Last modified 7 December 2004 by jdavis@math.wisc.edu
This is the web page only for Joshua Davis' sections (12, 15, 26) of Math 113. You may also want to check out the Math 113 Exam Archives for tests from previous semesters. They greatly aid studying.
Here's how to get in touch with me:
Here are the point ranges and the corresponding grades for the exams. Keep in mind that these grades are approximate; I don't actually assign letter grades until the very end of the semester.
| Grade | Exam 1 | Exam 2 | Exam 3 | Final Exam |
| A | 110-120 | 120-160 | 100-120 | |
| AB | 110-119 | 95-99 | ||
| B | 94-109 | 90-109 | 80-94 | |
| BC | 85-89 | 75-79 | ||
| C | 80-93 | 75-84 | 70-74 | |
| D | 60-79 | 65-74 | 60-69 | |
| F | 0-59 | 0-64 | 0-59 |
The makeup Exam 1 was out of 100 points, not 120, and it was slightly harder. It turns out that scores for the makeup exam should be multiplied by 1.23 (or perhaps 1.31) to become comparable with the scores listed above.
If you do well on an exam, then keep working. Don't slide into complacency and bomb the next one. If you do poorly on an exam, remember that your final grade will reward you for progress. Make sure you understand this material and the mistakes you've made, and get help so that you improve on the next test.
Here are some ideas for learning trigonometry and improving your grade, in roughly the order you should try them.
Study with other students. It is often helpful to talk about math out loud, rather than just thinking about it. Do as many extra problems from the book as you can; if you run out, try to make up your own problems. This is the best way to study. You are also welcome to do your assigned homework together, as long as each student hands in her own homework, written up in her own words.
Visit me during my office hours. I am happy to discuss current problems, stuff from earlier in the semester, and material from previous courses such as algebra. If you like, you can work in my office and ask questions when you get stuck.
Attend Math Lab, which is in B227 Van Vleck, Mondays through Thursdays, 3:30-8:30. You can just show up and ask questions. Graduate students (and some advanced undergraduates) are there to help.
The Greater University Tutoring Service is a student-run organization which provides free tutors in math, science, languages, and other subjects.
The Mathematics Tutorial Program is run by professional staff in the Mathematics Department. Students who are doing poorly in their math class (say F, D, or possibly low C), or who have not studied math for several semesters, should consider signing up. At this point you need to ask me for a referral. The Math Tutorial Program is an intense, very personal form of tutoring; attendance is mandatory.
The Mathematics Department maintains a list of tutors that you can hire by the hour.
In order to grade your homework well I need to institute some rules. Although I am always happy to discuss your homework with you in person, I will only grade it if it satisfies these criteria. Please read them carefully.
Your assignment must be handed in on time, in one packet of papers, fastened with a staple (or paper clip). Be sure to write at the top of the front page your name and the time that your class section begins (either 11:00, 12:05, or 3:30).
Your assignment must be written neatly so that I can easily read it. Start every problem on the left margin of the page with the number of the problem. Write the problems in the order that they were assigned. Make sure you do all of the problems that were assigned on the syllabus. If you can't solve a problem, you should still make an entry for it, with its problem number, and explain which approaches you've tried. If you do problems that were not assigned, then do not hand them in; discuss them with me in person.
On each problem, show enough of your work that I can understand what you've done. On complicated problems you will not receive credit for a correct answer unless you show your work. It is often appropriate to draw a picture.
Always give an exact answer. Make sure your answer is as simplified as possible. If the book asks for a numerical approximation, then give that as well. Put a box around your answer or answers. Rather than just writing a number for your answer, such as "sqrt(3) / 2", write a complete statement explaining what that number means, such as "cos(pi / 6) = sqrt(3) / 2".