Math 235: Calculus I

FALL 2025 Policy Information

To really learn math, you'll need to practice. A lot! Come to class, read the book, do the homework and classwork, and study with others.

Instructor: Dr. Roger Thelwell
Contact: thelwerj@jmu.edu, (540)568-5103.
Sections
- Section 1: Roop 105 MWF 8:00-8:50, Burruss 126 Th 8:00-9:15
- Section 3: Roop 105 MWF 9:10-10:00, Burruss 126 Th 9:35-10:50
Office Hours: TBD - for now see my schedule, and email me to arrange a different time.
Canvas

Course Description
This is a first university course in calculus, intended for students who are interested in the subject at a level beyond routine application. Serving as both an introduction to the study of higher mathematics and as a service course for the physical sciences, MATH 235 is especially relevant for students majoring in: biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, philosophy, quantitative finance, and physics.

The course will cover limits and continuity, derivatives, definite integrals, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Each topic will be developed from first principles; treatment will include theory as well as applications.

Calculus I is a GenEd Cluster 3 course, and includes the following learning objectives:

Describe the methods of inquiry that lead to mathematical truth
Use models as unifying principles that help us understand natural phenomena
Use graphical, symbolic, and numerical methods to analyze, organize, and interpret natural phenomena

No prior knowledge of calculus is assumed.

Goals

Limits: Graphical and computational evaluation of limits. Formal definition of a limit. Understand how to prove the existence of a limit ("delta-epsilon proofs"). Limit rules.
Continuity: Intuitive and formal definition of continuity of a function at a point
Differentiation. Conceptual understanding of derivative (slope of tangent line, instantaneous rate of change). Calculating derivative based on formal definition. Understanding derivative rules, including chain rule. Calculating derivatives of the exponential and logarithm function.
Derivative applications: Related rate problems. Extreme value problems. Determining relative maxima and minima of a function and intervals of increase/decrease using first derivative. Determining concavity and inflection points using second derivative. Using derivative and second derivative information to graph functions. Using calculus to solve optimization problem
Integration: Estimating area under a curve with Riemann sums. Calculating area under a curve using limits of Riemann sums. Calculating antiderivatives using basic rules. Understanding and applying the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus to calculate definite integrals
Mathematical Reasoning: develop and enhance skill in critical thinking, argumentation, and logical reasoning through the exploration and application of mathematical concepts and problem-solving strategies.

Prerequisites
Prerequisite: MP CALC score of 30+ or MP ALEKS score of 81+ or MATH 135. Not open to students with credit in MATH 232 or MATH 234.

Textbook
Calculus, Early Transcendentals, 8th ed., by James Stewart. Be careful - we are NOT using the newest edition.
This same edition will be used for Calculus I, II, and III at JMU. This semester, you'll need to buy access to Webassign which comes with an electronic copy of the text in order to do the HW. There are a variety of options, both where to buy the book and what specific package to buy, so feel free to ask me what I think might be best for you.
Where can I buy the material? The JMU bookstore, the Cengage site, or another online store such as Amazon .
What are different options? There are two main ones: single semester or multiple semesters. If you think you will be taking Calc II, then multiple semester access makes sense.

The bookstore has two options, a multi-term loose leaf (LL) option with WebAssign at the JMU bookstore (for $201.25) and the single term "Cengage Unlimited" (for $186.75) option. Cengage Unlimited is a semester-long resource that allows one semester of electronic access to all Cengage books used at JMU plus WebAssign. I encourage you to also check the Cengage site and click on the WebAssign tab and then the "WebAssign Instant Access for Stewart's Calculus: Early Transcendentals, Multi-Term" option for $149.99 or a single term for access $118. Finally, if you like print books and saving money (like I do!), you can put together you own WebAssign + print bundle.

On-line Material
Course material is posted on WebAssign. Log on and check it out! You will probably need to create an account.

Homework/Classwork
Late assignments will NOT be accepted, but I will drop 10% of the total possible points before calculating the categoy score.
Your assignments and schedule will show up on WebAssign. You will have free access until September 3, but it might be easier to purchase an access code so that you can enter it when you sign up for you section below.

8 am section class code JMU94176301
9 am section class code JMU96683777

to enroll. While you will have free access until September 3, it is often easier to purchase an access code first, from the bookstore, cengage, or elsewhere online.

You will be able to see all due dates on the WebAssign site as well as your points on each assignment. You will have multiple attempts to get problems right (except for True/False). For all of the problems you will get immediate feedback and might have a chance to try a different version of the same problem. Some of the problems will even have on-demand help which might include links to videos, suggestions, and step-by-step hints.

