Math 20E Syllabus
Winter 2022

Course:   Math 20E (Course Catalog)

Title:  Vector Calculus

Credit Hours:  4  

Prerequisites:   MATH 18 or MATH 20F or MATH 31AH and MATH 20C (or MATH 21C) or MATH 31BH with a grade of C– or better.

Catalog Description:  Change of variable in multiple integrals, Jacobian, Line integrals, Green's theorem, Vector fields, gradient fields, divergence, curl, Spherical and cylindrical cooridnates, Taylor series in several variables, Surface integrals, Stoke's theorem, Consevative fields.

Textbook:  Vector Calculus, sixth edition, by Jerrold E. Marsden and Anthony J. Tromba; published by W. H. Freeman and Company; 2012.

Attendance:   You are responsible for all material presented in the lecture whether or not it is discussed in the textbook. You should expect questions on the exams that will test your understanding of concepts discussed in the lecture.

Material Covered:  We will cover parts of chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the text. A list of the topics scheduled to be covered can be found Here.

Course Readings:  Reading the sections of the textbook corresponding to the assigned homework exercises is considered part of the homework assignment. You are responsible for material in the assigned reading whether or not it is discussed in the lecture.

Piazza:  We will be offering help on Piazza Monday-Friday. Only comments/questions pertaining to the mathematical content of the course are allowed. Any postings that do not meet this criteria will be deleted and Piazza privileges may be removed. As a diverse community of learners, students must strive to work together in a setting of civility, tolerance, and respect for each other and for the instructor. Conflicting opinions among members of a class are to be respected and responded to in a professional manner. There are to be no offensive comments or language.

Homework:   As you are aware, you must learn math by doing math. You should try your best to work carefully on every assignment and complete every problem.


• Homework will be assigned on the course Homework page and should be submitted on Gradescope by 11:59 PM on every Tuesday.


• In order to accommodate the possibility of technological failure or other issues that might interfere with submission of homework, homework may be submitted up to 26 hours late with no penalty. Please be aware that the due date is Tuesday at 11:59 PM and homework submitted after that time will be marked as "LATE"; however, there will be no penalty for homework submitted up to 26 hours late (Thursday at 1:59 AM Pacific Time).


• There will be 9 problem sets. Your cumulative homework grade will be based on the best 8 of the 9.


• Selected problems on the assignment will be graded. While your work will be graded for correctness, keep in mind that presentation and organization directly affect your grader.


• Watching someone else do a problem or "understanding" the solution in a Solutions Manual does not indicate mastery - you must be able to begin a solution on your own and carry it to completion without help before you can claim mastery of that problem. Ask questions during office hours about homework problems that have caused you difficulty and indicate what attempts you have made to solve the problems. A thorough understanding of the homework problems and their solutions will prepare you well for the midterm exams and the final exam.

Exams:  There will be three midterm exams and a final exam. You will submit your answers to Gradescope.


• Midterm Exam 1, 2:00 - 2:50 pm on January 21
• Midterm Exam 2, 2:00 - 2:50 pm on February 11
• Midterm Exam 3, 2:00 - 2:50 pm on March 4
• Final Exam, 3:00 - 5:59 pm on March 14


• The exams will be administered in-person unless the university policy requires otherwise.


• You should not enroll in this class if you cannot take the final examination on its scheduled date.


• You can one 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of handwritten notes.


• Unless otherwise permitted explicitly in the instructions, you may not use any other notes or any electronic devices.

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:   10% Homework,   20% exam 1,   20% exam 2,   20% exam 3,   30% Final Exam
• Method 2:   10% Homework,   25% Best Midterm Exam,   25% Second Best Midterm Exam,   40% Final Exam

Your grade will be computed using both methods and then the better grade will be used. If you miss a midterm exam for any reason, then your course grade will be computed using Method 2.

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 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 participation will all dramatically improve your grade in the course in that they will allow you to do well on exams, and the final exam. They will NOT, however, actively participate in the calculation of your course grade.

Regrades:   Your exams will be graded using Gradescope. You will be able to request a regrade via Gradescope for a specified window of time. Be sure to make your request within the specified window of time; no regrade requests will be accepted after the deadline.

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.)

Accommodations:  Students requesting accommodations and services due to a disability for this course need to provide a current Authorization for Accommodation (AFA) letter issued by the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) , prior to eligibility for requests. Receipt of AFAs in advance is necessary for appropriate planning for the provision of reasonable accommodations. OSD Academic Liaisons also need to receive current AFA letters.

Note:  When emailing the instructor, you must include "MATH20E" in the subject line.