Penn State, University Park, Fall 2026
| Section | Days | Time | Classroom Location | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATH 231.016 | Wed, Fri | 09:05 AM — 09:55 AM | Sparks Building 121 | Mathieu Stiénon |
| MATH 231.017 | Wed, Fri | 11:15 AM — 12:05 PM | Borland Building 112 | Ping Xu |
| MATH 231.018 | Wed, Fri | 12:20 PM — 01:10 PM | Sparks Building 010 | Mathieu Stiénon |
| MATH 231.019 | Wed, Fri | 01:25 PM — 02:15 PM | Wartik Lab 110 | Ping Xu |
| Section | Days | Time | Classroom Location | TA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATH 231.001R | Mon | 08:00 AM — 08:50 AM | Elec Eng East 123 | Austin Davis |
| MATH 231.002R | Mon | 08:00 AM — 08:50 AM | Mateer Bldg 011 | Kaichuan Qi |
| MATH 231.003R | Mon | 09:05 AM — 09:55 AM | Nursing Sciences Bldg 316 | Austin Davis |
| MATH 231.004R | Mon | 09:05 AM — 09:55 AM | Huck Life Sciences Bldg 009 | Nguyen Nguyen |
| MATH 231.005R | Mon | 10:10 AM — 11:00 AM | Huck Life Sciences Bldg 009 | Austin Davis |
| MATH 231.006R | Mon | 10:10 AM — 11:00 AM | Nursing Sciences Bldg 316 | Nguyen Nguyen |
| MATH 231.007R | Mon | 11:15 AM — 12:05 PM | Osmond Lab 106 | Austin Davis |
| MATH 231.008R | Mon | 11:15 AM — 12:05 PM | Osmond Lab 103 | Kaichuan Qi |
| MATH 231.009R | Mon | 11:15 AM — 12:05 PM | Wagner Bldg 316 | Nguyen Nguyen |
| MATH 231.010R | Mon | 12:20 PM — 01:10 PM | Willard Bldg 273 | Kaichuan Qi |
| MATH 231.011R | Mon | 01:25 PM — 02:15 PM | Nursing Sciences Bldg 322 | Ufuoma Asarhasa |
| MATH 231.012R | Mon | 01:25 PM — 02:15 PM | Thomas Bldg 216 | Kaichuan Qi |
| MATH 231.013R | Mon | 02:30 PM — 03:20 PM | Osmond Lab 105 | Ufuoma Asarhasa |
| MATH 231.014R | Mon | 02:30 PM — 03:20 PM | Osmond Lab 106 | Kaichuan Qi |
| MATH 231.015R | Mon | 03:35 PM — 04:25 PM | Osmond Lab 105 | Ufuoma Asarhasa |
| Name | Office Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Mathieu Stiénon | mps16@psu.edu | Wed Fri 10:30 AM — 11:30 AM in 325 McAllister Building |
| Ping Xu | pxx2@psu.edu | Wed Fri 02:30 PM — 03:30 PM in 329 McAllister Building |
| Austin Davis | ahd5198@psu.edu | Wednesdays 10:00 AM — 11:00 AM in 413 McAllister Building |
| Kaichuan Qi | kkq5040@psu.edu | Mondays 09:00 AM — 10:00 AM in 404 McAllister Building |
| Nguyen Nguyen | ndn5109@psu.edu | Mondays 01:00 PM — 02:00 PM in 419 McAllister Building |
| Ufuoma Asarhasa | uva5039@psu.edu | Tuesdays 02:30 PM — 03:20 PM in 103 McAllister Building |
Calculus: Early Transcendentals by Jon Rogawski, Colin Adams, and Robert Franzosa, 4th edition, (C) 2019 W. H. Freeman and Company.
We will cover chapters 12, 13, and 14. Before making a purchase, please ensure that the book includes these chapters.
Note on Achieve: We will not be using Macmillan Achieve for this course. If you do not already have an Achieve subscription, do not buy one—you only need to purchase a copy of the textbook (either physical or electronic). However, if you have an active Achieve subscription remaining from MATH 140/141 (as multi-semester access is typically purchased), you may use it to access the electronic version of the textbook.
On the publisher’s student store, the textbook is sold either as an e-book or in loose-leaf form. Please ignore the Achieve option. We won’t use Achieve.
Aug 28 update: The bookstore on campus has ordered the bound version of the textbook, but the e-book version (without Achieve access code) will be listed along with it if that is what students prefer.
Here is a list of suggested exercises from the textbook.
We will use Canvas and Gradescope to administer assignments, record scores and share course materials.
IT support is available 24/7.
Gradescope is a website designed to streamline the process of submitting, grading, and providing feedback on assignments. It allows students to submit their work online. Gradescope is widely used in higher education to improve the grading process.
