Link to class schedule. This will contain information about both of my classes.
Instructor:
M. Randall Holmes
Schedule:
We meet Tuesday and Thursday in MP208, from 7 pm to 8:50 pm.
Office and Hours:
Office: Math/Geology 240A. Hours: To be determined after consulting you all. See ``open office policy'' below. I am planning to hold an office hour at least at TTh 6:15-6:45 pm, before this class. Note the 15 minute period right before class which is NOT in the office hour.
Please note that I do not hold office hours on the day of an exam for members of the relevant class.
Telephone:
My office telephone number is 6-3011 (426-3011 from off-campus). My home telephone number is 345-2899: students are welcome to call me but please no calls after 8:30 pm any day or between 6 pm Friday and noon Sunday.
Electronic Information:
e-mail: holmes@math.boisestate.edu WWW (web page): http://math.boisestate.edu/~holmes
I read my e-mail constantly (during the working week) and respond promptly.
This electronic version of this syllabus is the official syllabus (no paper copies will be made), is subject to change, and any changes will be posted here.
Electronic announcements for this class (and announcements to both classes) will appear in three different ways. Announcements tied to specific assignments will appear on the class schedule. Notice that the class schedule includes assignments for both classes: you should be able to tell which ones go with Math 170. Some announcements, especially documents such as old sample tests, will appear on my main web page where the pointer to this syllabus appears. Occasionally I may send e-mail to the entire class. Make sure either that you read your Boise State e-mail regularly or forward your Boise State e-mail to an account you do read regularly.
Title of Course:
Math 170: Calculus I. This is section 007.
This course is intended to meet some of the learning objectives of the Core Curriculum: if you are interested in finding out more about this, please ask.
ALEKS Requirement (IMPORTANT): You are required to take the ALEKS exam on or before August 28th. You may retake it if necessary, as many times as you wish. If you do not get at least the minimum required score on this exam by August 28, you are strongly encouraged to drop the class. If you do not achieve the minimum required score and do not drop, you will lose one full letter grade in the course. This is department policy and I will not make exceptions; don't bother to ask. Your ALEKS final score will count as ten percent of your homework grade (some provision like this is also required by the department policy).
Textbook:
Hass, Weir and Thomas, University Calculus, Part I (single variable). This book has been used for some time and there should be used copies in the bookstore.
Dates:
The add deadline (and deadline for dropping without a W) is September 4.
The drop deadline is October 2. Petitions to drop classes after this date are almost always unsuccessful.
Dates for in-class exams: Sept. 17, Oct. 8, Nov. 5, Dec. 3. The last exam date is firm: it is the last possible day before dead week. All exams will be given on Thursdays.
The final exam will be Thursday, December 17, 6-8 pm. It is useful to be aware that final examinations, unlike hour examinations, are always open book in my classes; the rules for calculators will remain the same.
Calculators:
We may sometimes have occasion to use calculators in class. Use of a plain scientific calculator (without graphing or symbolic computation capabilities) will be allowed on tests; more powerful calculators will not be allowed. Make sure you have an allowed calculator if you want to use a calculator on tests.
You may not use cell phones or PDAs (such as Palm Pilots or Pocket PC's) as calculators during any exam. No exceptions will be made. These machines have communication capabilities which are inappropriate in this context. You may not listen to Walkmans or portable tape or other media players during an exam.
Homework:
Homework will be assigned daily. Both odd and even problems will be assigned. Odd problems have answers in the back of the book. Selected even problems will be marked; you will not know which ones. Your total homework grade may possibly count as an exam grade (see below). If there is any evidence that answers from the instructor solution manual are finding their way onto student papers, I will take action which might include switching from homework to quizzes or simply not counting homework at all.
Late-breaking news: I am considering use of WebWorks, a web-based homework system, to supplement or replace my usual textbook-based homework. Details of this will be revealed in the first week or two if necessary.
How Your Course Grade Will Be Computed:
I expect to give four in-class exams this term. There will not be formal review days for exams, except the final, though I will be willing to take questions about exams during the usual time for homework discussion (within reason).
Exams will generally be linearly scaled so that the median grade in the class corresponds to a mid-range C (75 percent) unless I am seriously dissatisfied with overall class performance.
Each exam is worth 100 points. The total homework grade will count as an exam (100 points) [this may be modified if web-based homework is introduced]. The final counts 200 points; your percentage grade on the final may replace the lowest of the other five grades (in-class exams and homework) if this helps you.
90 or above is an A; 80 or above is a B; 70 or above is a C; 60 or above is a D; lower grades are F (after any scaling).
Eligibility for this Class:
No exceptions will be made. If the computer tells me that you don't meet prerequisite or placement exam standards for this course, I will free your seat for someone who does meet them.
Attendance:
Attendance will not be taken except on the first two days. If you do not attend this class on one of the first two days, I will exercise my option to have you administratively withdrawn.
Open Office Policy:
My office hours for these classes are to be announced. 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 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). My other class meets MWF 12:40-1:30. I will provide a summary of times when I am likely to be on campus when this is clearer.
Late Work and Makeups:
Makeups for exams will be possible, and should if possible be arranged in advance of your absence; you should only do this for a good reason, and if you do this more than once I will require official documentation of a genuine emergency. Homework turned in late will be accepted but will have less value (and may or may not be marked, at my convenience).
Academic Honesty:
Collaboration on homework is acceptable. This does not mean copying of homework; any paper you put your name on should be largely your own work. 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 (as well as PDA's such as Palm Pilots and Pocket PC's) must be turned off and completely out of sight (no exceptions whatsoever) during an exam.
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, in advance if at all possible, 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 :-)