Calculus I

Internet Based

MATH 181

Office:

Frank Daniels
Great Basin College
Ely Branch Campus
2115 Bobcat Drive
Ely, NV 89301

Phone:

(775) 289-3589 (office)
(775) 289-3599 (college fax)

Textbook: Calculus, Seventh Edition, by James Stewart ISBN: 978-0-538-49781-7 This book may be ordered through your outlet of choice. Click here to compare prices. This is the same textbook that will be used for MATH 182 and MATH 283.
Optional Supplement:	Student Solutions Manual, by Daniel Anderson, Jeffery A. Cole, and Daniel Drucker ISBN: 978-0-840-04949-0

Class Conditions:

1. You must be using a Windows-based system.
2. You must have a Web browser that is graphics capable and frames-capable. That browser must be set up to run JavaScript. The class assumes you are using Firefox or Internet Explorer. You need an e-mail account somewhere to send and receive feedback. The class assumes that you know how to properly use e-mail and your browser.
3. Your Internet software must be installed and working. This class does not teach how to set up your Internet software.
4. You must have Microsoft Word 97 or higher on your system and know how to use it.
5. Your copy of MS Word must have the Equation Editor installed and working. Sometimes, the Equation Editor has not been installed. You can check this in Word 2007 by clicking the "Insert" menu at the top. The "Equation" item may be found near the right side of the ribbon. In earlier versions of MS Word, select the "Insert" menu from the list of menus at the top. From this menu, choose "Object." This should give you a list of all kinds of objects to insert. "Microsoft Equation" should be somewhere on the list. If it is not, you'll need to put your installation disc into your computer and make sure all of the Office tools are installed. The first lesson will familiarize you with the features of the Editor that we will use. Microsoft WORKS is not acceptable.

Class Description:	Prerequisite: MATH 126 and 127, or MATH 128, or transfer equivalent, within two years. The fundamental concepts of analytic geometry and calculus functions, graphs, limits, derivatives, and integrals. These topics correspond to chapters 1-5 of our textbook. This course is NOT "self-paced". Taking a math course online is considerably difficult, but if you succeed in keeping up and ask questions about material that you do not understand, you will succeed. Remember that you have a "live" instructor who will answer your questions -- this is not a correspondence course.
Course Objectives:	The course will cover all major concepts in differential and basic integral calculus, including some theory.
Learning Outcomes:	The successful student will be able to: relate tangent lines and difference quotients to limits1 take the limit of a function at a point using the definition1 take the limit of a function at infinity using the definition1 take the limit of a function at a point or infinity using limit properties1 evaluate a derivative using the ε-δ method2 evaluate a derivative using the properties of differnetiation, including the Product Rule, Quotient Rule, and Chain Rule2 evaluate derivatives of polynomials, rational functions, trigonometric functions, and radicals2 find the derivative using implicit differentiation2 apply derivatives to motion problems and other rates of change3 apply derivatives to situations involving related rates3 find a linear approximation near a point3 apply derivatives to optimization problems3 apply the Mean Value Theorem3 apply differentiation to curve-sketching processes3 approximate using Newton's Method3 find definite integrals using partitions4 find definite integrals using the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus4 find indefinite integrals4 find integrals that involve substitution4 apply integration to area, distance, and mass problems4 distinguish between and apply the integral to area, volume, work, and average value5
Measurements:	In order to provide accurate assessment of the learning outcomes, students will be tested regularly on the items documented above, as they are covered in the course. This testing includes homework, tests, and a final exam. Collectively, these instruments will measure the apprehension of all of the concepts listed above. In addition, since the material will be covered in the order shown above, the tests will address the concepts in groups as indicated above with superscripts.
Contact Note:	Under no circumstances should you try to use WebCampus e-mail to contact the instructor. I have deactivated WebCampus mail for myself, and the course will not use WebCampus. If you try to contact me that way, I will not receive your e-mail. Please use only "regular" e-mail, and write to me to the address indicated above. I strongly encourage you to ask questions relentlessly through e-mail. You may attach MS Word files to e-mail (preferred), ask via e-mail without attachments, or ask questions by fax or on the phone (discouraged, since you will be unable to see what I might write to you). I plan to answer all questions within 24 hours. Students who ask questions regularly on the lessons (and on the "regular" homework) are far more likely to pass the course. Therefore, I encourage every one of you to ask frequently.
Calendar Note:	This class ignores holidays. During Spring semesters, there is a one week break in "live" and IAV classes. This class continues straight through the break. Two lessons will appear during that week just as in any other week. Your Internet access should not be from a provider that will restrict your access during that week or at any other time; you are responsible for maintaining your Internet access during all days of the semester. Lessons are normally posted on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Withdrawal Policy:	If you determine that you wish to drop the course prior to its conclusion, it is necessary for you to officially drop, either online through the college's website, or by visiting one of our college campuses and submitting a drop form. Any student who does not officially drop will receive a grade at the conclusion of the course. These grades will be based on the number of points that you have accumulated (see below). If you do not officially drop the course as described above, by taking this class you agree that your "last date of attendance" for official purposes will be the last day of this course. Since this may affect your financial aid, it behooves you to drop officially or to complete the entire course.
Instructional Methods:	Each week, there will be assigned readings from the book, which will be contained on each course lecture. I will provide lectures on the central points in each section that we cover. Portions of these lessons will be written with Microsoft Word, using the Equation Editor. You are strongly encouraged to ask questions by attaching MS Word files to e-mail (preferred), via e-mail, by fax, or on the phone (discouraged, since you will be unable to see what I might write to you). I plan to answer all questions within 24 hours.
Homework Policy:	If you don't do homework, it is unlikely that you will pass the course. However, homework will not normally be collected for a grade. The student is expected to do half of the problems from each section that we cover. Test problems will be similar but not identical to those in the book. Occasionally (see below), I will ask that you turn in your homework to be graded. When I do this, you should submit your homework as MS Word files, attached to an e-mail message.
Grading:	The class is graded on four tests and various assignments, as follows: 4 tests, each worth 35 points. These will be available online when the time comes and must be completed without assistance in one weekend's time, typically due the Monday after they are assigned in the lessons. Most test problems will be difficult enough that you cannot simply copy something from the book, although you should remember that the methods are generally the same. These tests will normally occur as we complete a chapter and will be "chapter tests." Consequently, each test will be no longer than 10 questions. You will e-mail your completed tests back to me as attached files. After they have been graded (usually the Thursday following their due date), I will post a message indicating so, and you will e-mail me after that time for your test grade. 5 homework assignments, each worth 20 points. These will be assigned at various times during the semester and will include a subset of your normal homework assignment. As with the other material, you will write the homework in MS Word and attach the file to an e-mail message. Homework must be completed on time. 1 Final Exam, worth 60 points. The test will be cumulative, covering all of the course material. It will be mailed out to you as an attached MS Word file, and you will complete it within 2 days. It will contain no more than 26 questions. Special: If you have an "A" average (216 points or better) going into the final, you do not have to take the final exam, but you must still hand in the final homework.

