MAT 135: Calculus

Fall 2008 Syllabus

prof: Robert Talbert, PhD
office: Old Main 128
office hours: MF 11:00-12:00. MTRF 1:30-2:30, by appointment, by open-door drop-in, and by IM.
phone: 738.8268
email: rtalbert@franklincollege.edu
AIM: rtalbert235

Overview
Calculus is the branch of mathematics that studies quantities that change. In this course, we will try
to answer three basic questions about a variety of real-life situations:

1. When we have a situation in which one quantity depends on another -- gas prices depending on oil
production, free throw percentage depending on practice time, and so on -- how can we describe this
dependency in a precise way?
2. Given a precise description of a dependency between two quantities, how can we determine the
amount and rate of change in one quantity when the other is changed?
3. Given a quantity that is changing continuously, how can we determine how much change occurs over
time?

Everything we do in the course will go back to one or more of these three basic questions. The first
question is addressed by the concept of the function (Chapter 1 in the Stewart text) The second question
uses the concepts of the limit (Chapter 2) and the derivative (Chapters 3 and 4). The third uses the
concept of the integral (Chapter 5). And all of these constructions are related by the Fundamental
Theorem of Calculus (discussed in Chapter 5).

The questions and problems that calculus addresses arise in almost every area of human activity. In the
class, we will look at numerous applications, particularly in the natural sciences and social sciences. We
will do so with a view towards not only mechanical competency in making calculations but also
understanding the main ideas and concepts, using good problem-solving techniques, and
applying what we know to problems we have not seen before.

Course Goals
The successful MAT 135 will be able to do the following things with the specific content in the course:
• Perform mechanical calculations with fluency and correctness.
• Apply analytical problem-solving skills to new, complex, and/or applied problems in a variety of
areas, especially areas related to the studentʼs major or interests.
• Extend or modify basic course content knowledge to solve problems that the student has not seen
before.
• Communicate the overall strategy of a problem solution and the meaning of the solution in context to
an appropriate nontechnical audience.

In particular, note that merely obtaining right answers on simple exercises from the textbook is not
sufficient to pass MAT 135. You must also be able to go several steps beyond simple mechanical
fluency in order to show that you are doing college-level work and preparing yourself to use calculus in
future endeavors.

Expectations
Students enrolled in MAT 135 need to have placed into the course via the Math Placement Exam, or else
have completed MAT 125 (Calculus Preparation) with a sufficiently high grade. A very brief review of

MAT 135 Spring 2008 Syllabus: Page 1 of 9

precalculus ideas will take place in the first few days of the course, but proficiency with these
prerequisites as well as algebra and arithmetic will be assumed.

Students are expected to give MAT 135 the attention college classes deserve. Such behavior includes:
• Spending an average of at least two hours outside of class for every hour spent inside -- working
on class assignments, reading the sections, and discussing work. This includes work that is assigned
but not taken up or graded, such as end-of-section exercises.
• Solidifying basic skills in algebra and arithmetic where needed by the use of review web sites,
prerequisite textbooks, Math Study Center or office hours visits, and other means.
• Attending class every time it meets.
• Paying attention, taking notes, and working diligently during class meetings.
• Respecting others in the class, including the professor. For example, no idle talking or web-surfing
during class meetings.
• Taking initiative to ask questions when you have them, seek help where it can be found, and do work
that you need to do whether or not is actually an assignment.

Likewise, students in the course can expect the following from the professor:
• Prompt return of graded work and posting of grades.
• Fair and constructive grading practices, with detailed feedback designed to help you improve.
• Enthusiastic treatment of the subject material.
• Thoughtful treatment of all questions from students.
• Transparent course policies that are enforced fairly (though with mercy in extreme circumstances).
• Organized and effective learning activities during class meetings.
• A fundamental respect for students as learners and human beings.

Students should remain aware that there are significant differences between high school calculus and
college calculus, even if a studentʼs high school course was a well-run AP Calculus course. Students
should not expect MAT 135 merely to duplicate their high school calculus course, if they had one.

