Syllabus for MAT-331

CALCULUS III

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Calculus III is an intensive, higher-level course in mathematics that builds on Calculus II. The course aims at serving the needs of a wide student audience, including students in engineering, mathematics, the physical and life sciences, and economics. It is constructed around multiple focal points with the intention of helping students become creative and efficient problem solvers.

The course uses technology as a means of discovery for numerical, graphical, and analytical solutions to problems. It also emphasizes communication skills and requires students to interpret, describe, discuss, justify, and conjecture as they search for solutions to problems. Real-life applications provide links with students' everyday life.

Topics covered include indeterminate forms, vector algebra and calculus in the plane and three-dimensional space, analytic space geometry, multivariable functions, partial derivatives, gradients, real-world problems.

COURSE TOPICS

1. Vectors and the Geometry of Space
2. Vector-Valued Functions
3. Functions of Several Variables and Partial Differentiation
4. Multiple Integrals
5. Vector Calculus
6. Real-World Applications in science, engineering, economics, and higher mathematics

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, you should be able to:

1. Analyze and interpret three-dimensional coordinate systems.
2. Apply calculus and vector methods to describe force, displacement and velocity.
3. Derive, graph and analyze vectors in three-dimensional space.
4. Define functions of more than one variable and apply algebraic and graphical methods to them.
5. Compute partial derivatives using a variety of methods.
6. Construct, classify and analyze equations of the tangent plane from partial derivative methods.
7. Classify extreme values of a function using Lagrange Multipliers.
8. Calculate multiple integrals using a variety of methods.
9. Calculate the masses and moments of two-and three-dimensional objects in Cartesian coordinates.
10.  Extend the theory of integration to curves and surfaces in space.
11. Apply multivariable calculus methods to real-world applications in science, engineering, economics, and higher mathematics.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to do the work of the course. The required textbook is available from the College's textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Required Textbook

1. Smith, Robert T. & Minton, Roland, B. (2012). Calculus: Early Transcendental Functions, 4th ed. McGraw-Hill: New York.

ISBN-13: 978-0-07-353232-5

1. Smith, Robert T. (2012). Student Solutions Manual for Calculus: Early Transcendental Functions, 4th ed.  McGraw-Hill: New York.

ISBN-13: 978-0-07-723590-1

COURSE STRUCTURE

Calculus III is a three-credit online course, consisting of five (5) modules. Modules include topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.

1. Module 1: Vectors and the Geometry of Space

2. Module 2: Vector-Valued Functions

3. Module 3: Functions of Several Variables and Partial Differentiation

4. Module 4: Multiple Integrals

5. Module 5: Vector Calculus

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online study group activities, complete written assignments, and take a midterm exam and a final exam. See below for more details.

Consult the course Calendar for due dates.

Online Study Group Activities/Discussion Forums

This course requires you to participate in five (5) graded study group activities using group discussion forums. There is also an ungraded but required Introductions Forum in module 1.

The Study Group activities in this course provide an opportunity for you to practice and apply analytical and computational skills within an interactive group setting. In so doing, you can benefit from the help of your classmates and share your understanding of chapter concepts. These activities take place in two phases: group problem solving (or group work) and posting worked-out solutions.

Phase 1: Group Work

Phase 1 (Group Work) involves group problem solving and discussion and counts 60 percent toward your activity grade. Participation in group work entails posting draft solutions to textbook exercises and discussing them with other group members in the module’s Group Work Forum.

Phase 2: Posting Solutions

Phase 2 (Posting Your Solutions) involves posting worked-out solutions to the exercises in phase 1 and counts 40 percent toward your activity grade. Participation in phase 2 entails posting your worked-out solutions to the exercises selected in phase 1 and discussing them in the module’s Solutions Forum.

Specific directions for the Study Group activities are given in their respective modules. Due dates for each activity are given in the course Calendar.

Written Assignments

You are required to complete five (5) written assignments. The written assignments draw on even-numbered exercises from the textbook. For each assignment, answer all assigned exercises, and show all work.

Assignments must be prepared electronically with a word processor, preferably using whatever equation editor comes with your word processing software. However, if your word processor is not compatible with your mentor's word processor, you will need to save your document as a rich-text file (.rtf) before submitting it. Check with your mentor first to determine file compatibility. (Important: Use the equation editor to insert equations into your word-processed document, not to create the document itself.)

When preparing your answers, please identify each exercise clearly by textbook section and exercise number. Be sure to include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled. To receive full credit for your answers, you must show all work and include complete solutions.

Examinations

You are required to take two (2) proctored online examinations: a midterm exam and a final exam. Both exams require that you use the College's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester.

Online exams are administered through the course Web site. Consult the course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.

Midterm Examination

The midterm exam is two and half hours long and covers modules 1 to 3 of the course (textbook chapters 10 through 12). It consists of thirty multiple-choice questions.

