Math 235 Course Policies

Course Syllabus (click here for HW assignments)

Math 235 Sections Using this Information

Please make sure that you are reading the correct course information for your Math 235 section! Only the following sections are using this webpage.

Math 235 Section 2
Instructor Jason Martin
Time/Place Mon., Wed., Fri. 8:00am - 8:50am Burruss 139
Thurs. 8:00am - 9:15am Burruss 141
Final Exam Friday (12/11/09) 8:00am-10:00am

Math 235 Section 4
Instructor Jason Martin
Time/Place Mon., Wed., Fri. 9:05am - 9:55am Burruss 139
Thurs. 9:30am - 10:45am Burruss 141
Final Exam Monday (12/07/09) 8:00am-10:00am

Math 235 Section 7
Instructor Roger Thelwell
Time/Place Mon., Wed., Fri. 10:10am - 11:00am Burruss 34
Tues. 9:30am - 10:45am Roop 105
Final Exam Friday (12/11/09) 10:30am-12:30pm

Math 235 Section 10
Instructor Jason Martin
Time/Place Mon., Wed., Fri. 11:15am - 12:05pm Burruss 33
Thurs. 12:30pm - 1:45pm Burruss 141
Final Exam Monday (12/07/09) 10:30am-12:30pm

Math 235 Section 12
Instructor Roger Thelwell
Time/Place Mon., Wed., Fri. 12:20pm - 1:10pm Burruss 34
Tues. 12:30pm - 1:45pm Roop 105
Final Exam Wednesday (12/09/09) 8:00am-10:00am

Textbook

University Calculus, by Hass, Weir, and Thomas (ISBN: 0-321-35014-6)

WARNING: Used Textbooks from the University Outpost are not identical to the official textbook. Several students have reported that the used version of the textbook they purchased from the University Outpost has subtle differences from the official textbook. Check the ISBN number of your textbook. If it is different than the official one, then be sure to double-check your homework problems with a friend who has the official version of the textbook.

Course Description

Math 235 is a rigorous, fast-paced, high-stress first semester college calculus course designed for students who have a strong mastery of pre-calculus materials (see the section on Prerequisites below). The course begins with the concepts of limits and continuity, covers derivatives and their applications, and ends with integrals. (Roughly chapters 2-5 of the textbook.)

About This Course

Note that our class will meet four times per week. One of the four meetings will be longer than the other. The long day is usually either Tuesday or Thursday. We will use the long day for either homework review or for exams. So, it's really important that you show up for the long day each week!

Most people learn best by doing. So, the best way to learn the material is to read the sections of the book and start the assigned homework before it is covered in class. That way, you can asked specific questions about the material or homework in class. The syllabus lists the textbook sections, homework assignments, and exam schedule, so you have advanced notice of what we will be covering.

You are responsible for everything in the assigned sections of the textbook, not just that which is discussed in class, so you must do the reading! Don't read in a distracted environment. Reading math isn't like reading Twilight! Often you will need to keep pen and paper nearby to work through examples and statements in the book as you are reading. You need to carefully parse each sentence and make sure you understand each step of the definitions, examples, theorems, and proofs.

Did you notice the last word of the previous paragraph? That's right, in this course we will be doing lots of proofs. It isn't sufficient for you to just memorize derivative formulas. You must be able to prove them! In this course we care about why, not just how, math works!

Getting Help

There are three basic ways to get help. All of them have their pros and cons, but hopefully at least one will work for you!

Attendance

Attendence is not taken. However, you are responsible for everything covered in the class as well as everything in the textbook. So, if you miss class frequently, then you might not do so well.

If you do miss class, use the course syllabus to figure out what material you missed and ask friends for notes from the class. Don't ask your professor for notes... most math professors have taught calculus so many times that they do it by memory, so they don't have any notes!

Grading

Homework

Homework for each week is listed on the course syllabus. The homework is not collected. To encourage you to do your homework, approximately 50% of each exam will come directly from the homework. Therefore it is critical that you keep up with the homework.

Exams

There will be six regular exams given during the semester. Each exam will be curved to a mean of 75% with a standard deviation of 12% using a Gaussian distribution. If you miss an exam, then you will receive a zero for that exam. There are no make-up exams. However, there is a "Final Exam Replacement" policy which is used to deal with missed exams. (Read about it below.) Remember that approximately 50% of each exam will come directly from the homework, so it is vital that you keep up with the homework assignments.

Final Exam

The Final Exam is mandatory, and unless you have documentation of extenuating circumstances, you cannot pass the class if you do not take the final. The final exam is curved just like the other exams, and there is a Final Exam Replacement policy: any of your curved exam scores which are lower than your curved final exam score are replaced by your curved final exam score. So, yes, this does mean that it is possible to get an A in the course just by getting an A on the final even if you fail every other exam... however, that never happens. Do not rely on the final exam replacement policy. If you fail several of the exams during the semester, then you will probably fail the final exam, too. So, do your best on every exam!

Course Grade

Your grade for the course is computed as a weighted average of your six regular exams and the final exam. The final exam is worth twice as much as a regular exam.

Your weighted average (as a percentage) determines your grade for the class on the standard 10pt scale (i.e. 100-90 = A to A-, 89-80 = B+ to B-, 79-70 = C+ to C-, 69-60 = D, below 60 = F).

Graphing Calculator

A graphical calculating device is required for this course. You are free to use any type of graphical calculating device you wish but graphing calculators such as the TI-83 or higher are sufficient. You will be on your own to figure out how to use your graphical calculating device as there are hundreds of models and your instructor does not know how to operate them all. However, most of the student assistants in the Science & Math Learning Center are familiar with the TI calculators.

Prerequisites

In theory, you are not expected to have had a high school calculus course. In reality, most people in the class will have had some exposure to calculus from high school. Regardless, to succeed in this course you must have a strong mastery of pre-calculus material!

This course has one of the highest failure rates at the University, and the mathematics faculty have determined that the single greatest cause of failure in this course is insufficient mastery of the prerequisite pre-calculus material.

The Math 231-232 sequence covers the same amount of Calculus as Math 235, but it also includes a substantive review of pre-calculus material and proceeds at a more relaxed pace.

To ensure that you are in the correct math class, you will take a Prerequisites Diagnostic Test during the first week of the course. If the diagnostic test indicates that you do not have a sufficient mastery of pre-calculus, then it is not recommended for you to continue in Math 235. Note that the last day to modify your schedule is September 1. The material for the diagnostic test will come primarily from Chapter 1 of the text book. The diagnostic test will be an in-class timed test where you will not be allowed to use any aids (i.e. no calculators, notes, books, etc.).

Academic Integrity

JMU has an honor code, and you are expected to abide by it. Simply put: don't cheat; report anyone you think has cheated.