Course Syllabus

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Fall 2025 - Math 3A – Calculus I (Class Code 40379)

Instructor: Kelly Pernell       Email: kpernell@peralta.edu  Office Location: Rm 353

Class Meeting Times: Tue & Thu 1:30pm - 3:45pm, at BCC, Rm 322

Canvas Class Web site: https://peralta.instructure.com/courses/83898

Office Hours:

YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@kellypernell3298/playlists

Textbook and Required Materials

This course uses the following textbook as a guide and schedule to present the content of the course:

Calculus, Early Transcendentals, 9th Edition
by James Stewart, Daniel Clegg, Saleem Watson
Cengage
ISBN 978-1-337-61392-7

Chapters 1 – 5 will be covered.

Please see the Modules section of the Canvas Class web site for a calendar/schedule of the specific sections and topics that we will work on each week.

To save textbook costs, you are NOT required to purchase the textbook. Your assignments will not come from the above textbook. In the last few modules of the Canvas class website, you will find a free online textbook from OpenStax. It contains instruction and examples for all the content we will cover.

You will be able to access your notes for all of the exams. Start organizing and saving your work from the first day of class!

You will need a laptop or mobile device and an internet connection to access the Canvas site, connect to YouTube and Zoom videos, and to submit your assignments.

You will also need an app or tool to scan written work to a PDF file.

Though a graphing calculator is not required for this course, I strongly encourage students to use one as a learning tool. Mobile graphing calculator apps are decent and can be purchased at low costs ($2 - $10).

The online free app Desmos.com is a wonderful graphing calculator tool to use for the class.

At the very least, you will need access to a non-graphing scientific calculator that can do trigonometric and logarithmic calculations.

Homework Assignments

The course is separated into 3 Parts.

  • Part 1 - Ch 1 Preliminaries and Ch 2 Limits
  • Part 2 - Ch 3 Differentiation
  • Part 3 - Ch 4 Applications of Differentiation and Ch 5 Integrals

Each Homework Part is worth 20% of your course grade, making all homework worth a total of 60% of your course grade.

Homework assignments are designed as mastery-based assessments of your knowledge.

  • For each problem in an assignment, you have 3 chances to enter the correct answer.
    • If you do not get the correct answer after the third try, you can click the button "get a similar question" to try again.
  • You can move through an assignment and complete problems in any order (i.e. you can skip challenging problems and come back).

This course covers 2 - 3 sections each week.

    • Homework assignments posted in each weekly module should be completed by the Sunday night of that week.
      • These are the true Homework assignment due dates you should use to maximize your learning of the course material.
    • There is a 1-week buffer/grace period to complete each homework assignment without penalty.
      • This "1-week grace period" for each assignment incorporates all types of emergencies and/or accessibility accommodations that may delay completing an assignment on time.
      • You will note the due dates for each HW assignment is one week after the Sunday of its weekly module.
        • You will receive a 30% penalty for each problem completed after the grace period. In other words, you will still earn maximum points for any problem completed before the end of the grace period. The penalty only applies to problems done after the assignment's due date.
        • Because I provide a grace period without penalty, I will not, for any reason, remove the 30% penalty for past-due assignments. Each student is responsible for their own personal schedule and time requirements to complete the course on time.

Please make every effort to complete homework assignments by the end of the week they are presented in the modules and in class, and only use the due date for what it really is for, as a grace period for things in your life that may cause delays.

NOTE:

  • You will have access to all assignments for the entire semester. To access a past-due assignment, click the "Use Late Passes" button on the assignment. If you run out of Late Passes, just ask me to give you more.
  • This course officially ends December 14th at 11:59pm! The Canvas site will close. You will not be able to submit anything after this date.

If you are two or more weeks behind on assignments, please check in with me right away, please seek tutorial assistance, definitely come to office hours, and dedicate more time per week to studying and completing assignments.

Self-Assessments Discussion Assignments

There are a total of 5 Self Assessments and 5 Discussion Assignments worth a combined 5% of your overall course grade.

NOTE:

  • These assignments are VERY EASY to complete.
  • They usually take no more than 15 minutes to do.

At the end of a chapter, you will be given a self-assessment assignment to report on your learning, understanding of concepts and to show one example.

  • There are no incorrect answers for the self-assessment. Each one consists of 5 questions, most of which are are multiple choice/option questions. You will be asked which topics you can explain to a friend, which topics are most challenging, how much time you are spending on the class each week, and what things you can do to make improvements if any.
  • You will automatically receive the full 5 points for completing each self assessment.

Connected to each self-assessment assignment is a Discussion assignment. In the self-assessments you are asked to scan and upload one math problem to demonstrate your understanding of a topic you believe you know well. You are then asked to share that same math problem to the Discussion for that chapter.

  • You earn one point for sharing your example.
  • You earn another point for reviewing and commenting on another classmate's shared solution.

Please be positive, constructive, and supportive in your comments to other classmate's work.

Please take the time to review other student work and take note of where you may improve your own written work. Look for comprehensive, thorough examples. They will help you prepare for exams.

Try to make your own examples comprehensive and thorough. Write all steps. Draw diagrams/graphs if applicable. Try the more challenging problems so you get the practice and also so you help others in the class.

A 10%-per-day penalty will be given to both the Self Assessment and Show an Example assignments for submissions after the due date.

Exams

There a total of 3 exams in the course -- one for each Part.

All exams will take place in class. Please see the Modules section for dates each exam will take place.

Exams are worth 35% of your overall grade.

