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Section 2 Course Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes

The main objective of this course is to learn three main topics:

  1. Integration and its Applications.

    Chapters 2, 3 and part of 4.

  2. Infinite Sequences and their Sums.

    Chapters 5 and 6.

  3. Geometrical Applications of Calculus.

    Chapter 7.

For example we study computing areas and volumes, lengths of curves, and solving differential equations which describe phenomena like population growth, and describing functions as "infinite polynomials", also called "power series".

I will also emphasize some generally useful mathematical skills:

  • Learning correct use of mathematical notation and organization of thinking and written presentations so that it can be understood by peers and instructors.

  • Facility and accuracy in basic computational manipulations so that these steps do not get in the way of understanding and solving the main questions at hand.

  • Reading, working exercises and developing concise written summaries of important formulas, notation and ideas, to help with study and test preparation.

Students are expected to do not only the graded online assignments and class exercises but also to read each section of the text that is covered in class, and to attempt the exercises set for each section. This is because, more broadly, it is expected that a majority of the learning in this or any College course comes through students' efforts outside the classroom.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Represent the following as definite integrals: area between curves, volume of a solid of revolution, average value of a function, arc length of a curve.

  2. Evaluate integrals by applying integration by parts, trigonometric substitution, trigonometric identities, and partial fraction decomposition.

  3. Identify and evaluate improper integrals and apply the comparison test to determine whether an improper integral converges.

  4. Identify properties of sequences (monotonicity, boundedness, convergence) and find the limits of sequences.

  5. Determine whether an infinite series converges by choosing and applying a suitable convergence test.

  6. Determine the radius of convergence of a power series.

  7. Use Taylor Series to express functions as power series and to evaluate infinite series.

  8. Represent plane curves as parametric equations, and recognize the plane curve that corresponds to given parametric equations.

  9. Use derivatives and integrals to find slopes and lengths of parametric curves, and areas bounded by them.

  10. Convert between Cartesian and polar coordinates, graph polar curves, and apply calculus to polar curves as for parametric curves.

  11. Model mathematical questions with differential equations, and use basic methods for solving such equations.