Section: 01
Lecture: MWF 8:00-8:50 in Science (Museum),
room 116
Laboratory: Th 12:40-14:25 in West Duke, room
104
| Instructor: | Michael Kozdron |
| Office: | 250F Physics Building |
| Phone: | 660-2855 |
| Email: | kozdron@math.duke.edu |
| Home Page: | http://www.math.duke.edu/~kozdron |
| Course Home Page: | http://www.math.duke.edu/~kozdron/Instruction/Duke/25LFall99/ |
| Office Hours: | M 11:30-12:30, W 13:30-14:30, or by appointment |
| Help Room Hours: | M 20:00-22:00 |
Required Texts:
Optional Texts:
The following books are on closed reserve in Lilly Library. They are shelved behind the circulation desk so you need to request them from the library staff at the desk.
Course Description:
A study of functions with applications, and an introduction
to differential calculus, with a laboratory component. Topics include a
review of algebra and functions, mathematical modeling with elementary
functions, rates of change, inverse functions, logarithms and exponential
functions, the derivative, graphical interpretations of the derivative,
optimization, related rates. Not open to students who have credit for Mathematics
19 or 31 or 31L.
Prerequisites:
Although there are no formal prerequisites, it is expected that the students know the basic material that is taught in a standard high school mathematics sequence. We will briefly review algebra at the start of the term and other topics will be reviewed as necessary. If there is a topic that you are unfamiliar with, please let me know.
Gateway Test:
There will be a Gateway Test in this course which you must pass in order to receive a final grade for the course. The Gateway will test your basic algebra skills and you must answer 9 of 10 questions perfectly in order to pass. Failure to complete the Gateway by Friday, December 10, 1999, will result in a final grade of ``incomplete''. The first Gateway will be given to the entire class in lab on Thursday, September 9, 1999. However, if you fail the first Gateway, it is your responsibility to ensure that you take, and pass, a subsequent test. No subsequent Gateways will be administered during class time, nor will multiple Gateways be given on the same day. For more information, please see page 12 in the Coursepack or the Basic Skills Algebra Gateway Info Sheet.
Grading Information:
Your final grade will be determined by your performance in the course, including both lecture and lab. I will use the following evaluation methods in approximately the indicated percentages to arrive at your final grade. Some modifications will be necessary; for example, I must abide by the Mathematics Department policy as outlined in the Final Exam section.
| Evaluation Type | Number | Value Each | Percentage of Final Grade |
| Assignments | 10 | 10 points | 11.1% |
| Laboratory Reports | |||
| Short Reports | 3 | 20 points | 6.7% |
| Long Reports | 2 | 30 points | 6.7% |
| Laboratory Quizzes | 9 | 20 points | 20.0% |
| Term Tests | 3 | 100 points | 33.3% |
| Final Exam | 1 | 200 points | 22.2% |
Daily Problem Sets:
There will be daily problem sets assigned which will consist solely of questions from the two textbooks and the Coursepack. There are answers to most of the odd numbered problems in the back of the books, and there is a complete solutions manual in the Help Room (see below). Consequently, students are expected to work through all the daily problem sets although they will not be collected or graded. The lab quizzes, however, will include a selection of these daily problems taken verbatim. It is of the utmost importance that you make a concerted effort to understand all the daily problems. The real learning takes place on the daily problem sets. I recommend that you work the problems in small groups; as long as everyone is contributing, this is one of the most effective ways to learn math. I will not go over daily homework problems in class, but instead will encourage you to seek help outside of lecture time. The Help Room is open forty hours each week, and I am always willing to help you either during my office hours or by appointment. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need a hand.
Assignments:
There will be a variety of homework assignments given in lecture throughout the term. Assignments must be stapled and handed in at the beginning of class on the day that they are due. No late assignments will be accepted. These assignments are designed to extend the material taught in class and will require, for the most part, more than rote application of canned formulae. They will be indicative of the questions asked on the term tests and the final exam.
Lab Reports:
Since one of the major goals of this course is to develop students' ability to write mathematics, there will be five reports assigned in lab. The rationale behind assigning reports is that it is often not sufficient to simply solve a problem; that solution must be communicated to others. Three short reports and two long reports will be assigned as per the Lab Schedule. More information will be provided in lab including a detailed writing criteria and some advice on mathematical and technical writing.
Lab Quizzes:
There will be nine 20 minute, 20 point quizzes held at the beginning of selected lab periods. These quizzes will consist of problems taken verbatim from the daily problem sets and material from the previous lab (if there was one). Please consult the separate Lab Schedule for the specific problem sets and labs that will be covered on each quiz.
