Goals of the Course:
Math X aims to provide you with a strong and deep understanding of
both calculus and pre-requisite material. We want you to leave the course
with a solid set of skills and a versatile conceptual framework so you
are well-equipped for future studies, whether in mathematics, the sciences,
economics, or other disciplines. In order to achieve this goal we will
emphasize multiple approaches to problem solving and we will stress understanding.
In terms of prerequisites for other courses, the sequence Math Xa Xb is equivalent to Mathematics 1a. In actuality, in Xb we also cover a little the material from Math 1b (but not included in Math 1a): geometric series (of particular interest to those pursuing economics) and differential equations (with biological and economic applications).
In Math X we will thoroughly integrate calculus and precalculus material; we will start discussing the ideas of calculus immediately, weaving in background material as we need it. This gives us an entire year to reinforce the most important ideas and skills of both calculus and its prerequisites by using them in numerous contexts. The span of one year gives us enough time to work on eliminating your weak spots and to become familiar with and to draw on your strengths.
Format of the Course:
Math X is taught in small classes in order to provide an environment
where students are active participants and dialogue is promoted between
the teacher and the class and between students. Small class size will also
allow us to tailor the classes to your needs and to offer individualized
attention.
There will be twice-weekly laboratories sessions. These labs are designed to focus on both problem solving and conceptual understanding. If you think of mathematics as a language, you can think of the labs as language labs where you work towards fluency; if you think of mathematics as a science, you can think of the labs as science labs where you work on problem-solving. Labs will be carefully coordinated with the classes.
Section Leaders:
| Robin Gottlieb | Laura DeMarco | Andy Engelward | Tamara Lefcourt |
| SC 429 | SC 321d | SC 435 | SC 331 |
| gottlieb@math | demarco@math | engelwar@math | lefcourt@math |
| 5-7882 | 5-4744 | 6-5211 |
All complaints and administrative matters should be directed to Robin.
Reading:
Course materials written for this course can be purchased at Gnomen
Copy Center across from Widener Library. These materials will be available
on the first day of class.
Homework:
Problem sets will generally be assigned each class and are due at the
next class. Your Course Assistant will then grade your problem set and
return it by the following meeting. Some of the problems will look different
from problems discussed in class. This is not an accident. We want you
to think actively about the material, to be able to apply it in unfamiliar
settings, and to interpret it in different ways. Therefore we will not
give you a recipe for solving every problem. Your job is to accept this
as a challenge, a challenge that we will to help you meet.
Problems are an integral part of the course, and it is virtually impossible to do well on the exams without working through the homework problems in a thoughtful manner. Don't just crank through the computations and write them down - think about the meaning of the computations you are performing and the answers you get. Solutions will be made available in on the course website. Your Course Assistant is in charge of the solutions.
Occasionally you may be assigned either exploratory problems or what we will refer to as 'diagnostic' problems. The former encourage you to investigate creatively a problem that will be more fully discussed in class while the latter help us determine what background material must be discussed. You will receive full credit for thoughtful work on these problems even if you cannot solve them correctly.
We encourage you to form study groups with other students in the course so you can discuss the work with one another. In each section the section leader will distribute a list of names and numbers of those in the class in order to facilitate this. Group work is most useful after you have worked independently. Although we encourage you to talk with your classmates, work must be written up individually.
Help is available at your section leader's office hours. Additional help will be available at the Math Question Center (MQC). The MQC will use a portion of Loker (basement of Memorial Hall). Hours of operation will be Sunday through Thursday from 8pm to 10pm. It will be staffed principally by Course Assistants from calculus courses. Anyone with questions about the MQC should contact Robert Winters (5-4744 or rwinters@math).
Exams: (Coursewide)
| 1st exam: | Thursday, October 28, | at 6:30 pm | SC D |
| 2nd exam: | Monday December 6 | at 7:30 pm | SC A or D |
| Final exam: | Friday January 21, 2000 | time to be arranged |
Grading Policy:
A score for the course will be computed as follows:
| midterm score: | Take the higher of the following two options |
| 45% 1st exam + 45% 2nd exam + 10% lab score | |
| 40% 1st exam + 50% 2nd exam + 10% lab score | |
| exam score: | Take the higher of the following two options |
| 20% midterm score + 80% final exam | |
| 60% midterm score + 40% final exam | |
| course score: | Take the higher of the following two options |
| 90% exam score + 10% homework score | |
| 80% exam score + 20% homework score |
Gateway tests will be given periodically in lab. Questions on gateways will be relatively short and direct. You will either pass a gateway test or you will take variations on the test until you have passed. We will tell you in advance what will be covered. Passing the gateways gives you a 70 point cushion on your lab score. Quizzes contribute to the other 30 points. In other words, if you pass all the gateways and get a 60 (.60)(30) = 70 + 18 = 88. If your final exam score is substantially higher than all your other scores, your section leader may weigh the final exam as even more than 80% of your exam score.
Notice that using this grading scheme the final examination can count as little as 32% or as much as 72% of your final course score depending on how it compares to your other grades. The final and homework can collectively be worth as much as 84 of your grade.
We are looking forward to a good year with you in Mathematics X!
Course Outline for Mathematics Xa: