| What will be on the final? |
From: Anonymous (Wed May 12 01:34:35 2004)
will newtons law of cooling be on the exam?No.
From: Anonymous (Sat May 15 23:28:37 2004)
Are there going to be non-linear regression problems on the final?No.
From: Anonymous (Sun May 16 16:43:19 2004)
are we going to have to sketch graphs for some taylor polynomials?No.
From: Anonymous (Tue May 18 01:37:27 2004)
Will Euler's, Newton's, and others requiring calculator work be on the final since we are not allowed to use a calculator?No. However, there may be questions involving the approximation methods involving simple arithmetical calculations. The question on the second midterm about integral approximations is an example of the kind of question you might see.
From: Anonymous (Tue May 18 22:48:57 2004)
how do we compute approximations such as newton's without using a calculator if you want the answer valid to the tenth place?Such a question would not be appropriate for an actual exam.
From: Pink Floyd (Wed May 19 10:22:35 2004)
Is chapter 12 on the final? Also, if possible, could you specify what sections/chapters of the whole book will be covered in the final exam? Thank you.Yes, chapter 12, in its entirety, is fair game for the exam. This exam is cumulative. As such, chapters seven through twelve are covered.
From: Anonymous (Wed May 19 12:17:09 2004)
Are there going to be topics on the final that were not asked about on the sample midterm? If there are, could you please list them?Morally, no, the topics covered on the sample exam exhaust the possible topics for the final. Strictly speaking, related, though not identical, topics may appear. For instance, there is a sample question about Lagrange interpolation for three variable functions. You should know how to answer multivariate optimization problems in general. Likewise, the text introduces four important classes of probability density functions, but only two are mentioned on the sample. You should know all four.
From: Anonymous (Wed May 19 13:19:16 2004)
For the graphing of differential equations, will the graph of the equation be given (like in the book problems on page 541)? If not, what kind of equations should we know how to graph (quadratic, exponential, etc.)?Yes, the graphs will be given to you.
From: Anonymous (Wed May 19 13:25:33 2004)
Exactly what portions of Chaper 10 will be on the final exam?Potentially, any part of chapter ten may appear.
| Homework solutions |
From: Anonymous (Wed Apr 28 10:16:57 2004)
Can you post the solutions to last week's homework again? I never got a chance to print them out. Thanks!Here they are.
| Curve for the second midterm |
From: Anonymous (Tue Apr 13 13:50:18 2004)
is there going to be a curve for the second midterm?
From: Anonymous (Sun May 2 23:55:48 2004)
will there be any curve in the class?
From: Anonymous (Mon Apr 19 11:40:44 2004)
I think it would be beneficial to everyone if you could curve the last midterm, please. Problem four was only done in class one or two times, and in homework as well, and as a result, not many people did well on that question, causing the scores to drop significantly.I compute your grades based on an absolute scale and with respect to a curve and assign the higher of the two grades. This is done at the level of your total weighted score. So, strictly speaking, the second midterm itself is not curved, but your total score is (unless you would do better without a curve).
| Where are the homework problems? |
From: Pink Floyd (sic) (Sat Apr 10 19:02:38 2004)
Where have the weekly homework problems gone? I find them very useful considering they are good practice for section quiz.There will be no homework or quiz due this week. Homework for the week of 20 April 2003 is now posted.
| Might income streams be on the exam? |
From: Anonymous (Tue Apr 6 20:06:50 2004)
Will there be questions on Income Streams?Possibly.
| Textbook vs. lecture method for solving differential equations |
From: Anonymous (Tue Apr 6 21:15:00 2004)
for using separation of variables I know that you said we could do it the book way...but will your multiple choice questions be based on the book answer or your answer where you rename the bounds?You will need to express your answer in terms of C = y(0). So, if you use the textbook method, you will need to convert your constant.
| Might Newton's Law of Cooling be on the exam? |
From: Anonymous (Sun Apr 4 20:10:00 2004)
In lecture, you said the last thing to be covered on the midterm was 10.3. That means that Newton's law of cooling wont be on the midterm, right?No, I said section 10.4 would be the last section covered. Newton's law of cooling may be on the exam. If you are using the tenth edition of the textbook, the following sections may appear on the exam: all of chapter 9 and sections 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 & 10.4. There is more material on applications of differential equations in section 10.6. You may want to work on the exercises from that section as well. Based on the ninth edition of the textbook, the exam will cover chapter 9 and sections 10.1, 10.2 & 10.5 as well as the lecture material on integration factors and general first-order linear differential equations (section 10.3 of the new edition of the text).
| Might population densities be on the exam? |
From: Anonymous (Sun Apr 4 13:44:51 2004)
Will there be a question on population densities? Thank youNo.
| Might trapezoidal and midpoint approximations be on the exam? |
From: Anonymous (Sat Apr 3 22:24:15 2004)
In the midterm sample, you only have simpson's rule. Will other rules be on the midterm as well (midpoint, trapezoidal, etc.)?? ThanksYou should know all of the rules you mention as well as the left-hand and right-hand approximations.
