Syllabus for MA 261
Multivariate Calculus
Fall, 2000

Professor Roger Kraft
Office: CLO 368
Office phone: 989-2696
Office hours: 1:30-2:30, MTWR, and by appointment.
E-mail: roger@calumet.purdue.edu

Text: Multivariable Calculus, by W. McCallum, et al, John Wiley & Sons, 1997.

This course will cover chapters 11 through 18 of the calculus textbook. Your grade for this course will be based on weekly quizzes and four one hour exams in the following manner: 

           20%, weekly quizzes, and computer assignments,
           80%, four exams (20% per exam).
The tentative dates for the four one hour exams are 
           Exam 1    Tuesday, September 26
           Exam 2    Tuesday, October 24
           Exam 3    Tuesday, November 14
           Exam 4    during final exam week.
Each quiz will either be about 15 minutes long and be held during class on Thursday, or it will be a take home quiz handed out on Thursday and due the following Monday. Each student is responsible for doing their own work on the take home quizzes. There will be no makeup quizzes for the in-class quizzes and each take home quiz will only be accepted on the Monday when it is due. However, your lowest two quiz scores will be dropped. Most Thursdays will be devoted to problem sessions where we will go over the solutions to homework problems. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of each week will be devoted mostly to lectures.

There will be homework problems assigned in class but the homework will not be collected. However, the quizzes will be closely based on the assigned homework problems and so the best way to prepare for each quiz is to do the homework.

For some of the homework assignments for this course it will helpful to have a graphing calculator or to use some kind of mathematics program on a computer. In class we will demonstrate using a computer mathematics program called Maple. This is a very powerful program; it is used for every kind of mathematics, from calculus classes to research in math, engineering, and physics. We will mostly use Maple for calculating integrals and drawing graphs, much better graphs than what you can do with a graphing calculator (though it's a lot easier to put a graphing calculator in your pocket to bring to class). If you would like to use Maple yourself, you can get access to the Maple program in the Math Computer Lab in CLO 365, and in the computer labs in the Powers Computer Education Building.

In compliance with the American With Disabilities Act (ADA), all qualified students enrolled in this course are entitled to "reasonable accommodations." It is the student's responsibility to inform me of any special needs before the end of the second week of classes.

Ethics are an integral part of being a student and a professional. Academic integrity is the hallmark of this University. Therefore, Purdue University does not tolerate academic dishonesty in any form. If a student breaches integrity, the student risks sanctions in both the academic and conduct arenas. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the unauthorized use of other's intellectual property (plagiarism), and lying to an instructor or any University employee. Such actions WILL result in a failing grade on the assignment with the strong possibility of referral to the Office of the Dean of Students for a conduct sanction (see Purdue University's student handbook).


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