Math 101, Sections 01, 02, 03: Calculus I

Fall 1999

Sections:

Section 01: TuTh 8:35--9:50 (Clapp 402); Fri 1:00--1:50 (Clapp 422). Instructor: Alan Durfee.
Specific information for Section 01.
Section 02: MW 1:00--2:25 (Clapp 402); Fri 1:00--1:50 (Clapp 402). Instructor: Margaret Robinson
Specific information for Section 02 (to appear).
Section 03: TuTh 11:00--12:15 (Clapp422), Fri 2:00--2:50 (Clapp 402). Instructor: Sergei Chmutov.
Specific information for Section 03.

Text: Calculus Lite by Frank Morgan (A K Peters, 1997; Second Edition). We will cover chapters 1 through 16, except possibly for chapter 8 (which we will replace with real-world problems) and chapter 13. The core material of the course is contained in our text.

Projects: In addition to the material in the text we will be doing a number of modules throughout the semester whose intent is to show how calculus is used in other subjects. Here are some of the possibilities:

How Eratosthenes (276--194 B.C.) used radian measure to estimate the diameter of the earth.
How Aristarchus (310--230 B.C.) used elementary trigometry to estimate the diameter of the moon and the sun, and the distances from the earth to these bodies.
How airplanes can use the minimum amount of fuel for a trip, and how birds can do the same.
How the compound eye of the bee is designed so that it has the best vision.
How well population growth can be modeled by the exponential function.
How the age of the moon can be determined from samples of lunar rocks.
How airplanes use inertial navigation to determine their position.
How the date and origin of an unfamiliar language can be determined.
How calculus is used in economics.

In addition, we will assign some exercises from a very early calculus book written by Maria Agnesi in 1748. She was a professor of mathematics at the University in Bologna, Italy, and the first woman in the western world who can legitimately be called a mathematician. Her text on calculus was aimed specifically at Italian students. There is a copy of the book in our rare book room which we hope to put on display, and a copy of the first English translation in the Smith library.

Homework: Homework can be handed in during class or put in the envelope outside the office door of your instructor. Graded homework can be picked up any time from the same place. Homework can be redone and handed in again, if done promptly (ie, within a few days), and the grade on the redone homework will replace the original grade. The grader reserves the right not to accept redone homework that is too late.

Technology:We will be using the computer program Journey through Calculus, which is available on the computers in Clapp 402, 422 and 417. In addition, we expect to be using graphing calculators; in any case these are recommended but not required.

Evening help sessions will be held Sunday through Thursday, 7:00--10:00 PM, in Clapp 401 and the surrounding classrooms.

Quizzes and Tests will be on Fridays. The first quiz will be September 24; it will be followed by others (always announced in advance). The tests are scheduled for October 1, November 5 and December 3. The final examination will be self-scheduled. If you are unable to take a quiz or test for any reason, you should call your instructor right away, preferably before the event.

Grading: We agreed on a new grading system during the course. The current grading system is: Each test is 100 points, the final examination is 100 points, and the homework, quizzes and projects are worth a total of 150 points. The final examination is optional: It will raise your grade but not lower it. (Original grading system: Each test is 100 points, the final examination is 150 points, and the homework, quizzes and projects are worth a total of 150 points.)