Math 19 Calculus

Summer 2009

General Information
Course Calendar
Homework
Exams and Quizzes
CourseWork

Contents

Lectures

This course has two lecture sections. Both sections cover roughly the same materials at the same pace.
  • Section 01
Meeting time: 1:15pm-2:05pm, MTuWTh
Meeting location: 300-300
Instructor: Ziyu Zhang
  • Section 02
Meeting time: 2:15pm-3:05pm, MTuWTh
Meeting location: 300-300
Instructor: Yu-jong Tzeng

More than any other discipline, mathematics requires that a student understand one concept before moving on to the next. Therefore it is critical that you attend this class on a regular basis in order to stay on track with the material we cover. Students with excessive absences will see their grade diminished.

Teaching Staff

  • Instructor: Ziyu Zhang
Office: 380-T (basement of building 380)
Office hours: Tu/W 11:30am-1pm
Email: zhangzy at math dot stanford dot edu
  • Instructor: Yu-jong Tzeng
Office: 380-L (basement of building 380)
Office hours: M 3:30pm-4:30pm, Tu 3:30pm-5:30pm
Email: yujong at stanford dot edu
  • Course Assistant: Jennifer Novak Kloke
Office: 381-M (1st floor of building 380)
Office hours: M 10:30am-12pm, Tu 10am-11:30am
Email: kloke at math dot stanford dot edu

Course Description and Prerequisites

Math 19 centers around the development of single variable differential calculus. In this course, we will work toward an appropriate expression for the derivative of a function, become masters at computing derivatives of even the most exotic functions, and see a smattering of applications of the derivatives.

Students in this class need a solid understanding of the concepts from high school algebra and trigonometry. These include, but are not limited to, knowledge of standard mathematical notation and vocabulary; comfort with the concept of a function; a master of all things concerning lines (how to compute slope, several ways to write the equation of a line); and the ability to manipulate algebraic expressions (e.g., simplify fractions, factor polynomials).

Unlike high school math classes, the emphasis of this class will not be on computation alone. Though it sits on a bedrock of algebra, calculus is not itself concerned with manipulation or simplification of expressions. A large part of lecture will be devoted to discussing the concepts which drive calculus, and students are expected to understand both these concepts and their applications.

For a detailed syllabus see the course calendar.

Text

Single Variable Calculus: Concepts and Contexts, Fourth Edition (2009), by James Stewart.

Homework assignments will be taken primarily from this book, so students should have a copy of the text for the course. It also provides another source of understanding the course material. This is also the textbook for Math 20 and 21, which are continuations of Math 19.

Homework

There will be weekly homework assignments. Homework should be turned in to your instructor in lecture or under their office doors. You are responsible to turn in your homework to the instructor of the section you are enrolled in. Homework turned into another instructor will receive no credits. Homework is due by 4pm on Wednesdays. Late homework will not be accepted.

Please respect the honor code, write legibly, and never forget to put your name, your section number (or time) and your SUID number on the top of your work. Although you are encouraged to discuss homework problems with your classmates, you have to turn in your own work based on your own understanding. Homework papers should be written up independently. Please see homework policy for more information.

There will be 7 assignments in all and the lowest score will be dropped. Your homework score is computed by averaging the remaining 6 scores.

Exams and Quizzes

There will be a midterm exam and a final exam. Please check exam policy.
  • Midterm Exam: Monday, July 20th, 7pm-9pm
  • Final exam: Saturday, August 15th, 7pm-10pm
There will be a 5-minute quiz at the beginning of lectures every Monday except the midterm exam day. For section 01, the quizzes are from 1:15pm to 1:20pm; for section 02, the quizzes are from 2:15pm to 2:20pm. Please check quiz policy.

There will be 6 quizzes in total. Your quiz average is computed by dropping your lowest grade and averaging the remaining 5 quizzes.

No calculators are allowed for any of the exams or quizzes.

Grades

Grades will be based on the following percentages.
  • Homework : 15%
  • Quizzes: 10%
  • Midterm Exam: 30%
  • Final Exam: 45%
CourseWork will be used in Math 19 to allow students to check grades online. It is a secure program, so your grades will be available through CourseWork only to you. Announcements will also be made through CourseWork.

There are no predetermined numerical cutoffs for letter grades, and the cutoffs may turn out to be rather different from what you are accustomed to from high school. In general, the grade distribution for the class is usually roughly as follows: around 30% of the class receive A's, around 40% receive B's, and most of the rest receive C's.

Office Hours

You are encouraged to attend the office hours provided by teaching staff. You may attend the office hours of any instructor or course assistant. Office hour sessions start in the second week (June 29th). The following office hour chart is tentative. It will be modified from time to time to reflect the most up-to-date office hour schedules.

All offices listed in the chart are located in the math building (the northwest corner of main quad, see here for a map). The "381" rooms are on the first floor, and the "380" rooms are in the basement.

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
10:30am-12pm
Jennifer, 381-M
10am-11:30am
Jennifer, 381-M



11:30am-1pm
Ziyu, 380-T
11:30am-1pm
Ziyu, 380-T

3:30pm-4:30pm
Yu-jong, 380-L
3:30pm-5:30pm
Yu-jong, 380-L



Useful Links

General Information
Course Calendar
Homework
Exams and Quizzes
CourseWork

Summer 2009 -- Department of Mathematics, Stanford University
For questions, please contact Ziyu Zhang, Yu-jong Tzeng or Jennifer Kloke.