Course Syllabus
Mat 215
PROF. Helinger
Fall 2011
Calculus
for Business Students
Office:
Room 535
No. SemesterHours-4
Office Hours:
No. Credit Hours – 4
No. Contact Hours 4
Mon.-12:00-1:30P.M.; 8-8:30 PM
Tues. 11:00-12:00
Wed. 12:00-12:50 P.M.
Fri. 9:00-9:50 A.M
E-mail:
michael.helinger@clinton.edu
I. Course Description
Calculus for Business Students is a course designed to give
the business student a working knowledge of the skills and techniques necessary
to solve the special mathematical problems of modern businesses.
The course will begin with fundamentals of modeling and will continue to
study functions and their graphs, an introduction to limits, the methods of
finding derivatives, the interpretation and applications of derivatives in
economic terms, and finding antiderivatives with their applications in the
business world.
Prerequisites:
Mat 103 or the equivalent.
II. Textbook
Calculus Concepts for Business Students, Revised edition, by Michael Helinger. Linus Publications.
ISBN #: 1-934188-20-4
Other required materials include a graphing calculator (the
TI-83 Plus, or TI-84 Plus).
III. Course Objectives
marginal cost, marginal revenue, producer’s surplus, consumer’s surplus,
maximum and minimum.
B. The student
will have to learn the techniques of both differential and integral calculus as
they apply to
the modern business world to such problems as finding equilibrium supply
and demand, marginal cost, producer’s surplus, total savings over a period of
time, cost of warranty given the rate of maintenance costs, as well as
optimization theory.
C. The student must learn to use the graphing calculator as a tool for calculus.
D.
The student will be model basic sets of
data based on commonly used shapes.
See complete course objectives filed with Division.
IV. Course Organization and Methods
The material shall be presented by a combination of lecture
together with class discussion. The
final grade will be computed by taking 60% of the average of three 2-hour exams
and 10% of the average of announced and unannounced quizzes, and 30% of the
Final Exam Grade.
.
V. Course Outline
A. What is Mathematical
Modeling?
B. The Role of Graphs
C. Modeling in Business
D. Using Model in Real
Situations
II. Functions
A. Definition of a Function
B. Linear Functions
C. Equilibrium Supply and
Demand
D. Some Nonlinear Functions
with their graphs
1. Exponential Functions
2.
Logistic Functions
3. Parabolas
4. Cubic Functions
EXAM I
III. Limits
A. The Limit of a Function
B. Properties and Theorems of
Limits
C. Continuity
D. Limits to Infinity
IV. The derivative
A. Definition of the
Derivative
1. Secant and Tangent Lines
2. Difference Quotient
3. Conditions under which the Derivative Doesn’t Exist
B. Techniques of
Differentiation
C. Applications of the
Derivative
1. Tangential approximations
2. Marginal Cost and Revenue
D. Derivatives of Products
and Quotients
E. Chain Rule of Derivatives
F. Implicit Differentiation
EXAM 2
V. Further Applications of the
Derivative
A. Optimization Theory and
the First Derivative Test (Relative and Absolute
Extrema)
B. The second Derivative Test
C. Applications of the Theory
of Extrema
D. Curve Sketching with First
and Second Derivatives
1. Increasing and Decreasing
Intervals
2. Concavity and Inflection
Points
VI. Exponential and Logarithmic
Functions
A. Exponential Functions
B. Logarithmic Functions
1. Base 10
2. Natural Logarithms
C. Applications of
Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
1. Population Growth
2. Compound Interest
D. Derivatives of Exponential
and Logarithmic Functions
EXAM 3
VII.
Integration
A. The Antiderivative
B. Area and the Definite
Integral
C. The Fundamental Theorem of
Calculus
D. Some Applications of
Integral
1. Evaluating Constants of
Integration
2. Finding Total Savings
Given a Rate
3. Cost of a Warranty
E. The Area Between Two
Curves
1. Producer’s Surplus
2. Consumer’s Surplus
F. Chain Rule for Integrals
G. Tables of Integrals
Final
EXAM
VI. Methods of Evaluation
Final Grades— The final grade will be computed by
taking 60% of the average of 3 1-hour exams, 10% of the average of announced and
unannounced quizzes, and 30% of the Final Exam Grade.
These hour-exams will be announced at least one week in advance, and a complete
outline of the hour exams will be given in class.
There will also be an optional review class before each hour exam.
In accordance with the College policy in
the catalog, credit will be taken off for incorrect spelling.
Repeated errors in the same word on the same exam will not be taken off
more than once. If these errors
appear on Part I, they will result in loss of all credit for that particular
part of a problem.
Abbreviations will not be permitted as a substitute for correct spelling.
Ten per cent (10%) of your final grade will come from your
average on the numerous quizzes.
These quizzes will be announced or unannounced.
If it is unannounced it can only go back one week in our work.
The quizzes will vary from extremely simple quizzes to very difficult
quizzes to determine class comprehension and retention.
Hour tests will be graded one week after the hour exam, but quizzes will
be graded at the earliest convenience of the instructor, usually before the
relevant hour exam.
