Mathematics 234: Third Semester Calculus - Fall 2017, Lecture 4
Announcements
Basic Information
- Professor: Betsy Stovall, 721 Van Vleck
- Lectures: TR 2:30-3:45 in 272 Bascom
Schedule of topics and homework will be posted at the bottom of this page.
- Warning! Our classroom is much larger than the enrollment cap. Please sit toward the front.
- My office hours Tuesdays 11-12, Thursdays 12:30-1:30 For quick questions, you may also see me immediately before or after class.
- Email Most questions will get a faster answer from office hours, the class Piazza, or the TAs, and all mathematical questions will be redirected to these resources. That being said, it may sometimes be necessary to email me. My email address is my last name, followed by @math.wisc.edu
- Teaching Assistants and their office hours (email addresses are username followed by @ math . wisc . edu)
- Eva Elduque: 420 Van Vleck, evaelduque
- Office Hours TR 4-5 in 420 VV
- Dis 363 MW 8:50-9:40 in B131 VV
- Dis 365 MW 9:55-10:45 in B337 VV
- Canberk Irimagzi: 101-03 Van Vleck, cirimagzi
- Office Hours T 12-1, R 11:30-12:30 in 101-03 VV
- Dis 368 MW 1:20-2:10 in B305 VV
- Dis 370 MW 2:25-3:15 in B131 VV
- Thomas Morrell: 616 Van Vleck, tamorrell
- Office hours MW 11-12 in 616 VV
- Dis 362, MW 7:45-8:35 in B131 VV
- Dis 366, MW 9:55-10:45 in B333 VV
- David Wagner: 820 Van Vleck, dwagner5
- Office hours M 12-1, R 11-12 IN 820 VV
- Dis 361, MW 7:45-8:35 in B219 VV
- Dis 364, MW 8:50-9:40 in B305 VV
- Yeyu Zhang: 716 Van Vleck, yzhang676
- Office Hours 4-5 TR in 716 VV
- Dis 367, MW 1:20-2:10 in B105 VV
- Dis 369, MW 2:25-3:15 in B105 VV
- Even more drop-in office hours:
- Math Lab, B227 Van Vleck, M-R 3:30-8:30, N 3:30-6:50 (staffed by math department TAs.)
- Drop-in tutoring at the Undergraduate Learning Center: Beginning 9/17: N-R 6:30-9pm, 3rd floor of Wendt Commons (staffed by undergraduates)
- GUTS Evening hours in Helen C. White and Steenbock Library (staffed by undergraduate volunteers)
- Course webpage http://www.math.wisc.edu/~stovall/234.17f
- Course description: Introduction to calculus of functions of several variables; calculus on parameterized curves, derivatives of functions of several variables, multiple integrals, vector calculus.
- Enrollment issues: The professor and TAs have no control over enrollment for this course, nor the waitlist. All course waitlist issues are dealt with during the first week of courses by going to the Help Desk room B107 Van Vleck, and the people in that room can almost always help you find a solution within an hour or so. If you plan on taking this course, I encourage to attend my lectures and some section while the waitlist issues get sorted out, so that you don't fall behind. Usually everything is settled within a week. After the Help Desk has closed for the semester you should email placement at math.wisc.edu for help with enrollment issues
- Help Desk Hours (B107 VV)
- Sept 6-7: 8:30-3:30
- Sept 8: 9-3
- Sept 11-15: 10-2
- Text: There is a required course pack based on departmental notes. Instructions for purchasing a printed version of the course packet ($17) may be found here. A .pdf of the course packet may be found here. You are expected to have a printed version of the course packet.
- Piazza: There will be a class Piazza page. I will email you with more information once this has been created.
- Help is out there!! If you are concerned about your performance or progress in the course, it's best to get help early. This page outlines a number of options.
Grades
- Formula for computing grades:
- Midterm 1 25%, Midterm 2 25%, Final exam 35%, Section 15% (Quiz 10%, Homework 5%)
- Section grades will consist of Homework (1/3) and Quizzes (2/3). We will use exam grades to rescale grades of each section in order to compensate for differences in grading schemes between sections.
- Quizzes: Your TA will schedule weekly quizzes, which contribute to your section grade. There will be no makeup quizzes under any circumstances. However, to accommodate unavoidable absences or poor performance due to illness, we will automatically drop everyone's three lowest quiz scores. In addition, there will be two small out-of-class projects, that will count as quizzes.
- I strongly recommend that you write corrected solutions to each quiz for yourself, even if your TA provides solutions.
- The topics in this class are easiest to learn in real time, so if you don't understand how to solve a homework problem or you didn't do well on a quiz, don't wait until the exam to learn the topic properly.
- Homework: Homework will be posted at the bottom of this page, and is due at the beginning of section on Wednesday. Late homework will not be accepted. If you need to miss a class when homework is due, you are expected to make arrangements with the TA to turn in your homework ahead of time. To accommodate absences due to illness or other emergencies, we will automatically drop everyone's two lowest homework scores.
