Bob Palais --- Department of Mathematics --- College of Science --- University of Utah

Mathematics 1210 online

If you registered for the course in advance, you will be sent an email with your WebWorK account login information and another welcome email with information regarding course procedures sometime during the first day of classes. If you register after classes start, do not receive this at your Umail address by the end of the first day, or need a permission code to add the class, please send the professor, Bob Palais (``Bob'', bp@math.utah.edu) an email request with your full name, the course number (1210-90), your uID and your @utah email address which is now required for all academic email use, and we will set up your account and send you the login information and welcome email. If you need to register for the course, go to UOnline for the procedures.

Very Frequently Asked Questions (Please read carefully upon starting the course)

How To Succeed in Online Calculus


0. Frequently Asked Questions (Please consult for more common answers)
1. WeBWorK Login
2. Course Information
3. Summer 2008 Syllabus and Supplementary Materials
4. Summer 2008 Suggested Textbook Schedule
5. Correspondence Archive
6. Blackboard Class Communication Tools (Discussion Board, Chat, Mail)
7. U of U online
8. Polynomial Calculus ("PC") Notes Page
9. The Natural Sine and Cosine Functions and The Rotation Formula review pages
10. 3D-XplorMath/Virtual Math Museum (Multivariable Visualization - Full Version - Mac)
11. 3D-XplorMath/Virtual Math Museum (Multivariable Visualization - Beta Java Version)

This site is designed for several purposes, as follows:

If you wish to evaluate whether or not you are sufficiently prepared to take Calculus, take the Diagnostic Test:

  • Postscript format  PDF format
  • Part I goes over essential techniques of algebra and trigonometry; while Part II exhibits the kind of algebra and trigonometry problems which actually do arise in Calculus. Do part I first, and then, if interested, Part II. Solutions to the problems can be found in
  • Postscript format  PDF format
  • If you have had Calculus some time ago, and wish to refresh your knowledge and ability in the subject, first take the diagnostic test. Then download the notes chapter by chapter from the links on the "Syllabus and Supplementary Materials" pages. Proceed to the recommended readings and lists of practice problems. Go through these sets of problems, referring to the Notes as recommended in the problems. The practice exams and solutions emphasize the most important concepts.

    If you want to take the course for University of Utah credit, first register for the course by going to link 5 above and following instructions.

    The text used in this and standard Calculus classes at the University of Utah is

    Calculus, by Varberg, Purcell and Rigdon, Prentice-Hall, Ninth edition. ISBN-10: 0131429248 Student Edition

    Supplementary notes by Prof. Hugo Rossi are also strongly recommended, and available on the Course Information page.

    Go to "Course Information" (link 2 above) for information about the components of the course, and how they relate to grading. Then go to the Syllabus and Supplementary Materials (Notes by Profs. Rossi and Palais, Practice Problems, Exams, and Solutions) and Suggested Textbook Schedule (links 3 and 4 above). Do the weekly reading and practice problems first.

    To do the weekly assignment, you must go to Webwork (link 1 above), login and select a problem set. In each problem set you will submit answers, both numeric and literal. In order to become acquainted with the syntax of webwork, do assignment 0 first. Above all, keep up to date: each assignment has a closing date, after which submitted answers are no longer recorded. And mark the examination dates on your calendar: there are no makeups.