MAT 125 Syllabus

Spring 2002

SUNY at Stony Brook
Department of Mathematics
SUNY at Stony Brook

Welcome to calculus! In this course, you will be given the intellectual keys to the physical universe. Want to understand the orbits of planets or the structure of atoms? The journey starts here!

Prerequisites: Placement Exam at level 4 or higher, or equivalent. It is satisfactory to meet this requirement by the end of the Add/Drop period 2/5. There is an extended period to transfer down to a lower level course until March 31.

Course structure: Each week, you will be expected to attend three hours of lectures and a one-hour recitation. (Section 17 is exceptional in this regard, however; recitations for this section will simply constitute part of one lecture period each week). Both lectures and recitations form essential features of the course. Attendance is considered obligatory.

Homework: Problem solving is an essential part of the course. Most weeks, you will be required to turn in a homework assignment at your recitation. For further details see Homework assignments.

Technology: Your textbook includes a CD-ROM which, like an electronic tutor, will try to offer helpful hints to guide you through those homework problems for which the problem number appears in a red box. (To start: load the CD into a Windows machine, go the Main Menu, and click on "Homework Hints.") Use of this tool is strictly optional, however, and in any case you will cerrtainly be able to find far better (flesh-and-blood) tutors at the Calculus Resources Center, located in Physics A-127. Students may also occasionally find it helpful to use a graphing calculator when reading the text or doing homework; the TI82 is a standard, recommended choice. Please note, however, that the use of calculators will not be permitted on the exams! Be sure that you are using your computer and/or calculator simply as a learning tool, and not as a crutch. Try doing your homework without these forms of assistance whenever you can.

Examinations: On Wednesday, February 6, there will be a test of your pre-calculus preparation, administered jointly with other courses; you will need to bring a pencil and an Opscan form to be able to take this test. Students who score poorly on this exam will be advised to drop down to MAT 122 or MAT 123. Next, there will be two evening midterms, on Thursday, March 7, and on Tuesday, April 16. All three of these exams will be held from from 8:30 to 10:30 PM. The final exam will be on Friday, May 10, from 2:00 to 4:30 pm. Make certain that you you will be available at these times. By enrolling in the course, we understand you to be declaring that you do not have any conflicts at these times. Make-up exams will not be possible under any circumstances. However, grades for exams missed due to a convincingly documented medical condition may be dropped at the discretion of the course coordinator.

Grading. Your course grade will be based on your examination performance and homework, weighted as follows:


Early Exam 10%
Mid-Terms 25% each
Final Exam 25%
Homework/Quizzes 15%


Calculus Resource Room (Physics A-127): This is a place where students can go for help with pre-calculus and calculus material. It is staffed most days and some evenings.

Schedule: The following is a rough outline of the course. Please attempt to read the relevant sections of the book before coming to class.

Week of Section Covered Comments
Jan 23 1.1. 1.2, 1.3 (Functions)  
Jan 28 1.5, 1.6 (Elementary Special Functions)  
Feb 4 2.1, 2.2 (Limits) Early exam on February 6
Feb 11 2.3, 2.4 (Continuity)  
Feb 18 2.5, 2.6 (Rates of Change)  
Feb 25 2.7 (Derivatives)  
Mar 4 2.8, 2.9 (Derivative as a function) Midterm I on Mar 7, 8:30pm
Mar 11 2.10. 3.1 (Calculating Derivatives)  
Mar 18 3.1, 3.2 (Product Rule)  
Apr 1 3.3, 3.5 (Chain Rule)  
Apr 8 3.4, 3.7 (Trig Functions and Logs)  
Apr 15 4.1 (Related rates) Midterm II on Apr 16, 8:30pm
Apr 22 4.2, 4.3 (Maxima and minima)  
Apr 29 4.6 (Optimization Problems)  
May 6 4.5 (L'Hopital's Rule) Final Exam on May 10, 2:00pm

DSS advisory: If you have a physical, psychiatric, medical, or learning disability that could adversely affect your ability to carry out assigned course work, we urge you to contact the staff in the Disabled Student Services office (DSS), Room 133 Humanities, 632-6748/TDD. DSS will review your situation and determine, with you, what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation of disability is confidential.