Resources
• Human resources: The best way to get input on the course, the assignments, or anything else is to
communicate with the professor. I hold open office hours at the days and times listed at the top of the
syllabus. You may also schedule an appointment if these times donʼt work for you, and any time you
see my door open you are free to make an unscheduled visit. You may also send questions via email,
via IM using AOL Instant Messenger, or by phone or voice mail if a face-to-face meeting doesnʼt work
for you. The initiative to make use of my availability is up to you.
• Electronic resources: We have a course website at http://mat135.wikispaces.com which is separate
from the Angel site for this course. We will use Angel only for grade posting; all other web-based course
resources will come from the other web site. This web site will contain links to the course Google
Calendar, course documents (including this syllabus), tutorials, and other helpful information. You will
be expected to check the course web site at least once a day for new postings and announcements;
alternatively, the course web site has an RSS feed for updates to which you can subscribe using an
RSS feed reader such as Bloglines or Google Reader.

Assessments
Grades in the course will be determined through five different kinds of work.
• A Technology Assessment which will be given in class on Tuesday, September 2. This brief quiz will
assess basic skills on Winplot, a free graphing tool which we will use extensively in the course.
• Quizzes which cover assigned exercises. These are ground-level formative assessments which check
your progress on understanding basic terminology, concepts, and mechanical calculations. There are
12 quizzes planned at 20 points each; the studentʼs grade on quizzes will be taken as a percentage of
200 rather than 240 to allow for mistakes.

MAT 135 Spring 2008 Syllabus: Page 2 of 9

• Problem Sets, given at key points in the semester. These focus on higher-level understanding such as
your ability to communicate technical concepts and results, interpret the results of a calculation, apply
basic content to new situations, perform more complex calculations, and solve problems in a creative
and systematic way. There are six problem sets planned at 20 points each; the studentʼs grade on
quizzes will be taken as a percentage of 100 rather than 120 to allow for mistakes.
• A Quarter-Term Exam scheduled for Friday, September 19 which will give a summative assessment of
your progress in the early portion of the course. This exam will be graded prior to September 21, the
last day to withdraw from a Fall 2008 course, so you can use the feedback on the exam to decide
whether to continue in the course.
• A Midterm Exam. This summative exam, scheduled for Friday, October 10, will gauge your
accumulated skills, on al levels, on the foundational material on functions, limits, and derivatives.
• Final Exam. A comprehensive Final Exam will be given to will assess your skills, at all levels, on the
entire course. The dates and times for each sectionʼs exam are given at the end of the course calendar
at the end of this syllabus.

These assessments are designed to cover the full range of cognitive and intellectual skills that college
students are expected to develop. For more information, see the presentation on “Assessment and
Intellectual Skills: Itʼs Not About the Grade!” given in class and archived on the course web site.

Grade Formula
The point values for the various assessments add up as follows:

Assessment Point Value Grade %

Technology Assessment 20 3%

Quizzes† 200 32%

Problem Sets‡ 100 16%

Quarter-Term Exam 80 13%

Midterm Exam 100 16%

Final Exam 120 19%

TOTAL: 620

† Students may earn up to 240 points on quizzes. If a studentʼs quiz total exceeds 200 points, the excess
will be counted as extra credit.
‡ Students may earn up to 120 points on problem sets. If a studentʼs problem set total exceeds 100
points, the excess will be counted as extra credit.

Each studentʼs semester grade will be obtained by totaling up the number of points the student earned
and comparing that with the maximum possible, which is 620 points:

Grade Percentage Range Min. points Grade Percentage Range Min. points
needed needed
A 93-100 577 C 73-76 453
A- 90-92 558 C- 70-72 434
B+ 87-89 539 D+ 67-69 415

MAT 135 Spring 2008 Syllabus: Page 3 of 9

 B 83-86 515 D 63-66 391
B- 80-82 496 D- 60-62 372
C+ 77-79 477 F 0-59 0 (We all start
here!)
Keep in mind that many majors requiring MAT 135 also require a grade of C- or higher to “pass”. Check
the precise requirements of your major in the course catalog to make sure.

Course Policies

Attendance. Perhaps the most influential behavior common to successful calculus students is regular
attendance. If you miss a class, you will find yourself behind, and you will have to work hard to catch up.
Conversely, if you attend class regularly, you will find staying current and fluent with the course material to
be well within your means. Unless it is totally impossible for you to attend class, you should plan on
attending, or else you will find it extremely hard to keep up.

