MTH 255H: Vector Calculus II
Winter 2000
(Honors College section only -- for MTH255 click here)

Tevian Dray
Office hours: MF 1:15-2:15 & W 9-11 in Kidder 306 (and by appt)
Phone: 737-5159
Email: tevian@math.orst.edu
Hotlist:   Announcements,   Grading Policy,   Schedule.

Lectures:
Section 001: MWF 8 AM in StAg 226
Recitation:
Section 010:   R 8 AM in StAg 226
Midterms: W 26 Jan & W 16 Feb, 8-8:50 AM, in StAg 226 (during class)
Final: R 16 Mar, 9:30-11:20 AM, in StAg 226

Texts:

  • Tevian Dray, Calculus Study Guide -- MTH 255
  • James Stewart, Calculus, 3rd edition
    Please note that this is not the most recent edition of the text!
    You may use either the Early Transcendentals volume or the shorter Multivariable volume.
  • OPTIONAL: H M Schey, div, grad, curl and all that, any edition (most recent is 3rd).

    Web Site: http://math.oregonstate.edu/~tevian/onid/MTH255/Honors00.html
    Check the web site frequently for announcements and an up-to-date schedule.

    Prerequisite:   MTH 254: Vector Calculus I
    You must be comfortable with partial derivatives and multiple integration in order to do well in the course. If you are rusty, it is highly recommended that you review this material now.

    Background:
    You may wish to take a look at a paper I coauthored, entitled The Vector Calculus Gap, to get an idea of how I think vector calculus should be taught. I hope to implement some of these ideas in this Honors College course.

    Homework:
    You should try the suggested homework problems in the Study Guide as soon as possible after the corresponding lecture. These problems will not be graded, and should not be turned in, but nevertheless are an essential part of the course. Get help immediately if you have trouble.

    Labs:
    Most weeks during the recitation period, there will be a small group activity similar to those in the Study Guide, which will then need to be written up individually and turned in within a few days.

    Study Guide:
    The MTH 255 Study Guide gives a concise summary of the most important concepts in each lesson, often from a somewhat different point of view than the text. Read it!

    Calculators:
    Calculators will not be allowed on the midterms or the final. Their use is permitted on the labs and homework, although all of the problems can be solved without one.

    Getting Help:
    Help can be obtained from several sources. Recitation is a good time to ask questions, as is (usually) before and after class. I hold regular office hours; use them. Appointments can also be made at other times, and I read by email frequently. It is important to get help early if you are having difficulty, especially if you're so stuck that you don't feel able to ask intelligent questions.

    Other Resources:

  • The Mathematics Learning Center (MLC) provides drop-in help for all lower division mathematics courses, although not everybody there is good at vector calculus. The MLC is located on the ground floor of Kidder Hall (Kidder 108), and is normally open M-F from 9 AM to 4 PM, from the second week of term through Dead Week (Week 10).
  • Finally, there is also a Web Study Guide for MTH 255 which you may find helpful.
    (The Web Study Guide has no official connection to this course, and is included as a service only.)

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    tevian@math.orst.edu