Collaboration (but not copying!) is encouraged. The time you spend working on the homework and working with others in class will be invaluable, and similar problems will show up on class activities and tests.

Classwork Activities
You must be in class to earn this points, but I will drop 10% of the total possible points before calculating the category score.
These activites, usually once or twice a week, might consist of a homework question or two assigned from a previous class, a basic question about the topic of the day, a worksheet, or maybe a short group problem. The activities are intended to reinforce past material and motivate the current material. These will be graded on a six point scale; 4 pts for writing something, 5 pts for writing something relevent and true, and 6 pts for a clear and correct solution. A solution is not just the correct answer. A solution is a clear and step-by-step sequence to arrive at the answer that anyone else in class should be able to follow and understand. You will typically turn in written work for this, sometimes individual and sometimes group work.

Tests
There will be two in-class tests. There will be no "make-up" tests during the semester. Instead, the score on the final exam will be substituted for at most one test missed for any reason, and a missed second test will be a zero. Here is a tenative schedule, subject to change.

Test I - Thursday October 9
Test II - Thursday November 20

Final
The final is cumulative, and our JMU registrar has already set the date and timeand this will not change:

Section 1: Monday, 12/08 from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Section 3: Wednesday, 12/10 from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.

You can see the complete Fall 2025 final exam schedule.

Grading
Each of the categories that contribute to your grade will get scaled to the following number of points:

Homework: scaled to 5 points
Class Activities: scaled to 20 points
Tests: 2 scaled to 25 points each
Final: scaled to 25 points

The grade will be assigned based on the sum of points in these four categories: 90-100 for an A ; 80-89 for a B; 70-79 for a C; 60-69 for a D; and below 60 earns an F. I will assign +/- on an individual basis, and reserve the right to curve the final grades. The Registar's important dates include the last day to withdraw with a "W" as Tuesday, October 21, 2025. I occasionally assign "WF" or "WP" grades - ask if you have questions.

Attendance Policy
I hope you can make every class, but realistically understand that we might have to miss some class (maybe you or I get sick, or get stuck out of town, or get injured, etc...). That is ok - but it is up to you to get caught up! If you can let me know that you'll be missing, great, but it isn't necessary. But read the book, look for online resources, and reach out to somebody who was in class and ask for their notes and/or talk to them about what happend in class.

Contact the Dean of Students in the case of extended class absence, which lasts more than two days.

Need a little extra help?
I love office hours. Please use them, and don't be afraid to send an email or give me a call. For help outside of office hours, visit the

JMU Math & Stat Learning Suite in Roop G25: https://www.jmu.edu/mathstat/learningsuite.shtml, which offers support for a range of math and stats classes.
Science and Math Learning Center (SMLC):https://www.jmu.edu/smlc/, which offers FREE help in a variety of science courses, including Math 235.

Both are amazing resouces. I'll hold some of my office hours in the Learning Suite, as do many of our faculty.

Calculators
A graphing calculator is optional for this course. Calculators are great to help build intuition and to convince yourself that you can do calculus. But since some calculators can handle symbolic algebra and calculus operations, they will not be allowed on the tests or the final exam.

Honor code
Remember that JMU has a strict honor code. While you are strongly encouraged to work with others in this class, the work you submit must be your own. Copying someone else's work won't help you learn the material and might just get you expelled.

Diversity and Inclusion
James Madison University is a community dedicated to diversity and inclusivity. As faculty, we believe that learning environments should support a diversity of thoughts, perspectives, experiences, and identities. We invite you to share anything with us that might help create a more inclusive and welcoming learning environment.

Common JMU Academic Policies
Visit http://www.jmu.edu/syllabus/ for information about: Attendance, Academic Honesty, Adding/Dropping Courses, Disability Accommodations, Disruptive Behavior, Inclement Weather, and Religious Accommodations.

Nature of the Course Content
(directly from the course catalog) MATH 235. Calculus I [C3QR].
Credits 4.00 PeopleSoft Course ID 006620 Grading Basis GRD
Calculus I is a first university course in calculus. It offers rigorous coverage that can serve as a foundation for later courses typical for science, engineering or mathematics majors. Topics include: limits, continuity, derivatives, applications of derivatives, Riemann sums, integrals and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Each topic is treated in the context of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions. This course may be used for general education credit. MATH 235 is not open to students who have already earned credit in MATH 232 or MATH 234. Prerequisite(s): Sufficient score on the Mathematics Placement Exam.