Therefore, the total number of points available for the semester is 300 points. The number of points required to obtain each grade is as follows:

A	270
B+	255
B	240
C+	225
C	210
D+	195
D	180
F	0

Obtaining Your Grades

The above is true for all assignments.

If you do not ask for your grades in a timely fashion -- keeping in touch with the professor by e-mail -- then you will not receive them. It is your responsibility to ask for grade information.

Calculating Your Score Mid-Semester:

Academic Integrity:

The Nevada System of Higher Education Code (Chapter 6) expressly forbids all forms of academic dishonesty, including (but not limited to) all forms of cheating, copying, and plagiarism. Students who are discovered cheating will be assigned zero points for the current assignment. If the cheating is believed to be widespread -- to involve other students and/or to cover more than one assignment or test -- then all students involved will receive "F" grades for the course and will be brought to the GBC Academic Officers for prosecution. I will normally recommend that students found guilty in that instance be placed on one year disciplinary probation.

Starting from scratch:

Getting started:

1. Purchase the book ahead of time.
2. Have your Internet access installed, and know how to use it.
3. Examine the Course Calendar.

   The Calendar indicates the file name of each lesson. Every lesson is located in the folder: http://cot.gbcnv.edu/~fdaniels/math181. Enter this each time, followed by the file name. For example, the first lesson is http://cot.gbcnv.edu/~fdaniels/math181/181-01.htm. You will obtain the course calendar by clicking here.

4. Familiarize yourself with MS Word and the Equation Editor.
5. Retrieve your first lesson, which will be posted as a web page (the URL's are available from the instructor). If you cannot access the page by January 26, write to me immediately via e-mail.

   NOTE: If you are taking this course through independent study, retrieve the first lesson here.

6. Read the book and lecture material for lesson 1, and notice that Lesson 2 will arrive on Wednesday.
7. PLEASE ask questions about any material that you find difficult to understand!

Good luck!