MAT 125:  Calculus A                  Stony Brook,   Spring 1999

Text: Calculus: Concepts and Contexts (Single Variable), by James Stewart.

Calculators: You are required to have a graphing calculator. We recommend the Texas Instruments TI-82, although others such as the Sharp EL-9300 or EL-9600 are also acceptable.

About this course: The goal of this course is to develop your understanding of the concepts of Calculus and your ability to apply them to problems both within and outside of Mathematics. Functions are presented and analyzed giving equal weight to tables, graphs, and formulas. You need to continue to develop your proficiency at manipulating formulas and equations, which are the language of science. Fluency in this language is essential for success in science or engineering. You will be expected to use calculators and computers to increase your intuition and understanding of functions and the infinite processes that are basic to calculus. However, you must remember that calculators are a tool-- any tool, when used without proper understanding, can be misused and even dangerous. While calculators do not ``make mistakes'', misunderstanding their results can cause you to make plenty of mistakes.

Homework: You can not learn calculus without working problems. Expect to spend at least 8 hours a week solving problems; do all of the assigned problems, as well as additional ones to study. Homework problems should be written up neatly and clearly, and handed in at the first lecture of the following week. Even though not all of the problems will be graded, you should do them all. If you do not understand how to do something, get help from your TA, your lecturer, your classmates, or in the Math Learning Center. Do not just ``blow it off''. You are encouraged to study with and discuss problems with others from the class, but write up your own homework by yourself. Specific problem assignments will be distributed several times throughout the semester, and can always be found on the web at http://www.math.sunysb.edu/calculus/mat125.

Reading: The textbook is intended to be read. Read the assigned sections before the lecture! This will greatly increase your comprehension, and enable you to ask intelligent questions in class. Furthermore, the lectures will not always be able to cover all of the material for which you will be responsible.

Examinations and grading: There will be two evening exams, and the ever-popular final exam. The dates and times are listed below; the locations will be announced in lecture. Success on the exams will require correct and efficient solutions to the more difficult of the homework problems. Part of your grade will be based on class participation in both recitation and lecture, as well as grades on homeworks, quizzes, and projects.

What When % of Final Grade
Exam 1 Tuesday, February 23 8:30-10:00 pm 20%
Exam 2 Thursday, March 25 8:30-10:00 pm 20%
Final Exam Wednesday, May 12 7:00-10:00 pm 40%
Homeworks, Quizzes, Participation, etc. 20%
Make sure that you can attend the exams at the scheduled times; make-ups will not be given. If you have evening classes, resolve any conflicts now. If one midterm exam is missed because of a serious (documented) illness or emergency, the semester grade will be determined based on the balance of the work in the course.

Math Learning Center: The Math Learning Center, in Physics A-125, is there for you to get help with Calculus. It is staffed most days and some evenings-- your lecturer or TA may hold some of his or her office hours there. A schedule should be posted outside the room and at the Math Undergraduate Office.

Disabilities: If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact on your ability to carry out assigned course work, I strongly urge that you contact the staff in the Disabled Student Services office (DSS), room 133 Humanities, 632-6748/TDD. DSS will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation of disability is confidential. Such arrangements should be made early in the semester (well before the first exam) so that we can accommodate your needs.

 

Lecturers Office Hours email
§1-5 Prof. S. Sutherland Math 5D-148 632-7306 MW 11:30-1 and by appointment scott@math.sunysb.edu
§6-10 Prof. B. Weiss Math 3-114 632-8261 Tu 2:20-3:15 (MLC) Th 2:20-3:15 (3-114) barak@math.sunysb.edu

Recitation Leaders

§1 Alex Krol Math 4-118 MW 11:30-12:30 (MLC) krol@math.sunysb.edu
§2,4,5 Harish Sheshadri Math 4-122 M 4-5 (4-122) harish@math.sunysb.edu
§3 Mihael Milea Math 4-117 M 1-2 (4-117) W 10:30-11:30 (MLC) mihael@math.sunysb.edu
§6,7 Silvia Anjos Math 2-122 Th 11:15-12:15 (2-122) F  1-2 (MLC) anjos@math.sunysb.edu
§8,9,10 Zsuzsanna Gonye Math 2-120 M 2:30-4:30 (MLC) gonye@math.sunysb.edu

Schedule: The current schedule and list of homework problems can always be found on the class web page. Note that this schedule may change a bit as the semester progresses, so check it from time to time. We will also post the solutions to each homework set here a few days after each set is due.


 

Scott Sutherland
1999-02-09