Home, 5/16 (last message)
Half of the students who took the final exam were able to improve their grade, and the final exam average was even in line with our other exams, which is unusual. Final exam averages are typically smaller than regular exams, because the best students tend not to take it. This semester, however, we had a number of students who wanted to improve their B's to an A, which resulted in higher scores overall.
You can now find all the exams, solutions and score statistics, including letter grade distribution, on the "scores and docs" page.
It has been a pleasure teaching this course. Thank you for your participation in class, especially the several students that volunteered for the board often, and everyone else, who went even though it was probably not their favorite thing to do. You make my job easier!
Have a great summer!
Home, 5/2
I was hoping exam 3 would turn out a little better owing to few sections covered, but the class wasn't able to improve on previous averages. I suppose not having enough time for homework discussion did have an effect.
The final exam is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:15 in our usual classroom. Recall that the final exam is optional - you take it only if you wish to improve the grade that I have assigned you. The final exam replaces your weakest exam grade only if it is better.
The final exam will be comprehensive, covering the entire semester. It will have 6 pages, 50% longer than our usual exam, but you get twice the time to work on it, so no one should have trouble finishing the exam. It will consist of problems much like the ones that have been given on exams during the semester, therefore, start preparing for it by making sure you can do all the problems on the exams given during the semester. (All solutions and all exams are now available.) The theoretical problems from these exams have a knack for appearing on the final exam. Also, check out the sample final exam, ignoring problems 2d, 4b and 9c, as we have not covered this material during the semester.
If you opt for the final, make sure you turn in any homework in sections 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2 if you haven't already. It is due by the time you take the final exam. If you need more time to study for the final, you can take it with one of my other classes on Wednesday at 10:30 (room 301) or Thursday at 10:30 (our classroom).
Office hour schedule for finals week: Monday: 10:00-12:00, 2:00-4:00 Tuesday: 10:30-3:00 Wednesday: 9:30-10:30, 1:00-3:00 Thursday: 9:30-10:30
Good luck on finals!
Home, 4/24
Exam 2 turned out so-so. It looks like the limited time we had for homework had an impact.
Exam 3, covering sections 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2 is planned for Friday. Check out sample exam 3 for some representative problems, but ignore problems 3, 5, 7 and 8c, as they come from sections 6.1-6.3, which we did not cover. They will be replaced by problems like those on homework from sections 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2. After the exam, I will inform you of your overall grade on Friday night so you can decide whether to take the final exam.
If you have not yet turned in homework for sections 4.1 and 4.2, please do so on Monday. On Monday, we will finish homework discussion of sections 4.3 and 5.1 (problems for 5.1 and 5.2 will be posted this weekend).
Home, 4/17
Exam 2, covering sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2 is scheduled for Monday. Look at sample exam 2 on the "scores and docs" page to see what may appear in the exam.
Homework for sections 4.1 and 4.2 will be due on Wednesday, but it would be good if you familiarized yourself with it before the exam, as some questions like on homework will come up on the exam.
Since we didn't get a chance to look at the sample exam in class and there were no office hours shortly before the exam, I will have a Zoom session on Sunday for any questions ahead of the exam. Check your email for the details.
Home, 4/10
Homework for sections 3.1 and 3.2 was due today. Bring it on Monday if you did not turn it in.
On Monday we will finish lectures on section 4.2 and start discussion of homework for section 4.1.
I was thinking of having exam 2 on Friday, but it turned out many students had exams in a number of other courses next week. We will then have it on the following Monday.
Home, 4/5
On Monday, we will start discussion of homework for sections 3.1 and 3.2. If you haven't yet turned in homework for sections 2.7 and 2.8, I would really like to have it.
Home, 3/27
On Monday, we will finish discussion of homework in section 2.8 and start lectures over chapter 3.
Homework for sections 3.1 and 3.2 2.7 and 2.8 will be due on Wendesday.
Home, 3/20
Good news! Only two more days left until you return to your courses! 🎉🎉 (Hope you are enjoying spring break while you still can.)
Exam 1 could have been better, but wasn't an outright disaster. Two more exams to come, so there is room for improvement! You can see the statistics on the "scores and docs" page.
With the great weather this weekend, I know this is a big ask, but hopefully you can look at the notes or see the videos on sections 2.7 and 2.8, posted on Canvas, as it would be good to see them before we dive into homework over them on Monday.
Also, take a look at the problems in section 2.4 which we start discussing on Monday, followed by 2.7. Homework from sections 2.3 and 2.4 will be due on Wednesday.
Home, 3/8
On Monday, we will start with new material from section 2.4.
As I am at a conference at the end of the week, classes for Wednesday and Friday are canceled and will be made up with video lectures on sections from chapter 2.
