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Michael Bowen's VC Course Pages

Math V21A Start Page, Summer 2009

Introduction and Announcements

Welcome to the start page for Math V21A (Calculus/Analytic Geometry I) at Ventura College. Michael Bowen (email) will be teaching this course during the summer 2009 six-week term.

Important note: This web page is not a substitute for attending class; regular attendance is an expectation of this course. Modifications to homework assignments, and other important news announced in class, may not appear on this page for several days. You are still responsible for all assignments and in-class announcements even if they do not appear here! If you wish to verify information on this page, please contact the instructor.

Textbook Information

The ISBN number is provided as a convenience if you wish to purchase this item online. The VC bookstore may stock a different ISBN number; either may be used for the course. If you buy from the bookstore, obtain the least expensive version you can find; do not pay extra for MyMathLab, WebAssign, or other software. Exception: You may wish to purchase the textbook bundled with the student edition of Maple; although we will not use it this semester, your V21B or V21C instructors may use it later. If you obtain the book from another source, please be sure to obtain the correct edition, as noted below. Older editions are, of course, much less expensive, but the homework problems are different. This will place you at a disadvantage relative to your classmates on quizzes, which are taken directly out of the homework problems in the current edition.

This text is required:

This additional text is optional:

Final Examination

Date/time:  Wednesday 5 August 2009, 10:30 a.m.

Be sure that your big party to celebrate the end of finals occurs after the appropriate date. Requests for administration of early or late finals that require the instructor to reschedule his work or make a special trip to campus are subject to a deduction of points, regardless of the reason for the request.

Grading Status

Check whether final grades are posted yet for your course.

Current Assignments

Due
Date
§ Title Problems E.C.
30 Jul 2009 4.7 Optimization Problems 1–33 EOO; 41; 49; 57 63
4.8 Newton's Method (No assignment, although we may return to this section later)
4.9 Antiderivatives 1–17 EOO; 25–45 EOO; 57; 59; 61
29 Jul 2009 4.4 Indeterminate Forms and L'Hospital's Rule 5–63 EOO
4.5 Summary of Curve Sketching 1–51 EOO; 61–65 ODD 53; 56
4.6 Graphing with Calculus and Calculators (No assignment) 2; 4; 6; 8
28 Jul 2009 4.1 Maximum and Minimum Values 29–43 ODD; 47–61 ODD
4.2 Mean Value Theorem 1–7 ODD; 11–25 ODD
4.3 How Derivatives Affect the Shape of a Graph 1–23 ODD; 31; 33–53 EOO; 69; 77
23 Jul 2009 Chapter 3.7–3.11 Test

Optional study problems suggested at right
(For students with minimal study time)
Page 262 (Exercises): 43; 45; 47; 83; 87; 89abc; 92–94 ALL; 97; 99; 101; 103a
(For students with additional study time)
The above plus
Page 262 (Exercises): 48; 50; 84; 88; 90; 96; 98; 102ac; 104
Page 261 (Concept check): 2(o) through 2(t); 5
Page 261 (True-false quiz): 12
Even-numbered problems from the ranges of the homework assignments from sections 3.7–3.11
22 Jul 2009 3.11 Hyperbolic Functions 1–21 ODD; 31–47 ODD; 51–55 ODD 48; 52; 57
21 Jul 2009 3.8 Exponential Growth and Decay 1; 3; 5; 9–19 ODD
3.9 Related Rates 1–13 ODD; 17–41 EOO
3.10 Linear Approximations and Differentials 1; 3; 5 (graph is optional); 11–27 ODD; 33–39 ODD
20 Jul 2009 3.7 Rates of Change in the Natural and Social Sciences 1; 3; 5; 9; 13; 15; 17; 19; 21; 29; 33
16 Jul 2009 Chapter 3.1–3.6 Test

