PRECALCULUS 1A

Dear Parents/Guardians:
CALCULUS CONCEPTS
COURSE SYLLABUS
It is my pleasure to have your child in my class. I believe if we work together we can all be successful
this year. Therefore I have attached a list of classroom expectations and an overview of my grading
policy so we can work together to make this year enlightening and full of discovery. I have also shared
my expectations and grading policy with your child today in class.
I am sure we all recognize the importance of focusing on schoolwork in order to complete any course
with success. I hope you can take a moment to read these expectations and share any feelings or
questions with your child and/or me. Please feel free to contact me with any questions about your
child's progress or any questions in general. Please reach me through email, cavalos@oprfhs.org, or
phone number 434-3351 before 8:00 a.m. or after 3:04 p.m.
In order for me to contact you, please provide me with the following information. Also, please indicate
what method you prefer for me to use in order to contact you. Print your information clearly and sign in
the appropriate place, indicating that you have read this material. Have your child return this page to
me as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Ms. Carmen Avalos
(Please return only the bottom information and keep the top information for your records.)
(Please print)
Student
name:
Parents/Guardians:
Father:
Mother:
(home phone) (work/cell phone) (email)
Preferred method of contact:
Student signature:
(home phone) (work/cell phone) (email)
Preferred method of contact:
Parent signature:
Comments:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

WELCOME TO CALCULUS CONCEPTS
COURSE SYLLABUS
MS. AVALOS
COURSE OUTLINE: Designed for students who wish to continue on a calculus pathway. First
semester focuses on topics leading to the larger calculus concepts with an
emphasis on the library of functions from a calculus point of view. Second
semester focuses on the derivative, one of the key concepts in calculus. A
graphing calculator is required.
COURSE TEXTS:
CALCULUS SINGLE VARIABLE 4 th EDITION and Study Guides
This class represents a cooperative effort: each of us has a job to do to insure that learning takes
place. As the teacher, it is my job to plan lessons, write exams and quizzes, provide extra help the
students need, and grade tests promptly. As the student, it is your responsibility to come to class
each day ready to learn. That means you should be prepared with necessary materials and
homework.
Supplies:
Homework:
Large spiral notebook that will be used ONLY for math, at least 2 pencils and eraser
(tests must be taken in pencil or will deduct 5 points from the test score),
pocket folder for handouts, homework and tests, and a graphing calculator!
Homework is assigned daily. Please follow the assignment sheet that is given with every unit study
guide. Write down and attempt every problem before you come to class and correct all mistakes
immediately when we go over it in class. All homework from the text book should be done in your
notebook. Label each homework with the corresponding assignment number and make sure it is large
enough to stand out from the rest of the work. Each homework assignment is worth 2 points, 1 point
if turned in late. Homework is not graded for accuracy. If 95% of it is done or attempted then you
will receive full credit otherwise you can turn it in the NEXT day only for half credit.
Skyward and Homework: On skyward there will be a range of dates where homework was due
and total possible points that could have been achieved. Your total points will reflect on where you
turn in your homework , turned it in late or did not turn it in. If you received 7/10 that means you did
not turn in all your homework in on time for some days. For specifics assignment numbers and dates
please contact me.
Late assignments will not be accepted for full credit and will not be accepted at all after 2 days,
unless you were sick (in that case you have 1 day for each day absent to do make up work).
Homework is mainly good for studying for tests. Some homework problems often reappear on tests
after the material has been covered and tested. It is therefore highly recommended to keep all study
guides and homework to review previous material that could appear on the current test. Homework
counts for approximately 30% of 9 week grade.
Parents:
Notes:
Grading:
Please know that homework is given every day. Ask your son/daughter to see their completed
assignment occasionally, if not daily. They will be giving an assignment sheet at the beginning of each
chapter. Please contact me through email or phone for information about your child’s
progress when needed.
Notes should always be taken in your math notebook. They should be dated and contain everything I
write on the board or through the overhead projector. Notes should also include any sample problems
done in class.
Grades are based mostly on tests ( 70%) and homework (including projects) ( 30%). Cutoffs for
each grade are percents - A(90%) B(80%) C(70%) D(60%) F(below 60%). You can compute your
grade by dividing your points by the possible points.

