MAT 135: Calculus I

Differential Calculus
Fall 2015
This syllabus may be altered after the start of the semester if necessary. All changes will be clearly
marked and the revised syllabus will be on Moodle. Students will be informed during class as well.
The world around us is constantly changing. Evaluating the change, measuring the change, and
explaining its significance is at the heart of calculus. In Differential Calculus, we will begin our study
by considering old concepts in a new light (chapter 1), introducing the concept of a limit (end of
chapter 1), exploring the idea of the derivative (chapters 2-3), and conclude the course with
applying the derivative to help solve unexpected problems (chapter 4).
Catalog Description of the Course: A study of analytic methods in geometry precedes an
introduction to differential calculus. Main topics include exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric
functions, limits, continuity, differentiation, indeterminate forms, and applications of differential
calculus.
Learning Objectives: The objectives of this course are for students to be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Explain the significance of limits and derivatives.

Define the derivative of a function.
Evaluate the limits and derivatives using the definitions and other techniques.
Use the derivatives to solve real-world problems.
Effectively communicate mathematics both written and orally.

Logistics
Your Instructor: My name is Dr. Beth Kelly. My office is in Draper Hall, office 300C. The best way to
get in touch with me is via email, beth_kelly@berea.edu, or phone 985-3574. For the most part, I
will be in my office when I am not in class or in a meeting.
Office Hours: You are welcome to stop by any time my door is open. If I am really in a hurry or
busy, I will tell you. However, you are guaranteed to get my full attention during office hours. I will
be in my office on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:30pm to 2:30pm and Thursdays from 12:45pm
to 2:45pm. Tuesdays and all other office hours are by appointment only.
Meeting Times: The class will meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in ________________ from
__________________ to _______________________. We will be using the whole class time every day, so expect
to stay the entire class period.
We will be using the textbook Calculus (5th Edition) by Hughes-Hallet, Gleason, McCallum, et
al. ISBN 978-0470-08914-9.
Calculators: You will need access to a scientific calculator for exams and quizzes. A graphing
instrument will be helpful to you in doing your homework, either a graphing calculator or applet.
Geogebra.org is a free download online and can be used on a PC, Mac, Tablet or smart phone.

Course Website: The syllabus, homework assignment schedule and other course related
documents will be posted in Moodle. You will be responsible for regularly checking Moodle for
updates.
Missed Class: Please make every effort to come to class every day. It is vital to your education that
you are present. If you must miss class, notify me as soon as you know you will be missing. This is
almost always before class begins. Both absences and tardiness will affect your Learning
Community grade. It is your responsibility to let me know of your absences well in advance,
meaning as soon as you know about the absence, you need to let me know. An email or a hard copy
are both acceptable.
If you miss class, it is your responsibility to obtain notes from the days you miss from a classmate.
Homework assignments are still due on time unless your absence is due to an unavoidable
emergency. You may come to my office to discuss the missed material but I will not recreate the
class meeting for you. You should do this in a timely manner so that when you return to class, you
are not far behind the other students. If you wait to try to catch up, you run the risk of being very
lost upon your return.
Excessive absences will negatively affect your performance in the class. If you miss more than onefifth of the classes you will earn an F in the course. In a course that meets three times per week, this
amounts to nine or more classes.
Technology: Generally I will respond to emails sent before 4:00pm every weekday and
intermittently on the weekend. Occasionally I will respond outside that time but it is not a
guarantee. Email was a wonderful advance in the technological and social worlds. It is fantastic for
quick or clarifying questions. However, it is not the best mode of communication for every type of
question, especially in mathematics. Keep this in mind and consider office hours or the math lab for
more in depth questions.
You need to make sure your cell phone does not distract yourself or anyone in the class; keep it
turned off and away from your sight.
Tutoring: There is tutoring available every Sunday through Thursday, 7-9:30pm downstairs in the
library. This is FREE tutoring. I strongly suggest you do not wait until the first exam to start utilizing
this opportunity.
Academic Honesty: Do not pass someone elses work off as your own or aid someone else to do so.
This includes, but is not limited to, directly copying off of another students assignment/test, having
your roommate do your homework, doing your boyfriend or girlfriends homework so that he/she
will pass, copying answers from the solutions manual, Googling a solution or using some other
internet resource, using another students project from a previous term, etc. If you would not feel
comfortable telling me how you arrived at a solution or prepared your assignment, you generally
should not being doing it.
See the Berea College Student Handbook for more information.

Grades
Grading Policy: Grades will be determined with the following weights.

Learning Community: 20%

Second Tier Homework: 20%
Quizzes: 15%
Exams: 45%

Exams
45%

Learning
Community
20%
Second Tier
Homework
20%
Quizzes
15%

Learning Community (Preparation and Guided Practice Exercises): To be a participant in the

classroom, you must first be prepared. When you arrive prepared in class, you can then engage
your group, whom you will be working with every class day. We will NOT use class time to review
material so it is imperative that you are prepared. The intent is that you will be familiar with basic
concepts coming in to class so that we may tackle the hard stuff together.
Every class day, you will be assigned preparation and guided practice exercises. Preparation
involves reading the book carefully and watching short supplementary videos. You will then be
asked to complete a guided practice to reflect and assess yourself on what you read. You will
answer the guided practice online and bring first tier homework to class to discuss in groups.
When you arrive in class, you will immediately work in groups discussing these problems you were
to bring to class with you. After being given time to discuss in class, groups will take turns
presenting answers. One member of your group will lead the presentation with support from other
members.
Your engagement in the learning community is vital for the success in the classroom. In this way, it
is a serious portion of your grade. Each day, you will receive a +, , -, or 0 grade for each of (1)
your guided practice, (2) first tier homework, and (3) your groups presented solution.
Learning Community
Grading
+

What this grade means

Corresponding
Point Value
2

Every question is complete and answered in good faith.

