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Syllabus

Course:  Math 20A   (Course Catalog)

Title:  Calculus for Science and Engineering I

Credit Hours:  4   (Two credits if taken after Math 10A and no credit if taken after Math 10B or 10C.)

Prerequisites:  Math 4C with a grade of C- or better, or Math 10A with a grade of C- or better.

Catalog Description:  Foundations of differential and integral calculus of one variable. Functions, graphs, continuity, limits, derivative, tangent line. Applications with algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions. Introduction to the integral.

Textbook:  The required textbook for the course is Single Variable Calculus: Early Transcendentals (3rd Edition), by Rogawski and Adams; published by W.H. Freeman and Company; 2015. (We will cover parts of Chapters 1-5 of the text.)

  • We will use Chapters 1-5. Math 20B uses Chapters 5-11.
  • The Student Solutions Manual is optional. It has solutions for odd-numbered problems in the text.
  • The Online Study Center Access is optional.

Material Covered:  We will cover parts of Chapters 1-5 of the text. A list of the topics scheduled to be covered can be found on the  Course Calendar.

Course Readings:  Reading the sections in the textbook that correspond to what we are discussing in class is a very important part of learning the subject. Lecture time is very limited and not every subject can be fully covered in the time allotted for lecture. Consequently, it is in your own interests to read the related chapters in the textbook.

Homework:   Homework is a very important part of the course and in order to fully master the topics it is essential that you work carefully on every assignment and try your best to complete every problem. We will have two different kinds of homework assignments in this class: online homework (which will be graded) and "paper-and-pen" homework (which will not be graded).

  • The "paper-and-pen" homework assignments will be announced on the course Homework page. These assignments will not be turned in and will not be graded; however, if you seek help from the instructor or TAs, they will often do these problems. Also, exam questions often look like textbook questions.
  • Online homework will be announced on the course Homework page.
  • No homework assignment scores will be dropped at the end of the quarter.
You can get help with the textbook homework in the Calculus Tutoring Lab.  A Student Solutions Manual (available in the Bookstore) has complete solutions for odd-numbered problems in the text.

Electronic Computing Devices:  Graphing calculators and computer programs (or online computing websites such as Wolfram|Alpha) can be very helpful when working through your homework. However, a calculator/computer should be used as an aid in the learning concepts, not just as a means of computation. You should use these devices when working on math problems at home, but always keep in mind that you will not be allowed access to any electronic computing devices during exams. Of course, this also means that you will not be asked to solve problems on exams that require the aid of an electronic computing device.

  • Help with using TI graphing calculators is available in the Calculus Tutoring Lab.
  • The use of electronic devices will not be permitted during exams.

Exams:  There will be two midterm exams and a final exam. Check the  Course Calendar  for the exact dates of the midterm and final exams. You may use one 8.5 x 11 inch page of handwritten notes. (Both sides are okay, but no photocopies are allowed.) You may not use any other notes or any electronic devices. Please bring your student ID to the exams.

  • You may bring ONE 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of handwritten notes. You may use both sides. (No photocopies!)
  • No calculators will be allowed during the examinations.
  • You must bring a Blue Book to the exam.

Final Exams:

  • It is your responsibility to ensure that you do not have a schedule conflict involving the final examination.
    You should not enroll in this class if you cannot sit for the final examination at its scheduled time.
  • You must pass the final exam ( >59% ) in order to pass the class. (The actual required percentage may be lowered, depending on overall class performance.)
  • The date and time of the final exam is posted on the "Exam Info" page

Make-up Exams:  Make-up exams will not be given. If you miss a midterm exam for any reason, then your course grade will be computed using Method 2. (See below.)

Grading:  There are two methods to determine your course grade:

  • Method 1:   20% Homework,   20% Midterm Exam I,   20% Midterm Exam II,   40% Final Exam
  • Method 2:   20% Homework,   20% Best Midterm Exam,   60% Final Exam
Your grade will be computed using both methods and then the better grade will be used.

After your weighted average is calculated, letter grades will be assigned based on the standard grading scale:

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- F
99 93 90 87 83 80 77 73 70 <70

We may adjust the scale to be more lenient, but we guarantee that the grade corresponding to a given percentage will not be lower than specified by the above scale.

There will be no curve, but we may adjust the scale to be more lenient (depending on the performance of the class). Please note that there are no D grades in the Math 10 and 20 calculus sequences.

Please notice that outside factors, including the need for a certain grade for admission/retention in any academic program, scholarship or transfer credit, graduation requirements or personal desire for a specific grade DO NOT appear in the above calculations, and thus are not considered in any way in the determination of your course grade. Effort, improvement, class attendance and participation will all dramatically improve your grade in the course in that they will allow you to do well on quizzes, exams, and the final exam. They will NOT, however, actively participate in the calculation of your course grade.

Regrades:  All graded material will be returned in the discussion sections. If you wish to have your homework or exam regraded, you must return it immediately to your TA. Regrade requests will not be considered once the homework or exam leaves the room. If you do not retrieve your quiz or exam during discussion section, you must arrange to pick it up from your TA within one week after it was returned in order for any regrade request to be considered.

Grade Recording Errors:  Keep all of your returned exams. If there is any mistake in the recording of your scores, you will need the original exam in order for us to make a change.

Late Homework:  Because solutions will be provided for the homework assignments after the due date, no homework will be accepted late.

Academic Dishonesty:  Academic dishonesty is considered a serious offense at UCSD.  Students caught cheating will face an administrative sanction which may include suspension or expulsion from the university.  It is in your best interest to maintain your academic integrity. (Click here for more information.)

Suggestions:  Below are some suggestions that I hope will help you to succeed in this course:

  • Spend sufficient time on the course. According to the policy of UCSD's Academic Senate, "The value of a course in units ... shall be reckoned at the rate of one unit for three hours' work per week per quarter on the part of the student." During a ten-week quarter, for a 4 credit course, you should be willing to spend about 12 hours per week on the course.
  • Keep up with the homework and do not miss a midterm. Missing a homework assignment will hurt your grade because no homework scores will be dropped. This policy is designed to encourage students to complete all the assignments and reward those who do.
  • Get started on the homework assignments early. This will enable you to make the most of your discussion section time by coming prepared with specific questions.
  • When doing textbook problems, try to solve the problems before looking at the answer in the back of the book or the solution in the Student Solutions Manual. It is one thing to understand a solution that is given to you, it is another thing entirely to be able to solve it yourself.