Course Description
My friend Sir Isaac Newton and I would like you all to learn something about calculus. Together we will introduce the basic concepts of calculus in a fun and exciting way. While not meant to be the clone of a credited university or AP highschool course, it will teach the basics of calculus.
Beginning with the history of why calculus was developed, Sir Isaac and I go on to talk about the limit, continuity, the derivative and the integral in a way that even you non math people can appreciate. For those of you that want more depth, there are some extra exercises to challege your abilities.
MATH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECTS AROUND, AND CALCULUS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AREAS OF MATH.
LET'S HAVE SOME FUN AND LEARN SOME MATH.
Course Requirements
This course is not meant to be a fully analytic calculus course, but rather an entertaining look at calculus. Nonetheless, many of the ideas presented here would be difficult to understand without at least some basic algebra and geometry.
With any of the many calculus texts available on the market the student would be able to use the basic ideas presented in this course to deepen his or her knowledge of calculus. Any public library will have several texts available. I for example like a book written by James Stewart, and another written by Larsen and Hostetler. My favorite book is still Calculus and Analytic Geometry by Earl Swokoski. This is a slightly older book Mr. Swokowski has gone to the computer room in the sky, but his book remains a classic.
There are also many websites that offer calculus problems. Many of them give the student a chance to see a problem and then try to solve it. My suggestion is that if you want to find websites use your search engine and enter something like 'mathematics AND Calculus.' I will be happy to answer any specific questions that you can formulate.
I hope that this course will be fun for the student and stimulate him or her to look more deeply into the subject. People often say mathematicians are strange. In my case it must be true; I really enjoy this stuff.
Course Goals
To help the student appreciate the beauty and utility of The Calculus. Hopefully to stimulate the student to study not only more calculus, but other branches of mathematics as well.Specifically,to learn the concept of limit and how it applies to the derivative and the Integral. To be able to look at a graph and recognize the limit and the derivative of a function at a specific point. To recognize that the Integral of a function between two points is nothing more than the area under the graph between these two points. Most importantly to learn to enjoy mathematics. We always learn more about the things we enjoy.
Course Materials
All of the materials necessary for this class are included in the couse. If however the student would like to do futher reasearch there are many other calculus books available. The professor would be happy to review any work that the student does in relation to these outside sources.
Grading Policy
There are assignments, quizzes, a midterm and a final associated with this class. 60% of the total points is sufficient to pass and get a certificate.
Disclaimer
The professor has mentioned several times that this is not specifically a formalized calculus course. I hope that this course will clarify basic ideas of the subject, stimulate interest, be fun, but in the space available it cannot be a substitute for a formalized class.
