MATH 146     Calculus for Biological Sciences                                     Fall 2001

 

Instructor:       Dr. Phil Gustafson

Office:              Wubben 151

Phone:             248-1176

Email:              pgustafs@mesastate.edu

Office Hours: 1-1:50 pm M-F, and by appointment.

 

Text:    Calculus for Biology and Medicine, by Claudia Neuhauser. 

We will cover selected topics from Chapters 1-6:  Elementary functions, limits and continuity, derivatives and applications, integrals and applications. 

 

Prerequisite:         MATH 113 College Algebra

 

Required:              Stapler and loose-leaf paper. 

 

Recommended:     Graphing calculator, preferably a TI-82, 83,85, or 86. 

 

Grading:          Quizzes …………………………………….      100 pts.

Homework………………………………….      100 pts.

                        Exams (4) ………………………………….      400 pts.

                        Final Exam …………………………………      150 pts.

                        Total ………………………………………..     750 pts.

 

Grading Scale: 90 – 100 % …………………………………     A

                        80 – 89 %  …………………………………      B

                        70 – 79 % …………………………………..     C

                        60 – 69 % …………………………………..     D

                          0 – 59 % …………………………………..     F

 

Homework:  Homework will be assigned and collected regularly, and graded on relative accuracy, completeness, and neatness.  You are encouraged to work together in solving homework problems, but you must write up your own work to turn in.  Homework is due at the beginning of class, late homework will not be accepted.  Homework must be written in a neat, organized and professional manner.  To receive credit, all homework problems must be worked in order, and all pages stapled together in order.  Projects and presentations may be included in part of the homework grade.  The lowest four homework scores will be dropped. 

 

Quizzes:  Quizzes will be given frequently, and may not always be announced in advance.  The lowest three quiz scores will be dropped.  No make-up quizzes will be given.

 

Exams:        There will be four regular semester exams, and the lowest score will be dropped. Realize that all exams need to be taken, and the lowest score determined from the four.  Make-up exams will not be given.  Tentative exams dates:

Exam 1:      Friday, September 14;                Exam 3:      Friday, October 26;

      Exam 2:      Friday, October 5;                     Exam 4:      Friday, November 16.

 

Final Exam:  Monday, December 10, 8 – 9:50 am.  The final exam will be cumulative, and all students are expected to take the final during this college-scheduled time. 


How to Get the Grade You Want:

1.       Attend class daily and work assignments daily.

2.       Ask questions – don’t delay!  Seek help on problems and difficulties as soon as possible.  One minute of clarification right after class on a problem may save hours of frustration.

3.       Be persistent.  Learning math sometimes requires lots of effort before a breakthrough occurs.

4.       Look over the book before coming to class.  Sometimes even 5 – 10 minutes of glancing over the text ahead of time can make a big difference in getting a handle on the material presented in class. 

 

Attendance:  Daily attendance in class is crucial for your learning in this course.  By missing class, you will not obtain valuable information as it is presented, and you will be absent from general classroom discussion and context.  For most students, missing class results in confusion, anxiety, and lower grades.  Missing one hour of class usually means several hours of frustration and catch-up.  I will follow the statement on attendance on page 39 in your College Catalog, which enables the instructor to initiate a drop or withdrawal for any student who fails to attend regularly.  Read this attendance statement in your catalog carefully.

 

Academic Dishonesty:  Cheating is serious offense and will be treated as such.  Cheating is an act of academic dishonesty, which includes using another person’s work as though it was your own or knowingly permitting another student to use your work.  The consequences of cheating on a quiz will result in the grade of 0 for all those involved, or in the case of an exam, an F for the course.  Other situations involving cheating will be dealt with in a similar way.  Further actions may be taken in accordance with the statement on academic dishonesty given on page 39 of the College Catalog. 

 

General expectations for this course:

1.       We will cover new material every day, approximately one or two sections each class period, with some overlap. 

2.       The first few minutes of class will be devoted to answering questions from the previous class.  You can consult with each other or ask me questions during this time period. 

3.       Class time is at a premium.  If you have extensive difficulties with the material, I encourage you to talk with me outside of class for the extra help that you need.

4.       Spend an hour or two each day, Monday through Friday, working on homework and studying the notes and text.  Set aside this time period now in your schedule, preferably at the same time each day.

5.       If you need a C if your life is to go on:  Strive for an A or B instead of a C.  The only way to get a C or better is by absolutely knowing how to work the problems.  Hire a tutor, make use of the college tutoring services, read the book before coming to class, rework homework problems to review for quizzes.


 A. Syllabus Confirmation

 

I have read and understood the syllabus for this course.

 

 

_____________________________________                _____________________

                        Signature                                                                Date

 

 

 

B.     Background Information

 

Name  (Print Clearly):   __________________________________________________________

 

Year in College             __________________________________________________________

 

Previous college math courses    ____________________________________________________

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Intended Major              __________________________________________________________

 

Phone Number              __________________________________________________________

 

Hometown                    __________________________________________________________

 

Other  (Please comment below on any other information that you would like me to be aware of.)