To get access to our course on Gradescope, click on the “Gradescope” link in the navigation menu on the left in our Canvas course.
Install the Gradescope mobile app (iOS) (Android) on your phone and/or tablet to scan your homework and submit it for credit.
Once an assignment is graded, the scores are available in Gradescope.
Assignments will be weighted as follows:
| Assessment Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Weekly Homework | 10% |
| In-Class Quizzes | 15% |
| Evening Exam 1 | 20% |
| Evening Exam 2 | 20% |
| Comprehensive Final Exam | 35% |
| Total | 100% |
Course letter grades will be assigned as follows:
| Percentage Range | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 93.0% – 100.0% | A |
| 90.0% – 92.9% | A- |
| 87.0% – 89.9% | B+ |
| 83.0% – 86.9% | B |
| 80.0% – 82.9% | B- |
| 77.0% – 79.9% | C+ |
| 70.0% – 76.9% | C |
| 60.0% – 69.9% | D |
| 0.0% – 59.9% | F |
Your grade will be based exclusively on the weekly homework, in-class quizzes, the two evening examinations, and the comprehensive final exam. There is no ‘extra credit’ work.
Calculators, mobile apps, or electronic problem solvers (e.g., GeoGebra, WolframAlpha) are strictly forbidden on all quizzes and exams. Unauthorized use on tests constitutes an Academic Integrity violation resulting in a formal report. All assessment arithmetic is designed to be completed easily by hand.
Homework is due weekly on Mondays at 11:59 PM. Submit your work well ahead of the deadline. Assignments submitted late will automatically be marked as such in Gradescope. Repeated late submission will result in a penalty. Homework assignments will lock 24 hours after their respective due dates and late submission will be disabled at that time. No homework submissions will be accepted after the assignment has locked.
Students who have a valid and documented reason for not submitting homework on time may request to be excused for that assignment. However, there will be no makeup homework assignments.
Quizzes will be given in class on Monday every week (except during Week 1).
If you must miss a quiz due to a valid, university-approved excuse, you must notify the TA in charge of your recitation section via email no later than 11:59 PM on the day of the quiz. Approved quiz makeups must be completed before the end of the week in which the quiz took place. Makeup scores may not be entered into the Canvas grade book until the end of the term.
Exam policies of the Department of Mathematics
| Exam 1 | Exam 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | Wed, Oct 7 (6:15 PM – 7:30 PM) | Mon, Nov 9 (6:15 PM – 7:30 PM) |
| Makeup | Thu, Oct 8 (6:15 PM – 7:30 PM) | Tue, Nov 10 (6:15 PM – 7:30 PM) |
Students must bring their official Penn State ID, several pencils, and an eraser to all exams.
Exam room assignments will be announced by your instructor or TA and published on the math department website.
Students must take the exam in the room assigned to their specific recitation section (listed below). Attempting to take the exam in the wrong room may result in denial of entry and/or a grade penalty.
| Section | TA Name | Exam Room |
|---|---|---|
| 001R | Davis, Austin (AHD5198) | 100 Thomas |
| 002R | Qi, Kaichuan (KKQ5040) | 112 Kern |
| 003R | Davis, Austin (AHD5198) | 100 Thomas |
| 004R | Nguyen, Nguyen (NDN5109) | 112 Kern |
| 005R | Davis, Austin (AHD5198) | 112 Kern |
| 006R | Nguyen, Nguyen (NDN5109) | 100 Thomas |
| 007R | Davis, Austin (AHD5198) | 100 Thomas |
| 008R | Qi, Kaichuan (KKQ5040) | 100 Thomas |
| 009R | Nguyen, Nguyen (NDN5109) | 112 Kern |
| 010R | Qi, Kaichuan (KKQ5040) | 121 Sparks |
| 011R | Asarhasa, Ufuoma (UVA5039) | 100 Thomas |
| 012R | Qi, Kaichuan (KKQ5040) | 121 Sparks |
| 013R | Asarhasa, Ufuoma (UVA5039) | 121 Sparks |
| 014R | Qi, Kaichuan (KKQ5040) | 100 Thomas |
| 015R | Asarhasa, Ufuoma (UVA5039) | 100 Thomas |
For each midterm, a makeup exam will be held the day after the regular exam. This exam is meant for students unable to take the regular exam due to valid, documented reasons.
To request a makeup exam, visit Canvas and use the registration link provided in the course administration module. Prepare to provide documentation that supports the validity of your request.
Makeup exams will not be graded for up to two weeks following the scheduled makeup exam date. To avoid grade delays, sit for the original exam if possible.
