Math 1120
Dr. Sarah J. Greenwald

Where to Get Help

  • Office Hours 326 Walker Hall 262-2363
    Sometimes, if no one comes to office hours, I go down the hall to the mailroom, photocopy machine, or to talk to another professor. If I am not in my office during office hours, you should walk down the hall to look for me, and interrupt to tell me that you are there. I am always around and happy to help you during office hours unless otherwise posted to the webpage. You do not need to make an appointment to use office hours - just drop by! If you can't make office hours, contact me on ASULearn, which I'll try to answer at least once a day.
  • Check the main calendar page often for homework and for access to the other class web pages. This lists and explains readings, hw, quizzes and tests (ie it is a part of my syllabus).
  • ASULearn is the easiest way to ask a math question outside of class and office hours. You are responsible for reading all posts from me. I prefer that you use office hours since it is easier to discuss material in person, but if you can not make them, then ASULearn is a great alternative. Do NOT email me (which gets buried in hundreds of messages each day) - message me instead as I usually check the posts at least once a day, including the weekends.
  • Math Lab in Walker. Students answer questions.
  • You can request a tutor through University Tutoring Services in the Learning Assistance Program. More information is available at http://lap.appstate.edu/tutoring.
  • Additional Resources: Khan Academy Integral Calculus and Paul's Online Math Notes

    Prerequisites

  • I will assume you have facility with standard functions from algebra and trigonometry, including numerical, symbolic, and graphical representations and manipulations (equivalent to completion of MAT 1025 with a grade of at least B).
  • I will also assume you have facility with differentiation and anti-differentiation (Calc 1 - Chapters 3-6). If you did not complete MAT 1110 recently or do not feel comfortable with the material, you should work through those chapters again in the text.

    Required Resources

  • Hughes-Hallett, Gleason, McCallum, et al. (2013). Calculus: Single Variable (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
  • Technology: Access to the course webpages, including the calendar page, which is used to access the other pages. A computer algebra system (Maple is available in all the labs on campus); a graphing calculator is highly recommended. Students who wish to purchase Maple can ask me for an access code to receive a course discount on a download of the software from Maplesoft. If you have an i-clicker - the official university clicker, bring it with you to class every day.

    Course Goals
  • Catalog description: A study of the logarithmic and exponential functions, circular functions and their inverses, techniques of integration, improper integrals, infinite series, Taylor polynomial and power series. Prerequisite: MAT 1110 (with a grade of "C-" or higher). (NUMERICAL DATA) (CORE : MATHEMATICS) (ND Prerequisite: passing the math placement test or successful completion of MAT 0010.)
  • Continue the investigation of quantifiable change begun in Calculus, using a variety of representations (verbal, numerical, symbolic, and graphical) through pattern exploration assisted by appropriate technology (including computer algebra systems such as Maple).
  • Develop an understanding of sequences and series, a deeper understanding of integration, and skill in calculating by hand and using computer algebra systems. We'll focus on content from Chapters 7-11 in the book.
  • Apply integrals, sequences and series appropriately to various problem solving situations, within a variety of contexts.
  • Communicate the mathematics of the course with words, with numerical data, with symbolic notations, and with graphs.

    Grades

  • Participation 5% You must be prepared for each class and check the main web page regularly for hw. Attendance is required. You are expected to contribute to discussions in a meaningful way and actively engage the material in class. This means that when we are doing a calculation, group work, or i-clicker question, you must also do this, and you are expected to take notes since the book does not contain everything you need to know. These kinds of baseline activities will result in a participation grade of 3.5/5. Other activities can increase or decrease this grade. Utilizing office hours and ASULearn, asking and answering thought provoking questions, coming up with creative or fun ways of thinking about the material, and explaining the material to others are some examples of positive participation that will increase your grade. On the other hand, performing activities that detract from the professional classroom environment or distract Dr. Sarah (who is very easily distracted) will result in a lowered participation grade. Cell phones must be set to vibrate or turned off and they are not allowed on tests. No texting during class. Many activities and class discussions are designed to be completed during class. Thus, attendance is required at ALL classes, and will form a portion of your particiation grade. In addition, missing more than the equivalent of 6 summer class days will result in an automatic F in the course. Save your absences for emergencies. If the university is open and you miss a class, then that counts as an absence. If you must be late to a class, or must leave early, then do still attend.
  • Online Practice Problems 20% We will be using WileyPlus for homework this semester - the link will be on the main calendar page. You may work with others and use any resources you find helpful. Try it on your own first. I have enabled hints and solutions, and you have 3 tries. Late submissions will receive at most half credit.
  • Quizzes 15% If there is some reason you must miss a class, then take the quiz early. No late quizzes allowed. * To accomodate issues that may arise, the lowest quiz will be dropped - save this for emergencies.
  • Exams 60% There are 3 tests over the course of the semester. No late tests allowed. * * Accommodations in the determination of your final grade will be made for extenuating circumstances that are documented to prevent you from completing work early/on time. The grading scale is: A ≥93; 90≤ A- < 93; 87 ≤ B+ <90...

