The course uses texbook Single Variable Calculus (4th edition),
by James Stewart, together with WebAssign online homework system.
In the beginning of the semester there is a 2 week "grace period" during which you may access WebAssign without an access
code. But within the first 2 weeks you are required to purchase a
WebAssign access using one of the options below.
Without a WebAssign access code, you will not be able to complete the
WebAssign assignments.
Buying options
You can purchase textbook (electronic or hardcopy) and WebAssign access directly from the publisher (Cengage) using one of options below.
- Buy one semester access.
- The price is $100 for WebAssign access and an electronic version of the textbook, or $60 for WebAssign only.
- Cengage Unlimited - a digital subscription service (think Netflix or Apple Music)
- Subscription includes WebAssign access for all courses at Stony Brook which use WebAssign (including all courses in our single variable calculus sequence, 125-126-127-131-132) as long as the subscription is active,
with a free print rental or option to purchase the print for $35, plus a library of 20,000 ebooks, study guides and reference materials.
Price: $119.99/semester or $179.99/yr
This option is available through the following link: http://www.cengagebrain.com/course/2790041. That page also offers two more options: bying electronic access for the whole single variable calculus sequence ($125) or buying an e-pack (electronic access + hardcopy textbook) for the whole single variable calculus sequence ($169). Both options make little sense for MAT 132 students.
To purchase one of these options, you must be logged in to WebAssign through BlackBoard (see next section). If prompted for the email address, make sure to use the email address listed for you in BlackBoard (typically, firstname.lastname@stonybrook.edu).
Accessing WebAssign
The only supported way to access WebAssign is through
Blackboard. From within BlackBoard, click on the
link for your MAT 132 section (recitation). Click on "Tools" in the menu on the left, and then on "Access Webassign".
That should automatically log you into your WebAssign account; if you do not have one, it will be created for you. You do not need a course key or any other information.
You can access the web interface from any computer with Internet access and a recent
web browser (the computers in the
SINC sites, for instance).
When you first access the WebAssign account, please go to the
My Options page (in the upper right of the
screen) and put in your email address.
After the problems are assigned,
they may be completed anytime before the assignment deadline. You can look at problems online,
print them out, work on them as long as you like, and then answer
them in a later Internet session (before the deadline).
The online problems are automatically graded with
instant feedback.
The online problems are of different types; some
are short answer and some are multiple choice. There are
different problems and different variants of the same problem.
Different students will be assigned different problems. So do not
try to compare your answers to another student's answers.
The WebAssign assignments will be due at 8am on Wed (for all sections of MAT 132).
Late submissions will not be accepted except in cases of emergency.
Questions answered early (before 8am on Monday) will get 5% early submission bonus.
If you got the answer wrong, you can retry it. However, you with each wrong answer
you are losing points: getting the answer right on the 1st try gives you full credit,
getting it right on the second try gives you 1/2 of the credit, getting it right on the 3rd try gives 1/3 of the
credit, etc.
Doing the Assignment
WebAssign has a variety of different question types, ranging from multiple
choice to questions that require you to type the formula as an answer. Here are some things to
keep in mind as you work through your assignments:
- Some questions require entering formulas. You must use the exact
variables specified in the questions; the system is case sensitive:
variable a is not the same as A. The order is not
important as long as it is mathematically correct. Clicking on the
eye button previews the expression you enter in proper mathematical
notation. Clicking on the symbolic formatting help button provides
tips for using the correct keystrokes.
- When you click on some WebAssign math questions an input palette will
open. This palette, called mathPad, will help you enter your answer in
proper notation.
- Unless the problem specifically asks for it, do not round your answers. If the answer is square root of 2, enter it as such, using the mathPad; do not enter 1.41.
- You can save your work without grading by selecting the Save Work
button at the end of the question. After you save your work, it will be
available to you the next time you click the assignment.
- Please note that WebAssign will not automatically submit your answers
for scoring if you only Save your work. Please be sure to Submit prior to
the due date and time.
- You can submit answers by question part or for the entire
assignment. To submit an individual question answer for grading, click the
"Submit New Answers to Question" button at the bottom of each
question. To submit the entire assignment for grading, click the "Submit
All New Answers" button at the end of the assignment.
- Some WebAssign questions check the number of significant figures in
your answer. If you enter the correct value with the wrong number of
significant figures, you will not receive credit, but you
will receive a hint that your number does not have the correct number
of significant figures.
- While different students may get slightly different versions of the
assignment, your questions will be the same every time you return. This
means you can print out the assignment, work the problems, and then come
back later and put in your answers. Since you get multiple attempts to
get the question correct, be sure to leave yourself enough time to rework
the problems that you did wrong.
- Each question is (typically) worth one point. If a question has
multiple answers, each of those are worth a fraction of a point.
- If you put in a wrong answer for a question and ask to have it graded,
you will be told it is wrong and be ably to try again. However, if you
put in the correct answer on the second try, you get half credit. On the
third try, you get 1/3 credit, and so on.
- If you have issues with the assignment, you can use the "Ask your
Teacher" button to send a message to your TA and/or lecturer. You should
make it clear which problem you are talking about, and what, specifically,
your issue is. Using "Ask your teacher" is prefered to sending an email
because your question gets saved with your assignment.
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