A comprehensive final examination will be given during the final examination period (December 14-18, 2026). The final examination may be scheduled on any day of finals week. Do not plan to leave University Park until after Friday, December 18, 2026. Students may access their final exam schedules on Monday, September 28, 2026, through their LionPATH account.
Personal final exam schedules will be available through your LionPATH account on Monday, September 28, 2026. Notification of conflicts is given on the student’s final exam schedule.
Students must file for conflict exams through LionPATH between Monday, September 28, 2026, and Sunday, October 25, 2026. Conflict final exams cannot be scheduled through the Mathematics Department.
Students missing the final exam due to a documented emergency/illness may take a makeup final exam at the start of the following semester.
Personal business, such as travel, employment, weddings, graduations, or attendance at public events such as concerts and sporting events is not a valid excuse. Travel or early flight plans are not valid excuses; schedule departures after all final exams are complete. Forgetting the date or time of the examination is not a valid excuse.
To request a makeup exam, students must email their instructor with the documented reason within 24 hours of the final exam.
Students who miss the final exam without a valid reason might be allowed to take a makeup exam but a 25% penalty will be imposed.
Students who have taken the original final examination are not permitted to take a makeup examination.
If you suspect a grading error on your exam or quiz, please submit a regrade request via Gradescope for that specific question. Be sure to provide a clear explanation of why you believe your work warrants a review.
Evening Exams: Direct grading questions or report missing exam grades to your instructor immediately. You have until the next midterm exam occurs to review your exam, report missing grades, or request a regrade.
Final Exam: Final exams are not released. Students have one week from the final exam date to report missing grades or contact the instructor. Work may be reviewed by setting up an appointment during the following academic term.
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for reasonable academic adjustments in this course, contact Student Disability Resources at 814-863-1807 (V/TTY). For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website. In order to receive consideration for accommodations, you must contact SDR and provide documentation (see the documentation guidelines at the Student Disability Resources website). If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, SDR will provide you with an accommodation letter identifying appropriate academic adjustments. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Accommodations: Contact your instructor immediately and email your accommodation letter to Exam Coordinator Kyrsten Murphy (kml5346@psu.edu).
Regular class attendance is one of the most important ways that students learn and understand course materials. It is a critical element of student success. Accordingly, it is the policy of the University that class attendance is expected. A student should attend every scheduled class and should be held responsible for all work covered in the courses taken.
Class attendance is expected regardless of the format of the course and this expectation applies equally to students in face-to-face, online, and hybrid courses. It is the student’s responsibility to complete work early, or make alternate arrangements with the course instructor, if due dates or required work will be missed because of a University-approved absence.
Prolonged Absence (>1 Week): Documentation verifying significant prolonged illness is required. If requesting makeups more than twice, instructors may deny requests unless supported by University-approved documentation.
University Health Services (UHS) Guidelines: For routine illness, email faculty before missing quizzes or examinations. UHS provides illness verification forms only for major illnesses lasting at least a week. Request forms during clinical visits or through myUHS at studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/myuhs. Outside medical documentation must be submitted to the UHS Director (502A Student Health Center, 814-865-6555).
Relevant Senate Policies: Senate Policy 42-27, Policy E-11, and the University Excused Absence Form.
Upon successful completion of MATH 231, students should be able to demonstrate mastery of the following objectives:
Free mathematics tutoring is available at Penn State Learning. They offer both online and in-person options.
For more help, the Department of Mathematics maintains a list of private tutors.
Students may add/drop a course without academic penalty within the first six calendar days of the semester. A student may late drop a course within the first twelve weeks of the semester but accrues late drop credits equal to the number of credits in the dropped course. A baccalaureate student is limited to 16 late drop credits. Consult your academic advisor before late-dropping. The late drop deadline is Friday, November 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time).
Students who are currently passing a course but are unable to complete the course because of illness or emergency may be granted a deferred grade which will allow the student to complete the course within the first several weeks of the following semester. Note that deferred grades are limited to those students who can verify and document a valid reason for not being able to take the final examination. A deferred grade which is not changed to a letter grade by the instructor by 10 weeks after the course ends will automatically become an F. For more information see Deferred Grades.
Many students at Penn State face personal challenges or have psychological needs that may interfere with their academic progress, social development, or emotional well-being. The university offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultations, online chats, and mental health screenings. These services are provided by staff who welcome all students and embrace a philosophy respectful of students’ cultural and religious backgrounds, and sensitive to differences in race, ability, gender identity and sexual orientation.
The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.
There is hope. Providing 24/7, free and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress works. The Lifeline helps thousands of people overcome crisis situations every day.
Need Support Now? If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity, an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with exams or other assessments.
