João Pedro Boavida

Grades Out

As you know from my email, I've just posted the grades. As explained in the syllabus, I cannot return the finals to you.

In our section, the average score on the final was 132/200 (C). The middle 50% of scores on the final ranged from 110/200 (D) to 161/200 (B).

As to overall scores (including only people who took the final), the average was 380/600. The middle 50% of overall scores ranged from 359/600 to 502/600.

This is the last post. Have a great Fall!

Final & Review

Tomorrow we'll resume our final review. There's a few topics we need to go back to. Again, the approximate schedule is:

We can of course talk about any other topics too, but those are the topics we didn't get to yet.

As I told you, the final (and its office hour) will not be in our usual Friday's room; we'll go instead to Murphy Hall 214.

Test 4 Results

Tomorrow you'll receive test 4 back, as well as the test 4 answer key.

The average was 36/50, and the middle 50% of scores ranged from 31/50 to 45/50.

I've also calculated the current homework total (including only the top 20 scores for each person, as described in the syllabus). All that's missing is any late scores for assignment #26 as well as tomorrow's assignment #27. They shouldn't change things too much. The current average is 132/200, with the middle 50% of scores ranging from 105/200 to 175/200.

Finally, as to the overall scores (all tests plus homework), counting only people who took all tests, the current average is 283/400, with the middle 50% of scores ranging from 258/400 to 338/400.

Based on the current scores, and assuming what you do on the final is comparable to what you've done so far, I'd say a 275/400 would be a middle C, a 315/400 would be a middle B, and a 350/400 would be a high A.

Finally, you may want to review what the syllabus has to say about the test scores and about the final and overall grade.

Test 4 Info

Our next (and last) test is this coming Tuesday, August 4. It will have the following questions:

• first partials of two functions (5+5 points);
• linear approximation in 2-D (6 points);
• implicit derivative (5 points);
• an improper integral (5 points);
• a probability question (6 points);
• critical points in 2-D (11 points);
• Lagrange multipliers (7 points).

Review Schedule

We will now be reviewing, both for the test and the final. To help you organize your study, we'll focus on specific topics and problems (from the list of review problems for the final) each day. This is the approximate schedule:

Assignments

I've posted guide 5, with all assignments until the end of the course. You also received a list of review problems for the final, prepared by the course supervisor (I don't have a digital version).

Test 3 Results

Tomorrow you'll receive test 3 back (you got the test 3 answer key today).

The average was 30/50, and the middle 50% of scores ranged from 20/50 to 40/50.

I also calculated the current homework total (including only the top 15 scores for each person). The current average is 102/150, with the middle 50% of scores ranging from 82/150 to 131/150.

Finally, as to the overall scores (all tests plus top 15 homework scores), counting only people who took all tests, the current average is 208/300, with middle 50% of scores ranging from 176/300 from 246/300. Ideally, you'd want to be around 180 or above. If your current score is less than this, you really must do something (for example, talk with me to strategize).

Test 3 Info

Our next test is this coming Tuesday, July 21. It will have the following questions:

• a simple differential equation (6 points);
• three integrals (5 points each);
• area of a region (6 points);
• show so-and-so is solution of differential equation (5 points);
• two slightly harder integrals (6 points each);
• a harder differential equation (6 points).

So, the test will really concentrate on sections 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 6.1, 6.2. The drill and warm-ups from guide 4 should be good preparation for the test, with the following change: the first half of the warm-up (on §6.2) assigned for July 21 should be done over the weekend.

Assignments

I've posted guide 4, with the assignments up to test 3 next week.

Test 2 Results

You received test 2 back, as well as the test 2 answer key.

The average was 30/50, and the middle 50% of scores ranged from 26/50 to 35/50.

I also calculated the current homework total (including only the top 10 scores for each person). The current average is 72/100, with the middle 50% of scores ranging from 60/100 to 89/100.

Finally, as to the overall scores (both tests plus top 10 scores), counting only people who took both tests, the current average is 144/200, with middle 50% of scores ranging from 121/200 from 162/300. Ideally, you'd want to be around 140 or above. If your current score is less than this, you need to do something (for example, talk with me to strategize).

