MAT 117

Calculus for Social and Life Science

Spring 2001

 

Instructor: Bruce Armbrust, phone: 541-4660 ext. 314, email: armbrust@ltcc.edu

 

Office Hours: Room A210, Mon. & Wed. 2:00-3:00 PM, Fri. 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

GMC G4, Tues. & Thurs. 2:00-3:00 PM

And as always, by appointment.

 

Class Time and Location: Tues. & Thurs. 4:00-5:50 PM, A209

 

Textbook: Calculus: An Applied Approach, 5th Ed., Larson and Edwards

 

Calculator: A graphing calculator is required for this class.  I will be demonstrating with the

Texas Instruments-85.  I will do my best to assist with other models, but I promise nothing.

 

Course Description: MAT 117 is a continuation of MAT 116.  Topics include: elementary differential equations, partial derivatives, infinite series and double integrals.

 

Prerequisite: A grade of C or better in Math 116, or a satisfactory score on the Mathematics Assessment Exam.

 

Course Grade: Your final letter grade will be based on the usual grading scale:

A 90-100%, B 80-89%, C 70-79%, D 60-69%, F 0-59%

The following items will make up the course grade:

Homework:                               150 points

Quizzes:                                    100 points

Exam1 (April 19):

Exam2 (May 10):                      450 points

Exam3 (May 31):

Final Exam (June 19):                300 points

 

Homework: Homework will be due the class period after it is assigned.  Homework not turned in at this time will be considered late. You may turn in homework up to one week after it is assigned for half credit.  If all homework is turned in, and no more than three are late, the lowest regular exam score will be dropped.

 

Quizzes: There will be approximately 5 announced quizzes given over the quarter.   These quizzes will be designed to help prepare you for the exams. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.  Since one score will be dropped, you may not make up a missed quiz.

 

Exams:  Students are to bring a calculator, pencil, and blank scratch paper to each exam.  If you cannot make it to an exam (final not included), you may take it up to 2 school days prior to the scheduled date.  Otherwise, the exam may be made up after the scheduled date with a penalty of 10% per day.

 

 

 

Registration Information: You must register for this class at the Office of Admissions and Records.  You may drop the class with no penalty or mark on your record on or before April 27.  After April 27, you may drop the class and receive a grade of W until June 1.  After June 1, if you are still enrolled, you will receive a grade of A, B, C, D, F or I.

 

How to Succeed in a Math Class: I am often asked how to successfully pass a math class, and here is my advice:

 

I) Come to every class session.  Be prepared, and plan on participating.

II) Do your homework.  Remember that what I assign is what I consider a bare minimum.  If you need more practice, do it.  Don’t make me be a homework enforcer.

III) Read the book.  You paid good money for it, so you might as well use it.

IV) Make use of available tutors and my office hours.  You will find tutors who know the subject matter in this course at the GMC.

V) Do math every day.  Math is just like everything else: if you don’t practice, you become rusty.

 

Learning Disabled Students: It is important that students who are identified as being learning disabled speak to me about their special needs.

 

Course Schedule:

The following is a tentative schedule.  If things change (and I have money that says they will), I will let you know.

 

April

3,5        7.1,7.2              3-D Coordinates, Surfaces in Space

10,12    7.3,7.4              Functions with Multiple Variables, Partial Derivatives

17,19    7.5, Exam I       Extrema of Functions of Two Variables

24,26    7.6,7.7,7.8         Lagrange Multipliers, Regression, Double Integrals

 

May

1,3        7.9,10.1,10.2                  Applications of Double Integrals, Sequences, Series

8,10      10.2,10.3 Exam II          Series Convergence, p-Series, Ratio Test

15,17    10.4, 10.5                      Power Series, Taylor Polynomials

22,24    10.6, D1                        Newton’s Method, Solutions of Differential Equations

29,31    D2, Exam III                 Separation of Variables

 

June               

5,7        D3, D4                         Applications of Differential Equations,

First Order Linear Differential Equations

12,14    Review

19         Final Exam