Math 151, Calculus I     

Calculus is a study of a few concepts which produce a powerful base for discovering and explaining many, many things in our world. The two primary concepts appear fairly simple...the rate of change (or slope of a tangent line) and area. However these two ideas are extended way beyond the average rate of change of motion, the slope of a linear function and the area of simple regions with which you are already familiar. Your text book provides you with an excellent overview of calculus, A Preview of Calculus, on pages 2 - 9.

With respect to the needs of the business community and in accordance with the Seattle Community College District Mission Statement, a group component (cooperative learning environment) has been included in this course. Much of the work done in this class will be done in groups. The group quizzes, most worksheets and all the projects are cooperative activities between three or four individuals assigned to a group. There will be three different group assignments throughout the quarter.

Cooperative learning groups promote positive student-to-student interaction and give students a network of fellow students with which to work. Cooperative learning groups get and keep students involved with the course materials, as well as give the students the chance for oral rehearsal of the terms, processes and topics they are learning. Cooperative learning groups help students become responsible for their own learning and allow students a realistic taste of the business world.

The Math 151 class format consists of instructor lectures, and group activities. Questions and answers on specific homework problems are not handled in class. Some resources for help are the instructor (me!), your groupmates, your classmates, the MAST, CLIC and the Tutor Center.

Four calculus classes (Math 151, 152, 153 & 224) cover the material in this textbook. In our class (Math 151) we will be studying Chapters 1 - 4. (We will skip or lightly touch upon sections 1.4, 2.4, 3.7, 3.11 and 4.8.) The Class Schedule outlines the planned class activities and homework for each day. The Class Schedule is located on this website. Read and follow it carefully.

You need to have a calculator for this course. Your calculator MUST be a scientific graphing calculator. The calculators I may use in class are the TI-89 or the TI-86Plus. However, any other scientific graphing calculator is acceptable. I may not be able to help you do all the functions on your calculator, although I do know a bit about a lot of different kinds of calculators. (Keep your user’s manual handy!) The calculator will NOT take the place of your brain. It is merely a tool to speed up computations and short-cut activities that you already know how to do. You are expected to know how to do all the work that your calculator does for you.

You may wish to take advantage of the Calculator Rental Option available on campus. Ask your instructor about renting a graphing calculator for one quarter at a cost of $20.

I DO take attendance. Students who attend class and pay attention during class generally do much better than those who do not attend regularly. Achievement in any class and completion of that class are related to attendance. Be aware that if any graded work is done in class during a missed class, you will receive a zero on that work. Hence, attendance will affect your grade, but indirectly. Note that, usually, there will be a daily 5-minute quiz, a group quiz or a test during class. The 5-minute quizzes are Individual Quizzes and are done during the first 5 minutes of class.

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you have emergency medical information to share, or if you need special arrangements, or if you have other concerns you would like to share, please feel free to call, email or meet with me. If any special arrangements are necessary, you must meet with Roxanne Tillman. Roxanne Tillman, the Director of Special Student Services, is responsible for helping students who require access to special services. Go to her office which is located at RSB-012, call her at 206-763-5137 or email her at rtillman@sccd.ctc.edu.
If you are hesitant or unsure of whether you need, want, or qualify for special considerations, then fill out the Special Needs Information Sheet located under Handouts on this website.

Homework will be assigned daily. I do not collect homework in such a high level math class as Calculus. However, it is very important for you to spend time practicing the skills covered and become familiar with the class material. I strongly recommend you provide yourself with a Math Notebook, a three-holed binder, dedicated to this one class where you can easily access and organize all your work and the materials for this math class. Homework assignments will be given daily and are listed on the Class Schedule on this website. You are held accountable for all the material assigned. In fact, it is expected that you will do more than the assigned problems if you need more practice in order to understand the material and to keep up with the lectures.

There will be two 50-minute tests and an unspecified number of group quizzes (generally, one each week). Each test and group quiz will be worth 100 points and 10 points, respectively. Tests will probably be scheduled during the 3rd, 5th or 6th and 8th weeks of the quarter. Check the Class Schedule for specific dates. The third test is scheduled for the last Thursday of week 8, the last day class meets in the summer, so on Thursday, August 20th. Plan to be here!

Weekly group quizzes are given at the beginning of class over specific topics or material covered since the previous test or quiz. Students who arrive more than ten minutes late to a quiz will not be allowed to take that quiz with their group and will receive no extra time to make up for their late arrival. I do not allow make-up quizzes, but I do drop one quiz score (the lowest score) at the end of the quarter. (If more than one quiz is missed due to excused absences, I will grudgingly allow some make-ups.) quizzes will be given. Advance notice of quiz dates and sections covered are found on the Class Schedule. For any changes in the Schedule, you will be given at least one day’s notice in class. Rare, but possible, will be pop quizzes (unannounced quizzes).

In addition to the group quizzes, there will be daily five-minute, individual quizzes worth 5 points each. These Individual Quizzes (IQs) will usually be given daily during the first five minutes of class. Although most of the other class work will be done in groups, all tests are done individually. I do not like to give make-up tests, but I will grudgingly do so if you have proof of extenuating circumstances that are not under your control. Absolutely always, if possible, notify your instructor when you have to miss class.

Each test is 100 points and the quizzes grades are adjusted to be 100 points each. The IQs will be adjusted to 100 points. The average of the quizzes, tests, attendance grade, IQs, worksheets and projects will be totaled as listed below. Your class grade will be based upon the percentage found from the points you earn divided by the points possible.
      Individual Quizzes              100 points    
      Groups Quizzes                  100 points    
      Three Tests                       300 points    
      Worksheets/Projects/etc.     10 - 100 points   
           Total                            510-610 points    

Note: This is NOT a flexible scale.
I do not grade on the class curve.

• 90% - 100%     3.5 - 4.0    A
• 80% - 89.9%    2.5 - 3.4    B
• 70% - 79.9%    1.5 - 2.4
    C
• 60% - 69.9%    0.7 - 1.4
    D
• Below 60%           0.0         F

The option to take a grade of an NC (No credit - which does not affect your grade point average) is open to you only if all of the following conditions are met.

1. You have been attending class regularly (80% or more).
2. Your grade is less than 2.5.
3. You bring a written request to me by the last class meeting before "finals week".

Any of the above contract is subject to change. You will be given fair warning should a change take place.