However, there are situations where attending class really is impossible, and so you are allowed a total
of three absences during the course without direct grade penalty. You may use up these “personal
sick days” for any reason you wish, and you do not need to get approval from me unless you miss a quiz.
However, as with personal sick days in the professional world, you will be penalized once you use them
all up. Every absence after the third one will result in a -15 penalty from your semester point total,
regardless of the reason, even if that reason is a “serious” one. You may look at the grade chart
above to see that 15 points is almost equal to one half-letter grade. This penalty is in addition to the
implicit penalties you incur by falling behind due to excessive absences.

If you have used up all three of your absences but need to miss class again due to an unavoidable health,
family, or personal situation to which you must attend and of which you had no prior knowledge, please
consult with me. Depending on your situation, you might merit an additional sick day without penalty,

The strategy you should take is to conserve your “sick days” in case you really need them, which is what
professionals in the “real world” do. Note that you are not guaranteed a makeup should you have an
absence which causes you to miss a quiz, exam, or other assessment. See “Absences and Makeups”
below.

Attendance assumes promptness. You are expected to arrive to class at least a few minutes before
class begins and be ready to work once the class starts. Note that all quizzes and exams will begin
right at the beginning of class. If you arrive late, you will not be granted extra time unless your
circumstance is extreme and unavoidable, in which case you should start the quiz or exam when you
arrive and discuss time extensions with the professor later. If you are late to a quiz simply because of
poor time management, you will not be given extra time.

Students who miss more than 20 minutes of a single class meeting will be counted absent for that class
meeting. This includes being more than 20 minutes late as well as leaving class more than 20 minutes
early.

Absences and Makeups. If you miss a class meeting, you are responsible for learning the material
covered in that class on your own. You are expected to read the semester calendar and be aware of what
is being done in class on any particular day, and then do independent reading and exercise work if you
have to miss. You may seek help from me in the form of specific questions, but I will not re-teach the
material to you if you miss.

MAT 135 Spring 2008 Syllabus: Page 4 of 9

If missing a class causes you to miss a quiz or exam, you will be allowed to make the assessment up
provided you satisfy all of the following criteria:

1. The absence is the result of a serious illness, family or personal emergency, police or court
proceedings, or other instance which is beyond your control to change, is completely
unavoidable, and was not known to you in advance.
2. You provide documentation of your absence which includes the signature of an adult in charge of the
situation and that personʼs telephone number, and you submit this documentation within 36 hours of
the absence. (If circumstances make the 36-hour submission time frame impossible, an extension
may be granted if you contact the professor promptly.)
3. You agree to make up the work according to a schedule determined by the professor and follow
through on that schedule.

Note the following special cases of this policy:

• If you miss an assessment because you “felt sick” but did not see a doctor or nurse, you will
not be allowed a makeup. If you are not sick enough to see a doctor, come to class. Otherwise go see
a doctor.
• If you miss an assessment due to an official school or work function, then you must take the
assessment in advance of that absence. If you approach me after the absence to obtain a
makeup, you will be denied. The same policy applies to police or court proceedings, or other events
which require your attendance and cannot be changed.

Students with Learning Disabilities. Students with documented learning disabilities are eligible for
alternate quiz and exam environments, including extended times and alternate locations. Please see the
professor as soon as possible to arrange such accommodations if you are eligible.

Technology. It is assumed that students in MAT 135 have basic proficiency with the operation of a
personal computer and with the resources on the campus network. (Students without these skills can get
help from Franklinʼs IT Services department in the form of personalized training sessions.) Students will
be expected to check their Franklin College emails and the course web site regularly (at least once a day,
preferably more often) for communications and announcements. Such communication will not be sent to
nonstandard email addresses such as GMail or Yahoo accounts.

Students are expected to plan ahead for technological problems by having alternative plans for handing in
assessments. Technological difficulties will not be considered valid excuses for late work. For example,
failing to hand in a Problem Set because “the printer didnʼt work” will result in a grade of 0; the student
should instead email the assignment as an attachment to the professor or hand in the writeup on a flash
drive. It is assumed as well that you will back up your work to multiple locations besides your personal
computer (e.g. your G: drive, a flash drive, as an email attachment to yourself, using a web-based storage
service such as box.net, etc.) in the event of a catastrophic computer failure such as a hard drive crash.