- You are encouraged to discuss homework questions with each other or to use the class resources (Piazza, office hours, TAs, etc.) as you are learning to solve different types of problems.
- Homework will only be graded for completeness in order to give you the flexibility to work with other students or use other outside resources if that helps you learn how to do the problems.
- That being said, each week, you should do a representative sampling of problems on your own, without books or notes. This may mean you need to solve more problems than have been assigned.
- Are we responsible for ...? Probably. I will keep an up-to-date lecture schedule below. You are responsible for every section in the recommended reading below, as well as the material covered in class. If you miss a lecture, you are expected to get the notes from a classmate.
- Show your work! Mathematics requires the ability to make correct computations as well as the ability to explain the logic behind the answer. Thus on all quiz, homework, and exam problems, you must clearly (and legibly!) justify your answers to receive full credit. See examples in the class notes, lecture, and discussion section as a model for the level of detail. A rough guideline is that a correct solution is one that would be clear to an average student in this course.
- Canvas All grades will be posted on the UW Canvas site for this course. Those are the official course grades, but typos happen, and it is your responsibility to double check that the posted those grades are correct. If you find an error in your posted grade, let your TA know as soon as possible.
Exams
- There will be two in-class midterm exams and one final exam.
- Midterm 1 Thursday, October 5 (in class)
- Midterm 2 Thursday, November 9 (in class)
- Final Exam Saturday, December 16, the university scheduled time (12:35-2:35) and place (tbd)
- Missed Midterm policy: There will be no makeup exams, except in cases of extreme hardship, a religious conflict, or mandatory National Guard/Reserve training/service, as agreed to by the instructor before the exam day and time. In the vast majority of cases (every case in a typical semester), students with an approved absence from one of the midterm exams will be graded according to an alternate grading scheme (below). Absences must be approved by me ahead of time or be family/medical emergencies. A written (email suffices) explanation for an absence from an exam must be submitted to your TA and me in writing as soon as possible, at least two weeks before the exam for a planned absence, and as soon as you are able for an emergency.
- If a student has an approved absence from the first midterm, the average of the rescaled second midterm and final exam scores will replace the first midterm score.
- If a student has an approved absence from the second midterm, the rescaled final exam score will replace the second midterm score.
- Do not miss both midterms. Students missing both midterms will not pass the course.
- Do not miss the final exam Per university policy, students must take the final exam during the university scheduled time. In rare circumstances, an incomplete may be appropriate. Students who do not take the final exam and for whom an incomplete is not appropriate will not pass the course.
- Ask: These course policies are designed to address typical issues that might arise during a semester. On rare occasions, serious, unforseen family or medical crises arise that might warrant a modification to these policies (such as the no late homework policy) for an individual student. If you think this applies to you, please discuss your situation with me. Such requests must be considered in the context of fairness to all students and the resources of the professors and TAs, so the answer may be no, but students will not be punished for making a request. You may also find it helpful to speak to someone in the Dean of Students office about making a plan to recover academically from any personal crisis.
Other course policies
- Accommodations Students are expected to inform me of their need for instructional accommodations by the end of the third week of the semester, or as soon as possible after a disability has been incurred or recognized. I will work either directly with you or in coordination with the McBurney Center to identify and provide reasonable instructional accommodations. Disability information, including instructional accommodations as part of a student's educational record, is confidential and protected under FERPA, and I am happy to meet with you individually to discuss accommodations.
- Academic integrity Students in this class have the right to expect that their fellow students are upholding the academic integrity of this University. Academic dishonesty is a serious offense at the University because it undermines the bonds of trust and honesty among members of the university community. On homework assignments, you should feel free to use any resources that will help you learn the material, giving full credit for the ideas of others (peers, texts, webpages). We only grade homework for completeness, so there is no cost to having an incorrect answer on your homework. On quizzes and exams our academic dishonesty policy is more serious. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: looking at another students' work, making use of a disallowed reference during an exam, or looking at a cellphone for any reason (even if it's just to check the time) during an exam.
We treat all incidents of academic dishonesty very seriously. For instance, the consequences for cheating on an exam may range from automatically failing the course to suspension or expulsion. We will not hesitate to initiate disciplinary procedures should such a case arise. For more information, refer to Dean of Students Academic Integrity page
- Expectations: It is everyone's responsibility to create a positive atmosphere in this course. I expect each student and each instructor to be respectful of all of the students and instructors involved in this course. You may expect me and all instructors in this course to arrive prepared and to start and end class on time. I expect students to refrain from behaviors that are disruptive to your instructors and your fellow students, including: showing up late to lecture or section, leaving early, using electronic devices during lecture or section, or acting in a disruptive manner. Posts to the class Piazza page should be confined to questions regarding the material and logistical questions about the class (e.g., exam dates and locations). Any posts containing comments (either positive or negative) about the instructors, the class, the students, or anything else, will be deleted. Unprofessional conduct may result in disciplinary action.
