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We will cover material equivalent to that in Chapters 1-5 of
Stewart, with some additional ideas from Chapter 7. This includes
the basic ideas of differential and integral calculus.
We will concentrate on really
understanding calculus concepts,
and not just on doing enormous numbers of problems. Problems are
important, of course, but not for their own sake: they are important
because doing problems is one of the best ways to
build up your intuition and
understanding of the basic concepts.
In this section, you are lucky enough to have another tool for
building up intuition: the computer program Maple.
Maple is a computer algebra system: a program
that does mathematics symbolically, just as humans do. Like
any computer program, it can be frustrating at times, but once
you are comfortable with it you will be amazed at its power.
You will not be expected to be familiar with Maple
at the start of the course: we will spend a few class periods
learning to use the program. You will be expected to
be reasonably comfortable with computers, or at least willing
to learn.
If there is a drawback to using computers in mathematics, it is that you can get into the habit of relying on them for even the simplest computations. To avoid that trap, you will be required to complete 3 or 4 (depending on how we cover the material) of the Department's calculus gateway tests. In order to get a grade of C (or better) in the course, you will have to score at least 80% on each of gateway test. NOTE: It does not follow that if you score at least 80% on each gateway you will get a C for the course.
Assuming you pass the gateway tests, your grade will be based on the following factors:
NOTE: This syllabus, and other relevant class information, are available on the class website, http://www.uwm.edu/~kevinm/teaching/231/frames.htm. You are responsible for any information posted on the website, so you should get into the habit of checking it frequently.