warn you when I will not be. If I am in my office during a posted office hour, I am available to help you.

Don't assume that these are the only times when you can get help! I am often in my office later in the day (though I make no promises) and I am never offended by a student asking me for help if I am in the office (though I may help only briefly if I am very busy). I will not be on campus on Fridays this summer.

Academic Honesty:

Collaboration on homework is expected and even encouraged in this class. This does not mean copying of homework. Collaboration on exams is of course not allowed. The penalty for cheating (defined as looking at another student's paper or unauthorized use of books or notes during an exam) will be a grade of zero (0) on the relevant exam. A repeat offense will mean an F in the course.

Courtesy Issues:

Cellular phones must be turned off during class. If there is a good reason that you must await a phone call during class, please inform me in advance and minimize the disruption by sitting near an exit. Cell phones must be turned off during exams no matter how good your reason.

You do not need to contact me if you are missing class or if you need to arrive late or leave early; but I do need you to enter or leave the class quietly in either case. Of course, you do need to contact me, preferably in advance, if you are missing an exam.

Definitions:

The word ``yesterday'' is defined to mean the previous class session; the word ``tomorrow'' is defined to mean the next class session, unless I specifically say otherwise :-)