-*---* A. Iarrobino, Math 1241, Fall 09 Classnotes

Math 1241 class notes, Fall 2009

Prof. A. Iarrobino



Section meeting MWTh at 10:30 AM room TBA (Key #11633)


Look here for specific assignments and brief comments on what we did (or will do) in class. This will be updated usually by 9 PM each class day. TBA = "to be announced"


Course-wide Spring 09 syllabus A: Math1241 Syllabus A (List of topics, assignments) (pdf) (the instructor will assign HW problems, usually from this list.

Information sheet (grading, policies) Math 1241 Information for Prof. Iarrobino section Syllabus A (pdf file)

Course home page (you probably already know this information): Math U141 home page (html)

Course outline (broad strokes) Course Outline



First day of classes: Wednesday September 9: Take placement quiz.
Go over syllabus, information, introductions.
Review the equations of a line, both slope-intercept y=mx+b form and point slope form. (Text section 10.2)
Find points a fraction - as two thirds - along the line segment between two points. (Worksheet #1A).

Second day of classes: Thursday, September 10: Return placements, discuss interpretation (see below).
Find points along a line seqment, more practice.
Deciding when a function given in table form is linear function, finding lines to match data in table.
Emphasis on units of measure, as: the slope of a line has units the quotient: y units/x-units.

HW for Monday September 14: Worksheet #1A (hand out in class), #1A-E. Text Section 1.2 p. 11 # 2,7,9 or 10.

For more information on linear functions, read Text Section 1.2.

Placement quiz Interpretation: : 7 or higher out of 11 algebra skills appear to be stong enough for Calculus 1, perhaps you have some material to review; 5-6 plan to attend algebra review sessions, or obtain tutoring, or do a thorugh review for algebra; 3-4 less: consider switching to Math U121 Precalculus, or Math 110 algebra, or plan a rather more extensive review of algebra, as pre-calculus algebra skills appear to be too weak to pass Math U141. 2 or less: not enough algebra skilss to pass Math U141.

Note: Class packets Available at Reprographics as of September ??, Monday after class (corridor behind Campus Bookstore, about $7). We will use from the packet worksheet 1B for Wednesday HW, and practice quiz 1 for Thursday's quiz.

Week of September 14: Linear functions and units, change of units and slope. Average slope of a function. Quiz 1.

Monday September 14 Questions. We went over WS 1A #1A,B,D,E.
Further questions on finding a point a fractional distance olong a line. Change of units in slope, and in equations of a line (continued).
Average slope between points x=1, 1+h on y=3x^2, or y=5x^2.
Instantaneous slope at a point, as limit of average slope.

Homweork for Wednesday Sept. 16. Read Text p. 135-139 (limits), Begin p. 139 #1 (We will discuss it in class).
Do WS 1A #2a,b,c (but 9:15 AM class please use y=5x^2 in place of 3x^2, done in class). [Added Tues AM online].

Wednesday September 16 Average slope of a function from a given point and instantaneous slope at a point.
(Plan) Go over an example WS 1A #2 (or variation).
Here y=3x^2, P(1,3) and Q(1+h,3(1+h)^2).
We will write the The Difference quotient rise/run for m_{PQ}
Here m_{PQ}=6+3h, after simplification of the expression.
The instantaneous rate of change (slope) of a function at a point P is the limit of average slopes from P to Q, as Q approaches P.
In the example, m_P= 6.
This is the definition of derivative of f(x)=3x^2 at x=1, as a limit, a key concept in calculus.

Then we plan to go over text p. 139 #1 (from HW), identifying line segments related to the slope m_{PQ} of the secant line PQ, for f(x) given as a graph.

Also the example f(x)=2^x, at P(0,1). The difference quotient is (2^h-1)/h and we took very small h to approximate the limit as 0.6931... (the actual slope of 2^x at P is ln(2) but we can't tell that from approximating this way.) See p. 136 Example 2 of text (which begins from (2^h-1)/h. s

HW for Thursday Sept 17 Do Quiz 1a from Class Packet. Also text p. 140 #2,4,5

Thursday, September 17 Questions; Quiz 1 (second half of class)

Math U141 F08 Quiz1 (pdf)

Math U141 F08 Quiz1-Solutions (pdf)


Forthcoming featured events

Quiz 1 Thursday Sept 78: see sample quiz 1 in class packet.
Expect also a problem part on finding points a fraction along a line segment, or beyond (find the point 2/3 between PQ, or the point 2/5 beyond Q along the line through PQ).
Expect two problems #1,2 resembling #1,2 of the Sample Quiz, but with no #1D extra credit. Then one extra credit problem 3: part A is like #4 on Sample quiz; part B like Example 2 p. 136 as outlined above.

Final Exam Day, time TBA,
Make your travel plans so you can take the final, required of all. Bring graphing calculator and Extra Credit HW (see information sheet of syllabus).
MathU141 F08 FE formula sheet (pdf) (this is the formula sheet that will be on the Final Exam.)
Answers to Fall 07 FE (pdf)

Archived events

Reminder: attendance policy The attendance policy (announced in Syllabus: information sheet):
Briefly, more than four unexcused absences affects your grade, or may result in a W or F in the course.


Questions or comments: e-mail to a.iarrobino@neu.edu.  This is the quickest way to reach me, or come by 526 NI, MWTh.

Math U141 home page (html)

Math U141 Fall 2008 Classnotes (may give an idea of timing of future material, quizzes, exams).

Math Tutoring  Free, at NU, available to Math U141 students. Begins about Sept. 21.



Links  to other calculus resources on the web:

Visual Calculus (U. Tenn)


Prof. Anthony Iarrobino
Department of Mathematics
Northeastern University
Boston, MA, 02115
Office:526 NI
Phone: (617) 373-5524
Email: a.iarrobino@neu.edu


Created: September 5, 2009. Last modified: September 5, 2009. URL:http://www.math.neu.edu/~iarrobino/AIMath1241F09classnotes.html