- Nondiscrimination policy: All students have a right to an education, free of harassment and discrimination, regardless of any aspect of identity, including race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, or parental status. If you experience discrimination or harassment in connection with this course or have a related concern, please contact me. If you feel that would be inappropriate, please contact our department chair Gloria Marí Beffa, the Office of Compliance, or the Dean of Students.
Approximate Schedule of Lectures and homework assignments
For most lectures, I will post the notes I use in class. This is no substitute for taking your own notes or getting notes from a classmate if you do miss lecture.
Solutions, partial solutions, and hints may be found for selected problems from the text in the online .pdf version of our text, which is freely available on the Calculus Students' Page. I will post partial solutions to problems not from the text.
If you would like more problems or worked examples than are available in lecture, section, the text, and the homework, this online textbook looks promising, but I have not yet had time to review it in detail.
- Week 1:
- Lecture 1 R Building blocks: Three dimensional coordinate systems and vectors
- Reading: Chapter 1, sections 1-5
- Homework 1 (due 9/13): Problems 1-7 of Chapter 1, Section 12, AND:
- Sketch the plane described by the equation y=2
- Sketch the line described by the equations x=-1, z=3
- Given points A(1,2,3) and B(3,2,1), find the vector of length 5 pointing in the opposite direction as the position vector from A to B.
- Week 2:
- Lecture 2 T Building blocks: The dot and cross products
- Lecture 3 R Building blocks: Lines and planes
- Reading: Chapter 1, sections 7-11
- Homework 2 (due 9/20):
- Week 3:
- Week 4:
- Lecture 6 T Parametric curves: Curvature and acceleration
- Lecture 7 R Functions of several variables: Visualization via graphs or level sets, cylinders and quadratic surfaces
- Reading: Chapter 2, sections 15-16, Chapter 3
- Homework 4 (due 10/4). Solutions to problems not in text.
- Week 5:
- Week 6:
- Week 7:
- Lecture 12 T Functions of several variables: Gradients, directional derivatives, and tangent planes
- Lecture 13 R Functions of several variables: Local and global extreme points
- Reading: Chapter 4, sections 8-14, Chapter 5, sections 1-2
- Homework 6 (due 10/25): Selected solutions
- Week 8:
- Lecture 14 T Functions of several variables: Second derivatives, Clairaut's theorem, the second derivative test
- Lecture 15 R Functions of several variables: The method of Lagrange multipliers
- Reading: Chapter 5, sections 3-12
- Homework 7 (due 11/1): In Chapter 5:
- Section 10 (pgs 99-100): 2 c,d; 3 d,h; 5 j,k,l,q; 7 d; 9
- Section 13 (pgs 104-105): 2, 6, 7, 8, 13
- Week 9:
- Lecture 16 T Integration: Iterated integrals
- Lecture 17 R Integration: Integration over a region
- Reading: Chapter 6, sections 1-5
- Homework 8 (due 11/8):
- Chapter 6, Section 3 (pgs 120-121): 2; 3; 5 b,h,k; 6 b, d, e; 7; 10a
- Chapter 6, Section 7 (pgs 133-135):
- In 7 b,e: Sketch the domain. Express as an iterated integral in the order dx dy dz. Compute the integral in the original order and in the order dx dy dz. (Your answer should be the same, regardless of order.)
- 9, 10, 11, 12
- Week 10:
- Lecture 18 T Review (Warning: most of these do not have solutions, but perhaps it is helpful to see which problems I though would be good review problems.)
- Lecture 19 R Exam 2 Version 1, Version 2 Solutions (by one of the TAs)
- Old Math 234 exams
- No homework due on 11/15, but it would be a good idea to correct your exam.
- Week 11:
- Lecture 20 T Integration: Special coordinate systems
- Lecture 21 R Vector fields: Vector fields and line integrals
- Reading: Chapter 6, section 6, Chapter 7, sections 1-5
- Homework 9 (due 11/22): Chapter 6, Section 7 (pages 134-135): 1, 2, 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24
- Week 12:
- Lecture 22 T Vector fields: The fundamental theorem of line integrals and conservative vector fields
- Reading: Chapter 7, sections 6-9
- Homework 10 (due 11/29): Solutions
- Week 13:
- Lecture 23 T Vector fields: Green's theorem
- Lecture 24 R Vector fields: Surfaces and surface integrals
- Reading: Chapter 7, sections 10-13
- Homework 11 (due 12/6) (my thanks to the TAs for writing this and sending it out.) Partial Solutions
- Week 14:
- Week 15:
Projects
Each assignment will count as one quiz. Turn these in to your teaching assistant by the due date given.
- 2 page report: Develop and try out an "elevator talk" about multivariable calculus that is understandable to someone with no calculus background. Your report should include a short (waiting for and taking the elevator is about 2 minutes), nontechnical description of the content of or a particular topic in the course. Due November 20 (so you can try it over Thanksgiving break).
- 2 page report: Describe the use of multivariable calculus in fields related to your major, and conduct a search for jobs with the career center. Due December 11.