Test 2 Info

Our second test is this coming Wednesday, July 8. It will have questions on the following topics:

• increase/decrease or concave up/down, absolute max/min (7 points);
• relative max/min (6 points);
• sketch a graph based on description (7 points), as in §3.3;
• equation of tnagent line (7 points), using implicit differentiation;
• related rates (7 points);
• optimization (7 points);
• three derivatives (9 points total).

The drill and warm-ups from guide 3 should be good preparation for the test.

Assignments

I've posted guide 3, with next week's assignments.

Assignments

I've posted guide 2, with next week's assignments.

Test 1 Results

You received test 1 back, as well as the test 1 answer key.

The average was 37/50, and the middle 50% of scores ranged from 29/50 to 45/50. The word problems and limits seemed to be the easiest topics for people, while the questions involving intervals (of positive/negative or increase/decrease) and graphing seemed to be harder.

Test 1 Info

(This information is still preliminary; both the topics covered and the point values may change a little, but this should give you some idea. I will update this post tomorrow.)

As you know, our first test is this coming Tuesday, June 23. It will have the following questions:

• three questions (7+7+7 points) on setting up word problems;
• one question (10 points) on graphing (including finding interval where the function is positive/negative, and finding interval of increase/decrease);
• two limits (6+6 points);
• solving an inequality with a rational function (7 points).

All questions are on topics we have been discussing recently in class. The problems and readings from guide 1 should be good preparation for the test.

Even though short calc is somewhat different from calc 1, you may want to look at my 1271 page for Spring 2009. In particular, this Spring's test 1 covers essentially the same topics (though the structure of the test is different).

Assignments

I've posted guide 1, with assignments for the first week or so.

Syllabus; WebVista

The syllabus is now available. You will get a printed copy of it in class.

The syllabus discusses in more detail what the course is about, but some highlights include the test dates and the grading policy (homework, tests, final).

We will have a WebVista site. It includes a gradebook and a discussion board. The site is password protected, so that only people in our class can participate, and only you can see your individual grades.

The easiest way to get to the WebVista site is to go to myU, choose the myCourses tab, and look for information about MATH 1142. Be sure to visit the following WebVista pages: browser set up and student support. Let me know if you can't get it to work.

Class Information

This will be the page for MATH 1142, Short Calculus, Summer 2009, Section 001. Announcements relevant for our section will be posted here.

If you are here now, I imagine you'd like to know something about me and the class. My 1271 page for Summer 2008 may give you an idea of what sort of instructor I am. However, don't take the specifics (frequency of assignments, grading, etc.) too seriously, as I plan to make some adaptations.

Short Calculus goes over some of the topics from Calculus I and Calculus II. However, we will not use any trig at all. Short calc has a more practical bent than the regular calculus sequence: we will focus on problem solving, word problems, and (a little on) how one would use calculus outside math. Do keep in mind that many majors do not accept short calc has a prerequisite; be sure to check with your academic advisor whether short calc can be used to meet your requirements.

I've not decided some details about the class, but (if you are here) I want to give you a heads-up. Your overall score will be roughly one-third homework, one-third tests, and one-third the final:

• Homework will be collected about four times a week (some days there may be an in-class quiz instead). No makeups at all, but you'll be allowed to miss some fixed number of assignments. I'll try to stay one day ahead of the homework, so that you be able to turn it in one day ahead (if you need to skip class one day). You can also turn it in one day late, but late assignments are scored out of 50% total.
• There will be about five tests (I've not decided the exact number nor the exact dates yet).
• The final will be held during class, on the last day of class. It will be comprehensive, and it will be the same final for both sections of short calc.

Summer classes are really intense; two days of class in the Summer are close to one week of class during a normal semester; one missed day can have a huge impact. Because this is a 4-credit class, you should build three study hours (outside class) into your daily schedule. I'll do my best to help you stay on track.

I will post more details when I finish writing them up.

Finally, maybe you are looking for information on how to get into closed sections of math classes? If so, check the math department registration procedures.