Class Information

Course Title Math 211: Calculus II

Instructor Julia Williams

Website http://kamerynjw.net/teaching/2025/math211/

Email kwilliams [at] simons-rock (dot) edu

Primary out of class contact course website or email me

Class Hours and Room

Section A: MWF 9:00–9:55, FSH-201
Section B: MWF 10:05–11:00, FSH-201

Office Hours M 3:45–4:45, WF 11:00–12:00

Office 2T, Hall College Center

Tutoring At Think Tank, Student Union Building. Times TBA.

Course Description This course is a continuation of Calculus I. Topics include techniques of integration, numerical integration, applications of the definite integral, Taylor approximations, infinite series, and an introduction to differential equations.

Prerequisite Mathematics 210.

Learning Outcomes

This is the second semester in the calculus sequence. We will cover applications of integration and advanced integration techniques, sequences and series, and introduce parametrically-defined functions, polar coordinates, and differential equations. continuity, derivatives, and an introduction to integrals. When you leave this class you should be able to calculate integrals and apply integration, understand the uses of series in mathematics and how to check for convergence or divergence, and be prepared to take linear algebra.

Grading Policy

Your learning outcomes for this class will be assessed with exams and homework. The breakdown for your grade is as follows:

25%: Homework
25%: Midterm 1
25%: Midterm 2
25%: Oral Final

Grades will be assigned on the standard A through F scale, with +’s or –’s for borderline cases. I reserve the right to make adjustments for individual circumstance.

Homework

Homework will be assigned weekly, due in-class the Monday of the following week. The exception for this is review/exam weeks, which will have shorter homework assignments due Wednesday. Homework will consist of both problems and a writing exercise.

Problems are what you probably think of when you hear “math homework”. Show your work! You do not need to show every minute algebraic step, but I need to be able to follow your thought process.

Writing exercises ask you to explain why a method works or why some mathematical fact is true. As the name suggests, what you turn in should be a piece of writing. You should write in complete paragraphs and adhere to the standards of academic writing. Where you need to write a mathematical formula you should either include inline in the middle of a paragraph or, for important or large formulae, on a separate line. See your textbook for an example of how to write mathematics. Handwritten writing exercises are preferred; I will only accept electronic/printed submissions which were typeset using LaTeX.

Homework grades are based on completion, a selection of two problems, and the writing exercise.

Rubric for completion
- 25/25: you did all problems.
- 10/25: you did most problems.
- 0/25: you did only a few problems.
Rubric for individual problems
- 25/25: you gave a full correct solution.
- 24/25: you made a minor error.
- 10/25: you were on the right track but were unable to finish or made significant errors.
- 0/25: you didn’t make meaningful progress toward a correct solution.
Rubric for writing exercises
- 25/25: you gave a full and cogent explanation.
- 20/25: you had the right idea but struggled to express it in clear mathematical prose.
- 10/25: you had some engagement with the concepts, but weren’t able produce the key ideas of the explanation.
- 0/25: you didn’t engage meaningfully with the concepts.

You are encouraged to work together on homework, but the work you turn in is expected to be your own. If you do collaborate with classmates, please say so and give their names with your submitted work.

For this class you should expect to spend roughly two hours out of class for each hour of in-class time, for a total of six hours. Homework is due weekly to give you flexibility in when to fit in those six hours. That said, I strongly encourage you to start your homework as soon as possible. Material from later in the week will build on earlier ideas.

You have three (3) ‘late passes’ allowing you to turn in a homework assignment late. You can submit up to one week after the deadline. If you choose to do this, send me an email to let me know when you’ll get the homework to me. Late work is not penalized, but I will not accept late work if you’ve used up all late passes.

If exceptional circumstances make it impossible for you to keep up with the class material, please talk to me so we can figure out the best solution for what to do.

Midterms

There will be two midterm exams. These are in-class, written, individual exams.

No calculators nor notes are allowed for exams, unless otherwise stated.