  • Exam 1 covers Ch 1 & 2 on Preliminaries and Limits.
  • Exam 2 covers Ch 3 Differentiation
  • Exam 3 covers Ch 4 & 5 Applications of Differentiation and Integrals

 

  • You must take each exam.
  • There is no comprehensive Final Exam. You will just take an exam for each Part.
  • I do not drop the lowest exam score. All exams will count.

Each Part's in-class exam will consist of problems taken directly from homework problems.

  • These exams are open-book and open notes; graphing/scientific calculators are permitted as well.
  • However, you are not permitted to use a laptop, phone, or mobile device during the exam, only your written notes and work you did to complete the homework assignments.
  • You cannot use your phone as a calculator. I can lend non-graphing scientific calculators for each exam.

Grading:

  • To earn full credit on each exam problem you need to provide comprehensive solutions.
    • Draw diagrams/graphs.
    • Show all steps.
    • Answer application questions in complete sentences.
    • Organize your work.
    • Circle/box your final answers so they are easy to find.
  • You will earn minimal credit if you just provide the answers.
  • Partial credit will be given for work shown even if the final answer is incorrect.

I DO NOT give Make-up exams.
If you have scheduling conflicts, you must make arrangements
IN ADVANCE of any exam date.

Time Commitment

Remember, this is a rather intense 5-unit course.

You should dedicate approximately 15 hours per week to read, study, and watch lectures, to attend class, and to complete assignments.

If you are serious about pursuing a career in mathematics, science, technology, or business, please fully commit to this course. It will help you beyond measure.

Please see the Modules section of the Canvas Class site for a list of topics to study and work on each week.

The best way to learn the material is to

  • Regularly study
  • Attend class
  • Complete homework assignments on time.
  • Try not to work alone! Make friends with people in the class.
  • Ask questions as soon as you need help.

Important Dates:

  • The last day to drop a class without a W this term is September 1, 2025.
    • It is very important you attend class and sign in and also log onto the Canvas site and begin work on the first assignment. That way I will know you have intentions of taking the course. If I do not see you in class or any activity from you by September 1, 2025, I will drop you from the course!
  • The last day to drop this course with a W grade is November 12, 2025.
    • It is your responsibility to drop a class if you feel you cannot complete it with the grade you wish to earn.
    • I will not drop anyone from the course in November because I've had too many requests from students to be reinstated after I've done so.
      • Please understand, you need to make this decision for yourself. If you remain in the class after November 12th, you will receive a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F.
    • I do not consider requests for an Incomplete Grade.

Grading Policy

  • 90 - 100% = A (Exceeds Standards)
  • 80 - 89% = B, (Above Average)
  • 70 - 79% = C, (Meets Standards)
  • 60 - 69% = D (Below Standards)
  • < 60% = F (Missing Work and Below Standards)

Any missing assignment, quiz, or exam will be assigned a grade of 0%.

I DO NOT give Make-up exams.

If you have scheduling conflicts, you must make arrangements IN ADVANCE of any exam date.

I do not drop lowest scores for any assignment area. All exams, quizzes, homework assignments, self assessments, and discussions are included in the course grade.

I do not offer Extra Credit assignments. The only way to pass the class is to do the assignments and take all the exams.

As mentioned above, I do not accept requests for an Incomplete grade.

  • Homework Assignments: 60% (of course grade)
  • Self Assessments and Discussions: 5%
  • Exams: 35%

The Course and the Canvas Site will officially end on Sunday, December 14, 2025 at 11:59pm (close to midnight).

No one will be given time extensions beyond the end of the course to complete assignments.

Attendance Policy

  • To earn an A or B in the course, you many only have two unexcused absences in the semester.
  • To earn a C, you may only have three unexcused absences.
  • Missing two weeks of classes without prior notice may result in being dropped from the course.
  • Excused absences require a doctor's note or prior consultation with me regarding the reason for your upcoming absence.

Cheating Policy

Cheating is a very serious offense that I will not tolerate.

If you are caught cheating on any assignment or exam in the course,

  • You will automatically be given a 0% grade for that assignment or exam.
  • Your overall course grade will be lowered by one grade level (From A to B, B to C, C to D, or D to F). It will be impossible to earn an A in the class.
  • All parties involved in the incident will be charged.

Learning Resources

Please come to online and/or in-person Office Hours to ask questions and to request additional examples.

BCC Online Tutoring is available from our Canvas site. From there, please click on the Learning Resources Center link for more information. Otherwise, please visit: https://www.berkeleycitycollege.edu/lrc/.

Online Tutoring is available to you via your Canvas site's navigation as well.

Student Accessibility Services (SAS)

Berkeley City College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all individuals. This syllabus and the course materials are available in alternate formats upon request. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your work in this class and for which you may need accommodations, please contact a staff member in Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to request accommodations. For students that receive accommodation letters, please contact me to discuss academic arrangements as early in the term as possible.

For more information, please visit Student Accessibility Services at https://www.berkeleycitycollege.edu/sas or by phone at (510) 981-2812 or (510) 981- 2813.

Student Learning Outcomes

Representation: Represent relevant information in various mathematical or algorithmic forms.

Calculation: Calculate accurately and comprehensively.

Interpretation: Interpret information presented in mathematical or algorithmic forms.

Application/Analysis: Draw appropriate conclusions based on the quantitative analysis of data, while recognizing the limits of this analysis.

Communication: Explain quantitative evidence and analysis.

Justification for the Course

Satisfies the General Education and Analytical Thinking requirement for Associate Degrees. Provides foundation for more advanced study in mathematics and related fields, such as physics, engineering, and computer science. Satisfies the Quantitative Reasoning component required for transfer to UC, CSUC, and some independent four-year institutions. Acceptable for credit: CSU, UC.