MATH 250: Calculus III
Fall 2015
Course Syllabus and Class Policies
1. Major
Course topics:
á Review: Parametric Equations and Polar Coordinates
á Vectors and Three-Dimensional Analytic Geometry
á Calculus of Vector Functions
á Differentiation in Several Variables
á Multiple Integration
á Line and Surface Integrals
á Fundamental Theorems of Vector Calculus
The tentative detailed syllabus of the course can be found at
http://home.sandiego.edu/~pruski/m250f15schedule.html .
2. Course
Learning Outcomes:
á Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of multivariable calculus topics. This includes knowledge of theorems with complete assumptions.
á Students will demonstrate the ability to use methods of multivariable calculus and perform computations accurately and efficiently.
á Students will demonstrate the ability to solve
problems, including applications
outside of mathematics.
á Students will be able to construct elementary calculus proofs independently.
á Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate
mathematical ideas clearly.
3. Regular attendance is really necessary. 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 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. There
simply 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. Normally, in all my courses, not only do I encourage class
discussion, but I try not to limit its scope. Calculus III – because of the huge amount of class material
to cover – is the only course where I sometimes may need to limit
questions in class in an attempt to balance
individual studentsÕ benefit vs. the benefit for the entire class. I will hold additional
office hours, especially for this class - on Thursdays before the exams.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Because of the increased availability of various symbolic
algebra/calculus tools such as computer packages (MATLAB, Mathematica, Maple, etc.) and advanced calculators, the computational aspect of the course has been 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.
9. The textbook: Jon Rogawski, Multivariable Calculus, Second Edition (Chapters
11 through 17, or 12 through 18, depending on the version of the textbook). I
cannot lecture on everything in class (simply, 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.
10. Office
hours (Dr. Lukasz Pruski, Serra
149, x. 4035):
Monday |
10:10 - 11:10 |
Tuesday |
2:20 - 3:50 |
Wednesday |
4:30 - 5:30 |
Friday |
2 - 3:30 |
and at other times, by appointment. (NOTE: These days/times are tentative at this point.)
11. 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 a few weekends
when I am out of town. I have voice mail (x.
4035), but I sometimes forget to check it. You may call the Mathematics
Department Executive Assistant, Tina, at x. 4706, as well.
12. A
primitive webpage for the course is at http://home.sandiego.edu/~pruski/m250f15.html . You should check the
webpage daily for assignments,
announcements, and links.
13. Homework
Assignments will be assigned and
collected once or twice 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.
14. 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. Three 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.
15. There will be three tests (hour exams); the dates are
October 2, October 30, and December 4. Tests will be of closed-book variety. The test scores will 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.
16. The final exam (Wednesday, December 16, 2:00 - 4:30) will be cumulative and its score will count for 30% of the course grade. The exam is closed-book and the calculator
policy will be the same as during the tests.
17. Calculator
policy on quizzes and exams: No
calculators beyond TI-83/4, smart phones, iPods, tablets, etc. are allowed.
18. 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.)
19. The Mathematics and Computer Science 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 elseÕs 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.