| Which sections will be on the midterm? |
From: Anonymous (Fri Apr 2 20:38:38 2004)
Which sections will be covered on the second Math midterm?Every section in chapters 9 and 10 with the exception of the sections on numerical solutions to differential equations and graphing solutions to differential equations may be covered on the exam. Chapters 7 and 8 are no explicitly included, but you may need to know material from those chapters in order to solve some of the questions. The exam questions will look very much like the questions on the sample.
| Posting sample midterm solutions |
From: Anonymous (Thu Apr 1 22:07:17 2004)
hi. can you post the solutions to the sample midterm so we can double check our work? thanksI will discuss the sample problems in class on Monday and post solutions after class.
| Differences between 9th and 10th editions |
From: Anonymous (Mon Mar 29 22:23:30 2004)
What particular section did you say was found in the 9th edition of the textbook and not the 10th?The section on integration factors is in the tenth edition, but not the ninth edition. Also, in the tenth edition, the section on applications of differential equations is split into two sections.
| Textbook method for solving differential equations |
From: Anonymous (Sun Mar 21 14:18:55 2004)
for section 10.2 could we do it the way the book does... without giving it bounds like T and 0?
From: Anonymous (Mon Mar 29 16:54:41 2004)
I was wondering if we could follow the technique in the book instead of the method taught in class for separation of variables? The answers should come out fairly similar, correct?Yes, both methods yield the same results.
| Numerical approximations of integrals |
From: Anonymous (Sun Mar 21 14:10:03 2004)
how much in detail are we suppose to know the trapezoid, midpt, left & right-hand rules as well as the error analysis for the midterm?
From: Anonymous (Thu Apr 1 22:17:59 2004)
will midterm 2 include the "error of approximation" portion from section 9.4 ?You need to know the algorithms for computing each of these approximations. Do not worry about error analysis for the midterm.
| Calculators for integration approximation |
From: Anonymous (Tue Mar 9 23:24:39 2004)
Can we use calculators on the test if we have to find exact approxmiations for the trapezoidal, left, right, midpoint, and simpson's rules?
No. Any exam question about integral approximation methods will be designed to keep the arithmetic operations required feasible. You can expect that the functions to be integrated will be fairly simple and the number of subdivisions used to be small (no more than three or four).
As always, minor errors in arithmetic will result in an insignificant loss of credit.
| Why is the new material easier? |
From: Anonymous (Tue Mar 9 23:23:10 2004)
Why did we move from a "harder" math like partial derivatives to something "easier" like integrals? Is the book going in the right order?
There is no logical relation between the subjects of partial differentiation and one variable integration techniques. So, one can study them in any order.
In a technical sense, integration is harder than partial differentiation in that provided that one knows the derivatives of each the basic terms in some function built via composition and the algebraic operations, then one may algorithmically compute the derivatives, but this is not the case for the computation of antiderivatives. A certain amount of ingenuity is required to find the right method to compute an antiderivative or to determine that no closed form antiderivative exists.
| Nonlinear regression on quizzes/exams |
Anonymous (9 February 2004)
For nonlinear regression, there were a few problems on the homework dealing with quadratic regression functions. However, the book suggests that we should solv e these using our calculator (and solving by hand is very tedious). Will such questions be on quizzes or exams?
No. Or, I should say, if I ask a question about nonlinear regression, I will ask you to set up the problem and carry out the calculations to the level of finding the first derivatives of the sum of squares of errors function and setting them equal to zero, but you will not have to actually solve the equations. (See the calculation in the Section 7.6 lecture notes.)
| Memorization of regression formulae |
Anonymous (7 February 2004)
For the quiz next Tuesday (02/10) are we expected to have the formulas for "A" and "B" memorized, or will we always be able to use the "taking derivaticves method"?
You should memorize the formulae for the regression coefficents, but in every case you could solve the problem via calculus. However, this latter method generally takes longer to implement and leaves more room for numerical errors (cf the lecture notes for Section 7.5!).
| Quiz before midterm |
Anonymous (4 February 2004)
Are we going to have quizzes the day before a midterm?No.
| Posting of sample midterm |
Anonymous (3 February 2004)
Are you going to post sample midterms prior to giving an actual midterm?
Yes, I will post a sample midterm roughly one week before the exam.
| Posting of lecture notes |
Anonymous (2 February 2004)
I am under the impression that Lecture Notes are posted before the Lecture. Sometimes I check as late as 1:00pm and the notes/slides are still not posted. It helps to print the notes before I attending the lecture but defeats the purpose if I don't have access to them in time.
Anonymous (2 February 2004)
Could the section notes please be posted at least one day in advance.
I aim to have the slides posted a day in advance, but I do not always meet this schedule as the lectures are generally prepared a day in ahead. You can count on the slides being available by the morning of the lecture (by 3am).
| Rescheduling final exam |
Anonymous (30 January 2004)
if i have a sheduling conflict, is it possible to reschedule the final exam to an earlier time in the finals period?
