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Engineering Math Sequence
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The engineering math sequence is a product of collaboration between the Engineering College and the Department of Mathematics. The sequence features a curriculum targeted to the needs of the Engineering College's undergraduate majors and is delivered through innovative instructional methodologies designed to improve student outcomes. Relative to the traditional calculus sequence (1210-1220-2210), the engineering sequence offers an accelerated presentation of standard calculus topics as well as an earlier presentation of transcendental functions that are important for mathematical modeling of many engineering-related systems.
The engineering applications content is currently being developed, which includes supplemental lecture materials, web videos, and project work. The goal of this material is to better prepare students for the mathematics used their major-level coursework.
The sequence will also include weekly laboratory sections staffed by graduate student teaching assistants. The labs provide an extra contact hour with students relative to the traditional calculus sequence. The laboratory will consist of a smaller class size than the lecture course, and is dedicated to skills and methods practice. The goal of the laboratory hour is to improve student outcomes by providing more opportunities for immediate feedback on student work as well as facilitate peer-to-peer group learning.
The textbook: Calculus: Concepts and Contexts 4th Edition, by James Stewart (ISBN-13: 978-0-495-55742-5)---price is about $195.
Sequence details:
The one-year engineering math sequence is offered in both normal track--1310-1320--and accelerated track versions--1311-1321. Both versions of the sequence are 4 credit hours per course.
Sample syllabi: 1310 , 1311 , 1321
- The normal track 1310 covers chapters 1 through 6 of the
text and 1320 covers chapters 7 through 11.
1310-1320 learning outcomes- 1310: Students will understand limiting behavior of functions, continuity, parametric curves, rates of change of functions, methods of function differentiation, inverse trigonometric and logarithm functions, approximation methods, related rates of change, maxima/minima of functions and system optimization, Newton's method, antidifferentiation, integration, the fundamental theorem of calculus and conservation principles, methods of integration, approximate integration, areas between curves. curve lengths, and volumes of solids.
- 1320 Students will understand average behavior of a function, differential equations solutions through integration, exponential growth/decay, sequences and series and convergence tests, series approximation, power series, Taylor and Mclaurin series, Taylor's theorem, the three dimensional coordinate system, vectors, dot product, cross product, equations of planes and surfaces, vector functions and space curves, derivatives and integrals of vector functions, arc length, curvature, velocity and acceleration of parameterized curves, multivariate functions, multivariate limits, partial derivatives, tangent planes and linear approximations, multidimensional chain rule, directional derivative, gradient vector, minimim/maximum and optimization of multivariate functions, Lagrange multipliers.
- The accelerated track covers the entire book, chapters 1 through 8 of the
text in 1311 and, chapters 9 through 11 in 1321.
1310-1320 learning outcomes- 1311: Covers all 1310 material and 1320 material through Taylor's theorem.
- 1321: Covers the remainder of 1320, and additional concepts students will understand will be path integrals, and Green's and Stokes' theorem
- 1310 Prerequisites
- "C" or better in College Algebra and Trigonometry (MATH 1050 AND MATH 1060)
- "C" or better in Precalculus (MATH 1080)
- AP Calc or AB score of 3 or better
- ACT Math score of 28 or better
- SAT Math score of 630 or better
- Departmental consent
- 1311 Prerequisites
- AP Calculus AB score of 4 or better
- AP Calc BC score of 3 or better
- 1320 and 1321 require a "C" or better for entrance in 1310 and 1311, respectively.
- 1320 can alternatively be entered by earning a "C" or better in Math 1210 and by being concurrently enrolled in the MATH 1320 "boot camp" that covers the material in 1310 that is missing from the traditional 1210 sequence.
Full four-semester course proposal: Nick Korevarr's Engineering Math Proposal Page.