The final Exam has been scheduled for _______________ and
____________________ Rm 304M
Mid-semester Grades—Your mid-semester grade will be
based on a straight percentage of the points accumulated thus far from both
quizzes and hour tests. For example,
if there had been a one-hour exam and fifty points of quizzes by mid-semester,
the total possible would be 150. To
get an “A” at mid-semester you would need 90% or 135 points in any combination.
Thus, you could get 85 on the hourly and 50 points on the quizzes and
have an “A” for mid-semester.
VII. ATTENDANCE POLICY
The College policy on attendance states:
“When a student misses more than 15% of the class meetings
for a particular course, his or her absence will be considered excessive.
Excessive absence may result in a student being involuntarily withdrawn
from the course by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor and may
in turn affect financial aid. In
such cases, the student will receive a grade of “W.”
In this course, students exceeding 15% absence will be
required to meet with the instructor in his
office to discuss reasons for absences and to evaluate the student’s
situation and progress. If possible,
a strategy for completing the course will be jointly drawn up and signed.
Failure to comply with this procedure may result in the student’s being
involuntarily withdrawn with a grade of “W.”
When a student comes late, or leaves early without the necessary
documentation of an emergency, it will
be counted as 1/2 of an absence.
When a students misses more than 1/2 of the class it will be counted as
an absence.
In general, I do not give “W’s” for excessive absence past
mid-semester grades. If you
disappear or exceed 15% absence after mid-semester grades, you can rest assured
that you have an “F” for the semester.
According to the Fall 2011 Administrative Calendar, the last day to drop
without penalty is NOVEMBER 4, 2011.
If you don’t want an “F” for a final grade, but have an average below 60%, you
must accept the responsibility to WITHDRAW BY NOVEMBER 4, 2011.
IF CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND YOUR CONTROL PREVENT YOU FROM COMING TO
AN EXAM OR QUIZ, YOU MUST NOTIFY ME BEFORE THE TIME OF THE EXAM OR
QUIZ OR AS SOON THEREAFTER AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT, IN GENERAL, YOU CAN TAKE
THE EXAM OR QUIZ BEFORE THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED EXAM. MAKE-UPS WILL BE GIVEN
ONLY FOR
DOCUMENTED ACADEMIC CONFLICTS (e.g.
field trips, athletic buses officially leaving before the exam) OR
DOCUMENTED MEDICAL EMERGENCIES (e.g. I must see receipt signed by Doctor’s
office stating you were there on the day and time of the exam), or
DOCUMENTED MECHANICAL EMERGENCIES (e.g. a receipt from the tow truck that
jump started your car or towed it out
of the ditch that indicates that your vehicle was not in service on the day and
time of the exam).Obviously notes from Mommy or Daddy have no place in a college
setting. APPOINTMENTS FOR MAKE-UPS MUST BE REQUESTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT
NOT LATER THAN YOUR FIRST DAY BACK TO CLASS AFTER THE EXAM. IF YOU NOT REQUEST
THE MAKE-UP BY THE END OF YOUR FIRST DAY BACK TO CLASS, THE CONSEQUENCE WILL BE
A ZERO, 0, FOR THE EXAM.
No more than one appointment will be scheduled per person per make-up, whether it is for an hour test or a quiz. If you miss your appointment for a make-up, you receive a zero for the grade.
FOR ANY ASSIGNMENT THAT MUST BE TURNED IN, I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE ASSIGNMENTS.
VIII. Academic Honesty
All students are expected to behave with academic honesty.
It is a serious matter (please see College catalog - "Academic honesty is
expected of all
In this class students caught cheating will have three
choices.
1. The
student may take an immediate grade of “F” for the course.
2. The
student may withdraw from the course immediately.
3. The
student and I will go immediately to the Office of the Vice President for
Academic Affairs and I will hand him or his secretary a copy of the evidence.
I will then follow the recommendation of the Vice President in deciding
the penalty.
IX. Grading
Scale
Numerical equivalents of letter grades for this course.
Letter Grade Numerical Interval
A
90-100
A-
87-89
B+
84-86
B
80-83
B-
77-79
C+
74-76
C
70-73
C-
67-69
D+
64-66
D
60-63
X. Special
Reminders
If you have, or suspect you may have, any type of disability or learning problem that may require extra assistance or special accommodations, please speak to Laurie Bethka, Room 420M in the Tutoring Center, for further assistance.
Please remember to turn off all cell phones before coming
to class. CELL PHONES MUST BE
TURNED OFF BEFORE COMING INTO THE CLASSROOM.
The first time a cell phone rings in the classroom the entire class will
be warned. From then on, when a cell
phone rings, that person will be required to leave for the remainder of the
class. NO EXCEPTIONS. Other
electronic devices such as Ipods and MP3’s are also not permitted during class
nor exams.
Also, please be advised that I consider carrying on private
conversations on cell phones or in person during class as disruptive behavior,
and therefore, a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Persons engaging in
such behavior will be required to leave for the remainder of the class; such
behavior can result in suspension from class.
Course
Continuity Plan
In the case
that the college officially closes because of an emergency which causes a short
term disruption of this course, we will utilize email to continue this course in
the short term (1-3 weeks). All students need to utilize their campus
email to receive course related information.