    Also see the University-wide syllabus and policy statements which we adhere to.

    Methodology

    As per the University-wide Statement on Student Engagement with Courses you can expect to spend (on average) 2-3 hours outside of class for each hour in class. In the summer course, this means spending between 4 hours and 20 minutes and 6 hours and 30 minutes outside of class nightly, on average. You are responsible for all material covered and all announcements and assignments made at each class, whether you are present or not. You are also responsible for announcements made on the web pages, so check them often. Your other time outside of class should be spent reviewing course material, completing homework assignments, and in office hours or the math lab.

    Asking questions, and explaining things to others, in or out of class, is one of the best ways to improve your understanding of the material. This course is to be an environment in which everyone feels comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, offering good guesses and ideas, and is respectful to one another.

    You should explore each problem and write out your thinking in a way that can be shared with others. Focus on your own ideas. Turn in work even if it isnot complete, even if only to say, "I do not understand such and such" or "I am stuck here." Be as specific as possible. Conjecture. When writing up work, be sure to give acknowledgment where it is due. Submitting someone else's work as your own (PLAGIARISM) is a serious violation of the University's Academic Integrity Code, which defines:

    Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, borrowing, downloading, cutting and pasting, and paraphrasing without acknowledgement, including from online sources, or allowing an individual's academic work to be submitted as another's work.

    Use of interactive technology is allowed only when it is related to our class. Put cell phones away and set them to vibrate. Photos or video or audio recordings may not be taken in class without prior permission. Food and beverages are allowed as long as they aren't distracting, but e-cigs, chewing tobacco/spit cups and other products are not allowed.

    The purpose of homework is to learn and practice computational strategies, concepts, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In this course, you will be challenged with problems that you have never seen before. I do not expect you to be able to solve all the issues immediately. Instead, I want to see what you can do on your own. Out in the real world, this is important, since no matter what job you have, you will be expected to seek out information and answers to new topics you have not seen before. This may feel uncomfortable and frustrating. I understand this and want to help you through the process. It helps to remember that there are no mathematical dead-ends! Each time we get stuck, it teaches us something about the problem we are working on, and leads us to a deeper understanding of the mathematics.

    In the real world though, you are not expected to face your work alone. You will be allowed to talk to other people and you may even be expected to work with other people. In this class, you are also not expected to face your work alone. I encourage you to talk to me and each other often in class, office hours, and the bulletin board.

    I am always happy to help you, and will try to give you hints and direction to help you understand the material. At times though, to encourage the exploration process, I may direct you to rethink a problem and to come back to discuss it with me again afterwards. This occurs when I believe that the struggle to understand is imperative for your deep understanding of the material.

    Instructor Bio

    I am a Professor of Mathematics and a Women's Studies core faculty member at Appalachian State University. I received my PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. My scholarship areas include Riemannian geometry of orbifolds (linear algebra is important here), popular culture as it pertains to mathematics, and women and minorities in mathematics. Recognition for my teaching includes a 2005 Mathematical Association of America Alder Award winner for distinguished teaching and the winner of the 2010 Appalachian State University Wayne D. Duncan Award for Excellence in Teaching in General Education. In 2010 I was also inducted into the Appalachian State University College of Arts and Sciences Academy of Outstanding Teachers and in 2011 I was named the College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teacher of the Year. I am the associate editor of the Association for Women in Mathematics Newsletter and a member of the editorial board of PRIMUS. Andrew Nestler and I co-created the educational website SimpsonsMath.com. My interactive mathematics lecture has been distributed on approximately one million DVDs worldwide as a 25-minute DVD extra for the 20th Century Fox Futurama movie Bender's Big Score and it is listed as "Mind-bending." Jill Thomley and I co-edited the 3-volume Encyclopedia of Mathematics & Society, which was named a "Best Reference 2011" by Library Journal. I've spoken about the impacts of scientific popular culture representations on NPR's Science Friday and all over the country.

    I am married to the bassist Joel Landsberg. We both happen to be on IMDb: Joel and me. In my spare time I like to travel, hike and conduct genealogy research (I also enjoy popular culture, as you can probably tell from some of my scholarly interests). In addition to my own personal genealogy, I like to give back to the broader community. I am the project coordinator for sites like the Bialobrzegi ShtetLink and the Book of Remembrance of the Community of Bialobrzeg. These projects strive to research and preserve information about small Jewish communities that were destroyed in World War II. My great-grandparents lived there (it was the Russian empire back then!) in the late 1800s. Some of what I really like about mathematics is also what I enjoy about genealogy - the sense of exploration, discovery and aha moments that come with lots of patience and effort.