MATH 30 (Section 3) - First Day
Handout
Calculus I - Spring 2026
General information
Time and place:
T Th 2:45 - 4:00 pm, Davidson Auditorium (in Adams Hall)
Instructor:
Lenny Fukshansky
Office:
Adams 218
Phone:
(909) 607 -
0014
Email:
lenny@cmc.edu
Office hours:
TW 4:00 - 5:00 pm, Th 1:00 - 2:00 pm, or by appointment
Class webpage:
https://www1.cmc.edu/pages/faculty/lenny/classes/spring_2026/m30/spring_2026_m30.html
The class webpage is a good
source for all class related information; in particular,
homework assignments will be posted on the class webpage weekly.
Please check it regularly.
Catalog course description:
Single variable calculus.
Differentiation and integration of algebraic and transcendental
functions with applications to the social and physical sciences.
Prerequisite:
Placement.
Material to be
covered:
This course will cover most of Chapters 1 - 5 of the book, as time
allows. We will tentatively aim to cover the following sections:
Chapter 1: Sections 1.1 - 1.3, 1.5, 1.6
Chapter 2:
Sections 2.2 - 2.8 (read 2.1 on your own)
Chapter 3:
Sections 3.1 - 3.6, 3.10
Chapter 4:
Sections 4.1 - 4.5, 4.7 - 4.9
Chapter 5:
Sections 5.1 - 5.5 as time allows
The particular week-by-week schedule of the course will correspond
to the weekly homework assignments, which are displayed on the
class webpage.
Teaching philosophy:
The main goal of this liberal arts GE course
is to present the mathematical way of thinking, centering on
rigorous logic and analytical reasoning. We will do this on the
example of the classical material of Differential Calculus, going
back to the fundamental 17th century work of Isaac Newton and
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and its 19th century presentation by
Augustin-Louis Cauchy and Karl Theodor Wilhelm Weierstrass, along
with other important mathematicians. The approach we take will be
largely theoretical, aiming to not only demonstrate computational
methods, but also to understand what makes them work. While we
will not be able to prove all the results presented, we will see
some proofs and discuss the underlying logic behind the main
concepts. In this way, this course will also serve as an
introductory exposition of the art of mathematical proof, which
may be different from a more computational approach to Calculus
taken in many high school courses.
Expected effort and learning outcomes:
A serious effort is usually required in order to
succeed in this class, including (but possibly not limited to) the
following:
- Regularly attending class, listening to lectures and taking
the lecture notes
- Carefully reading the material we cover in the textbook and
reviewing the lecture notes
- Doing all the homework assignments
While the actual time needed to perform these
tasks may depend on an individual student, you should plan for a
serious time investment in this course with 2-3 hours at home for
each hour in class, on average.
The main expected learning outcome for this class
is developing an understanding of the mathematical reasoning and
logic as demonstrated on the analytic theory of functions
discussed during course of this class. More specifically, we will
aim to develop basic familiarity with the following major topics:
- Rigorous notions of limits and continuity of functions
- Concept and meaning of the derivative of a function
- Differentiation techniques
- Introduction to the Riemann integral
- Performing
necessary computations without a calculator
Grading policy
Class attendance and homework
completion are required parts of the course. Homework
assignments will be regularly posted on the course webpage and
collected on Thursdays in class. Late homework will not be accepted.
There will be two in class
midterm exams and the comprehensive final exam. Here is the exam schedule.
Midterm 1:
Thursday, October 7, in class
Midterm 2:
Thursday, November 11, in class
Final Exam:
Friday, May 15, 2:00 - 5:00 pm in Davidson Auditorium
Make-up exams are generally not given; exceptions will be considered
only in extraordinary circumstances, substantiated by accompanying
documentation and should be discussed with the instructor as soon
as possible.
The grade break-down will
be as follows:
The grading scale used for this
class will be:
- 95-100% = A, 90-94% = A-
- 85-89% = B+, 80-84% = B, 75-79% = B-
- 70-74% = C+, 65-69 % = C, 60-64% = C-
- 57-59% = D+, 52-56% = D, 50-51% = D-
- 0-49% = F
I reserve the right to introduce a curve (up or down) at the end
of the semester depending on the class's overall performance.
Additional resources
Tutoring
help is available at the Murty Sunak Quantitative and
Computing Lab (QCL): our designated QCL mentor is TBA.
QCL is the centralized hub for support with all sorts of
quantitative issues at CMC, including course mentoring, training
workshops and senior thesis and research project assistance. QCL
services are available by appointment and on a walk-in basis.
Please consult the QCL website for more
detailed information about the
services provided:
https://www.cmc.edu/qcl
Class policies
The following are basic rules that all
students should follow in order not to disturb the class.
- Please make sure to turn off or silence your cell phones
and any other devices that make noise before entering class.
Please do not text or multitask in any way during the
lecture: you are expected to focus and pay full attention
during our meetings.
- Please do not come late or leave early; if on some
occasion it is necessary and cannot be avoided, please do it
in a way that does not disturb the class.
The use of
calculators, or any other electronic devices, as well as any
books or notes, is prohibited during all tests.
Important dates
- February 2,
Monday: Last day for adding courses for the
Spring semester.
- March 12, Thursday:
Last day to drop courses without record.
- March 14-22,
Saturday - Sunday: Spring break.
- April 17, Friday: Last day to opt for CR/NC grading
in elective courses; last day to withdraw voluntarily from a
full semester course with a grade of "W".
- May 5, Tuesday:
Last class meeting.
The
instructor reserves the right to make changes to the class
policies.