Exam dates:

Midterm 1: Friday, Feb 28
Midterm 2: Wednesday, Apr 16

Oral Final

In place of a written final, I will do oral finals. These will be individually scheduled, one-on-one sessions in my office. You will demonstrate how you work through a few problems, and we will discuss how the class went overall.

I will provide a problem list before the sessions. You will be asked to present one problem of your choice with me choosing the remainder.

Textbook Information

The textbook for this class is H. Jerome Keisler, Elementary Calculus: An Infinitesimal Approach, online edition. A pdf of this book is freely available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Licensce: [hosted on my website] or [see Keisler’s webpage].

There is also a print edition of the book, published by Dover. (ISBN: 978-0486484525) If you prefer a physical copy you can buy it online for about 30 to 40 USD.

Most of the homework will be assigned out of the textbook, and from time to time I will ask you to read selections from it. The book is well-written, and it is a good resource for studying on your own or for examples of how to write about mathematics.

Attendance Policy

You are expected to attend class sessions, as per the college attendance policy. No portion of your grade is directly based on attendance, but like most math classes the material in this class builds on itself. If you skip class and fall behind it is difficult to get back on track.

Midterm exams are in-person and you must show up to receive credit. If exceptional circumstance means you cannot make an exam email me as soon as possible so we can set up an alternative.

If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to ensure you make up the missed lesson. The schedule on the course website gives the textbook sections we will cover each week, and any worksheets or handouts will be posted on the course website. If you know in advance you will have to miss a class, please email me.

Class Participation Guidelines

Class time will be spent on a combination of lecture and group work/discussion.

You are expected to participate in all parts of class sessions. For lecture you should be actively listening, taking notes, and asking questions as appropriate. For group work/discussion you should engage in the work, sharing ideas with your classmates.

Mathematics has a reputation for being removed from social concerns and identities. Whether or not this is true for the content of mathematics, it is certainly false for the process of learning mathematics. Our classroom is to be a welcoming one, where everyone feels able to participate and learn regardless of their background or identity. As learners it is your obligation to treat others with respect and generosity, and be willing to exchange ideas with others.

Communication Policy and Office Hours

Announcements and homework will be posted to the course website.

The best way to contact me outside of class is by email. Please put “math 211” in the subject line of your email. If I do not respond by the end of the next weekday, please send me a follow up reminder message.

Office hours are held multiple times in the week, to give you an opportunity to ask questions and receive help in-person outside of class time. If you prefer to meet at a different time, please contact me to arrange that.

Accessibility

Students with disabilities are legally entitled to reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to education. I am committed to providing you with equal access to this class, and am happy to work with you to ensure reasonable accommodations. Because the accommodations offered are usually forward-looking modifications, it is important to get them set up as soon as possible.

Anyone who feels they may need accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Jeannie Altshuler, Director of Accessibility and Academic Support, in the Win Commons (jaltshuler@simons-rock.edu; 413-528-7383).

The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a disability as a medical condition that substantially limits one or more major life activities—including things like walking, sleeping, taking care of yourself, learning, and regulating your emotions—or major bodily functions. If you have a medical condition—including mental health conditions—that significantly interferes with your schoolwork, you probably qualify. You do not need to disclose your condition to your instructors to receive accommodations.

Academic Honesty

You are expected to know and uphold the college’s policies on academic honesty as described in the Student Handbook. Mathematics classes form part of the core base of skills you need to succeed in many later classes, and you are harming yourself if you try to avoid learning the material for this class.

The use of ChatGPT or other AI tools is prohibited. Submitted work using these tools will receive a zero, with no chance for making up the lost points. I reserve the right to escalate the consequences for repeated violations.

You are encouraged to collaborate with classmates for homework, but the work you submit is expected to be your own. If you do work with others, please say so and give their names with your submitted homework.

Other Campus Resources

The Wellness Center Health and Counseling Services, as the name says, offers health and counseling services.

The Win Student Resources Commons offers academic support, tutoring, accessibility, and career advice.

Notice of Changes

This syllabus is subject to change. If this happens, you will be informed of any additions or changes.