Math 1B Course Policy Fall 2024

Lecture 1 – Class # 22016 Instructor: Emiliano Gómez

Text

Calculus, Early Transcendentals 8th Edition by James Stewart

We will follow the textbook closely, and all the homework exercises will come from this book.
It may be okay to use a previous edition except for homework problems. If you do use an older
edition, make sure to get the correct homework exercises from someone who has the 8th edition.

Homework

There will be 13 homework assignments, roughly one per week, which you will submit to your
GSI (in person or through Gradescope. Your GSI will tell you the logistics). The Time Table lists
all the homework exercises and due dates. The lowest score will be dropped. Late homework
will not be accepted except under exceptional circumstances.

Homework grades will be based only on completeness (an honest attempt to solve all the
problems). You are welcome to check your answers to odd-numbered problems at the end of the
textbook, but you must turn in solutions, not just answers. You may discuss the homework with
your classmates, but you must write your own solutions. This is crucial in order to learn the
material properly and to be well prepared for quizzes and exams. You are always welcome to ask
me and your GSI if you have questions about the homework.

Although it is quite easy to find solutions manuals on the internet, copying solutions is illegal
and will result in a negative homework grade as well as in more serious consequences. More
importantly, you cannot master the material unless you put in the effort to do your own
homework.

Quizzes

There will be 8 quizzes, which you will take in your discussion section. They will be 30 minutes
long. The Time Table lists the date and the material that will be covered in each quiz. The lowest
quiz score will be dropped, but there are no makeup quizzes.
Exams

There will be two midterm exams, at 11am in the lecture hall, 150 Wheeler.

• Midterm 1: Monday, September 30 – Chapters 6, 7 and 8

Each midterm exam will count for 20% of your semester grade (see the grading scheme below).
But if your final exam score (as a percent) is better than your lowest midterm score, you can
replace that midterm score with the final exam score (this will be done for you automatically,
you do not need to request it). Still, I highly recommend that you take both midterm exams
seriously.

The final exam has been scheduled for Monday, December 16 at 11:30am. The place will be
announced later.

• Final exam: Monday, December 16 11:30am – 2:30pm

The final exam counts for 30% of your grade, and you must take it in order to pass the class.

It is not possible to give makeup exams, so please mark these three dates now and make sure that
you have no conflicts in your schedule.

To get full credit for a problem, you must have the correct answer, put a box around it, and
provide a legible, clear, complete justification. Unexplained correct answers will be regarded
suspiciously and receive little or no credit. To maximize credit, cross out incorrect work.

Grades

Details of the grading scheme and the computation of your grade are given below for your
information and for transparency. To be as fair as possible and as requested by the math
department, the distribution of semester grades will resemble the historical distribution of
Math 1B grades from the last 12 years:
The grading scheme is as follows:

Homework 10% There will be 13 homework assignments

• The lowest homework score and the lowest quiz score will be dropped.
Late homework will not be accepted. There are no makeup quizzes or exams.

• If your final exam score (as a percent) is better than your lowest midterm score, your final
exam score will replace your lowest midterm score. You must take the final exam in order to
pass the class.

The only grade that will be curved (to determine your semester grade) is a semester score out of
100 that takes into account your exams, quizzes, and homework. I will provide statistics on each
midterm exam so you can have a rough idea of what your exam scores mean for your grade.

I will ask the GSIs to have a uniform quiz score average, but if there are differences between the
distinct discussion sections, we will adjust the quiz score averages so that all sections are treated
fairly.

Finally, please note that according to university policy, an Incomplete grade (I) can be given
only if unanticipated events beyond your control (e.g., a medical emergency) make it impossible
for you to complete the course, and if you are otherwise passing (with a grade of C or above) up
to those events.

Platforms for Information and Communication

We will use the following four platforms:

• bCourses (Canvas)
In this site, I will post course information, announcements, lecture notes, and practice exams.
Your homework, quiz, and exam scores will be posted here as well (under the Grades tab).

• Ed Discussion
This is integrated into our bCourses site, and we will use it for asking and answering questions.
Students and GSIs can and are welcome to answer questions, not just me.

• Gradescope
We will have in-person exams, but we will scan them and grade them through Gradescope.
There will be one site for exams, but your GSI may have an additional site for your homework
and quizzes.
• Zoom
I plan to have both in-person and remote office hours. For the latter, we will use zoom. We will
also use zoom if for any reason we need to have remote lectures at some point (I hope not).

Disabled Student Program

If you have an accommodation letter from the DSP, you must inform me at the beginning of the
semester so that I can figure out how to accommodate your needs. If you tell me just before the
first midterm, I may not be able to do so. If you get a DSP letter during the semester, please let
me know as soon as you get it. If you need any special accommodation, I encourage you to
contact the DSP office as early as possible.

Cheating

Your integrity is worth more than your grade in this course. In addition, cheating does not help
you learn. Dealing with academic dishonesty is very painful for both students and instructors and
can have very serious consequences. Anyone caught cheating will automatically fail the course
and will probably be referred to the Center for Student Conduct. Please respect yourself, your
classmates, your instructors, and the university by being honest. I hope these will be my only
words about this ugly topic for the entire semester.

A Few Words of Advice

• The best advice I can give you is that you should focus on mastering the ideas and applications
of the course, rather than focusing on your performance and your grade. Research shows that
students who prioritize learning over performance not only learn better, but also outperform
students who focus on performance.

• Be organized and plan ahead, at least weekly. Do not leave homework or studying for the last
night. Make sure to get a good night’s sleep before the exams and to get up in time for a good
breakfast…and make it to the exams on time!

• Find a few classmates to form a study group. Help each other out, explain things to each other,
question or give constructive criticism to each other’s written solutions to practice or homework
problems. Create an atmosphere of collaboration rather than competition among your peers.

• Get your questions answered. If you do not understand something, ask me. Ask your GSI. Ask
your classmates. Come to your GSI’s office hours. Come to my office hours. If you have any
concerns about the course, feel free to discuss them with me.

Welcome to the class!