Home, 2/27
Exam 1, covering sections 1.1-1.6, 2.1 and 2.3 is scheduled for Friday. Check out sample exam 1 on the "scores and docs" page to see what it may look like. To be successful on an exam, you need a pretty good level of proficiency and familiarity with the material. To see how well you are doing, I suggest you try to do a sample exam in 50 minutes and see how you do. If you find it is a struggle, more practice is needed.
You can find more exams on the MOTHERLODE, but they are from courses that used a different book, so the material is ordered differently. You will have to look through all three exams given in a semester to find some problems that take into account what we have covered so far.
From the homeworks, I see that quite a few of you could use some help. Come see me during office hours to discuss what you might not understand.
On Monday, we will finish section 2.3 and start discussion of it its homework. Sections 1.7 and 2.1 homework is due on Monday, so it can be returned to you before the exam.
Home, 2/21
We will finish homework discussion of section 1.7 on Monday and start lectures on 2.1. If you haven't yet turned in your homework for sections 1.5 and 1.6, bring it on Monday.
Exam 1 is coming soon, likely week after next.
Home, 2/14
Homework discusion of sections 1.5 and 1.6 is nearly finished. We will wrap it up on Monday and continue with new material in section 1.7. Homework for sections 1.5 and 1.6 will be due on Wednesday.
Home, 2/6
We finished discussion of homework in section 1.4 so homework for sections 1.3 and 1.4 is due on Monday.
On Monday, once we finish the lecture on section 1.6, we will start discussion of homework in section 1.5. This section has some applications and I will not lecture on it. Read section 1.5 in the book to get started with homework.
Home, 1/30
How's everyone? Rested plenty, I hope, and a little sunburnt from playing in the snow?
We completed a week of lectures on Zoom, almost finishing section 1.4. I know this is not the best way to present a course, a bunch of lectures first and then homework discussion over all of them, but is the best we had for a short term school closure in order not to lose class time.
Don't worry if you were not able to attend - they were all recorded and are available on Canvas/files/recordings. Before we discuss homework for a particular section, I strongly recommend you at least read the notes for that section and, depending on how well you got through the notes, watch the corresponding video to help you understand the notes. (You'll have to make do without a movie-star narrator.)
On Monday, I will finish lecturing on section 1.4, after which we will start with homework discussion for section 1.3. Once we finish these, we will continue discussion of section 1.4, probably on Wednesday. Therefore, your first reading or viewing assignment is section 1.3 before Monday and shortly thereafter section 1.4.
Don't forget that homework for sections 1.1 and 1.2 (already discussed) is due on Monday.
See you in person on Monday!
Home, 1/23
We finished homework discussion of sections 1.1 and 1.2, so those homeworks are due on Wednesday. Recall that you can find pictures of board work on Canvas/files, if you need some help on homework.
With hardly any time left to spare in the course, I hate losing several classes to snow. Therefore, assuming there are no widespread outages, I will be conducting class over Zoom at its usual time on Monday, lecturing over new sections. If you can, please join the class (link to meeting will be sent by email). If not, a recording of the lecture will be available on Canvas/files/recordings.
If anyone needs to see me for office hours during snow days, we can meet on Zoom: send me a request by email.
Free tutoring information has been updated with hours for this semester - see the "free tutoring" page.
Stay warm and safe until I see you again!
Home, 1/16
The first week passed quickly and it's going to continue like that, what with all the work we have to do.
We are just about finished with lectures on section 1.2, after which (on Wednesday) we will start discussion of homework in sections 1.1 and 1.2.
Have a good long weekend!
Home, 1/11
Welcome to the course! Look around to familiarize yourself with the layout of these webpages. To get to other pages, click on the links in the menu (or drop-down, if viewing on a smartphone). The most often-used pages are in the first line of the menu (or the first several choices of the drop-down). "Scores and docs," for example, has all the documents for the course.
Your first exercise is to find the syllabus on these pages and read it. The items there that are typically of greatest interest to students are from "Homework" to "Make-ups."
These pages will get more content as information becomes available. Check back often: useful information is provided in the "home" section (which you are reading), typically updated weekly. For now, here is some information on Canvas and lecture notes.
Canvas: Canvas will only be the repository of class notes and your grades. Information about the course and weekly messages will be posted to this website (also accessible from Canvas). (Why bother with the website outside of Canvas? Two reasons: it's easier to make updates to it, and it stays public. I value this, and you may grow to as well, as a service to future students of this same course.)
Lecture notes: I will distribute the printed notes in class. For future classes, have these with you so that you can follow the lectures in class without having to copy a lot. The filled-in notes written in class are posted on Canvas.