No parts are answered with I dont know.

Most questions are complete and answered in good

1
faith.
Some questions are answered in good faith
0.25
0
Little to no questions are answered.
0
In addition, you will need to lead your groups presentation at least four times during the semester.
Any time you lead subsequently will replace any the lowest score(s) in the guided practice with a
+. If you fail to lead a presentation 4 times, then you will decrease your learning community score
by 2 points for each failed presentation.

Second Tier Homework: After tackling some of the harder exercises in class, you will be asked
complete more exercises at home, this time for correctness. You will turn the assignment in at the
beginning of class, stapled, and neat. Each problem will be graded as +, , -, or 0.
Second Tier
Homework Grading
+

What this grade means

The entire question has been mastered correctly. There

are no conceptual errors and no minor mistakes. Work
is done neatly and is easy to follow.

The entire question has been mastered correctly with

one or two minor mistakes. Alternatively, there are no
minor or conceptual mistakes but the work is sloppy or
is not easy to follow.
There are conceptual errors present or the work has
minor mistakes and is not easy to follow.
0
There is little of value present or the work cannot be
read.
NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED. This rule will not be bent.

Corresponding
Point Value
2
1

0.25
0

Concept Check Quizzes: Every Friday, you will be given a concept check quiz. These will be on
basic learning objectives that have been covered in class so far. Answers are either right or wrong.
To earn a passing grade, you must have at least 80% of the answers correct. For every quiz, you will
have one opportunity to retake it once if you do not earn a passing grade. You may only use this
opportunity if you were in class on time and took the original concept check.
Your Concept Check grade for the class will be the proportion of quizzes you pass. This means that
you do not need to have all perfect quizzes to receive a perfect score for the concept checks.
However, you must master the concepts in order to receive any points.
Exams: Exams will be given during class. As mathematics is a cumulative subject, so will be your
exams. However, you may not be directly tested on material that was covered on previous exams.
The exception to this rule is the final exam. The final exam will cover the entire course.
Tentative date
Portion of Final Grade
Mini-Exam 1
Friday, September 11th
5%
Exam 2
Friday, October 9th
10%
Exam 3
Friday, November 13th
10%
Mini-Exam 4
Monday, December 7th
5%
Final Exam
See BC Final Exam Schedule
15%
Important note: You will have an assigned group for each exam period. If your entire group scores a
75% or better on the exam, the entire group will receive a 5% bonus.

Expectations
What you can expect from me: My objective as your professor is to provide you with the best
learning environment and resources to succeed within reasonable limits. Simply, I want you to
succeed. I am your coach, your guide, your cheerleader. Think of me as your resource, not your
adversary. Come to me with your questions, comments, and concerns.
For my part, I will guide you through the material in a way I believe best suits the learning needs of
the entire class. This may not always be the way that you feel best suits your needs. Trust me, you
may be surprised at what you can do. To this end, you should expect to come to class every day and
think, and think hard.
For the record, I define success to be a reasonable understanding of the material in the course,
especially pertaining to the learning objectives. Many different techniques will be employed to
attain and assess this success, including daily homework, quizzes, projects, and exams.
Berea College values diversity and inclusion and seeks to create a climate of mutual respect and full
participation. My goal is to create learning environments that are accessible, equitable, and
inclusive. If you encounter barriers based on the impact of a disability or health condition, please let
me and Disability & Accessibility Services (DAS, 111 Lincoln Hall, 859-985-3237,
lisa_ladanyi@berea.edu) know immediately. Together we can explore all of your options and
establish how to best coordinate accommodations for this course.
What I expect of you: Every course should be a learning experience. Why are you here? Why are
you taking this class? What are your goals for taking this class? Take ownership in your education.
Think about the answers to these questions and what you expect of yourself to achieve your goals.
My expectations begin with your engagement in the course, both in and out of class. Show up! This
is both a physical and mental requirement. Engagement during class includes attending class every
day, being on time and staying until the end, most importantly listening and participating. The
course does not end when class is over. Outside of class, you should be reading your book,
reviewing the material from class, and reflecting on what you learned from the book and class. You
should be completing your homework early so that if you have questions, you have time to ask
them. You will have projects assigned. I expect you to start the projects early and put forth serious
time and effort. I expect you to complete the out-of-class assignments with thought and on time.
Tardiness will result in a lower grade in your Learning Community grade.
Most students will need nine hours working and studying calculus outside of class to
succeed. Think intentionally about your schedule with this in mind.

Final Thoughts
Everyone in the course has something to offer to the rest of the class and to the learning experience,
regardless of your mathematical ability. You may not realize what yours is. Figure out what you can
bring to the table and contribute to the class.