Optional study problems suggested at right
(For students with minimal study time)
Page 262 (Exercises): 1–41 ODD; 49; 51; 53; 57–61 ALL; 63ab; 65; 67
(For students with additional study time)
The above plus
Page 262 (Exercises): 2–46 EVEN; 52; 54; 68
Page 261 (Concept check): 2(a) through 2(n)
Page 261 (True-false quiz): 1–11 ALL
Even-numbered problems from the ranges of the homework assignments from sections 3.1–3.6
15 Jul 2009 3.5 Implicit Differentiation 1–19 ODD; 25; 27; 29; 33; 35; 39; 41; 45–53 ODD; 57–61 ODD
3.6 Derivatives of Logarithmic Functions 1–51 ODD (graphs on 35 are optional)
14 Jul 2009 3.4 The Chain Rule 1–53 ODD; 81 (graph is optional) 70; 90
13 Jul 2009 3.1 Derivatives of Polynomials and Exponential Functions 9–35 ODD; 39–42 ALL (just find the derivative; don't worry about the graphs); 45; 49; 51; 55; 71 64; 70; 77 (must show steps to earn credit)
3.2 The Product and Quotient Rules 3–33 ODD
3.3 Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions 1–23 ODD; 25a; 27a; 29; 35; 39–47 ODD
8 Jul 2009 Chapter 2 Test

Optional study problems suggested at right

(Last day to turn in Hotel Infinity for credit)
(For students with minimal study time)
Page 167 (Exercises): 1–19 ODD; 21–24 ALL; 25; 27; 29–38 ALL; 39ab; 40–44 ALL; 45ab; 46abc; 47; 48; 52
(For students with additional study time)
The above plus
Page 167 (Exercises): 4–20 EVEN; 26; 28
Page 165 (Concept check): 2; 4; 6–15 ALL
Page 166 (True-false quiz): 1–20 ALL
Even-numbered problems from the ranges of the Chapter 2 homework assignments
7 Jul 2009 2.7 Derivatives and Rates of Change 5–21 EOO; 25–35 ODD
2.8 The Derivative as a Function 1–11 ODD; 19–29 ODD; 41; 43; 57
6 Jul 2009 2.5 Continuity 3; 9–27 ODD; 31–39 ODD; 45–51 ODD Write down how Hotel Infinity accommodated all the passengers from Infinity Bus Lines; specifically, how the room assignments were rearranged
2.6 Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 13–33 EOO; 39–43 ODD; 49; 51
1 Jul 2009 2.3 Calculating Limits Using the Limit Laws 1–29 ODD; 35; 39; 43; 49 52
2.4 The Precise Definition of a Limit 15–31 ODD; 42; 43
30 Jun 2009 2.1 The Tangent and Velocity Problems 1; 5; 9a
2.2 The Limit of a Function 5; 7; 9; 17–31 ODD; 37 40
29 Jun 2009 1.6 Inverse Functions and Logarithms 5; 7; 9; 11; 21; 23; 25
Optional extra practice 33–39; 59–64 if you are "rusty" on log or trig functions
Chapter 1 Test

Optional study problems suggested at right
(For students with minimal study time)
Page 74 (Exercises): 1–3; 5–17; 19; 22–26
(For students with additional study time)
Page 73 (Concept check): 1; 3; 4; 6; 9–12 ALL
Page 73 (True-false quiz): 1–13 ALL
The above plus even-numbered problems from the ranges of the Chapter 1 homework assignments
24 Jun 2009 1.1 Four Ways to Represent a Function 1; 5; 6; 7; 8; 13; 17; 19–43 ODD; 45–61 EOO; 65; 67; 69
1.2 Mathematical Models 1; 3; 5; 9; 11; 13; 17; 19; 20
1.3 New Functions from Old Functions 1–7 ODD; 9–21 EOO; 29–45 EOO; 51; 57; 63
1.4 Graphing Calculators and Computers (No assignment)
1.5 Exponential Functions 5; 7; 9; 25
Syllabus Worksheet (obtain a copy)

