Fall Semester 2008

120121 ESM1C Introduction to Calculus

Syllabus

Course related links:

Summary:

The course ESM1C Introduction to Calculus is an entrance Mathematics course for students in the School of Engineering and Science from Life Sciences and Chemistry majors, students from SHSS, as well as for students with a less rigorous high school preparation in Mathematics (approval by adviser/major coordinator necessary). It serves as a prerequistes for later ESM and more advanced Mathematics courses. It can be complemented by the lab units 110111 NatSciLab Math Symbolic Software (Mathematica, Latex) or 110112 NatSciLab Math Numerical Software (Matlab, Octave).

The course covers the standard topics of precalculus (numbers, units, transformations, inequalities, elementary functions and their properties and graphs), single variable calculus (sequences and series, limits and continuity, derivatives and differential calculus, antiderivatives and Riemann integral, with selcted applications) and a brief introduction to matrix-vector calculus. In contrast to ESM1A, more time is spent on the acquisition of solid problem solving skills. In addition to the class times, students have to prepare for and attend a tutorial every week.


Contact Information:
Instructor of Record: Peter Oswald
Email: p.oswald@jacobs-university.de,
Phone: 200-3179
Office hours:   Monday 4-5pm (or by appointment), Research I, 113

TA: TBA
Email: TBA
Tutorials: TBA, Wednesday ??? TBA


Time and Place:
Lectures :    Mo 11:15-12:30 and Th 8:15-9:30, Lecture Hall of Research 3

Recommended Textbooks:

Tutorials, Quizzes, Exams, etc.:
Tutorials in groups of up to 25 students will be organized starting from week 3 of the semester. Attendance and active participation will be monitored and enter the final grade computation. You have to come prepared according to the announced tutorial topics . The tutorials should also help you with your self-study program, provide you with additional problem solving ideas, and give you the chance to discuss your individual difficulties. For further help, attend the sessions of the Math Support Center.

10 quizzes are administered during class time on Thursdays every week starting form week 2 (with the exception of week 5 (holiday), of midterm week 10, and week 14 of the semester). They cover the material of the last two classes (Th, Mo), and the self-study program announced the week before. Quizzes should "force" you to closely follow the material discussed in class, really work on the self-study material, and alert you to deficiencies in the learning process early on. Quizzes are composed of two-three short questions and problems, the allocated time to solve them is about 15 minutes.

A Midterm Exam (Week 10) and a Final Exam will be administered. Details about the exams will be given in the review sessions preceding the exams.

Calculators are not allowed at exams and quizzes. A certain amount of calculating and graphing by hand is useful, and is supported by this policy. Other than that, use calculators and mathematical software on a regular basis, especially for routine numerical calculations and for double-checking results obtained without using them.

Only valid and timely excuses (as regulated by Jacobs University policies) will be accepted if you miss tutorials, quizzes, or exams.


Grading:

Last modified: 2008/08/24
This page: http://www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/poswald/teaching/ESM1C/ESM1C.html
Peter Oswald ( p.oswald@jacobs-university.de )