Syllabus

In mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
-- John von Neumann, Nobel Prize winner.

Time and Place: MWF 9 a.m. and T 9:30 at Arter 213

Instructor: Peter Saveliev

Office: Carr 239

Office Hours: Tuesday 2:30-5:00, Wednesday 2:30-3:30, Thursday 1:30-4:00, Friday 2:30-4:00, or by appointment, or any time I am there (see my full schedule)

Office Phone: x2910

Home Phone: 337-0390 (9 a.m. - 8 p.m.)

E-mail: psavelie (put Math 155 as the subject)

Class Web-Page: http:\\saveliev.net, then go to Math 155.

Mailbox: Carr Hall, Box 29

Prerequisites: good algebra skills, good familiarity with plane geometry

Text: Introduction to Differential Calculus, Second Edition, by Ron Harrell (1. Preliminaries, 2. Functions, 3. Derivatives and Limits: an Introduction, 4. Limits, Continuity, and Differentiability, 5. Applications of the Derivative)

Goals: good familiarity with major functions, understanding of the limit and the derivative, confident differentiation

Group Problems: due weekly (please, staple!), each Friday unless specified otherwise

Quizzes: based on the practice problems assigned daily, once or twice a week (unless we are having an exam)

Grade Breakdown:
    group problems + quizzes: 25% (1-2 may be dropped)
    3 exams: 15% each
    final exam: 30%

Letter Grades: A: 90-100, B: 80-89, C: 70-79, D: 60-69, F: <60

From the Catalogue:

155 Introduction to Differential Calculus
A study of numbers, order and inequalities, functions, limits, continuity, differentiation of algebraic functions, and applications of the derivative. All students planning to enroll in this course must take the Mathematics Placement Examination. Students who have successfully completed Mathematics 156 or 160 will not be given credit for this course. Students who do not complete Mathematics 155 with a grade of "C" or better must request permission of instructor to enroll in subsequent courses in Mathematics. Four 50-minute lectures per week.