Math 170

MATH 170-001
MATH 170-004
Syllabus
Fall, 2009

Instructor Information

Instructor:	Dr. Otis Kenny
Office:	MG 237 A
Office Phone:	426-3348
Office Hours:	9:00-10:00 MTWF
	or by appointment, drop-ins welcome
email:	okenny@boisestate.edu
	Do not use html formatted mail!

Class Meetings

Section 1 meets from 7:40-8:30 in ILC203. Section 4 meets from 12:40-1:30 in ILC403. The classes meet every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the semester. Even though attendance is not used to compute your semester grade, it is important to develop a habit of always attending class.

Text book

Hass, Weir and Thomas, University Calculus. ("Part One" is sufficient if your degree program does not require Math 275, Multivariable Calculus.)

Learning Objectives

(From the department's generic syllabus)

Our first semester calculus course has the usual objectives of a calculus course which is used by other disciplines on campus. As a service course taken primarily by non-majors, MATH 170 stresses neither the aesthetic side of mathematics nor the idea of mathematics as the study of patterns.

Through the course of the semester, successful students will be expected

To develop an understanding of the derivative and how it can be used in solving problems.
To understand the relationship between the derivative and the graph of a function.
To be sufficiently practiced in basic algebra to set up and solve equations and inequalities involving functions and their derivatives.
To recognize that the integral is an operator which can be approximated through Riemann sums and is (in a sense) an anti-derivative of the integrand.
To have mastered the basic formulae for differentiation and integration.

Core Outcomes

In this class you will be assessed on a wide range of skills. Among these are five particular items that make Math 170 a part of the University Core. By the end of this course you should be able to:

Analyze a word problem for relevant information; identify and set up a strategy for its solution.
Compute rate of change and total change using graphical or numerical data.
Express solutions in correct (or nearly correct) mathematical exposition.
Know that derivatives measure rate of change.
Recognize when integration is required and correctly apply it.

Course content

MATH 170 covers the first five chapters of the text. Mastery of these chapters will give you a firm understanding of the concepts of continuity and differentiability and in introduction to Riemann sums and integration.

Webwork

The online homework site has been moved to another site. Click on the appropriate link for Section 1 or for section 4

Grading

The semester grade will be based on the ALEKS exam and your performance on three "hour" examinations (20% each), a comprehensive final examination (30%) and on homework (10%). The daily homework is done using an online system called webworks which is available at this link. I will explain the username and password in class. Since this system checks only the answer, we will also have weekly paper and pencil homework which I will grade based on your written work. The way you write mathematics is as important as the way you write English. In this class we will use the homework format developed at Harvey Mudd College which can be found here . This format is designed to reduce the time I spend correcting homework. If you do not use this style, your homework will be returned uncorrected.

Your course grade is computed using a scale on which 80-100 is an A, 70-79 is a B, 60-69 is a C, 50-59 is a D and below 50 is an F. If your score on the ALEKS assessment exam is below the cutoff for MATH170, your semester grade will be lowered by one letter.

As a general rule, make-up exams will not be given and anything written in red is assumed to be written by me.

Academic Dishonesty

Unfortunately, there has been an increase of academic dishonesty at Boise State in recent years. Academic dishonesty includes such actions as

copying some one else's work and passing it off as your own.
not citing sources in research projects or essays.
using notes or references on exams where such use is prohibited.

The university policy on such activities can be found in sections 18A and 18B of the Student Code of Conduct which can be obtained at http://www.boisestate.edu/osrr/scp/student_code.html Such activities in this class will result in a score of zero for the exam or homework.

PDA's and cell phones and pagers must be turned off and put away on exam days, and are not particularly welcome other times. Graphing calculators are not permitted on exam days.

Homework

Week 1 August 24--August 28
Week 2 August 31--September 4
Week 3September 7--September 11
Week 4September 14--September 18
Week 5September 21--September 25
Week 6September 28--October 2
Week 7October 5--October 9
Week 8October 12--October 16
Week 9October 19--October 23
Week 10October 26--October 30
Week 11November 2--November 6
Week 12November 9--November 13
Week 13November 16--November 20

Important Dates

Monday, August 24	Classes Begin
Friday, September 4,	Last day to add, change to an audit
Monday, September 7	Labor Day Holiday	University Closed
Wednesday, September 23	Exam 1	Chapters 1 and 2
Friday, October 2	Last day to drop
Friday, October 23	Exam 2	Chapters 1, 2, 3
Friday, November 13	Exam 3	Chapters 1,2,3,4
Monday, December 14	Final Exam	Section 1 8:00-10:00 Section 4 1:00--3:00

Old exams

Here are some exams I have given in the past.

Exam 1	1999 exam postscript format pdf format
	2000 exam postscript format pdf format
	2001 exam postscript format pdf format
	2003 exam first class postscript format pdf format
	second class postscript format pdf format
	2004 exam Spring postscript format pdf format
	2004 exam Fall postscript format pdf format
	2005 exam Spring postscript format pdf format
	2005 exam Fall postscript format pdf format
	2006 exam Fall (Both pdf) Class 1 Class 2
	2008 exam Fall pdf
Exam 2	1999 exam postscript format pdf format
	2000 exam postscript format pdf format
	2001 exam postscript format pdf format
	2003 first class postscript format pdf format
	second class postscript format pdf format
	2004 exam Spring postscript format pdf format
	2004 exam Fall postscript format pdf format
	2005 exam spring postscript format pdf format
	2005 exam Fall postscript format pdf format
	2006 exam Fall (both pdf) Class 1 Class 2
	2008 exam Fall pdf
Exam 3	1999 Exam postscript format pdf format
	1999 Makeup Exam postscript format pdf format
	2000 exam postscript format pdf format
	2001 exam postscript format pdf format
	2003 first class postscript format pdf format
	second class postscript format pdf format
	2004 exam Spring postscript format pdf format
	2004 exam Fall postscript format pdf format
	2005 exam Spring postscript format pdf format
	2005 exam Fall postscript format pdf format
	2006 exam Fall (pdf formats) Class 1 Class 2
	2008 exam Fall pdf
Exam 4	1999 exam postscript format pdf format
	2000 exam postscript format pdf format
An old final	postscript format pdf format

Last updated August 19, 2009