Math 181-Calculus for the Life Sciences I

Spring 2008


 

Instructor:

Rick Zhou
Office: Carver 499
Office Hours: Tue / Thu, 2:00—4:00 pm; or by appointment
E-mail:
riczw@iastate.edu

Webpage: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~riczw

 

Announcements (Update accordingly)

Check your Grade HERE, the grade will be upgraded weekly.

Class Schedule, Supplementary materials, assignments  (Update weekly)

 

Prerequisites:

2 years of high school algebra, 1 year of high school geometry, 1 semester of trigonometry (if not covered in high school) or enrollment in Mathematics 141 or 142.

Syllabus:

My policies for this course (the sheet I gave you on the first day) may be found by clicking syllabus.  Check my current schedule for more detailed information as to where I can be found.

Course Objective:

·         Slope. Equations of lines (quickly go over)

·         Functions. Quadratic functions. Quadratic equations.

·         Regression: linear, quadratic.

·         Derivative: intuitive definition (rate of change, velocity), mathematical definition (limits), rules for differentiation.

·         Derivative applications: increasing and decreasing functions, relative/absolute maxima and minima, applied problems, the chain rule.

·         Difference equations: cascading equations, population growth model, properties of exponents, properties of logarithms, equilibrium, nonhomogeneous difference equations, deriving the difference equation from data, second-order difference equations, nonhomogeneous second-order difference equations.

Useful links

o              ISU Math Department

o              Computer lab hours

o              Help Room and other academic help you can find around campus

Disabilities Statement

If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Disability Resources (DR) office for information on appropriate policies and procedures. DR is located on the main floor of the Student Services Building, Room 1076; their phone is 515-294-6624.