Writing. A key element of MAT 135 is effective communication, particularly technical communication and
the writing of clear, complete, easy-to-follow solutions to problems. A large portion of assessments in
MAT 135 will be based on the quality of your writing, which in mathematics also includes the correct use
of mathematical notation and terminology. Therefore it is implicit in every exercise or problem you work
that you must give a complete, correct, and clear explanation of your answer and not just give the
answer itself. (For many problems, the “answer” is itself the explanation.) Students are expected to use
English correctly, including correct spelling and grammar, and to format their mathematics in a
professional way. Remember that you are not being graded on the correctness of your answers but on the
correctness, clarity, and completeness of your solutions and thought processes as actually given on what
you hand in. The professor will not give the benefit of the doubt that you “know what youʼre doing” if your
work gives no reason to believe such; your work must support and carry itself.

MAT 135 Spring 2008 Syllabus: Page 5 of 9

 Academic Honesty in MAT 135 and at Franklin College

One of the primary, if informal, goals of MAT 135 is to get you to think of mathematics as more of a
framework for understanding and solving problems and communicating their solutions, as opposed to
merely grinding out exercises and getting right answers. Development of your problem-solving and
communication skills is a key goal of the course. Even if you never use calculus again after the semester
is over, you may be assured that you will be called upon to solve difficult problems and communicate your
thoughts clearly to a nontechnical audience in your future paths. Figuring out how to do this in your own
way is an extremely important task for each student in this course, even if it means stumbling a bit at first
as you transition from high school mathematics to college mathematics.

As such, all of the work that you complete as part of the requirements for this course must be your own
work, or the result of an honest and equitable collaboration among the members of your study group.
When I grade your work, I am looking to see your own personal development in the understanding of
the material. I must be able to trust that the work that you are handing in reflects this development and
understanding accurately, even -- especially -- if there are problems or errors in it. I have no interest in
your merely emulating the work of one of your classmates, copying or even paraphrasing work from a
web site or textbook, or in any way otherwise passing off someone elseʼs work as your own.

Plagiarism is the term usually given to define the act of handing in work as if it were your own, when
in fact it is not. Academic dishonesty is a broaded term that encompasses plagiarism as well as other
actions such as using unauthorized implements on a timed exam. Academic dishonesty is so named, and
plagiarism is included under its heading, because academically dishonest behavior is intended to mislead
the professor into thinking that your work is an accurate reflection of your learning.

To be clear: Academic dishonesty is not a “youthful indiscretion” or something that can be

rationalized away because of the stresses of college life or because so many get away with it. It is
a deliberate, conscious choice on the part of the student to mislead his or her professor, and it
demolishes the mutual trust upon which all of education is predicated. If you plagiarize or commit
academic dishonesty, it is not just the one instance that I cannot trust; your entire body of work (past,
present, and future, and not just for MAT 240 but for all your college career) becomes untrustworthy. And
it is supremely unfair to the students who are struggling but doing so honestly.

The penalties for academic dishonesty in any form are appropriately severe at Franklin College. If a
professor suspects academic dishonesty on an assignment, the professor is required to investigate it.
(Note: This is not a choice on the professorʼs part but a job-related obligation according to the Faculty
Handbook of Franklin College.) If the professor, in his or her professional opinion, finds that academic
dishonesty was committed, each student involved receives a grade of “0” on the assignment, and each
studentʼs letter grade in the course is lowered by one full letter, after the “0” has been factored in. That is
the penalty for the first offense in the studentʼs career at Franklin College. If it is the studentʼs second
offense -- or if the student commits a second offense later -- the student is expelled.

While professors do have some leeway in recommending alternative punishments for academic
dishonesty, it is my personal policy not to do so, but rather recommend the full force of the penalty in all
situations -- whether the assignment in question was a final exam or a 5-point reading assignment.

In MAT 135, you get quite a bit of leeway to work with other people as you learn calculus and sharpen
your problem-solving and communication skills. Assigned exercises may be collaborated upon freely
among other students, and in fact I encourage a responsible use of study groups as you do these
exercises. Most of the assessments, both formative and summative, in this class are individual timed
assessments, so those students who conscientiously master the material on their own, whether or not
they study in a group, will be rewarded for their accomplishments. Conversely, students who freeload or
fail to engage themselves will find themselves, quite fairly, being assessed negatively. Obviously, on these

MAT 135 Spring 2008 Syllabus: Page 6 of 9

timed assessments, security will be tight, and any instance of using unauthorized implements or of
students looking off of othersʼ work will be dealt with immediately in the context of academic dishonesty
described above.

