Welcome to Math 262!

M C G ILL U NIVERSITY, D EPARTMENT OF M ATHEMATICS AND S TATISTICS

C OURSE O UTLINE , FALL 2024

Math 262: Intermediate Calculus (3 credits)

Administrative details

Course coordinator and instructor for section 1: Rosalie Bélanger-Rioux ([email protected])

Instructor for section 2: Robin Khanfir ([email protected])
Instructor for section 3: Kodjo Raphael Madou ([email protected])
All sections, students, instructors will use the same syllabus and will share the same homework and exams.
Email policy: This is a large course, so we ask that you please reserve email communication to your instructor for
personal, individual issues such as illness or emergencies significantly impacting your performance in the course.
Otherwise, use our discussion forum to ask questions, and we will be happy to answer there for everyone. If you do
use email, have a look at this quick video (disponible en français).
The subject: The material we take up in this course has applications in engineering of course, but also chemistry,
biology, physics, earth science, business and economics, statistics,
√ etc. We will start very concretely by approximating
functions of one variable. For example, how do we know that 2 ≈ 1.41421...? How does your calculator compute
e0.2 , or sin π/5? We will discover the process of Taylor approximation, which (usually) does a better and better job of
approximating (almost) any function! Such approximations are commonly used in and of themselves, but also as part
of modelling complex phenomena using simpler, approximate functions.
We will then move on to vector functions and curves, and extend our calculus knowledge to such functions. This will
help us answer questions such as: how fast is an object moving, and in which direction, and where will it be later;
how do we find minima and maxima of position functions; how do we visualize them and understand them in three
dimensions; how do we use them to understand real-world problems; how can we find surface areas or volumes of
various shapes? We will elucidate these questions, and more, using this new calculus we will develop together.
Prerequisites: Math 141 and Math 133, or equivalent.

Restrictions: Open only to students in the Faculty of Engineering. Not open to students who are taking or have taken
Math 151, Math 152, or Math 222.
Learning outcomes: In Math 262 you will continue to build a strong mathematical foundation in calculus that will
serve you well in other courses and future work. However, as with any university-level course, you will learn more
from Math 262 than just facts. By the end of this course you will be able to apply the concepts and strategies from
Math 262 to other problems you encounter, and you will be proficient in thinking about more complex functions and
visualizing in three dimensions.
Instructional Method: This course consists of the equivalent of 3 hours of lecture per week, in a large classroom.
Such a setting may make you feel disconnected from the instructor and your peers, but your instructors will encourage
you to speak in class and tutorial, to solve problems in small groups, and to share your thoughts and your questions.
For a lot of people, learning happens best in an interactive and collaborative environment, so make sure you also find
study buddies early on in the course. We also recognize that everyone learns differently, so if you feel the need to work
alone that’s fine — but to learn math you need to do math, so expect to be doing some thinking during class!
Course materials

We will be using the following textbook as a reference. While it is not strictly necessary, it is strongly suggested
that you get a copy of this textbook (any recent edition is fine, although we will be referencing sections from the 9th
edition) or that you use it frequently by borrowing it from the library reserve. (Note, the version titled ”A complete
course” will also work, in fact it will contain some review chapters you might like.)
Calculus, Several Variables, R. Adams and C. Essex (Pearson).
In any case, you should have some kind of easy access to a standard book on “multivariable calculus” or “calculus of
several variables.” See below for more suggested book options. Note that textbooks are an additional resource to time
in class, and a very different one. They may have a different way of explaining things, lots of extra practice exercises,
and nice pictures. But they can’t talk back. So make sure you have access to a textbook, and that you come to class,
tutorial and office hours. Here are some other textbook options you might want to look into:
Multivariable Calculus, Early Transcendentals from Community Calculus, available for free online (or you can get it
printed for cheap) at http://communitycalculus.org.
Calculus: Concepts and Contexts, J. Stewart, Cengage Learning.

What students are expected to do in order to be successful in this course

You are not expected to understand on the first try the material in this course (or anything in life, really). We all learn
by practicing and making mistakes, so it is completely normal to have questions on the material. Also, note that this
course builds on itself, and we will keep using prior material and making connections. Try to stay on track and not
to fall behind, and you’ll learn some awesome math! Here are some pointers on what to do to be successful in this
course. This is a short list, you can find more details on our myCourses webpage.

• Attend class, and participate. Meet and work with other students in the course.
• Spend roughly two hours outside of class time for each hour of class time on this course.
• Attend tutorials and office hours as needed.
• Use our myCourses website and discussion forum as needed.

Resources

We offer many resources to help you succeed. An extensive list of resources can be found on our myCourses webpage
under “Content” then “Info and Support” and its subpages. Here are selected, not-so-well-known resources:

• The Math Help Desk is staffed by knowledgeable math students who can help answer your questions related to
your courses. They generally have tutors on M-F from noon-5 PM in Burnside Hall room 911.

• The Engineering Peer Tutoring Service (EPTS) is a free tutoring service, offered to students in engineering
courses such as Math 262. Schedule and room info will be announced when known.
• The Office for Sexual Violence, Response, Support and Education provides support for all members of the
McGill community who have been impacted by sexual violence (whether it be sexual harassment or assault,
gender-based or intimate partner violence, or cyberviolence) and works to foster a culture of consent.
Evaluation scheme

We will evaluate your learning in this course in the following three ways. These are to provide you feedback, and so we
may assign a grade that is as fair as possible at the end of the course. Please find more details under the corresponding
modules of our myCourses webpage.