Anonymous (30 January 2004)
I am a senior and will be graduating this May and my graduation is before the final of this class. I was wondering if there is any chance that seniors may take the final earlier. This way, we, or specifically I, do not have to worry about taking a test AFTER I've already graduated.
As a rule, I will reschedule your exam only if you have a bona fide conflict with another university obligation or if you are too ill to sit for the exam at the appointed time (as certified by a physician). Moreover, in these cases the make-up exam is administered after the regularly scheduled exam.
Nevertheless, I do offer an early final exam for graduating seniors, and for graduating seniors only. If you are in this category, you should contact me as soon as possible.
Incidentally, if you are entitled to a DSP accommodation, you should contact me and send me the appropriate paperwork from the DSP office well before the first midterm.
| An unsolicited compliment |
Anonymous (30 January 2003)
I am really impressed with your responsiveness to student concerns. Good lectures so far, I really like the class!
Thanks. I hope you are as happy in May.
| Homework solutions |
Anonymous (27 January 2004)
Would it be possible to assign odd-numbered problems so we can check our answers? If our homework isn't going to be collected, it would be nice if we could at least verify whether or not we're doing the problems correctly.
Anonymous (27 January 2004)
Will answers to the homework assignments be posted? If so, can they be posted the day before section so that we have time to check our answers before quizes? Thanks
Anonymous (27 January 2004)
Are you going to post the solutions to the homework?
Anonymous (27 January 2004)
Prof Scanlon: Do you think it would be possible to post homework solutions (just answers or something) on Mondays or something? How are students supposed to know if they did a problem right or wrong if they do not have the answer? There should be a link to homework solutions. Also, you noted that there is a quiz on the 6th of Feb. However..that is not a Tuesday..that is a friday. Next Tuesday is the 3rd of Feb/
Anonymous (27 February 2004)
Hello Dr. Scanlon, I was wondering if you could assign us odd-numbered questions for homework instead of even-numbered questions since no one corrects our work, hence leaving us with no feedback if we have to do even-numbered questions. (As you probably know, there are answers to odd-numbered questions at the end of the book). Sincerely, Milton
Anonymous (27 January 2004)
I am just wondering if there is a particular reason as to why we are doing the even problems, as opposed to the odds problems that have answers included in the book. I personally don't feel comfortable not knowing whether or not I did the problem correctly, especially if we are going to be tested on the problems! Thank you.
Starting with the Week 3 homework, only odd numbered problems will be assigned.
Ordinarily, I would post solutions to the homework exercises produced by the GSIs in rotation. This term there are only two GSIs and I judged that asking them to write homework solutions every other week would be an undue burden.
| Premature introduction of sine and cosine |
anonymous (27 January 2004)
Today in lecture you used an example where you took the derivatives of sin or cos. Though people in the class could answer your questions, anyone who has only taken calculus at Berkeley (Math 16A) would not know the sin or cos because neither class taught these. Could you go over how to do the derivative of these? I think it will clear up some confusion. Thanks!
You are right about this. The trigonometric functions are introduced in chapter 8. We will cover this material in two or three weeks and we can review the calculations from this Monday then. Until then, I will avoid using them in classroom examples.
| Calculators on exams |
Pancho Villa (27 January 2004)
You never mentioned (or did so in writing) a calculator policy on exams/quizes, what is your stance on their use in your class? Thanks.
Calculators are not permitted for quizzes and exams.
| Partial symbol |
Anonymous (27 January 2004)
with the use of df/dx, the d looks extremely like a 2 when it is written on the projector in class. I am always having to erase the 2 that i write to write a d. Is there some way you can fix this?
The trouble is that the symbol in front of f in df/dx is a stylized version of the letter d. The usual lowercase d has another meaning. As the distinction for this class is immaterial, I could write the symbol as a d if that improves its legibility. (more)
| Section numbering |
Anonymous (26 January 2004)
When posting the homework online, it would be extremely helpful to those students with the 9th edition book to post the section number rather than just the page number. For example, Exercises 7.1 #, #, #... etc. Thank you!
Anonymous (26 January 2004)
If possible...could you also post the homework problems with the corresponding pages in the ninth edition calculus book?
The exercises are now listed by section number.
| Font size |
Anonymous (26 January 2004)
Hello, could you please make the lecture note in bigger font, maybe like at least 18 point font. Also, if a problem requires work, could you please do it on the overhead projector? Thanks.
How many of you have a similar concern about the font size? I find the slides to be legible with the possible exception of some exponents in complicated expressions. With what kind of text do you notice the problem?
As to working out calculations on the overhead, I plan to do so. Last Friday I did not have any transparency film with me.
| Where are the comments? |
From: Victor Du (26 January 2004)
I am not a student at Berkeley, but I have been surfing through the Berkeley website today chatting with my old high school cronies. Then, I have found your page. Well, I was curious to know what kind of questions were posted by students on the web as well as some of the answers posted by them. However, I could not find these questions and answers. So, please have the correct linkage of the students' questions and answers to this web, so I can laugh out loud when I see some of the funny questions and answers.
You are looking at the comments and answers now. I hope you (Mr. Du) find this entertaining and that you (the Math 16b students) find it useful.