Problem Sets are the only outside-of-class assignments that you will have on a regular basis. On these
assignments, every sentence that you write should be one that you have generated yourself and
that you understand. You are permitted to collaborate with other classmates on overall strategies for
solutions and on big ideas and hints. But you must be working alone when you write your solutions.
Additionally, all collaboration with other students on Problem Sets must occur with students who are
currently at the same stage of the solution as you. For example, if you are making no progress on a
solution and find a classmate who had finished the problem, and then get help from that student on how
to do the problem, that is considered plagiarism (collaborating with someone not at the same level of
progress as you). If you are making no progress on a problem and get together with 2-3 classmates who
have also made no progress to brainstorm big ideas for the solution, then this in itself is acceptable
collaboration. However, if one of those students in your brainstorming group comes up with the correct
idea for the solution, and you simply write down their work without working out the details for yourself and
without real understanding, then thatʼs plagiarism (using someone elseʼs work as your own).

Also, the primary resource you should use is the course textbook and your notes (and the notes that are
on the course web site). However, you may find it helpful sometimes to look up additional reference
material in other books (such as other calculus books or a study guide). If you use such information in a
significant way for your solution, you must attribute it properly using the title, author, and page numbers of
the resource you used. However: It is plagiarism to use other books or other mateirals to get completed
solutions or significant parts of completed solutions; this is using someone elseʼs work as your own.

Finally, no contact whatsoever is allowed with past students from MAT 135, such as the student workers
in the Math Study Center. Student workers at the MSC have been instructed to deny requests for help on
all Problem Sets in this class. You may, of course, seek any amount of help you wish on textbook
exercises from MSC staff, which would give you a firmer foundation to attack the more complicated
problems in Problem Sets.

The easiest route to take in order to avoid issues with academic dishonesty is just simply to recognize
and avoid the temptation to engage in it. It is much better to turn in work that has problems but honestly
reflects your best efforts than to turn in something that, for all practical purposes, lies to the professor
about you. You might lose points in the short term, but you will learn better, perform better, and enjoy your
mathematical future better if you stay honest.

PS: In order to “walk the walk” here, I should mention that portions of this document were adapted from
Ted Sundstromʼs syllabus for his course Communicating in Mathematics, at Grand Valley State University.

MAT 135 Spring 2008 Syllabus: Page 7 of 9

 MAT
135(A,B):
Course
Calendar,
Fall
2008
This
calendar
is
subject
to
change.
All
changes
will
be
announced
in
class
and
on
the
course
web
site.


M T R F

8/26/2008 8/28/2008 8/29/2008

Overview
of
MAT
135;

 Four
ways
to
represent
 Mathematical
models

Four
ways
to
represent
 a
function
(1.1),
 (1.2);
overview
of
data

a
function
(1.1).
 continued.
 plotting
using
Excel.



Winplot
assignment

and
Technology

Assessment
guidelines

given.


9/1/2008 9/2/2008 9/4/2008 9/5/2008

Labor
Day;
no
class.
 Technology
 Quiz
1
(1.1‐‐1.3).
 Finish
1.5
if
needed.

Assessment
in
class.
 Exponential
functions
 Inverse
functions
and

New
functions
from
 (1.5).
 logarithms
(1.6).

old
functions
(1.3).
 Problem
Set
1

assigned.


9/8/2008 9/9/2008 9/11/2008 9/12/2008

The
tangent
and
 Quiz
2
(1.5,
1.6).
The
 Finish
2.2.
Calculating
 Problem
Set
1
due.

velocity
problems
(2.1).
 limit
of
a
function
(2.2).
 limits
using
the
limit
 Finish
2.3.
Continuity

laws
(2.3).
 (2.5).


9/15/2008 9/16/2008 9/18/2008 9/19/2008

Quiz
3
(2.1‐2.3).
Limits
 Derivatives
and
rates
 The
derivative
as
a
 Quarter‐Term
Exam

at
infinity
(2.6).
 of
change
(2.7).
 function
(2.8).
Problem
 (Chapter
1;
2.1‐2.6).

