Math 1100-5: Syllabus for Spring, 2002

Instructor: M a r k Avery
Class: 6:00-7:30 P.M. Tue. & Thu. in room LS 107

Email: averyml@math.utah.edu
Office Phone No.: 581-8823
Office Location: JWB, Room 311
Web Page: http://www.math.utah.edu/~averyml/
Office hours:

1) (before class from) 5:15-5:45 P.M. Tue. & Thu. in JWB 311 (my office)
2) (after class from) 7:30-8:00 P.M. Tue. & Thu. in LS 107 (our classroom)
3) or by appointment
Text: Mathematical Applications for the Management, Life, and Social Sciences, 6th edition, by Harshbarger and Reynolds.
Calculator: I (highly) encourage you to invest in a graphing calculator (provided that you don't have one already, of course).  


Course Description

The purpose of this course is to present mathematical skills and concepts and to apply them to ideas that are important to students in the management, life, and social sciences.

We will be covering most of the material from chapters nine through fourteen (inclusive); some exceptions include the following sections: Asymptotes (10.5), Integration Formulas (13.5), Integration by Parts (13.4), and Lagrange Multipliers (14.5). Also, we probably will not have enough time to cover all of the applications; in particular, I foresee us skipping the following subsections: National Consumption and Savings, Consumer's Surplus, and Producer's Surplus. Note that I will be focusing primarily on the business applications of calculus; however, I do intend to present some applications from the social sciences as well.


Prerequisite

This course is intended for students who have completed Business Algebra (Math 1090). There are exceptions to this rule; please see me sometime if this is of concern to you.


Course Work and Grading

Grading in the course will be based on (almost) weekly homework assignments, 3 exams, one group project, and a comprehensive final exam.

The grade distribution is as follows:
HW (8/11) 48%
Exams (2/3) 24%
Group Project 12%
Final Exam 16%

Grades will be assigned to (roughly) the following percentages:
A 90-100% A- 85-90%
B+ 80-85% B 75-80% B- 70-75%
C+ 65-70% C 60-65% C- 55-60%
D+ 50-55% D 45-50% D- 40-45%

The exams and group project have the following tentative dates:
(I reserve the right to alter the schedule if needed.)
Exam 1 Thur., Feb. 28 Please note that this exam is scheduled immediately after we get back .
Exam 2 Thur., Mar. 28
Exam 3 Thur., Apr. 18
Group Project Tues., Apr. 23
Final Exam Tues., May 7 6:00-8:00 P.M. in LS 107 (our classroom)


Homework

"You can learn mathematics only by doing mathematics." - Dr. Alfeld

Homework is worth 48% of your final grade. Homework will be collected and graded (almost) once a week (specifically, every Thursday); by "(almost)", I mean that HW will not be collected during each of the three weeks when we have an exam scheduled. In total, there will be 11 homework assignments. The lowest 3 scores will be dropped. Thus, your homework grade will be based on the top 8 homework scores. The homework (at least) must be orderly and readable for credit; further, hardly any credit will be awarded for answers not supported by your "work".

Homework will be discussed in part during class if there are any questions. Please note that make-up homework will not be accepted. Early homework, on the other hand, will be accepted provided that it is placed in the "Early HW" basket during class or given to me in person . Finally, homework solutions will be periodically posted on the Electronic Reserve.




Exams

Exams are worth 24% of your final grade. There will be three exams. The lowest exam score will be dropped. Consequently, there will be no make-up exams nor will students be allowed to take exams early. Exceptions to this rule may be made possibly in extreme situations.

Exam questions will be similar to those assigned in the homework or those covered in class. Two special notes are in order at this time. One, each exam will contain an extra credit problem which will be based on material we have not yet covered. The purpose of these problems is to motivate you to continually read ahead as your performance will be much improved as a result. Two, you can expect the second and third exams to be "in part" comprehensive; by this, I mean that (approximately) one third of the questions will be based on material tested during previous exam(s). The purpose of these problems is to motivate you to periodically review the material, which is almost necessary since the progression of new concepts in calculus is highly sequential.

You will not be allowed to use your calculator on any of the three exams (since the need for calculation will be minimal); however, you will be allowed to use (both sides of) a 3x5 in. index card for formulas, notes, etc. Finally, exam solutions will be posted on the Electronic Reserve.


Group Project

The project (to be done in groups of two) is worth 12% of your final grade. The topic(s) will be handed out in class on Tue., Mar. 5th, and we will be forming groups the following week on Tue., Mar. 12th. More detailed information will be given out with the topics.


Final Exam

The final exam is worth 16% of your grade. It will be comprehensive, meaning that it can include any material that we have covered in the course. As indicated in the class schedule, the final is on Tuesday, May 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. and will be located in LS 107 (which is the same room we normally meet in). As with the exams, you will not be allowed to use your calculator; however, you will be allowed to use one side of an 8.5x11 in. sheet of notes (consisting of formulas, for example).


Helpful Hints

1. Please come and see me during my office hrs. for any additional help you might need. If the scheduled hrs. conflict with your schedule, you are welcome to make an appt. with me for another time.

2. I will be lecturing primarily from the textbook. Therefore, I encourage you to read the appropriate sections in the book that I will be covering before you come to class.

3. Focus on understanding the subject rather than memorizing recipes for doing simple things. Focusing on the underlying connections and learning how to figure things out is vastly more efficient and empowering than trying to memorize countless formulas.

4. Mathematics is perhaps the most sequential subject I know of; that is, it builds upon itself one idea at a time as an Egyptian pyramid is fashioned stone by stone. Consequently, it is imperative that you come to class everyday and keep up with all of the HW assignments. This is perhaps the greatest advice I can give you.


Free Tutoring

Free tutoring is available in Mines 210, Mon.-Thu. from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. and Fri. from 8 A.M. to 2 P.M. The Tutoring Center is closed Sat.'s, Sun.'s, and university holidays. Tutoring begins on Wed., Jan. 9.


Other Forms of Tutoring

Tutoring is available at the Tutoring Center, SSB 330. The cost is $6.00/hr for day, evening or weekend appointments. There is some free tutoring available. For more information call 581-5153 or visit www.saff.utah.edu/Tutoring/

Another option, though (usually) more expensive, is to hire a private tutor; you can pick up a list from the math department office (JWB 233), which is open Mon.-Fri. from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.


University Policies/Dates

Last day to drop classes Sat., Jan. 12
Last day to withdraw from classes Fri., Mar. 15

For further information, including how to appeal withdrawal deadlines, refer to the complete withdrawal policy printed in the class schedule.


The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for students with physical, cognitive, systemic, learning, or psychiatric disabilities. Please contact me at the beginning of the semester to discuss any such accommodations for this course.


Detailed Course Outline for 1100-5

Assigned Homework for 1100-5

(Instructions explaining) How to View Posted Solutions