Math 15, Lecture 1
2-2:50 MWF, Arts 1245
Spring 2001

 

Instructor: Imre Tuba
Office: South Hall 6701
Office hours: 11-12 M, 3-4 W, 12:30-1:30 F
Phone: 2079
E-mail: ituba@math.ucsb.edu

 
Teaching assistant: Chris Campbell
Office: South Hall 6432K (but some office hours are in the Math Lab (SH 1607))
Office hours: Tu 12-2 in the Math Lab, 1-2 Th in 6432K
E-mail: campbell@math.ucsb.edu
Website:  www.math.ucsb.edu/~campbell

 
Website: www.math.ucsb.edu/~ituba/math15

 
Text: Connally, Hughes-Hallet, Gleason, et al: Functions Modeling Change, Ch. 1-8

 
Discussion sections are mandatory. The idea is that you ask questions and hopefully participate in solving them. Questions need not be of the ``Can you do number ... on the HW?'' type.

 
Homework will be assigned at the end of each class and is due at the beginning of class on Wed. Late HW will not be accepted. Due to limited resources, only some of the problems will be graded. You won't know in advance which ones, so you should do your best on all of them. The more problems you do the less likely it is that one you didn't do will be graded. Therefore this is fair and your grade will be representative of your overall performance. If you don't believe me, ask any statistician.

You should plan on spending at least 8 hours/week on HW. You may work in groups, in fact it's probably to your advantage to talk to fellow students, but you should write up the solutions on your own. Identical work from two (or more) students is usually easy to spot. If you share the work, you'll share the credit. Please, write your name and section time on each sheet and staple sheets together. On the first line of your HW, list the problems that you didn't do. HW that doesn't follow this format will not be graded.
 

Quizzes may occasionally pop up in lecture or section to encourage attendance and keeping up with the material. There will be no make-ups. If you miss one for good reason (illness, field trip) you'll need to bring an official note (from your doctor or professor) and we'll average your quiz grade from your other quizzes.

 
Exams: There will be one midterm in class, on May 7. There will be no make-ups. If you are sick that day, bring a note from your doctor and we will average your grade from the final + HW. The final is 4-7 PM, June 9. If you miss it for a good reason, you may file for an incomplete until June 15.

 
Algebra Diagnostic Test: preparing you to pass this test at the level required for Math 3A (at least 32 points) is the goal of this course. The test is given several times during the quarter. You are encouraged to take it and will be rewarded by getting half of your score on the ADT as credit toward your grade. E.g. scoring 32 points will earn you 16/100 toward your final grade. To be fair to everyone, we will then have to reduce the weight of your final to 39% (55%-16%). That's pretty good: it's as if you started your final with a score of 16/55 before you even wrote down your name on the bluebook. If you don't pass the ADT during the quarter, you can still get an A in the class by doing well on the HW + exams, only every mistake you make on the final will hurt you more than if you had the credit from the ADT. Of course, if you make no mistakes on the final, you are all set anyway. One of your (lesser) challenges during the quarter is to understand this grading scheme.

 
Review sessions: I won't hold any review sessions as a matter of pedagogy. I'll be happy to explain to you why if you ask. Chris may hold some if he wants.

 
Grading scheme:
Homework 15%
Quizzes 1% each
Midterm 30-x%
Algebra Diagnostic Test 30%
Final 55-y%

where x is the number of quizzes we have during the quarter and and y is half of your score on the ADT assuming you pass it at the level required for Math 3A (at least 32 points). Your total score will be curved, but not the individual exams.

 
Calculators are a great thing and will sometimes be helpful in doing HW. A simple one will do more than you need. They won't be allowed on the exams though. When I board an airplane, it's reassuring to know that the pilot can also fly it without the autopilot and that is because (s)he learned to fly mostly without it.

 
Computation: You learned to do long-hand addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in elementary school. We will assume you still know how to do them although most of the time you won't need them. You could use long-hand division to compute 10.5 / 3.5, but you really don't need it. Also, it's easier to compute 4 / (2/7) = 14 than 4 / 0.2857, if you know what I mean.

 
Checking your answer will sometimes be part of exam problems. If you don't do it or do it wrong, you'll lose points. If your answer is wrong but it somehow still magically works when you check it, you'll lose points for making the original mistake and some more for not catching it. It's always a good idea to check your answer, even when you are not specifically asked to. One of the fastest and easiest checks is to see if your answer is reasonable. E.g. if you were asked to compute the volume of a swimming pool and you came up with 1.5 gal, you should realize it can't be right.

 
A general note on assignments: It is not our goal to teach you recipe-book math. Math is not about plugging numbers into the right formula. It's about developing analytical skills that allow you to solve problems. Therefore some of the problems on the HW and on the exams may not look like any you've seen before. These are not meant to bring you immeasurable pain. They are meant to challenge your intelligence and fill you with a sense of satisfaction when completed.

 
Quality of work: It is important that you work neatly on the HW and the exams. You will be graded on the quality of your work. Quality has to do with how easy it is for someone else to read your solution to a problem. It is not enough to get the right answer, you must also present it well. Don't shy away from saying what you want in words and use full sentences.

 
Additional resources: Math Lab in South Hall 1607 has TAs eager to answer your questions 12-5, M-F. Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) has all kinds of courses, tutorials, and drop-in labs. The Achievement Program is a 1-credit class (Math 91, Code 26890) which meets 2-3:15 TR in SH 4631. It's like an extra discussion section, only more personalized.

 
Students with disabilities: If you require special arrangements, let me know well in advance so we can plan to accommodate your needs.

 
Another general note: Math is much like learning to drive in that I cannot truly teach you. I can explain it to you, show you how to do it, and tell you what you are doing wrong, but you really teach yourself by thinking about it and practicing it. Chris and I are here to help you, but most of the work is yours. You'll learn most by doing problems. Attending class won't be sufficient to do well on the exams. Learning is hard work and generally not as pleasurable as kicking back with a margarita on the beach but is perhaps more rewarding.