Instructor: Dan Kemp e-mail to: Dan Kemp
Fall 2009	Dan Kemp's Home page

Course Description
     Honors Calculus I is an introductory calculus course designed for ALL students with a good mathematical background and an interest in mathematics.  In particular, having had calculus in high school is NOT a prerequisite.  Although this is definitely a mathematics course, it is not specifically aimed at any particular major.
     We will study calculus with emphasis on graphical, numerical, and verbal/written interpretations of the material.  Analytic (symbolic) interpretations of the calculus will not be ignored, but they will not be the main emphasis.  To further these ends use of a Texas Instruments calculator, either a TI-89 or Voyage 200, is required.  This section also has a Lab period where students will learn how to word-process mathematics using MS Word and Equation Editor, graph with WinPlot and learn how to effectively use the required TI calculator.  Equation Editor is a part of MS Word.  WinPlot is a free program available at http://math.exeter.edu/rparris.   By the end of the semester we will have studied much of what is called elementary single variable calculus, with the important exception of infinite series, which is a Calculus II topic.
     Assessment in the Honor's section will take many forms.  In addition to traditional homework and in-class tests there will be Proficiency Examinations over technical symbolic material, reaction papers to readings from Calculus Gems, and group assignments both in and out of class.  An additional assessment feature of the Honors section is the inclusion of  Student Projects.  These are extended homework problems that students solve in small groups.  Student projects will be presented as word processed documents, including equations, formulas, & graphs.   On Wednesday, September 2 the Honors Section, and all Calculus I sections, will take a Gateway Examination over Precalculus mathematics.  The results of the exam will form part of your class grade (One of your three Proficiency Examination grades) and will serve as an indicator of your readiness to study calculus at SDSU.  A sample Gateway Examination can be found at the Mathematics & Statistics Department web page: http://mathstat.sdstate.edu.  Page down and click on "Information about the Calculus Gateway Exam."

Textbooks
CALCULUS, Early Transcendentals by Varberg, Purcell, & Rigdon, published by Prentice Hall (ISBN 013221699X)  We will cover material from Chapters 1-5 this semester.  This text will also be used for the Honors Section of Calculus II, Math 125, in the Spring, 2009 Semester where we will cover material from Chapters 6-10. (REQUIRED)

The Story of Mathematics by R. Mankiewicz, published by Princeton University Press (paperback ISBN 0-691-12046-3.   This is book about some of the people who made important contributions to the development of Mathematics and in particular, the Calculus.   Students will turn in "Reaction Papers" to selected readings from this text.   (REQUIRED)

PRECALCULUS MATHEMATICS IN A NUTSHELL by George Simmons, published by William Kaufmann (paperback ISBN 0-86576-009-8.  This is an excellent, concise, readable summary of what YOU should know about Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry in order to effectively study Calculus.  I have often seen this book in an inexpensive hardback version in Barnes and Noble stores. (optional) 
 

Grading
Your course grade will depend upon the percentage of 1150 points you earn during the semester.

    100-90% - A;  89-80% - B;  79-70% - C;  69-60% - D.

   Points may be earned as follows:

     Tests                                        200 points (two at 100 points @)                         17.39%
     Homework                               300 points (total scaled to 300)                             26.09%       
     Proficiency Examinations     150 points (three at 50 points @)                          13.04%
     Reaction Papers                     100 points  (five at 20 points @)                             8.7%
     Projects                                   200 points (at least three; total scaled to 200)     17.39%
     Final Examination                  200 points                                                                  17.39%
 

Links

Math 123 Schedule

Math 123 Assignments 1

Downloads  Available files to download are stored on this page.

Peanut Software .  From this site you can (and should if you are able) download the graphing program WinPlot.

Texas Instruments .  This is the home page for TI calculators.

Guide to Writing in Mathematics Classes   This guide was written by Annalisa Crannell for her calculus classes.  It contains good information about why and how to write mathematics.  You will be doing lots of writing in this class.

For more information please contact Dan Kemp (688-6214)

Last Update: 06/25/2009