Term Tests:
The term tests will be closed-book and held in lab. The tests will include both conceptual and computational questions and will cover the material from the reading, the problem sets, the assignments, and the labs. However, the tests will be designed to test your knowledge, and not to check your ability to regurgitate formulae. Few, if any, test questions will actually be one line applications of formulae. There may also be problems similar to those done on the problem sets, but there is no value in having students solve problems they have done before. Therefore, most test problems will require you to put together what you know in new and different ways; this is the only way to effectively evaluate your understanding of the material. Please carefully read the Expectations on pages 7 - 8 of the Coursepack.
Final Exam:
All students in Math 25L write a common final exam which is written in committee by all the instructors for this course. Students are permitted to bring one handwritten 8.5 X 11, two-sided ``cheat sheet'' to the exam. The Supervisor of First-Year Instruction determines a grading scale for the final exam after they have all been marked. Instructors are required to have a final grade distribution which is approximately the distribution of the final exam scores in his or her section. Furthermore, no student may be given a final grade which is more than one letter grade above or below that student's term grade before the exam. There is also a ``mandatory F'' score set for the final exam. Any student who scores below this (rather low) mandatory F must receive a final grade of F.
Exam Dates:
The term tests will be written in lab while the location
of the final will be determined by the Registrar near the end of the term.
Policy for Missed Tests:
There will be no make-up tests in this course. Any absence from a test is inexcusable and will result in a grade of 0 unless the student has made prior arrangements to miss the test. To miss a test, a Dean's excuse and the consent of the instructor are required in advance of the scheduled test date. Since the test dates for the term have already been set, it is your responsibility to plan your schedule for the semester accordingly. If you are sick and miss a test, then you must still produce a Dean's excuse. Note, however, that you may have difficulty obtaining a Dean's excuse if you do not go to the infirmary.
Policy for Missed Final Exam:
Students should familiarize themselves with the section on Final Examinations and Excused Absences on pages 45 - 46 of the Duke University Bulletin of Undergraduate Instruction. As noted in the Handbook for Parents: The final examination schedule for a given semester is published at the time of registration for that semester. Absences from exams are not excused except under circumstances of incapacitating illness. Therefore, students and parents are urged not to make arrangements for travel home until after the completion of the student's last examination.
Web Site:
I have written a web site for this course. The URL is http://www.math.duke.edu/~kozdron/Instruction/Duke/25LFall99/. I will be updating this site throughout the term and you will be able to download any handouts that you don't get in class. I've included information about the lab, the textbooks, and calculus in general. There is also a web page written by Lewis Blake, the Supervisor of First-Year Instruction. That URL is http://www.math.duke.edu/first_year/. The site contains information useful for all students taking first-year mathematics courses, including the help room schedule, placement and course information, AP and transfer credit, recent changes, and the calculator requirements. I should also point out that I am not able to give out permission numbers for class registration. (Actually, I am not even given any permission numbers by the Registar.) Only Lewis Blake has such access and he can be reached at blake@math.duke.edu.
Email:
It is expected that all students activate their acpub computer accounts. Email will be the predominant form of course related communication between both students and the instructor. Therefore, please check your email regularly for course updates and homework/test information. Please feel free to email your questions to me. I will endeavour to respond within 24 hours, subject to the following CAVEAT: Only email me at kozdron@math.duke.edu. Should you not receive a reply within 24 hours, try sending the message again, or ask me in person if I received your mail. If you should send your message to any address other than this one, I DO NOT GUARANTEE A RESPONSE.
Extra Help:
The Mathematics Department operates a Help Room where students can get assistance on a drop-in basis. It is staffed by calculus teachers, lab instructors, and assistants. The Help Room is located in Room 132 of the Carr Building on East Campus. The hours of operation and tutor schedule are available from the first-year calculus web site. If you need extra help, please stop by the Help Room. I will be available there Mondays from 20:00-22:00. As well, you are welcome to stop by and ask me questions during my office hours, or schedule an appointment for a more convenient time. I keep an irregular schedule, so if you just drop by my office in the Physics Building you probably won't find me there (try emailing me first).
Duke Honor Code:
It is expected that all students abide by the Duke University Undergraduate Honor Code and are familiar with the importance of academic integrity and the definition of plagarism as detailed in the Duke University Information and Regulations for Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering on pages 11 - 14.