MATH 17A (SECTIONS A001-A007), 1100 Social Sciences, 11-11:50 MWF (Tues. Disc.)




Instructor: Dr. D. A. Kouba

Last Updated: December 13, 2016


Text: CALCULUS for Biology and Medicine (3rd edition) by Claudia Neuhauser

Office: 3135 MSB (Mathematical Sciences Building)

Phone: (530) 601-4444x2007

My Office Hours: Variable (announced in class or sent via e-mail)


Mathematics Placement Requirement (MPR)

All students enrolling in Math 17A are required to satisfy the MPR. The MPR can only be satisfied by Passing the Math Placement Exam with an overall score of at least 30 AND a trig score of at least 2. Find further information HERE .



  • HERE ARE Exam ID Numbers .

  • Here is a link showing the days and times for the Math 17ABC Calculus Room .


    TA OFFICE HOURS Zheqing Zhang 2229 MSB 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. TUESDAY
    Lang Mou 3229 MSB 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. WEDNESDAY
    Jon Robey 2229 MSB 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. THURSDAY
    Joe Corliss 2139 MSB 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. THURSDAY
    Eric Samperton 2137 MSB 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. THURSDAY



    EXAM DATES :

    The course will likely cover the following sections in our textbook : 1.1-1.3, 2.1-2.3, 3.1-3.5, 4.1-4.8, 5.1-5.5, 5.7

    Here is a Course Syllabus .

    Here is a Schedule of lectures.

    Here are Basic Math Formulas .

    Here are Trigonometry Graphs, Values, and Identities .

    Here are discussion sheets (Solutions will not be provided for discussion sheets. Please work on your own or with classmates, TA's, or me to solve these problems.) :

    Sheet 1 , Sheet 2 , Sheet 3 , Sheet 4 , Sheet 5 , Sheet 6 , Sheet 7 , Sheet 8 , Sheet 9 , Sheet 10



    Here are Math 17A ... HOMEWORK Solutions . . . and . . . EXAM Solutions .



    Here are Supplementary Class Handouts .

    Here are Practice Exam 1 and Solutions .

    Here are Practice Exam 2 and Solutions .

    Here are Practice Exam 3 and Solutions .

    These are the OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT Survey and Short Paper .



    Click here for additional optional PRACTICE PROBLEMS with SOLUTIONS found at THE CALCULUS PAGE .

    Here are some TIPS for doing well on my exams.

    Here is a November 13, 2007, New York Times article about the swarming theory of animals studied by a mathematical biologist .

    EXAM 1 is Friday, October 14, 2016. It will cover handouts, lecture notes, and examples from class, homework assignments 1 through 9, discussion sheets 1,2,3, and 4 (problems 1-7 only) and material from sections 1.1-1.3, 2.1-2.3, and 3.1-3.3 in the book which was presented in lecture notes through Wednesday, October 12, 2016. Most of the exam questions will be similar to problems presented in class, homework problems, or discussion sheet problems. There will be an OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT problem on the exam.

    TYPES OF QUESTIONS FOR EXAM 1 FOR FALL 2016 (subject to change)



    HERE ARE SOME RULES FOR EXAM 1.



    THE GRADING SCALE FOR EXAM 1 FOR FALL 2016 IS :

    A+ ...... 100-108

    A ...... 90-99

    A-/B+ ...... 87-89

    B ...... 68-86

    C ...... 48-67

    D ...... 35-47

    F ...... 0-34

    EXAM 2 is Wednesday, November 2, 2016. It will cover handouts, lecture notes, and examples from class, homework assignments 10 through 15, discussion sheets 4 (problems 8 and 9 only), 5, 6, and material from sections 3.4, 3.5 and 4.1-4.4 in the book which was presented in lecture notes through Monday, October 31, 2016. You are expected to memorize all the shortcut rules for differentiation presented in class. Most of the exam questions will be similar to problems presented in class, homework problems, or discussion sheet problems.

    MEMORIZE the following list of derivative rules.

      1. D(c) = 0
      2. D(mx+b) = m
      3. D(f(x) +/- g(x)) = f'(x) +/- g'(x)
      4. D(c f(x)) = c f'(x)
      5. D(x^n) = n x^(n-1)
      6. (Product Rule) ... D(f(x)g(x)) = f(x)g'(x) + f'(x)g(x)
      7. (Triple Product Rule) ... D(f(x)g(x)h(x)) = f'(x)g(x)h(x)+f(x)g'(x)h(x)+f(x)g(x)h'(x)
      8. (Quotient Rule) ... D(f(x)/g(x)) = {g(x)f'(x) - f(x)g'(x)}/[g(x)]^2
      9. (Chain Rule) D f(g(x)) = f'(g(x)) g'(x)


    TYPES OF QUESTIONS FOR EXAM 2 FOR FALL 2016 (subject to change)



    HERE ARE SOME RULES FOR EXAM 2.




    THE GRADING SCALE FOR EXAM 2 FOR FALL 2016 IS :

    A+ ...... 100-108

    A ...... 90-99

    A-/B+ ...... 87-89

    B ...... 70-86

    C ...... 50-69

    D ...... 35-49

    F ...... 0-34

    EXAM 3 is Wednesday, November 30, 2016. It will cover handouts, lecture notes, and examples from class, homework assignments 16 through 23, discussion sheets 7, 8, and 9 and material from sections 4.5-4.8 and 5.1-5.4 which was presented in lecture notes through Monday, November 28, 2016. You are expected to know the 19 rules of differentiation, which are posted below. Most of the exam questions will be similar to problems presented in class, homework problems, or discussion sheet problems.

    MEMORIZE the following list of derivative rules.

      1. D(c) = 0
      2. D(mx+b) = m
      3. D(f(x) +/- g(x)) = f'(x) +/- g'(x)
      4. D(c f(x)) = c f'(x)
      5. D(x^n) = n x^(n-1)
      6. (Product Rule) ... D(f(x)g(x)) = f(x)g'(x) + f'(x)g(x)
      7. (Triple Product Rule) ... D(f(x)g(x)h(x)) = f'(x)g(x)h(x)+f(x)g'(x)h(x)+f(x)g(x)h'(x)
      8. (Quotient Rule) ... D(f(x)/g(x)) = {g(x)f'(x) - f(x)g'(x)}/[g(x)]^2
      9. (Chain Rule) D f(g(x)) = f'(g(x)) g'(x)
      10. D e^x = e^x
      11. D a^x = a^x ln a
      12. D ln x = 1/x
      13. D log_b x = (1/x) (1/ln b)
      14. D(sin x) = cos x
      15. D(cos x) = - sin x
      16. D(tan x) = sec^2 x
      17. D(sec x) = sec x tan x
      18. D(cot x) = - csc^2 x
      19. D(csc x) = - csc x cot x


    TYPES OF QUESTIONS FOR EXAM 3 FOR FALL 2016 (subject to change)



    HERE ARE SOME RULES FOR EXAM 3.




    THE GRADING SCALE FOR EXAM 3 FOR FALL 2016 IS :

    A+ ...... 100-108

    A ...... 90-99

    A-/B+ ...... 87-89

    B ...... 70-84

    C ...... 50-69

    D ...... 35-49

    F ...... 0-34

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    Your comments, questions, or suggestions can be sent via e-mail to Kouba by clicking on the following address :

    kouba@math.ucdavis.edu .