Quick links: [New Mathsheet window] [Lab Assignments] [Surveys] [FAQ] [Mathsheet Documentation]
Please remember to label your labs correctly -- name, student number, problem set, instructor, course and section, date. If we're missing your name, student number or problem set, then it is much harder to mark your lab!
You may be wondering why we have designed math labs to accompany a first year Calculus course. This question is addressed in Why Labs?.
All Lab hours take place in LSK 121, the computer lab on the left (East) of the main atrium as entered from the North entrance of the large grey Loanard S. Klink building to the immediate South of the mathematics buildings.
A map and further instructions on how to find the LSK building can be found here .You can do any of the labs from home provided you have a web browser, Java and a PDF Reader (see below).
Once you have an account, you can use the machines in LSK121 during the scheduled Math 103 lab hours.
You can use the LSK121 facilities whenever they are available, but avoid using them when they are reserved for other classes (check the schedules posted at the doors). You will be able to save your work in case you need to continue later. The TAs will instruct you on how to use the local printer.
There is a lab on almost every weekday. See below for a table of all hours.
The scheduled lab hour that you are registered for is optional: no attendance is taken, and you are not required to go to the lab, although you are required to complete the lab assignment. This lab time is made available for extra help with the lab assignments from one of our TAs. It is also a good idea for you to use the lab for scheduling and technical reasons: you will always have access to a working computer and printer at this time, and a TA will always be on hand to provide assistance.
During the first two weeks of labs, please come only during your own lab time, unless you did not take math 102 last semester, to allow us to help you set up your computer account properly. If you did not take math 102 last semester, please attend the first week of labs from January 11-14 at your scheduled time, as we will only be demonstrating the mathsheet software on the first week. Because the labs occur every two weeks, different lab sections have different start dates. For example, both L2A and L2B are held Wednesdays from 2 pm to 3 pm, but on alternate weeks. Please consult the following table to determine when to attend your first lab:
| Section | Weekday | Time | Start Date |
| L2A | W | 2:00-3:00 | January 13 |
| L2B | W | 2:00-3:00 | January 20 |
| L2C | Tu | 12:00-1:00 | January 12 |
| L2D | Tu | 12:00-1:00 | January 19 |
| L2E | W | 1:00-2:00 | January 13 |
| L2F | W | 1:00-2:00 | January 20 |
| L2G | M | 9:00am-10:00 | January 11 |
| L2H | M | 9:00am-10:00 | January 18 |
| L2I | Tu | 4:00-5:00 | January 12 |
| L2J | Tu | 4:00-5:00 | January 19 |
| L2K | Th | 11:00-12:00 | January 14 |
| L2L | Th | 11:00-12:00 | January 21 |
There are no labs during reading week (Feb 15-26). There is also no lab after the last day of class (Thursday, April 15, 2010)
At the beginning of your first scheduled lab hour you'll have to get a computer account and you'll have to set things up.
A writeup can be found in the Instructions for the initial labs (PDF file).
If you run into problems, ask your lab TA and have a look at these FAQ when troubleshooting the Labs.
We recommend treating the lab hour as the time when you can get extra help, or get your questions about the concepts or the spreadsheet answered, NOT as the hour in which you have to complete the assignment. Since the material for each lab is available in advance, and scheduled for 2 weeks, this should give you plenty of time to complete the work if you plan ahead.
All work will be done in MathSheet, a JAVA spreadsheet program written by Bill Casselman and David Austin. To work on a lab, we recommend you open the corresponding PDF file (Lab1, ... below) in one Window and Mathsheet in another (Mathsheet, below, and then click on the applet).
If you want a printed version of the lab instructions, open the corresponding printer version below and print it. Please only print the problem set which you intend to do.
For the due dates check your instructor's web page.
Click Mathsheet to start a new MathSheet session.
Lab 1: Computing sums and creating simple bar graphs.
Printer Version of lab 1.
Solutions to Lab 1
Printer Version of the solutions
Lab 2: Approximating areas
Printer Version of lab 2.
Solutions to Lab 2
Printer Version of the solutions
Lab 3: Acceleration, velocity, displacement
Printer Version of lab 3.
Solutions to Lab 3
Printer Version of the solutions
Lab 4: Calculating the length of a curve
Printer Version of lab 4.
Solutions to Lab 4
Printer Version of the solutions
Lab 5: Probability density and cumulative distributions
Printer Version of lab 5.
Solutions to Lab 5
Lab 6: Taylor Polynomials
Printer Version of lab 6.
To access the survey, you must use your student number, specifically
Login: Student ID
Password: First four numbers of Student IDThis is only to prevent multiple submissions. Your individual responses will be kept confidential and will not be shared with your instructors.
Some of the labs will require you to hand in two pieces of paper. You must staple these pages together, with a metal staple. Also, you must include the following five (5) items on your assignment:
As in every technology, there may be occasional bugs that prevent smooth operation of the MathSheet. That is why it is important for you to complete your work well before the due date. Remember that you can always work ahead on your labs, and that you can save your work so that you do not have to rush (and be disappointed) on the last day that it is due.
Each lab has several nearly identical sets of problems. You only do one of these problem sets: Your set will be specified in the instructions for the given lab.
It is your responsibility to make sure that you do the correct version to get credit.
It is also your responsibility to complete the assigned lab by the due date and to hand your work in to your class professor. If you forget to bring your work to class on or before the due date, it will not be accepted as a late submission.
As mentioned above, all work needs to be carefully labeled with your full name, student number, section number, the version of the lab problem that you did, and the date. Multi-page labs must be stapled together.
All the above files are in .pdf format. To view and print these files, you will need to have acrobat reader installed on your machine.
You can download this software (free of charge) by visiting Adobe's web site.
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Last changed:
Mon Jan 4 08:43:50 PDT 2010