• WebWork Assignments: These 10 weekly assignments are short-answer, online, and auto-graded. They will
normally be due Thursday evenings on the Webwork platform, starting Sept 19. Note that no late homework
will be accepted, except for extreme personal circumstances. This is so we may post solutions as soon as
possible so you may review your work. So start early!
• Midterm exam: There will be one midterm exam so you (and the staff) can monitor your progress in the class.
The midterm exam is in the process of being scheduled, but the plan is to have it in the week either before or
after the fall break, hopefully in-person. This will be mostly long answer questions. A make-up exam will be
held roughly one week later for students with a valid reason for missing the exam.
• Final exam: This will be a three-hour in-person exam during the final examination period, to be centrally
scheduled during the final exam period. Missed final exams are handled by Service Point. Cumulative; mostly
long answer questions.

Your final grade for this course will be a letter grade assigned based on taking the maximum of these three formulas
(where w is your WebWork grade, m is your midterm grade and f is your final exam grade):

• 0.20w+0.80f
• 0.10w+0.15m+0.75f
• 0.20w+0.30m+0.50f
Student Well-being and Mental Health: We all experience moments of struggle, doubt, questioning, pain... You
don’t have to go through this alone, please visit the Wellness Hub and find resources to support you: https://
mcgill.ca/wellness-hub/
Inclusive Learning Environment: As the instructor of this course I endeavor to provide an inclusive learning envi-
ronment. Everyone taking this class can learn the material, and I am committed to doing my best to make this come
true. If you experience barriers to your learning in this course, or in any other way in your experience at McGill, do not
hesitate to discuss them with me and I will do my best to support you. Legally mandated academic accommodations
are handled by Student Accessibility and Achievement.

Acknowledgments
• The purpose of the Policy on Assessment of Student Learning (PASL) is to provide a set of common principles
to guide the assessment of students’ learning. Per PASL, assessment should be equitable and consistent, and
promote effective learning experiences, a healthy learning environment, and academic integrity. Learn more on
this page of the PASL website. Also see Faculty of Science-specific rules on the implementation of PASL.
• In accord with McGill University’s Charter of Students’ Rights, students in this course have the right to submit
in English or in French any written work that is to be graded. Conformément à la Charte des droits de l’étudiant
de l’Université McGill, chaque étudiant a le droit de soumettre en français ou en anglais tout travail écrit devant
être noté.
• McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore all students must understand the meaning and conse-
quences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offenses under the code of student conduct and disciplinary
procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/integrity for more information).
• Instructor-generated course materials (e.g., handouts, notes, slides, exam questions, etc.) are protected by law
and may not be copied or distributed in any form or in any medium without explicit permission of the instructor.
Note that infringements of copyright can be subject to follow up by the University under the Code of Student
 Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures.
• McGill University is situated on the traditional territory of the Kanien’keha:ka, a place which has long served as
a site of meeting and exchange amongst nations. We recognize and respect the Kanien’keha:ka as the traditional
custodians of the lands and waters on which we meet today.
• Student evaluations of teaching are a great way for us to improve your experience, year after year. We will be
having informal mid-semester evaluations, where you will have the chance to let us know how the class is going
for you, and if there is anything we can change. In fact you are always welcome to talk to the teaching staff about
any such concerns. Also, you will be notified by e-mail when the official McGill end-of-course evaluations are
available. Constructive feedback is always welcome!
• If you miss class for whatever reason, you are responsible for getting notes from a classmate and learning the
material on your own. If, after going over notes and the textbook, you still have questions, then please come to
office hours and we will be happy to help.
• No calculators or smarter devices will be allowed during exams. Although you will certainly want to use those
devices in “real life” when doing math, they can make it more difficult for users to deeply understand the
material. Please use them in moderation for homework.
• No additional work will be given in order to upgrade a final mark.
• In the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the University’s control, the content and/or evaluation
scheme in this course is subject to change.

Tentative schedule:

Based on a MWF schedule. More details to be posted online.

Week Notes Topics Book sections
Aug 26 Classes start Wed/Th Taylor approximations 4.9, 4.10, 9.6, 9.7
Sept. 2 Happy Labor Day! Taylor Remainder, series, convergence 9.6, 9.7, 9.1
Sept. 9 Add/Drop deadline on 10th Comparison tests; geometric and p-series 9.2, 9.3
Sept. 16 Withdrawal with refund on 17th Ratio, root tests; asymptotics; power series 9.3 – 9.5
Sept. 23 Power series representations; Intro to 3D and vectors 9.5, 10.1 – 10.2
Sept. 30 Cross and triple product; lines, planes 10.3
Oct. 7 Midterm this week? Parametrizations, graphing 10.4 – 10.5
Oct. 14 Happy Thanksgiving! No classes this week No reading
Oct. 21 Midterm this week? Arc length, curvature, coordinates, parametrizations 8.5, 10.6, 11.1 – 11.4
Oct. 28 Withdrawal, no refund: Oct. 29 Functions of several variables; derivatives; tangent plane 12.1 – 12.4
Nov. 4 Chain rule; gradient; level sets 12.5, 12.6, 12.7
Nov. 11 Implicit differentiation; extrema 12.8, 13.1 – 13.3
Nov. 18 Double integrals 14.1 – 14.4
Nov. 25 Coordinates, triple integrals 14.5 – 14.6
Dec. 2 Classes end Tu/Wed More on triple integrals, review 14.7