Course Syllabus

The full syllabus can be found at the following website

https://sites.google.com/view/calculus-tilley-wpi/ma-1021/ma1021-a25

Below is an overview of the main points.  Or you can see the visual syllabus, which was presented on the first day of class.

Instructors and Office Hours

Additional Resources:  Math Tutoring Center (MTC):  SH 206, M-Th: 11:00am-5:00pm, F: 10:00am - 2:00 pm

   MASH:  See schedule

Course Description:

This course provides an introduction to differentiation and its applications. Topics covered include: functions and their graphs, limits, continuity, differentiation, linear approximation, chain rule, min/max problems, and applications of derivatives. Recommended background: Algebra, trigonometry and analytic geometry.

Although the course will make use of computers, no programming experience is assumed.

Students may not receive credit for both MA 1021 and MA 1020

Student Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

• State the domain and range of a function and be able to sketch a qualitative graph of the function.
• Determine if a particular limit of a function exists, and if it does, be able to find that limit.
• State the definition of continuity, and be able to find the domain where a function is continuous.
• State the definition of the derivative, and be able to find the derivative of a function, if it exists, based on this definition.
• State the derivatives of polynomials, trigonometric functions, exponential functions, and logarithmic functions.
• Be fluent in the application of the product rule, the quotient rule, the chain rule.
• Be able to use implicit differentiation in finding the derivatives of inverses of functions.
• Use the derivative to find the extrema of functions, such as maximum and minimum values.
• Be able to convert word problems into a mathematical formulation appropriate for this course, solve this mathematical formulation, and then interpret the solution in terms of the original question.
• Pass a Basic Skills test administered by the Mathematics Department

Textbook:

Great news: your textbook for this class is available for free online!
Calculus, Volume 1 from OpenStax, ISBN 1-947172-13-1

You have several options to obtain this book:

• View online (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
• Download a PDF (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)

You can use whichever formats you want. Web view is recommended -- the responsive design works seamlessly on any device.

Course Grades and Policies

Grading:

Grades will be determined based on homework assignments, labs, and in-person quizzes and exams:

• WebWorK: 10%:  There will be assignments using this online tool to understand your basic knowledge of the topics for that day's lecture.  You receive full credit for correct answers, independent of the number of attempts made.  The assignments are due on the last day of class (October 10, 2025, 11:59pm).  However, "due dates" for these assignments are given in Canvas so that you can maintain an appropriate pace in the course.
• Labs: 10% During this term, you will attend 3 in-person lab sessions. In each session, a short lecture will be presented, and then you will have time to start working on the lab assignment in groups of two or three. The lab assignments extend the ideas presented in lecture as well as explore applications of the material using a variety of software. 
  
  

The dates of the in-person sessions are,

Basic Graphing:  Wednesday August 27, 2025 and Thursday August 28, 2025 (Due September 3)

Linear Approximation: Wednesday September 10, 2025  and Thursday Sept 11, 2025 (Due  September 17)

Newton's Method:  Wednesday September  24, 2025 and Thursday September 25, 2025 (Due October 1)

All questions/ concerns related to the labs should be directed to the lab instructors :

Jane Bouchard          bouchard@wpi.edu

Caroline Labenski   clabenski@wpi.edu 

• Basic Skills Test:  10%.  This, closed book, no electronics, no calculator, no-partial-credit test must be passed in order for a student to pass the course.  Students will have multiple opportunities to pass this requirement over the course of the term.  A pass on this exam earns the full 10% credit, a fail on this exam earns no credit.  Some dates where the exam is given in OH 107, 5pm-6pm:  9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/8.    Students can also make an appointment to take the exam in my office, with the days/times to be determined.
• Two In-Lecture Exams: 40% Two in-class 45-minute exams will take place at the dates below.     Exams are closed book, closed notes, no calculators and no use of any electronic devices.  The better score is worth 25% and the worse score is worth 15%.  The exam dates are:  Exam 1:  September 5, 2025 and Exam 2:  September 25, 2025
• Final Exam:  30%  This exam takes place on October 9, 2025 at 7:00pm-9:00pm.  This exam is a comprehensive exam.  

Policies:

• Grading Policy: Students have two business days after grades are posted to contact the instructor about potential errors in grading any assignment (homework or exams) after receiving their graded work via Gradescope.  Beyond this time, the grade on that assignment is final.
• Generative AI Policy:  Students should feel free to find online resources that describe the Calculus topics covered here that may present the material in a different style or structure that may be helpful.  These resources are designed with the intention to aid students in learning the material.  Generative AI tools like Gemini, Chat-GPT, or Copilot, are more general use tools to help the user find potentially relevant information quickly and in a format that appears conversational.  Do:  experiment with it and use if for brainstorming, and do cite the source/engine when communicating the output,  Do not:  give an assignment prompt as input and paste the output as your submission.  Students who submit AI-generated content as their own work will receive no credit for that work.
• Accommodations: Students with approved academic accommodations should plan to submit their accommodation letters through the Office of Accessibility Services Student Portal.  Should you have any questions about how accommodations can be implemented in this particular course, please contact me as soon as possible.  Students who are not currently registered with the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) but who would like to find out more information about requesting accommodations, documentation guidelines, and what the accommodated interactive process entails should plan to contact OAS either by email:  AccessibilityServices@wpi.edu, by phone (508) 831-4908, or by stopping by the office on the 5th floor of Unity Hall.