MATH 250: Calculus III Sections 1 and 2

 

Fall 2025

 

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/m250s25schedule.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 correctly 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, Fourth Edition . We will cover Chapters 12 through 18. 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

10:00-11:00

Tuesday

11:00 – 12:00 and 1:25 – 2:25

Wednesday

3:30 - 4:30

Friday

10:00 - 11:00

 

and at other times, by appointment. Note: the hours above are tentative - the permanent schedule will be announced in class in a few days.

 

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. If for some reason you are unable to contact me, try calling our departmental Executive Assistant, Laney, at extension 4706.

 

11.  A primitive webpage for the course is at https://home.sandiego.edu/~pruski/m250f25.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 10 and Friday, November 14. 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 (Friday, December 19, 11:00 – 1:30 for Section 2, and 2:00 - 4:30 for Section 1) will be cumulative and its score will count for 30% of the course grade.

 

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.

 

18. Free tutoring: The Math Learning Center (MLC) will open in a few days to provide free tutoring to students in math courses. Tutors with knowledge of Calculus III will be available to help. The MLC has a rich history of providing essential assistance to calculus students and has been praised by many Calc III students.

 

Students seeking additional support outside the classroom are encouraged to connect with a peer tutor through Knack. USD has partnered with Knack to provide students with access to verified peer tutors who have successfully completed this course. Visit usd.joinknack.com and sign in with your student account to get started.

 

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:

· Student Health Center: https://www.sandiego.edu/health-center (non-urgent email: usdhealthcenter@sandiego.edu)

· MyWellness Portal: https://mywellness.sandiego.edu/