INFORMATION, RULES, AND POLICY

Math 106, Section 550, Fall 2000, Prof. Bo Deng

COURSE: Calculus
TEXT: Calculus, Single and Multivariable, Hughes-Hallett, Gleason, McCallum, et al., 2nd ed., Wiley (1998).
TIME: 11:30---12:20 pm, Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
ROOM: AvH 341
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Bo Deng
OFFICE: 828 Oldfather Hall
OFFICE PHONE: 472-7219
E-MAIL ADDRESS: bdeng@math.unl.edu
OFFICE HOURS: 3:30---4:30 pm, Monday, Wednesday, Friday (subject to change) or by appointment


Attendance

You must maintain a good standing on lecture and recitation attendance. A semester total of 6 un-excusable absence from lectures and recitations will result in a half letter grade deduction. A semester total of 10 absence will result in a full letter grade deduction. Attendance will be routinely taken by your recitation teaching assistant and spontaneously at your lecturer's discretion. A perfect standing receives 10 bonus points.


Quizzes

Quiz on almost every Thursday, with questions similar to your homework problems. Exceptions to these rules will be made by your recitation teaching assistant.


Hour Exams

There will be three hour exams plus the final exam. The hour exams will consist of both routine problems similar to your homework assignment and problems which may require some thought. The final exam is a comprehensive unit final. Cheating on quizzes and exams will be severely penalized and can result in expulsion from the University.


Group Prjoect

There will be two group projects. It may require some mathlab works. Your group assignment will be based on your academic standing in your recitation class. Each group must work independently from other groups and other group's members. Shared presentation materials in any form and to any extent with others will not be accepted, and all parties involved in violating this rule will be penalized severely and equally. Late projects will not be accepted. For more information, click Group Project Guidelines.


Gateway Exams

Every one must take the Gateway exam. You can do so with one in-class attempt and 3 on-line attempts. The deadline for passing is the midnight of December 1. Passing is to get 8 questions completely right out 10 questions. A failure receives no credit. A pass receives the full credit which is equivalent to one quarter of one hour exam. You receive 5 bonus points if you pass the in-class Gateway exam.


Grades

All quiz grades together is counted as one hour exam. Each project is counted as one quarter of an hour exam. The Gateway exam is worth one quarter of an hour exam. The final exam is counted as two hour exams. Your course grade is determined according to these weights. The standard numerical-to-letter-grade exchange table will be used for your course grade.


A Few Suggestions

Success in any mathematics course requires a tendency to perfectionism. Every step of the way, strict attention to the smallest detail is absolutely necessary. If you can learn to acquire the trait of perfectionism for certain courses, you will succeed much more easily in mathematics. The other way around is even truer, that is, if you are good at learning mathematics you are probably also good at learning other subjects as well.

It is important for you to work out the homework problems as much independently as possible. Try to reason through problems even though there are formulas or algorithms ready to use. This reasoning process is the essential part of the mathematical thought process. You should also do your homework in a timely fashion. Like most math courses, the material is very cumulative and therefore is easy to get behind. Time can be your friend as much as your foe.

Always read ahead. I will plan class activities assuming you have done the reading. As you read the text, concentrate on the general development first. Details of calculus and algebra are generally left to the reader; and eventually the reader should confirm all calculations. As a general rule, one should consider a pencil and scratch paper as essential equipment for reading mathematics.

Should you have any questions, speak up in class, seek individual help from your recitation teaching assistant or myself.