Using ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, is prohibited in this course. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the University’s Code of Conduct states that all students should act with personal integrity, respect other students’ dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts. Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others. In order to ensure all students have a fair and equal opportunity to succeed in this course, the Mathematics Department is committed to enforcing the University’s academic integrity policy. Below is a description of academic misconduct and the department’s responsibilities when misconduct is suspected.
In this course, academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
If a student is suspected of academic misconduct, the instructor’s duties are to:
Note that a student’s refusal to meet with the instructor or respond to the charges within a reasonable period of time is construed as acceptance of the allegation and proposed sanctions.
Once the Academic Integrity form has been accepted or contested by the student, it is sent to the College’s Academic Integrity Committee for adjudication. A student cannot drop or withdraw from the course during the adjudication process.
If a student accepts an academic misconduct allegation, or if he or she is found guilty during adjudication, probable sanctions include:
Additional sanctions might include:
In addition, the student will be unable to drop or withdraw from the course.
Please see the Eberly College of Science Academic Integrity homepage for additional information and procedures. Also see the Code of Ethics for Engineers published by the National Society of Professional Engineers.
The Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity serves as a catalyst and advocate for Penn State’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. Educational Equity’s vision is a Penn State community that is an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. If you wish to learn more or if you wish to report bias, please visit the Educational Equity website.
All course materials students receive or to which students have online access are protected by copyright laws. Students may use course materials and make copies for their own use as needed, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. University Policy AD 40: Recording of Classroom Activities and Note-Taking Services addresses this issue. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
A rising trend across the University is the posting and/or retrieval of material from course-share sites. Generally speaking, the uploading of materials to a course-share site is viewed as an Intellectual Property violation, and the downloading and use of materials from a course-share site could be a violation of academic integrity. If you have questions regarding the specific use of such a site, seek clarification directly from your instructor.
Students are not allowed to record class sessions without permission.
According to University Policy, students must get express permission from their instructor to record class sessions. Screenshots showing instructors and students are considered recordings. Even if permission is granted, student-initiated recordings must be used only for educational purposes for the students enrolled in the initiating student’s class. Recordings may be used only during the period in which the student is enrolled in the class. Authorized student-initiated recordings may not be posted or shared in any fashion outside of the class, including online or through other media, without the express written consent of the course instructor or appropriate University administrator. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of class recordings may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct, and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
| Week | Mon | Wed | Fri |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 24 | Aug 26 | Aug 28 |
| 2 | Aug 31 | Sep 2 | Sep 4 |
| 3 | Sep 9 | Sep 11 | |
| 4 | Sep 14 | Sep 16 | Sep 18 |
| 5 | Sep 21 | Sep 23 | Sep 25 |
| 6 | Sep 28 | Sep 30 | Oct 2 |
| 7 | Oct 5 | Oct 7 | Oct 9 |
| 8 | Oct 12 | Oct 14 | Oct 16 |
| 9 | Oct 19 | Oct 21 | Oct 23 |
| 10 | Oct 26 | Oct 28 | Oct 30 |
| 11 | Nov 2 | Nov 4 | Nov 6 |
| 12 | Nov 9 | Nov 11 | Nov 13 |
| 13 | Nov 16 | Nov 18 | Nov 20 |
| 14 | Nov 30 | Dec 2 | Dec 4 |
| 15 | Dec 7 | Dec 9 | Dec 11 |
| Textbook Section | Date |
|---|---|
| 12.1 — Vectors in the Plane | Aug 26 |
| 12.2 — Three-Dimensional Space | Aug 28 |
| 12.3 — Dot Product | Sep 2 |
| 12.4 — Cross Product | Sep 4 & Sep 9 |
| 12.5 — Planes in 3-Space | Sep 11 |
| 12.6 — Quadric Surfaces | Sep 16 & Sep 18 |
| 13.1 — Vector-Valued Functions | Sep 23 |
| 13.2 — Calculus of Vector-Valued Functions | Sep 25 |
| 13.3 — Arc Length and Speed | Sep 30 |
| 13.4 — Curvature | Oct 2 & Oct 7 |
| 13.5 — Motion in 3-Space | Oct 9 & Oct 14 |
| 14.1 — Functions of Two or More Variables | Oct 16 |
| 14.2 — Limits and Continuity in Several Variables | Oct 21 & Oct 23 |
| 14.3 — Partial Derivatives | Oct 28 |
| 14.4 — Differentiability, Tangent Planes, and Linear Approximation | Oct 30 & Nov 4 |
| 14.5 — Directional Derivatives and the Gradient | Nov 6 & Nov 11 |
| 14.6 — Chain Rule | Nov 13 |
| 14.7 — Optimization | Nov 18 & Nov 20 |
| 14.8 — Lagrange Multipliers: Optimizing with a Constraint | Dec 2 & Dec 4 |
Here is a link to the updated lecture schedule.