MATH 250: Calculus III Section 2
Fall 2024
Course Syllabus and Class Policies
1.
Major Course
topics:
·
Mini Review: Parametric
Equations and Polar Coordinates
·
Vectors and Three-Dimensional
Analytic Geometry
·
Calculus of Vector
Functions
·
Differentiation
in Several Variables
·
Multiple Integration
·
Line and Surface
Integrals
·
Fundamental
Theorems of Vector Calculus
The tentative detailed
schedule of the course can be found at https://home.sandiego.edu/~pruski/m250f24schedule.html .
2. Course
Learning Outcomes:
·
Students will
demonstrate a working knowledge of multivariable
calculus topics. This includes knowledge of theorems with complete assumptions.
·
Students will
demonstrate the ability to use methods
of multivariable calculus and perform
computations accurately and efficiently.
·
Students will
demonstrate the ability to solve
problems, including applications
outside of mathematics.
·
Students will be
able to construct elementary calculus
proofs independently.
·
Students will
demonstrate the ability to communicate
mathematical ideas clearly.
3.
Regular attendance
is really necessary. In Calculus III, it is quite
difficult to catch up with the material when you miss a class. It becomes
virtually impossible, if you miss several classes.
4.
Be aware that the
pace of the course will be EXTREMELY FAST, particularly in its first,
relatively easier part. Of all math courses I have taught at USD, Calculus III
is the most intense. The amount of material to be covered is
truly overwhelming. For example, the list of topics for the final exam is 80 items long, compared to usual 40 - 60 in other courses that I teach. We cannot omit any of the topics as the
course is a prerequisite for various upper-division courses. Your
success in these upper-division courses depends on your mastery of Calc III material.
We have to cover the entire list of
topics and there is no way around it. In the past years, students called the
pace of the course hellish, ridiculous, impossible, insane,
etc. I do not totally disagree; well, it is not an impossible course, but it is
indeed very, very hard. In my view, Calculus III should be an at least 5-unit
course, but it is not feasible for various reasons. The last four major
course topics are usually perceived much more difficult than the first
three. Thus, we will cover the first part of the course at an
absolutely breakneck speed to allow more time for more
difficult material. Please brace
yourself for possibly a rough ride.
I am here to help you.
5.
A student is
supposed to spend at least two hours at home for each class hour. Thus,
you should expect spending at least 8 hours a week
(more likely about 10 hours) doing your homework and preparing for
quizzes/exams.
6.
Since Calculus
III is a course in mathematics, we will be doing some simple proofs.
You will be expected to do some proofs in your
homework assignments as well as during exams.
7.
Because of the
wide availability of various symbolic algebra/calculus tools such as computer
packages (Wolfram, MATLAB, Mathematica,
Maple, etc.) and advanced
calculators, the computational aspect of the course is significantly
reduced. Computations are way less important than setting up the problem
correctly. Calculators and computers can do the computations; only people,
however, can set the problems for computations. In this course, the concepts
count much more than computations. In class I will usually omit the computational
details of, say, integrations. When doing your homework, you will be often encouraged
to use integration tables, advanced calculators, or various Web tools, except
for some problems that I will ask you to solve completely manually, and where I
will require that you show all the steps of your work.
8.
The textbook:
Jon Rogawski, Multivariable Calculus, Third Edition . We will
cover Chapters 11 through 17. I cannot lecture on everything in class - there
is not enough time - so you will have to learn quite a lot of material on your
own. Reading the assigned material is absolutely essential!
Quizzes may include questions on the assigned reading as a gentle method of
enforcing your reading.
9.
Office hours:
Monday |
11:15 - 12:15 |
Wednesday |
1:20 - 2:20 |
Thursday |
12:00 - 2:00 |
Friday |
1:20 - 2:20 |
and at other times, by
appointment.
10. Contact: The best way to contact me is by using e-mail (pruski@sandiego.edu). I read e-mail many times during the day and night, except for one or two weekends when I am out of town.
11. A primitive webpage for the course is at https://home.sandiego.edu/~pruski/m250f24.html . You should
check the webpage regularly for assignments, announcements, and links.
12. Homework Assignments will be assigned and collected approximately once a week. The assignments
will be graded partly on effort. I will assign many odd-numbered
exercises that have answers at the BOB (Back-Of-Book). The total
homework assignment score will count for 20% of the course grade. No
late assignments will be accepted unless you arrange it with me in
advance.
13. There will be about 10 short pop-quizzes
(not announced in advance). Quiz questions will refer to the recently covered
material and to the new material you were supposed to read on your own. Two lowest quiz scores will be dropped, and the remaining
scores will count for 20% of the course grade. Quizzes cannot be made up
unless you have a valid reason for not taking the quiz and you notify me in
advance of your absence.
14. There will be two tests (hour exams); the dates
are Friday, October 11 and Friday, November 15. The test scores will jointly count
for 30% of the course grade. A test can be made up only if you have an
actual emergency and if you notify me in advance about your absence.
15. The final exam (Monday, December 16, 2:00 – 4:30) will be cumulative and its
score will count for 30% of the course grade. The final exam may contain
an oral part.
16. Calculator
policy on quizzes and exams: No electronic devices (calculators,
tablets, cell phones, etc.) are allowed. No complicated computations will
ever be required on a quiz or exam.
17. Grading criteria are as follows:
Total percentage |
Grade |
90% and above |
A |
80% - 90% |
B |
60% - 80% |
C |
50% - 60% |
D |
below 50% |
F |
Of course, pluses and minuses
will be used, close to cutoff boundaries. (In the unlikely case that the number
of A's and B's falls below 40%, I will curve the grades up appropriately.)
Based on recent years' data, my distribution of grades was close to the math
department average.
19. The Mathematics Department
strongly promotes Academic Integrity. I hope issues related to academic
integrity will not arise in our course. There have been some cases of cheating
in math courses in the past – mainly the cases of submitting someone else’s
work as well as cases of cheating during exams. Depending on the severity of
the case, the possible consequences include: assigning
the score of 0 on the given assignment, lowering the course grade, or even
assigning an F in the course. The USD academic integrity policy can be found at https://www.sandiego.edu/conduct/documents/Honor-Code.pdf).
20.
Accommodations: Any student with a
documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations
is requested to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All
discussions will remain confidential. A student attempting to access Disability
Services for the first time should begin by contacting the Disability and
Learning Difference Resource Center (DLDRC) in SH, Room 300 (619/260-4655), e-mail: disabilityservices@sandiego.edu , website: www.sandiego.edu/disability/ It is the student's responsibility to schedule
an "intake" meeting with the DLDRC Director as soon as
possible.
21.
Health
Resources: If you feel sick, please stay home to keep others healthy. The following USD resources are
available to students:
·
· MyWellness Portal: https://mywellness.sandiego.edu/