MAT 223: Multivariable Calculus
Fall 2020
Exam 1 information
1. Allowed materials
You are permitted one 3"×5" notecard for use as reference during the exam.
Calculators are not allowed on exams.
You may only use other electronic devices (computer, smart phone) to the extent of following exam logistics (below).
2. How to study
Lots of research has shown that reading over material isn't a very good way to prepare for exams. The best thing to do is to practice. Reading how to swing a baseball bat or how to cross-country ski might give you some good ideas on how to get better the next time you try it, but it's not even close to just getting out there and swinging a bat or skiing.
How can you practice? Go back to look at the assignments. Instead of reviewing the same problems you already did, try to do similar problems. For each type of question, do some odd-numbered ones in the textbook and check your answers in the back of the book.
Can you write down thoughts for all of the topics listed below? Can you invent questions to try for the topics listed below? Practice these under test conditions and see how you do. Even though the solutions may not be available, just trying to do them can be incredibly useful. You can work with other students to see if you think you've got the right answers. Even if you don't know for sure if you've got the right answer, just practicing with these exercises can be helpful.
Go back and pick out all of the content from class that you understand least well. Then, without simultaneously looking at your notes, write down all that you know about that content. Think about what I might ask you to do on an exam that would be scary. Try to do that yourself. If you can't, work with other people in the class or stop by Math Lab and office hours to get help on doing that.
Recall that it is against the academic integrity policy to seek out resources from past versions of this course or similar courses offered elsewhere. The textbook has more than enough practice problems.
3. Exam content
The exam covers everything we have done, up to and including Section 10.6. (Section 11.1 will be on the next exam.) As mentioned in the syllabus, we do not have time to cover every single topic in class. You are responsible for the material in the sections even if they were not discussed in class. If we didn't talk about something and no exercise problems for a specific concept was ever assigned as homework, it is unlikely it will occur on an exam. Here are some topics we emphasized:- parametric equations
- polar coordinates: converting between polar and rectangular coordinates
- parametric and polar descriptions of familar geometric objects (lines, circles), graphs of functions
- tangent lines, arc length, and area under/within a parametric or polar curve.
- speed and surface area
- vectors in 2 and 3 dimensions
- dot product
- cross product; determinant, area of parallelogram, volume of parallelepiped
- lines and planes in 3-space
As usual, please note that this document is not a contract. I may have inadvertently left something off that ends up on an exam question. Moreover, I will not be able to test all of this material given the time limitations of the exam. I will have to pick and choose some subset of it.
4. Logistics
The exam will take place during our usual class time. I will proctor you via Zoom.Before class time:
- Read this document carefully. Ignorance is not an excuse.
- Prepare enough paper to write on.
- On the first sheet, write at the top an academic integrity statement of your own devising. You should say that you didn't consult any unauthorized resources (textbook, calculators, extra notes, other sources of help, etc.).
- Sign your name after the statement.
At class time:
- Find a PDF of the exam questions on Moodle near the bottom; pull it up on your computer.
- Work things out on notebook/blank paper. You do not need to print out the questions.
- After you are done or the time is up, scan your work and upload to Moodle near the bottom.
- Download your submission from Moodle to double check that you uploaded correctly.
- You may leave early after you finish scanning and uploading your exam.
Timing:
- You have the full 50 minutes of class time for the exam.
- To accommodate for scanning, you may submit up to 10 minutes after class ends.
- Moodle will still accept submissions after the cutoff time, but it will be marked "late."
- If this happens, you should email me ASAP and explain why you were late, and assert that you did not spend any more than 50 minutes working on the exam.
- Because some of you may have to leave promptly to get to your next class, I will try (I do have a class ending at that time) to start the Zoom meeting about 10 minutes before class time, so you can start early. You should still only spend 50 minutes working on the exam.
- If you have class right before and after, and you anticipate having difficulty scanning your exam as a result, talk to me at least a week before the exam.
- Summary:
time description 13:40 CDT Zoom opens, PDF of exam questions available on Moodle, you may start working 13:50 class/exam officially starts 14:40 50 minutes is up; you should stop working (if you started early, you should end earlier) 14:50 deadline for submitting to Moodle
Proctoring:
- Please turn on your camera but mute your microphone.
- During the exam, don't unmute to talk to me: you will end up talking to everyone else as well.
- If you need to contact me, you can send me a message privately via the "chat" function in the Zoom meeting.
- Aim the camera at you, not your desk; don't hold up your work for others to see.
- Disconnect from the meeting after you've finished scanning and submitting to Moodle.
Tips:
- Label your questions clearly, especially if you are doing things out of order (try not to).
- Show your work; box your final answer if appropriate.
- Do not write in columns.
- Even though you are under time pressure, try to write legibly; if I can't read your handwriting, I can't give you credit.
- Make sure your scan is legible. If I can't open your PDF or read your content, I can't give you credit.