The exam is open book, but not open notes. In this regard you are permitted to use only a scientific (nongraphing) calculator and the authorized textbook. But you are not allowed to consult a solutions manual, notes of any kind (including graded or ungraded activities), or any other reference sources or sources of information. The use of blank scratch paper for doing math calculations is permitted during online test administrations.

Final Examination

The final exam is two and half hours long and covers modules 4 to 5 of the course (textbook chapters 13 through 14). It consists of twenty-five multiple-choice questions.

The exam is open book, but not open notes. In this regard you are permitted to use only a scientific (nongraphing) calculator and the authorized textbook. But you are not allowed to consult a solutions manual, notes of any kind (including graded or ungraded activities), or any other reference sources or sources of information. The use of blank scratch paper for doing math calculations is permitted during online test administrations.

Statement about Cheating

You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

1. Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.
2. Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.
3. Plagiarizing answers.
4. Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.
5. Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.
6. Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

1. Online Study Group Activities (5)—20 percent
2. Written assignments (5)—30 percent 
3. Midterm exam (proctored - modules 1–3)—25 percent
4. Final exam (proctored - modules 4–5)—25 percent 

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a nonarea of study course), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.).

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

1. Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.

2. Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.

3. Arrange to take your examinations by following the instructions in this Syllabus and the Online Student Handbook.

4. Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.

5. If you are not familiar with Web-based learning be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

1. To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The Calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations.

2. Check Announcements regularly for new course information.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Students at Thomas Edison State College are expected to exhibit the highest level of academic citizenship. In particular, students are expected to read and follow all policies, procedures, and program information guidelines contained in publications; pursue their learning goals with honesty and integrity; demonstrate that they are progressing satisfactorily and in a timely fashion by meeting course deadlines and following outlined procedures; observe a code of mutual respect in dealing with mentors, staff, and other students; behave in a manner consistent with the standards and codes of the profession in which they are practicing; keep official records updated regarding changes in name, address, telephone number, or e-mail address; and meet financial obligations in a timely manner. Students not practicing good academic citizenship may be subject to disciplinary action including suspension, dismissal, or financial holds on records.

Academic Dishonesty

Thomas Edison State College expects all of its students to approach their education with academic integrity—the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception. All mentors and administrative staff members at the College insist on strict standards of academic honesty in all courses. Academic dishonesty undermines this objective. Academic dishonesty takes the following forms:

1. Cheating
2. Plagiarizing (including copying and pasting from the Internet without using quotation marks and without acknowledging sources)
3. Fabricating information or citations
4. Facilitating acts of dishonesty by others

1. Unauthorized access to examinations or the use of unauthorized materials during exam administration

5. Submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the mentor
6. Tampering with the academic work of other students

Academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action and possible dismissal from the College. Students who submit papers that are found to be plagiarized will receive an F on the plagiarized assignment, may receive a grade of F for the course, and may face dismissal from the College.

A student who is charged with academic dishonesty will be given oral or written notice of the charge. If a mentor or College official believes the infraction is serious enough to warrant referral of the case to the academic dean, or if the mentor awards a final grade of F in the course because of the infraction, the student and the mentor will be afforded formal due process.

If a student is found cheating or using unauthorized materials on an examination, he or she will automatically receive a grade of F on that examination. Students who believe they have been falsely accused of academic dishonesty should seek redress through informal discussions with the mentor, through the office of the dean, or through an executive officer of Thomas Edison State College.

Plagiarism

Using someone else's work as your own is plagiarism. Although it may seem like simple dishonesty, plagiarism is against the law. Thomas Edison State College takes a strong stance against plagiarism, and students found to be plagiarizing will be severely penalized. If you copy phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or whole documents word-for-word—or if you paraphrase by changing a word here and there—without identifying the author, then you are plagiarizing. Please keep in mind that this type of identification applies to Internet sources as well as to print-based sources. Copying and pasting from the Internet, without using quotation marks and without acknowledging sources, constitutes plagiarism.  (For information about how to cite Internet sources, see Online Student Handbook > Academic Standards > "Citing Sources.")

Accidentally copying the words and ideas of another writer does not excuse the charge of plagiarism. It is easy to jot down notes and ideas from many sources and then write your own paper without knowing which words are your own and which are someone else's. It is more difficult to keep track of each and every source. However, the conscientious writer who wishes to avoid plagiarizing never fails to keep careful track of sources.

Always be aware that if you write without acknowledging the sources of your ideas, you run the risk of being charged with plagiarism.

Clearly, plagiarism, no matter the degree of intent to deceive, defeats the purpose of education. If you plagiarize deliberately, you are not educating yourself, and you are wasting your time on courses meant to improve your skills. If you plagiarize through carelessness, you are deceiving yourself.