Absences:
Extra Help:
CAT or CATA
Students:
Helpful
Hints:
ETC:
Common
Sense:
If you have any absences that you know about in advance (for example, field trips, funerals, court
dates. etc.), you must tell me beforehand. In any case, it is your responsibility to find out what
you missed, and make arrangements for making up missed tests and quizzes. You have one day for
each day absent to make up all missed tests and quizzes. (Example: if you are absent 3
days, you have 3 school days to make up all work. Tests and quizzes not taken in those 3
days count as zero.) Also, if you miss a quiz or test due to an unexcused absence, then the quiz or
test automatically becomes a zero. You will not be eligible for any extra tutoring, turning in homework,
making up any test or quiz if your absence is unexcused. The school’s tardy and attendance policy will
be followed at all times.
I will be available for tutoring by appointment after school on a daily basis. Tutoring is also
available all periods in room 393.
Be prepare to work extremely hard. This course has three levels of students, Pre-Calculus, College
Algebra Trig Advanced and College Algebra Trig. Concepts might come easier for those students that
have taken the advanced courses. Even though math came easy to you before, it will be more difficult
in this course because of the rate that material is covered and the depth of the understanding that is
expected of material cover in the previous year.
Review your notes before starting your homework. Your homework is your practice time. Use a pencil.
Complete all the problems. Stay on schedule. Ask questions in class especially concerning your
homework. Find a study buddy. It helps to talk about the homework problems. Be respectful,
courteous, and considerate of your classmates. Only one person can speak and be heard at a time.
Raise your hand if you want to participate. Be prepared to practice a lot. While you will continue to
work on basic mathematics in algebra, you will also be required to analyze more application-based
problems than you have in any previous math course. Enjoy yourself…math is FUN!
Expect a cumulative exam approximately every two weeks.
Do not ask to be excused from an exam the day of the exam.
Cutting class on the day of the exam will result in a grade of zero on that exam.
Cheating on test or quizzes will result in a grade of zero for that assessment.
Don’t be late.
Visit the nurse before or after class.
Food and water is not allowed in class.
Incomplete homework will never be given credit. Skipping graphs would be an example of incomplete
work.
Sloppy work is equivalent to incomplete work. If I can’t read your writing, then print or type.
I seldom give out bathroom passes.
Homework is due at the beginning of class on the due date.
Do not tell me that you did not do your homework because you did not have a calculator.
Keep track of your own grades.
If you take a vacation, you must keep up to date.
Crying is not an effective strategy for successful negotiation.
Smiling is an effective strategy!
It seems that “common sense” is far from common, so I will spell out a few rules. Certain objects have no
business being brought into this (or any) classroom. Examples include, but are not limited to, liquids of any type,
cosmetics, toys of any type, food, candy, etc., and items that violate school rules such as IPODs, cell phones,
jackets, etc. In general, anything that is not needed for class probably does not belong.
As I need to walk around the room, to check homework and offer help, you are to put book bags UNDER your
desks and NOT next to it. Under NO circumstances should your book bag be taking up space ON your desk –
you need that space to take notes on homework or for in-class work. Throwing anything, anytime, anywhere
during class is always a “no no”. Do not leave your desk, except to sharpen your pencil (and then choose your
time carefully). There is a time for talking and a time for listening; if you’re not sure which is which, try listening.

Academic
Integrity:
Classroom
Rules:
Working together on HW and projects where appropriate is strongly encouraged. However, copying
other people’s work is prohibited. If you copy from another student or any other source (or allow a
student to copy your work), you will receive a zero for the assignment and will not be permitted to
redo the assignment. If you are quoting or paraphrasing from an outside source for a project or
paper, be sure to cite the source appropriately.
Cell phone use during any assessment results in an automatic zero on that assessment. You will be
asked to take out, turn off, and place your cell phone on your desk during any assessment. You
cannot use your cell phone as a calculator during class as your TI-84 serves this purpose.
TOPICS COVERED IN CALCULUS CONCEPTS 1-2A
SEMESTER ONE
I. Functions in Calculus
A. Functions, Calculus Style
B. Transformation of Graphs
C. Calculator Graphs
D. What is a function?
E. Composite and Inverse Functions
F. Attributes of Even and Odd Functions
G. Modeling with elementary functions
II.
More on functions
A. Functions and change
B. Exponential functions
C. Piecewise Functions
D. Logarithmic functions
E. Trigonometric functions
F. Powers
G. Polynomials and End Behavior
H. Rational Functions and Asymptotes
III. Limits
A. Introduction to continuity
B. Graphical limits
C. Numerical limits
D. Analytical limits
IV. The Slope Function
A. How do we measure speed?
B. Instantaneous Velocity
C. How do we calculate distance?
D. Riemann Sums
E. Local Linearity
SEMESTER TWO
V. Short-cuts to differentiation
A. Powers and polynomials
B. The exponential function
C. The product and quotient rule
D. The chain rule
E. The trigonometric functions
F. The chain rule and inverse functions
G. Implicit functions
H. Linear approximation and the derivative
VI. Using the derivative
A. Using first and second derivatives
B. Families of curves
C. Optimization
D. Applications to marginality
E. Optimization and modeling
F. Rates and related rates
G. Differentiability
VII. The definite integral
A. Area between curves
B. The definite integral
C. The fundamental theorem and interpretations
D. More on definite integrals
VIII.Constructing Antiderivatives
A. Antiderivatives graphically and numerically
B. Constructing antiderivatives analytically
C. Differential equations
D. Second fundamental theorem of calculus
E. Integration by substitution