Section 5 Graded Work and Grading Scheme
Subsection 5.1 Homework Exercises for Practice
The study guide will give a list of exercises for each section covered, to help your study. These are not for grading but doing them is an essential part of the course; like learning a musical instrument or sport, success in mathematics requires a lot of practice beyond what your instructor sees and grades you on.
Subsection 5.2 In-class Exercises
There will be some in-class exercises for extra credit. You are encouraged to work on these in groups and ask me questions, but you should each write up and hand in your own version of the results.
Subsection 5.3 Weekly Quizzes
There will be a short quiz on most Thursdays; the questions will be similar to some of the homework exercises for the sections covered since the previous quiz.
There are no make-ups for missed quizzes; however if you contact me promptly with an explanation of why you missed a quiz (like illness) and do it as homework, will exempt that quiz from the average. (Revised February 17.)
Subsection 5.4 Mid-term Tests
There will be four mid-term tests, now scheduled for
Thursday February 9,
Thursday March 2,
Thursday March 30, and
Thursday April 20.
These will be partially cumulative: each will focus on material covered since the previous test, but questions can often rely on ideas and methods learned earlier in the semester. (Math is like that.)
There are usually no make-ups for missed test; unless if you contact me promptly with an explanation of why you missed it (like illness) and arrange to do it before I have graded and returned the test. Otherwise, with a good reason, the test's score can be replaced by your results on the corresponding part of the final exam. (Revised February 17.)
Subsection 5.5 Final Exam
The final exam will be held from 10:30am to 12:30pm on Tuesday May 2; it will cover the whole syllabus.
Subsection 5.6 Grading Scheme
The combined scores for quizzes and in-class exercises will count for 20% of the course total; each mid-semester test will count for 15%, and the final exam will count for the remaining 20%.
However, if the final exam score is better than the lowest test score or the assignment-classwork average, the exam score will carry an additional 10% weight and that low score will count for 10% less.
The aggregate score guarantees at least the following grades:
| A | A\({}^-\) | B\({}^+\) | B | B\({}^-\) | C\({}^+\) | C | C\({}^-\) | D\({}^+\) | D | D\({}^-\) |
| 90–100 | 87–89 | 84–86 | 80–83 | 77–79 | 74–76 | 70–73 | 67–69 | 64–66 | 60–63 | 57–59 |