Future Assignments

§ Title Problems E.C.
5.1 Areas and Distances 1; 5; 11; 15; 17; 19
5.2 The Definite Integral 1; 5; 17; 19; 27; 33
5.3 The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus 7–41 ODD
5.4 Indefinite Integrals and the Net Change Theorem 1–17 ODD; 21–43 ODD; 57a; 59 (in part (b), replace "distance" with "displacement", which means your answer won't agree with the back of the book); 61
5.5 The Substitution Rule 1–45 ODD; 51–69 ODD
Final Examination

Optional study problems suggested at right

Exam starts at 10:30 a.m.
(For students with minimal study time)
Page 348 (Exercises): 1–13 ODD; 18; 19–33 ODD; 45; 47; 53–73 ODD; 79a; 79c
Page 409 (Exercises): 1–37 ODD; 43; 45; 47; 57; 59; 67 (use the Substitution Rule and set u = f(x))
(For students with additional study time)
The above plus
Page 348 (Exercises): 2–14 EVEN; 20–34 EVEN; 46; 48; 50–58 EVEN; 62–74 EVEN;
Page 347 (Concept check): 1–7 ALL
Page 347 (True-false quiz): 1–20 ALL
Page 409 (Exercises): 8–38 EVEN; 44; 46; 48;
Page 408 (Concept check): 4b; 5;
Page 409 (True-false quiz): 1–15 ALL; and
Even-numbered problems from the ranges of the Chapter 4 & 5 homework assignments

Course Handouts and Study Aids

The documents listed below are available for viewing or download. The list below provides links to download free software to read the file formats of the various documents.

Course Handouts

Study Aids

Will You Succeed or Fail in Mathematics?

This checklist is adapted from a handout prepared by math and philosophy instructor Steve Thomassin. It will allow you to compare your approach to a mathematics course to the approaches taken by successful … and unsuccessful … students.

Attribute Type Predictor of Success Predictor of Failure
Attitude Focus on things that are under your control. Blame things that are out of your control (the text, the instructor, or "the system") for your difficulties.
Be optimistic. Believe that you can do it. Be pessimistic. Convince yourself that you will fail.
Be positive. Find ways to make math interesting and fun. Be negative. Find ways to make math dull and painful.
Be open. See the uses, power, patterns, and magic of mathematics. Be closed. Blind yourself to math's uses and its practical and esthetic value.
Be practical. Make yourself aware of the doors that passing each math class opens to you. Be impractical. Ignore the doors that open when you pass a math class.
Class Work Attend every class. Aim for perfect attendance, even if you already know it all. Be absent often. Dig a hole so deep that you cannot climb out except by dropping the course.
Be focused. Concentrate on the math topic at hand. Be mentally elsewhere. Daydream. Talk. Distract and annoy neighboring students.
Take good notes. Solve problems along with the instructor. Avoid participating in the discussion. Just watch the instructor.
Be inquisitive. Ask questions so that the instructor knows what you would like to learn more about. Be uninterested. Make the instructor guess what it is that you might be confused about.
Homework Be regular. Always do at least some homework before the next class, and finish by the due date. Be sporadic. Do homework only when it easily fits your schedule.
Invest time. Spend double to triple the amount of in-class time. Invest little time. Spend less time doing homework than you spend in class.
Review notes; read text; do all assigned problems (maybe even more), and check the answers. Ignore notes and text explanations; try a few problems, and don't bother checking to see if they are right.
Getting Help When needed, take advantage of all opportunities: study groups, tutors, instructor office hours. Even when lost, never seek assistance.

http://academic.venturacollege.edu/mbowen/courses/2009natsu/m21a.shtml

Michael Bowen's VC Course Pages: Math V21A Start Page

Last modified: Sunday 18 October 2009 16:31:08
Created by Michael Bowen (Professor of Mathematics)
Department of Mathematics, Ventura College, California, USA
Ventura College is an independent college within the Ventura County Community College District.
Please email comments, questions, suggestions, or a notification if you find a "broken" link.
As an alternative, you may leave a voice message at (805) 654–6400, ext. 1336.


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