Multivariable Calculus (Math 212)

Multivariable Calculus - Math 212 Section 001

Spring 2012

Instructor: Robert Hardt
Office: Herman Brown 430
E-mail: hardt@rice.edu

Course Information

Meeting time: MWF 9:00-9:50 am
Location: Anderson Biology Labs 131
Owlspace: : Connect to http://owlspace.rice.edu, click "Collaboration and Course Management", logon with Rice NetID and choose "Math 212 001 Sp12". See this for all current course information including updates to this syllabus.

Office Hours: Mondays 1--2pm, Tuesdays 11am--12noon and Wednesdays 1--2pm
Help Session Schedule (beginning Wed. Jan.11) and Location:
Mondays(only on exam weeks) from 7-9pm
  HRZ 210
Tuesdays from 7-9pm  ABL 131
Wednesdays from 7-9pm  HRZ 210
Thursdays from 7-9pm  ABL 131


TAs: Natalie Durgin, Quentin Funk, Andy Huang, Nikita Kozin, Renee Laverdier, Jung Hwan Park, and Zhi Zhang

Text: Vector Calculus by Jerrold E. Marsden and Anthony J. Tromba, 5th edition.

Supplement (not required): Student Study Guide for Vector Calculus by Karen Pao and Frederick Soon.

The textbook for the course is a useful guide. You should carefully study the sections we cover in class. The subject material is not merely one-dimensional calculus with more variables. You will learn the role played by geometry in real-world physical systems, as we cover sections from all 8 chapters in the book. You will also learn to better visualize three dimensional phenomena. See the Resources section of Owlspace for a few of the many visualization tools available on the internet.

Homework: You can find the homework assignments on Owlspace. Homework will be assigned weekly, and will be due in class on Fridays (except when Friday is a holiday, then it is due on Monday). If you need it turn it in early you may turn it in at my office under my office door. Your submitted work must be stapled together. Late homework will not be accepted. To compensate for the firm policy against late homework, the two lowest homework scores will not count towards your average.

Homework is not pledged, and you may find it helpful to work with others to solve the homework problems. However, the write-up you hand in must be your work alone. Although you are free to get outside help on your homework, any attempt to falsify your grade is still in violation of the honor code.

Exams: There will be three exams during the semester and a final exam. The exams will be pledged and closed book. Calculators will not be allowed. The exams will be held outside of class. The exams are scheduled for February 8th, March 7th and April 4th at 7pm.

Exam Regrades: If you believe there has been an error in the grading of your exam, please submit for a regrade, your exam together with a written explanation of the error found. All regrading requests must be submitted within a week from the time the exams were returned to the class.

Grade Breakdown: Your grade in the class will be based on the following weights, where the lowest midterm exam score will be dropped:

Homework: 20%
Exam I: 20%
Exam II: 20%
Exam III: 20%
Final Exam: 40%

So one of the grades from Exam I, II or III will be dropped from your final grade in the class.

Final Exams: It is the policy of the mathematics department that no final may be given early to accommodate student travel plans. We will not know when the final in this course will be scheduled for some time. Therefore, if you should make plans to travel before the end of final exam period, and it turns out that the final for this course is after your scheduled departure date, you will have to choose between keeping your plans and receiving zero for the final, or incurring the costs for changing your plans and taking the final at its scheduled time. Thanks for your understanding.

Note: Any student with a documented disability requiring accommodations is requested to speak with me during the first week of class. All such discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities need to also contact Disability Support Services in the Allen Center.

Tentative Schedule:
Week  Sections
1(1/9) 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
2(1/18) 1.3, 1.4, (1.5)
3(1/23) 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
4(1/30) 2.4, 2.5, 2.6
5(2/6) 3.1, 3.3
6(2/13) 3.4, (5.1), 5.2
7(2/20) 5.3, 5.4, 5.5
 Spring Break
8(3/6) 6.1, 6.2
9(3/12) 4.2, 4.3, 4.4
10(3/29) 7.1, 7.2 [Spring Recess]
11(3/26) 7.3, 7.4
12(4/2) 7.5, 7.6
13(4/09) 8.1, 8.2
14(4/16) 8.3, 8.4