Syllabus
MATH 550    -    Vector Analysis
Sections: .001, .002, .003
Spring 2000

Course Material
Required Textbook: Vector Calculus, 4th edition, by Jerrold E. Marsden and Anthony J. Tromba.
Optional Book: The textbook's accompanying Study Guide for Vector Calculus, 4th edition, by Karen Pao and Frederick Soon.
Warning: The Study Guide , which was prepared independent of Marden\&Tromba, has its share of mistakes but is better than nothing.
Calculator: Whatever you have is fine. The most important factor in your choice: you must know how to use your calculator.
Note: Please bring your textbook and all handouts to each class meeting.

Class Meetings
Live Class: Tue 6:00PM -- 7:30PM in SWGN 2A07
Taped Class: Wed 11:10AM --12:10PM in SWGN 2A07

Course Homepage
URL:     http://www.math.sc.edu/~girardi/w550.html WWW access is required for this course since the course homepage is (will be) filled with useful information, such as: announcements, homework assignments, quiz assignments, and previous exams.

Instructor
Prof. Girardi:
e-mail: girardi@math.sc.edu
URL: http://www.math.sc.edu/~girardi/
phones: (803) 777-5965 (my office at LC300G)
(803) 777-4224 (math dept for messages)
(803) 777-6527 (IMI fax for material to be graded, such as quizzes)
(803) 777-3783 (math dept fax for questions- but not for material to be graded)
US mail: Dept. of Math, Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
Office hours: Available on a drop-by/phone-in/e-mail basis and by appointment. Just contact me (e-mail or phone is good for this) to set a time. My semester schedule is (will be) available from my homepage.

Course Overview
Technically, this course covers (most of) Sections 4.3 -- 4.4 and 6.1 -- 8.5 of the text. Taking a glance (which is highly recommended) through the text's table of contents will give a brief overview of the course. Since it has been quite some time since many of you have seen the prerequisites for this course, we will spend a short time reviewing Chs. 1&2, Section 3.1 (skipping the rest of Ch. 3), Sections 4.1--4.2, and Ch. 5.

Collaboration
One of the goals of this course is to learn how to communicate mathematical ideas. Thus you are strongly encouraged to work together sharing ideas but not answers; the work that you submit must be your own. Remember, you will have to take the exams individually so do not become too dependent upon one another. According to the USC Student Handbook code of student academic responsibility, the first law of academic life is intellectual honesty. This is expected of all of you. If you ever have any uncertainty about the ground rules, ask for clarification. To assist with healthy collaboration, I will be collecting and distributing (via e-mail) a student information sheet with (totally optional) contact information that you provide me.

Homework
The homework is your place to learn without being penalized. Once I have completed the initial lecture on a section, it is your responsibility (even if I forget to remind you) to complete the homework problems from that section by the following live class. The beginning of each live class is devoted to questions on the homework. You can ask your questions directly in class or e-mail/fax them to me by that afternoon. If you have further questions (from the homework, other exercises, the book, etc\.), just mail, e-mail, or fax me your questions and they will be answered promptly. Since you are mature students with a desire to learn the topic, this system should benefit you. Exam and quiz questions are often based on homework problems.

Quizzes
There will be a quiz (most) every week. The quiz will be posted on the course homepage the week before it is due. Your quiz is due:

Exams
The dates of the three Saturday-in-Columbia exams are posted below under Dates. The room number will be posted in SWRG on the day of the exam. To the closed-book exams you should bring your calculator and the class handouts (with whatever personal notes you choose to write on them) of the table of integrals, calculus formula sheet, and (Spring 2000-version) informal summary.

Evaluation
Your goal is to gain a working knowledge of the material; you have some personal freedom in this pursuit. By the end of the semester, demonstrate that you have mastered the material and your grade will be agreeable. With this in mind, your final course grade will (tentatively) be based on your highest percentage in the below schemes.

Quiz Avg. 10 % 10 %
Exam 1 30 % 15 %
Exam 2 30 % 15 %
Final Exam 30 % 60 %
Total 100 % 100 %

Class Attendance
The University of South Carolina Bulletin states that: "Students are obligated to complete all assigned work promptly, to attend class regularly, and to participate in whatever class discussion may occur. Absence from more than 10 percent of the scheduled class sessions, whether excused or unexcused, is excessive and the instructor may choose to exact a grade penalty for such absences".

Dates
Sat8JanFirst class, in Columbia, 10:45-12:15
F14JanLast day to drop/add without a W
Sat12FebExam 1, in Columbia
M21FebLast day to drop without a WF
TW7/8MarchNo class - Spring Break
Sat25MarchExam 2, in Columbia
T25AprilLast day of class
Sat29AprilCumulative Final Exam, in Columbia, time-tba

Misc

Apogee
Phyllis Coleman, Director:
e-mail: coleman@sc.edu
phone: (803) 777-4192
Further information is available at:

Last modified on 8 January by Maria Girardi
Findable from URL: http://www.math.sc.edu/~girardi/w550.html