Homework:
Homework will be assigned
weekly. Late homework will not be accepted or graded, except by
prior arrangement.
Only your best 10 homework scores will count.
I encourage you to form groups of two or three
to discuss the homework problems. After discussing them,
each of you should write up your own solutions, writing on your first
page the names of all people with whom you discussed the homework (this is an
ethical matter - give credit where credit is due).
Solutions that are simply duplicates of one another may receive no credit,
because to help you learn the material, it is essential that you put solutions
in your own words.
| Homework | Due in class on the due date | 20% |
| Test 1 Information | Friday, September 26, in class | 20% |
| Test 2 Information | Wednesday, November 5, in class | 20% |
| Final Exam Information | 1:30-4:30 pm, December 12 (tentative) | 40% |
Make up tests will be given only if you present written evidence, as soon as possible, that you did (or will have to) miss an exam for a legitimate reason, e.g. illness or family emergency. Travel and leisure plans are never a legitimate reason.
There is no formula fixed in advance for turning your numerical score into a letter grade. But after each test I will indicate approximate grade ranges, so that you have an idea of how you are doing.
How to Succeed:
Always re-work your lecture notes before the next class, checking every
step and filling in missing details. (Allow 1 hour for this.)
Read the text as you re-work your notes. We cover only the most essential
points in class, and the text has helpful additional comments; reading them
will help you get the big picture. Before each class, ask me about the
points you didn't follow in the last class!
Go over your HW solutions the day you get them back, debriefing on your
successes and (more importantly) on your non-successes.