MATH6015: Week 4

I am emailing a link of this to everyone on the class list every week. If you are not receiving these emails or want to have them sent to another email address feel free to email me at jpmccarthymaths@gmail.com and I will add you to the mailing list.

Test 1

The first 15% test will take place at 4 pm MONDAY 20 October in B263 (Week 6). You can find a sample in the course notes, after the section on rates of change I think. It is a test that could arguably take 42 minutes but I’ll give ye from 16.05 — 17.00. You will be given a copy of these tables. Don’t worry I’ll scribble out the “UCC”!

Note that the format will be the same of this.

1. Differentiation from First Principles
2. Tangent Lines
3. Differentiate by Rule
4. Differentiate by Rule
5. Differentiate by Rule
6. Rates of Change
7. Rate of Change/ Geometry of Graph,

but this is dependent on our progress in lectures.

Week 4

In Week 4 we continued our work on the Chain Rule and spoke about applications of differentiation to rates of change.

Week 5

In Week 5 we will talk about the duality/interplay between geometry & algebra and learn how to find the maxima/minima of functions.

Tutorials

The tutorial split is

Continuous Assessment

As can be seen here in the Module Descriptor, there will be two 15% tests: one in Week 6 and one in Week 10. I hope to give you two week’s notice of each and there are sample tests in the notes.

Quick Test: Academic Learning Centre

I would urge anyone having any problems with material that isn’t being addressed in the tutorials to use the Academic Learning Centre. As you can see the timetable is quite generous. You will get best results if you come to the helpers there with specific questions.

I have already advised some of ye to go to the ALC for specific help.

Study

Please feel free to ask questions about the exercises via email or even better on this webpage — especially those of us who struggled in the test.

Math.Stack Exchange

If you find yourself stuck and for some reason feel unable to ask me the question you could do worse than go to the excellent site math.stackexchange.com. If you are nice and polite, and show due deference to these principles you will find that your questions are answered promptly. For example this question on getting an intuitive feel for the Chain Rule.

Maple Online & Wolfram Alpha

If you are subscribed to CIT MathsOnline you will have free access to the mathematical software package Maple:

Self-enrolment for Maths Online

1.           Log into Blackboard Learn

2.           Click on the Courses tab button at the top of the screen. Go to Course Search and type Maths Online in the box.

3.           Once you’ve found the course, click on the action link button next to the course and click on Enrol. This should take you to the Self Enrolment page.

4.           Your Access Code is mathsonline (lower case, no spaces).

5.           After you’ve finished click Submit. You should now see a message that says your enrolment was successful.

Once you’ve enrolled, you can download Maple by selecting the Mathematical Software tab in the left hand column and following the instructions under the Maple item.

I myself am not a Maple expert but ‘grew up’ with another mathematical software package Mathematica. Mathematica powers the “computational knowledge engine” WolframAlpha. Go on ask it a question!

Calculators

Although Assessment 1 is to be taken without the use of calculators, subsequent assessments will have no such ban. Please note the following taken from the CIT code of conduct for CIT examination candidates:

“Where a pocket calculator is used it must be silent, self-powered and non-programmable. 

It may not be passed from one candidate to another. Instructions for its use may not be 
brought into the Examination Hall. 
The term ‘programmable’ includes any calculator that is capable of storing a sequence of 
keystrokes that can be retrieved after the calculator is turned off or powers itself off. Note that the 
capacity to recall, edit and replay previously executed calculations does not render a calculator 
programmable, provided that this replay memory is automatically cleared when the calculator is 
powered off. Also, the facility to store numbers in one or more memory locations does not render 
a calculator programmable. 
Calculators with any of the following mathematical features are prohibited: 
• Graph plotting 
• Equation solving 
• Symbolic algebraic manipulation 
• Numerical integration 
• Numerical differentiation 
• Matrix calculations 
Calculators with any of the following features are prohibited 
• Data Banks 
• Dictionaries 
• Language translators 
• Text retrieval 
• Capability of remote communication“