Math 231, Spring 07: Calculus of Several Variables.
(Tu TR 11:15am-12:05pm, Section 2, 319 Sackett)
(Tu TR 4:40pm-5:30pm, Section 6, 322 Sackett)
Instructor: Guangri(Gary) Xue
417 McAllister, 863-8909
Office hour: M W(12:45 - 1:45p), or by appointment
Course Material
You are welcome to send me anonymous email feedback about the course I teach.
Grading
Homeworks: 40%
Midterm: 20%
Final Exam: 40%
Course grades will be assigned on an "absolute" scale. i.e. your grade is going to be independent of how well others may have done.
Homeworks will be assigned once a week and due one week later. There is no need to turn the solutions in. Instead, on the day a homework is due you will be asked to solve one or two problems from that homework, without any assistance of books or notes. Calculators will generally not be allowed either.
While no assistance will be available or allowed during quizzes, it is certainly OK to seek help with homework or work in teams before the quiz. I will also be glad to help.
Midterm Exam
One 75- minute evening examination will be given during the semester and a comprehensive final examination will be given during the final examination period. NO book, notes, or calculators may be used on the examinations. You must bring your University ID card to all exams.Midterm exam: March 22, 6:30-7:45, in 100 Thomas.
Should this collide with another exam, go to McAliister 104 to register for a conflict exam at least 48 hours in advance. Also let your instructor know about the conflict. If you have to miss the exam, it is critical that you contact your instructor immediately.
Practice exams:Final Exam
The final examination will be given during the finals week, 7-11 May. The date and time of the final examination will be announced by the University Registrar midway through the semester. The final examination will be scheduled on any day during the final examination period. Do not plan to leave University Park until after Friday, 11 May 2007.
Final exam conflicts must be filed with the Registrar using the eLion "Final Exam Schedule" application during the February 19 - March 4 period.
Final exam: May 10, 2:30pm- , in 100 Thomas.
Practice exams:Late Drop
Students may add/drop a course without academic penalty within the first ten calendar days of the semester. A student may late drop a course by April 13 but accrues late drop credits equal to the number of credits in the dropped course. A baccalaureate student is limited to 16 late drop credits. The withdrawal deadline is May 4.
Tutors and Math Center
If you need extra help (paid) tutors, a list is maintained in the Mathematics Department Undergraduate Office in 104 McAllister Building. It is available on line at
http://www.math.psu.edu/ug/PrivateTutorList.htm
It is also available through the Undergraduate Studies in Mathematics homepage at
This website is a good source for general information about undergraduate mathematics as well asinformation on evening exam schedules, office hours for instructors, and so on. In addition, there is free mathematics tutoring available at the Math Center located in 220 Boucke Building.
Academic Integrity Statement
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at the Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community, including students, are expected to act with personal integrity, to respect other students dignity, rights and property, and to help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts. Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, ..., facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with academic work of other students... A student charged with academic dishonesty will be given oral or written notice of the charge by the instructor. If students believe that they have been falsely accused, they should seek redress through informal discussions, with the instructor, the department head, Dean or campus executive officer. If the instructor believes that the infraction is sufficiently serious to warrant the referral of the case to Judicial Affairs, or if the instructor will award a final grade of F in the course because of the infraction, the student and instructor will be afforded formal due process procedures. (From Policies and Rules, Student Guide to the University Policy 49-20.) Based on the University's Faculty Senate Policy 49-20, a range of academic sanctions may be taken against a student who engages in academic dishonesty. Please see the Eberly College of Science Academic Integrity homepage for additional information and procedures.
Class Attendance
Although regular classroom attendance will not figure into your grade in a tangilbe way, you are strongly encouraged to regularly attend class. Attending all classes is extremely helpful as the presentation may be different from the text. Having questions answered in class (as well as hearing other student's questions) is also a benefit. Material not present in the text may be presented in class; you will be held accountable for this material on quizzes and exams. Finally, regular attendance demonstrates good stewardship of your time and money.
Online tools
Additional information
If you would like to know more about the mathematicians whose work we study in this course, then go to The MacTutor History of Mathematics archive.