CALCULUS 222
Lecture 2
Fall 2009 - 2010
MWF 2:25 - 3:15
Room B102 Van Vleck
Lecturer: Prof. I. M. Isaacs
Homework Assignments (Due in Section)
News and messages
Last message posted: Dec. 20, 2009
Please read the information below, especially that concerning
exams and grades.
COURSE INFORMATION
Communicating with Prof. Isaacs:
- Office: 311 Van Vleck
- Phone: 263-5463
- E-mail:
isaacs@math.wisc.edu
- Office Hours: Tuesday 11:00 and
Friday 12:05. Also by appointment.
- Best Method:
Talk to Prof. Isaacs in front of room after lecture.
Textbook:
- Thomas' Calculus with Differential Equations
1st Edition
The same book will be used in the follow-up course: 234.
Note that this book is a special editiion designed for use here
at the University of Wisconsin.
TA Sections:
All on Tuesday and Thursday
Exams:
- Thursday October 8 5:30 - 7:00 PM (6th week)
- Thursday November 12 5:30 - 7:00 PM (11th week)
- Saturday December 19 12:25 - 2:25 PM (Final)
Rooms will be announced.
Notes:
- One 8.5 by 11 inch page of notes
may be brought in and used for each exam.
- Usually, exact
answers are required, and decimal approximations are not acceptable.
- Answers should be simplified when there
are obvious simplifications available.
- Calculators will be unnecessary, and therefore
calculators will not be allowed
on exams.
- If cell phones are brought to the exam rooms, they must be
switched off and put away out of sight.
Homework:
Homework problems (mostly from the book) will
be assigned in each lecture (and also posted on the web).
Homework will be collected by the TA with a due date
set by the TA. TAs will keep records of who has done
the homework, and they will grade at least some of the
homework problems.
Grades:
Final grades will be computed as follows:
- Midterms: 20% each
- Final: 40%
- TA's evaluation of student: 20%
Here's how this will work in practice.
Each exam will be curved, and letter grades will be assigned.
The median (i.e. middle) grade on each exam will be BC.
At the end of the semester, each student will be assigned a
tentative grade, based on the three exam scores.
TAs will then look at the tentative grade for each student
to see if it seems apropriate.
For most students, the final grade will just be the tentative grade,
but TAs can raise or lower grades (especially those close to
boundaries) based on the TAs opinion of the student, as
determined by homework, quizzes and participation in section.
How to do well in Calculus:
- Do the homework, and learn how to check that your work is correct.
Many of the assigned problems will have answers in the back
of the book. Resist the temptation to look there until you check
your work and you are sure you have not made any careless errors.
- Don't give up too soon on problems you don't see how to do.
You should try to figure out how the mathematical tools you
have learned can be applied, even if the problem is of an unfamiliar
type.
- Do not use a solutions manual.
Those can be really harmful. If you use one, you will not
develop your ability to figure out how to do an unfamiliar problem.
Also, many of the solutions in the manual are poorly done, and a few
are wrong. They should not be used as models.
- Ask questions of other students, of your TA and of Prof. Isaacs.
Many students find that in explaining things to others, they
solidify their own understanding, so by asking questions of your
friends, you may be helping them as well as yourself. Your TA and
Professor have office hours, so be sure to use them.
- Attend all of your section meetings and all lectures.
It should be obvious why it is important to attend
lecture: this is where new material will be presented
and explained and illustrative examples will be offered.
It is also important to attend discussion section meetings.
Not only will your TAs give tips on how to work problems, it is they
who assign end-of-semester grades, so they should get to know you.
- Take advantage of the mathlab.
The math lab is a free drop-in math help service run by the
math department and staffed by math TAs. It happens in room B227
Van Vleck, and is open Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 8:30 PM
and Sunday from 3:30 to 6:50 PM, starting about September 15. You
might consider going there to work on your homework problems, so that
help would be available to you if it is needed.
Tutoring:
This is a free small-group-tutoring program run by the math department
and intended for students having difficulty. Getting into this program
requires a recommmendation from your TA or professor.
The Greater University Tutoring Service is a free program staffed
by volunteer student tutors.
As a last resort, you may wish to hire a private tutor. The
math department receptionist has a list of qualified tutors.