Set
2
assigned.


9/22/2008 9/23/2008 9/25/2008 9/26/2008

Derivatives
of
 The
Product
and
 Problem
Set
2
due.
 The
Chain
Rule
(3.4).

polynomials
and
 Quotient
Rules
(3.2).
 Quiz
4
(2.7,
2.8,
3.1).

exponential
functions
 Practice
session
on

(3.1).
 calculation
techniques.


9/29/2008 9/30/2008 10/2/2008 10/3/2008

The
Chain
Rule
(3.4),
 Implicit
differentiation
 Quiz
5
(3.2,
3.4).
 Finish
3.6.

continued.
 (3.5).
 Derivatives
of

logarithmic
functions

(3.6).


10/6/2008 10/7/2008 10/9/2008 10/10/2008

Rates
of
change
in
the
 Exponential
growth
 Quiz
6
(3.5‐3.7)
with
 Midterm
Exam

natural
and
social
 and
decay
(3.8).
 live
debrief,
plus
other
 (Chapters
1
and
2,

sciences
(3.7). Problem
Set
3
 review
questions.
 Sections
3.1‐3.8).

assigned.


MAT 135 Spring 2008 Syllabus: Page 8 of 9

 M T R F

10/13/2008 10/14/2008 10/16/2008 10/17/2008

Related
rates
(3.9).
 Problem
Set
3
due.
 Fall
Break;
no
class.
 Fall
Break;
no
class.

Related
rates
(3.9).


10/20/2008 10/21/2008 10/23/2008 10/24/2008

Maximum
and
 Maximum
and
 How
derivatives
affect
 Quiz
7
(4.1).
Finish
4.3

minimum
values
(4.1).
 minimum
values
(4.1),
 the
shape
of
a
graph
 and
practice.

continued.
 (4.3).


10/27/2008 10/28/2008 10/30/2008 10/31/2008

Using
calculus
to
 Optimization
(4.7).
 Optimization
(4.7),
 Optimization
(4.7),


predict
graph
behavior.
 continued.
 finish.
Quiz
8
(4.7)

(Replaces
4.5
and
4.6.)

 given
as
take‐home.


Problem
Set
4

assigned.


11/3/2008 11/4/2008 11/6/2008 11/7/2008

Problem
Set
4
due.

 Areas
and
distances
 Areas
and
distances
 The
definite
integral

Quiz
8
due.
 (5.1).
 (5.1),
continued.
 (5.2).

Antiderivatives
(4.9).

Problem
Set
5

assigned.


11/10/2008 11/11/2008 11/13/2008 11/14/2008

Problem
Set
5
due.
 Integration
practice
 The
Fundamental
 The
Fundamental

Quiz
9
(4.9,
5.1).
 covering
5.1
and
5.2.
 Theorem
of
Calculus
 Theorem
of
Calculus

The
definite
integral
 (5.3).
 (5.3),
continued.

(5.2),
continued.
 Course
evaluations.


11/17/2008 11/18/2008 11/20/2008 11/21/2008

Quiz
10
(5.2,
basics
of
 Indefinite
integrals
and
 Indefinite
integrals
and
 Quiz
11
(harder

5.3).
Practice
with
 the
Net
Change
 the
Net
Change
 exercises
from
5.3;

calculating
integrals
 Theorem
(5.4) Theorem
(5.4)
 5.4).

using
FTC.
 continued.
Problem

Set
6
assigned.


11/24/2008 11/25/2008 11/27/2008 11/28/2008

The
substitution
rule
 The
substitution
rule
 Thanksgiving
break;
no
 Thanksgiving
break;
no

(5.5).
 (5.5)
continued.
 class.
 class.


12/1/2008 12/2/2008 12/4/2008 12/5/2008

Problem
Set
6
due.
 Quiz
12
(5.5)
with
live
 Review
for
final
exam
 Review
for
final
exam

Integration
practice
 debrief;
Q&A
over
 (Chapters
1‐‐3).
 (Chapters
4‐‐5).

covering
Chapter
5.
 integration.


Final
Exams
Section
A:
Tuesday,
December
9,
8:00‐‐10:00
Section
B:
Wednesday,
December
10,
10:45
AM
‐‐
12:45
PM

MAT 135 Spring 2008 Syllabus: Page 9 of 9