Monthly Schedule

(AP Calculus AB, Period D)

M 1/5/04

Triple HW due (105 min. total): No reading assignment except for the green boxes on pp. 291-294. Write §6-7 #3-60 mo3, §6-9 #1-80 all. We will do §6-8 later.

Over break, you should also be preparing for your midterm examination by working problems in the Barron’s book. I also have a sample midterm that you may find interesting, though it is harder than the exam you will see since it is designed for BC students instead of AB students.

 

T 1/6/04

HW due: Devote at least 35 minutes to patching your triple HW from yesterday.
Additional recommended HW due (every day this week): Work practice problems on your own from the review book.

In class: Discuss §6-8 and work Barron’s problems based on §6-8.

 

W 1/7/04

HW due: Bring all recent HW to class so that it can be scanned while you are taking the quiz.

Cumulative Quiz (50 points) in preparation for midterm exam. If you are absent today for any reason, you may take the alternate version on Friday.

The answer key and statistics are now available.

 

Th 1/8/04

HW due: Write §6-8 #32, 3-33 mo3, §6-9 #81-90 all.

 

F 1/9/04

Cumulative Quiz (50 points) in preparation for midterm exam. This is required for people who missed class on Wednesday, optional for everyone else. If you take both versions, the higher of the two will be scored. If you are happy with how you did on Wednesday, you may have a day of rest today.

The answer key and statistics for today’s quiz are now available. For those of you who may have forgotten to check your mailbox for a hard copy, please note that a blank copy of the quiz is also available. Since some of the questions were tricky, there is also a detailed explanation sheet.

 

Sat 1/10/04

Please leave a message for me (e-mail or voice mail) if you need extra help. I will try to get back to you within a reasonable amount of time.

 

Sun 1/11/04

I will not be available today, but if you have an emergency I can respond by e-mail early Monday morning.

 

M 1/12/04

Midterm Examination, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Trapier Theater. Bring calculator, spare batteries, and several sharpened pencils. You may use pen in the free-response section if you prefer, but pencil is recommended. Pencil is required in the multiple-choice section. Do not bring scratch paper; ample room for scratch work will be provided.

Format: The exam will be a little over an hour and a half long. You will have 36 minutes’ worth of AP-style multiple choice without calculator, followed by 36 minutes’ worth of multiple choice with calculator, followed by two free response questions (one with calculator, one without). Because the Barron’s book is lacking in examples of free response questions, you should use an additional book or the College Board site as part of your preparation. Note that free response questions almost always have multiple parts, but the questions are written so that the parts are relatively separable. In other words, if you cannot solve part (a), keep right on going, because you can probably still solve the remaining parts.

Question pacing: Allow yourself 2 minutes each in the first section, 3 minutes each in the second section, and 15 minutes each in the final section.

In order to encourage you to come prepared as if this were the AP exam, I will provide a bonus of 1 exam point if you bring spare batteries.

 

W 1/14/04

Exam grades were e-mailed this afternoon. Median score (curved, including bonus) was 82, and the mean was 82.7, implying slight right skewness. Quarter and semester grades will be either e-mailed or posted sometime this weekend.

 

M 1/19/04

No school (holiday).

 

T 1/20/04

No school (teacher work day).

 

W 1/21/04

Classes resume. Welcome, David!

 

Th 1/22/04

HW due: Write §6-8 #32, 3-33 mo3, §6-9 #81-90 all. Be sure to follow the HW guidelines.

 

F 1/23/04

HW due: Read through §7-3 (reading notes required); write §7-3 #1, 4. Also clean up all your problems from yesterday.

 

Sat 1/24/04

Continue working on your HW. I have produced a detailed solution key that I would like you to read thoroughly.

 

M 1/26/04

No school (snow day). Only three students sent e-mail saying they were having trouble understanding the §7-3 HW.

 

T 1/27/04

No school (ice). I expect to receive e-mail or voice mail from each and every one of you (even those few who e-mailed me yesterday) stating one of the following:

1. “Mr. Hansen, your solution key was fairly clear, and by using it, I was able to complete my §7-3 assignment in full detail. In fact, I even worked one or two of the other odd-numbered problems in §7-3 to make sure that I could match the book’s answers.”

xor

2. “Mr. Hansen, I have spent at least 105 minutes (35 minutes Thursday night, another 35 in preparation for Monday, and another 35 in preparation for today), and I am still unable to resolve §7-3 completely in my mind. I have prepared a list of specific questions and areas of uncertainty. I will be taking a break from my sleeping/sledding/hanging with friends/driving around on the icy roads at __________ today, and I would like you to call me at that time. My phone number is ______________ .”

To summarize, you must either teach yourself the general technique of solving diffeqs. (choice 1) or take the responsibility to make actual voice contact with me so that I can help you individually (choice 2). The third choice (Mr. Hansen demonstrates the technique in class, while 5 students take careful notes and the rest of the students either drift out to get a drink of water or make humorous off-topic remarks) is not being offered at this time.

Differential equations are hard. There is a good reason that college students spend an entire semester on the subject, and seldom as freshmen. However, by grappling with the subject for a period of time, and by contacting me so that I can help you with your individual areas of need, you can learn these techniques. The problem with choice #3 (not offered) is that everyone has his own sticking point. For some it is the algebra, for others the separation of variables, for others the determination of the unknown constants, and for still others the checking of the final answer. To work an entire problem from start to finish (as on the solution key) takes the better part of a class period—most of which is excruciatingly boring to most of the class.

 

W 1/28/04

HW due: §7-3 #1, 4, and at least one other odd-numbered problem of your choice. The grading standards for your §7-3 HW will be much more stringent today. If you are not understanding this, I expect that you will send e-mail or voice mail as described in the Tuesday calendar entry. If you are understanding this, I would still like to hear from you.

In class: Pop quiz on differential equations.

 

Th 1/29/04

HW due: §7-3 #3 in full detail, showing all work. For full credit, include your final check where you verify that the solution satisfies the original diffeq. You should also check your answers with those in the back of the book. In the margin of the solution key for §7-3, please provide a reason for each step. (You may abbreviate.) If you have time, please also read §7-2, which should be quite straightforward.

In class: Pop quiz redux, plus solving by inspection the diffeq. y ¢ = 17.4y with initial condition (0, 15).

 

F 1/30/04

HW due: §7-2 #1, 4, 5.

 

 

Return to the Calculus Zone

Return to Mr. Hansen's home page

Return to Mathematics Department home page

Return to St. Albans home page

Last updated: 03 Feb 2004