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About this course: This course extends the techniques of calculus to functions of several variables, as well as to vector fields in two and three dimensions. Topics of the course include lines and planes, graphing in three dimensions, partial derivatives, the gradient and curl, tangent planes and local linearization, optimization, line and surface integrals, the divergence theorem, and Stokes Theorem. The applications of multivariable calculus to important problems in science and engineering are vast (eg. electrodynamics, heat transfer, fluid flow, continuum mechanics). Prerequisites: MATH 1342 or MATH 1252
Text: Worldwide Multivariable Calculus, by David B. Massey, Worldwide Center of Mathematics, LLC, 2012.
PDF and printed versions of the textbook are available for purchase at the website below. Either version is acceptable for our class, and you are absolutely NOT required to purchase a printed textbook. The PDF version also includes links to free video lectures by Prof. Massey for each section of the text, as well as hyperlinked tables of contents, indices, and cross-references.
https://centerofmath.com/calculus-textbooks
For use with an iPad, the free Adobe Reader app is recommended.
Supplementary Text: Div, Grad, Curl, and All That: An Informal Text on Vector Calculus, 4th Ed., by H. M. Schey.
For some students, the material on vector calculus is the most challenging part of the course. Another treatment of this material can be found in the delightful book by Schey. The book is short, easy to read, and has been used successfully by generations of scientists and engineers to master vector calculus. (Available on 3-hour reserve in Snell Library.)
Homework and Quizzes:
Homework is an essential part of the course and will be assigned weekly. Students should expect a significant amount of homework, up to 4-6 hours per week. That said, homework will not be collected. Instead, each Wednesday we will have a brief 12 minute quiz, shortly after the start of class, with questions taken directly from the homework exercises assigned the previous week.
I highly recommend that you begin working on the homework assignments as soon as possible. Office hours on Monday afternoon provide an excellent opportunity to ask questions or to get help before the quiz on Wednesday.
You are encouraged to work on the homework sets in small groups with other students. However, each homework set serves as essential practice for the quizzes and exams, so make sure that you - as well as your friends in the group - understand the solution to each problem.
Examinations and Grading:
The grade for this course will be based upon the weekly quizzes, two in-class exams, and a final exam. The final exam will be cumulative, and the lowest individual quiz grade will be dropped.
Makeup quizzes or exams are given only in situations outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog.
Students must discuss anticipated excused absences with me at least two weeks in advance and notify me via email within 24 hours of unforeseen events such as illness or emergency. See www.northeastern.edu/uhcs/sick-note-policy for more information. Else without prior notice, there will be no makeups of quizzes or in-class exams.
Reading:
Before coming to class, you are encouraged to read each section of the text indicated in the weekly syllabus, posted above. I will also post scanned copies of my lecture notes to the syllabus page.
Recitation Sections:
There is a recitation section attached to this course. The course number for the recitation section is MATH2322. You are not required to register for the recitation. The recitation schedule appears below and may also be found on Banner.
Be aware that the locations of the recitation section may change as we settle into the semester. Unfortunately, we will not have time in class to discuss all the solved problems that you might like to see, so I strongly suggest that you attend the recitation session if you want to see more examples or to ask questions about the homework.
Office Hours:
Office hours will be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3 - 4:30 pm. Office hours will be held in 443 Lake Hall.
If you have a question and cannot come to the regularly scheduled office hours, you can always make an appointment with me via email at the address below.
c dot beasley at northeastern dot edu
Additional Resources:
Erinda Shyta will serve as course TA for Calculus III. In addition to running the recitation session, the TA will have office hours as below.
TA Day Time Location
Erinda Shyta Wednesday 12 - 1 pm Nightingale 541
The University offers free peer tutoring in a variety of subjects, including calculus. For details, see the website below.
https://northeasternpeertutoring.sites.northeastern.edu
The College of Science provides tutoring for a variety of classes, including calculus. The COS Tutoring Center is located in Richards 416 and is open M-Th from 4:30-9 pm. The center is staffed by upperclass undergraduate students who hold drop-in hours, as well as Undergraduate Teaching Fellows who organize review sessions for specific courses.
The College of Engineering also provides tutoring for calculus. Details are available at the website below.
https://coetutoring.sites.northeastern.edu
The PDF textbook contains links at the beginning of each section to free, full-length video lectures on the contents of that section. These videos can also be accessed directly on YouTube at the link below.
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgKTLlHQn9510xXzi9tlZYU38XFs279qv
In the event of a discrepancy between the online videos and my presentation in class, you should follow my presentation, but you should also discuss the discrepancy with me.
Miscellaneous:
Please remember to turn off all cellular devices during class.
Syllabus:
It is your responsibility to be aware of any changes the instructor may make to the syllabus as they are announced in class, in email, or on Canvas. Students are responsible for all information given when they are absent.
Cancellations:
If classes are cancelled due to snow or any other official emergency, then any assignment or exam scheduled for that day will defer to the next scheduled class meeting.
Grades:
It is University policy that no grade, including an Incomplete, can be changed after one year. Exceptions must be authorized by the Academic Standing Committee.
AI Policy:
Use of generative AI or equivalent technology (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT) is allowed as a study aid and to assist with homework, but on quizzes and exams only a calculator is permitted.
Warning: Much of the learning in this course occurs as you work through the problems on the homework assignments. Although listening to course lectures will give you a basic introduction to the topics and content, you will not actually understand the material until you have used it to solve new problems yourself. Using generative AI to assist with solving the homework problems, therefore, carries the danger of short-circuiting your learning, because you will not have worked through the problems as fully as you should have.
Academic Honesty:
Cheating will not be tolerated. Cheating includes sharing answers on exams or copying other students' work on written assignments. (Collaboration is encouraged, but you must hand in work that you have written yourself.) All incidents of cheating will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (OSCCR).
Concerns:
If you have a concern about the course, I am always happy to meet with you about it. If the issue is still not resolved, you can discuss it with the course coordinator, Prof. Sumi Seo.
s dot seo at northeastern dot edu
If you prefer, you may next contact the Teaching Director, Prof. Alexander Martsinkovsky.
a dot martsinkovsky at northeastern dot edu
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