Math 112H-019: Honors Calculus I
Syllabus, Fall 2006

Instructor: Dr. Lynn E. Garner 348 TMCB; 422-6153 lynng@math.byu.edu Web Page: http://www.math.byu.edu/~lynng/

Office Hours: 9–11 am MWF, 348 TMCB; 10–11 am TTh, Math Lab, 159 TMCB
Classroom and Time: 108 TMCB, 1:00 pm Daily

TA: Tiffany Lindsey

Text: Calculus (Fifth Edition) by Lynn E. Garner. Errata can be found on the web page above. Some problems have answers in the back of the book. Useful facts can be found in the Endpapers, at the end of the book.

The Course: This is a 4-hour course meeting 5 times per week. Wednesdays are review sessions and attendance is usually optional. See the Schedule. While attendance is not recorded, it is assumed that you will be attending to gain added insights to the text materials; the text is the basis of the course. If you get behind, by no means skip classes; talk to your instructor immediately.

Course Objectives: The overall course objective is mastery of the "core topics" of Calculus I, consisting of the material in the first six chapters of the text. (Chapters 7-10 are covered in Calculus II and Chapters 11-15, in Calculus III.) Detailed student outcomes (learning objectives) are listed at the beginning of each section of the text. Please read the Preface and To The Student in the textbook for suggestions on success in studying calculus. The main objective of Calculus is the solving of problems; that is the way we will spend the vast majority of our time in this course.

Pretest: Successful completion of Math 112 requires a solid background in both College Algebra and Trigonometry. Students are required to take a pretest on these topics. The pretest and a pretest review are available online at http://mathcourses.byu.edu . Select “Pretests and Placement Exams” and log in with your Route Y ID and password, then select (3) The Math 112 Pretest. The pretest must be taken by September 15. You are allowed 2 chances to pass. If your score is below 75%, then you do not have the necessary skills to succeed in Calculus. Talk to your instructor about your options.

Preparation Time: Adequately prepared students should expect to spend a minimum of two hours of work out of class for each hour in class (this is a University norm). This adds up to at least 15 hours per week for Math 112H. A minimal time commitment is likely to lead to an average grade, B-/C+, or lower; more time will be required to achieve excellence.

Homework: Assignments will generally be collected each MTThF, as indicated in the Schedule, where homework problems assigned are listed on the date due. Late homework will be accepted for half credit at any time up until the last day of class (December 14). Homework that is late because of extenuating circumstances (illness, family emergency, University business) will be given full credit; hand such homework directly to your instructor and explain the circumstances.

You are strongly encouraged to study together and work together on homework assignments. However, you each must submit your own assignment. Everything you turn in should be in your own words and you should strive to understand everything you submit. The style of your written solutions should be very much like that of a text book example; solutions should contain enough explanation so that one of your classmates would be able to understand easily what you have done. Generally, it is inadequate to merely write down a final answer.

Homework will be spot-checked, meaning that only selected exercises will be graded. If you always complete the entire assignment, you will always be eligible for full credit. Each assignment will be given a “batting average” score; your overall homework score will contribute 10% of your course grade.

Homework Format: Use standard letter-size paper and write on only one side of each sheet. Put your name and the sheet number at the top of each sheet. Keep assigned problems in order, labeling each with its number and section. If a problem has a numerical or algebraic answer, highlight the answer in some way. If the answer involves an explanation, use complete sentences and correct grammar. Place only one problem in any horizontal space; separate consecutive problems by drawing a line between them entirely across the sheet. To submit your homework, stack the sheets in order and fold the stack lengthwise to form a “book.” On the front of the book (the right-hand half of the back of the last sheet), write your name, Math 112H, and the section of text from which these problems are taken. Homework not in this format runs the risk of not being graded.

Midterm Exams: There will be four midterm exams, one after each of the chapters 2, 3, 5, and 6. Exams will either be in-class, closed-book or take-home, open-book. There may be group problems on a take-home exam, on which you may consult with classmates if you wish. Most of the problems will be individual problems, on which you may consult with no one but your instructor. Exam problems will be similar to homework problems. Each midterm exam will contribute 15% of your course grade.

Quizzes: Quizzes may be given unannounced in class at any time. Quiz scores will be combined with homework.

Writing Assignment: Because this is an honors section, there will be a writing assignment. This assignment can take the form of a daily journal or a term paper. The writing assignment will constitute 10% or your course grade.

If you opt for the daily journal, you will be expected to make five entries per week in a journal (a notebook or electronically) and submit it periodically (as announced in class) for scoring. Journal entries should be a paragraph or more in length and should address what you are learning, what you are going through to learn it, and how it relates to other parts of your educational experience. The journal will be scored on completeness and currency.

If you opt for the term paper, you will submit a paper on the history of calculus, three or four pages long, mentioning the contributions of at least Archimedes, Barrow, Newton, Leibniz, Euler, the Bernoullis, Cauchy, Riemann, and Weierstrass. The paper should have a cover sheet and a bibliography sheet. The term paper will be due in class on December 1, 2006.

Common Final Exam: A common final exam is given to all students in all sections of Math 112. This assists the Mathematics Department to fairly assess students' knowledge of calculus and to assign grades fairly across sections. All students in all sections are ranked according to final exam scores and given a grade using a historical curve. From this, an average grade (“predicted GPA”) is computed for each section. It is department policy that grades be given so that the GPA for each section will match the predicted GPA. Thus, the higher you and your classmates score on the final, the more flexibility your instructor will have to give you good grades.

No calculators, books, or notes are permitted during the final exam. Problems on the final exam will be similar to homework problems. Previous final exams can be found at http://www.math.byu.edu/Exams/. Your score on the final exam will contribute 20% of your course grade.

Grading: Your scores on midterm exams (4 @ 15% = 60%), homework and quizzes (10%), writing assignment (10%), and departmental final exam (20%) will be averaged with the proper weighting to form a course average. Course grades correspond to course averages approximately as follows:

A- to A: 88-100% B- to B+: 75-87% C- to C+: 55-74% D- to D+: 40-54%

Technology: You will need a graphing calculator for this course. If you already have one, it will do. If you do not have access to a graphing calculator, the HP 48 or 49 series calculators are recommended. Calculators can be used throughout the course, except during the departmental final exam.

Spirit of the Y: Since matters of faith and philosophy rarely arise in a mathematics class, your instructor wishes you to know at the outset that he fully supports the University, its standards and procedures, and its supporting Church, and he urges you to do the same. His religious philosophy is faith and obedience. He believes in the scriptural injunction to "... seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:118), but cautions, as Charles Schulz puts it:

Your instructor also believes in the revelation that "... if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come." (D&C 130: 19). He also believes that we have forgotten far more, because of the veil of mortality, than we will ever learn here, so that it is the diligence and obedience that give us the advantage, not just the knowledge. This is summarized in his educational philosophy, in matters of secular learning, more important than what you learn is what you go through to learn it.

The Fine Print. Here are some statements included at the suggestion of the University that inform you of some of your legal rights and responsibilities relative to this class.

Preventing Sexual Harassment BYU's policy against sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the university but to students as well. If you encounter sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination, or other inappropriate behavior, please talk to you professor, contact the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895, or contact the Honor Code Office at 422-2847.

Students with Disabilities BYU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability that may adversely affect your success in this course, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office at 422-2767. Services deemed appropriate will be coordinated with the student and instructor by that office.