Mathematics

Advanced Placement in Calculus: Students who have received a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus AB exam, or a subscore of 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam, will earn credit for MATH 135 and are advised to take MATH 136. Students will forfeit their credit if they opt to take MATH 133 or 135. Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam will earn credit for MATH 136 and are advised to take MATH 241 (Multivariable Calculus). Students with a 4 or 5 on the BC exam will forfeit their credit if they opt to take MATH 133, 134, 135, or 136.

AP credit in mathematics counts toward the mathematical science common area requirement. AP credit for Calculus 2 counts toward the mathematics major.

Advanced Placement in Statistics: Students who have received a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Statistics exam will earn one unit of credit for ECON 249. Students will forfeit their AP credit if they opt to take any 100- or 200-level statistics course at the College, including STAT 120, STAT 220, BIOL 275, ECON 249, PSYC 200, SOCL 226. Statistics is a part of the health professions curriculum, but many majors at the College offer their own statistics courses that are tailored to their disciplines. Health profession students are advised to wait and take the statistics course in their major, should it offer one. Otherwise, students should take STAT 220 for health professions sometime after their first year at the College.

Majors in Mathematics: Students who are considering a major in mathematics should select MATH 135 if they have not previously studied calculus. MATH 133 is available for students who are particularly concerned about their algebra and pre-calculus preparation who have not previously studied calculus. Students who have successfully earned credit for MATH 135 or who successfully completed a calculus course in high school should choose MATH 136.  Students who have earned credit for MATH 136 or who have successfully completed a year of AP calculus in high school should choose MATH 241. MATH 133 and MATH 135 do not count toward the major, so students who are ready for Calculus 2 are encouraged to start there.

Advisory Notes: (1) We do not recommend calculus for students unless it is required for their major or for health professions. Students who are not planning to major in an area that requires calculus should consider CSCI 110 (only available in the third and fourth year), MATH 110 (topics courses vary each semester and are primarily intended for second, third, and fourth years) or STAT 120 (available only after a major has been declared, and only in the second, third, and fourth years). These courses fulfill the Mathematical Science common area requirement and are not geared toward science, economics, or math majors.

(2) Students with little or no calculus background should enroll in MATH 135. Students who have successfully completed one year of calculus should consider enrolling in MATH 136. Students will be allowed to drop back to MATH 135 during the first few weeks of the semester (even after the add/drop deadline), if it turns out that MATH 136 is not the best fit. Students who have earned Advanced Placement credit should follow the guidelines above. MATH 133 is available for students who are particularly concerned about their algebra and pre-calculus preparation, in addition to having had no previous coursework in calculus. Students interested in MATH 133 should consult with their class dean or the chair of mathematics and computer science (Prof. G. Roberts, groberts@holycross.edu), as admission is by permission only. MATH 133, MATH 135, MATH 136, and MATH 241 are for students who are interested in pursuing a major in economics, mathematics, the sciences, or who are aspiring to the health professions. Only students interested in these areas who feel they need additional class time to adjust to college mathematics should consider MATH 133.




MATH 133
Calculus 1 with Fundamentals    
Common Area: Mathematical Science

This version of Calculus 1 is designed for students who require more class time to make the transition to college-level mathematics. Students who studied calculus in high school should not take this course. It is only for students who are concerned about their algebra and pre-calculus background. It is for those who aspire toward the health professions or who have an interest in pursuing a major in economics, mathematics, or the sciences. See the description of MATH 135 for the course content. This course meets five hours per week and also has a review session one evening per week.  It is only offered in the fall. You must consult with your class dean or the chair of Mathematics and Computer Science (Prof. G. Roberts, groberts@holycross.edu) for approval to enter this course.


MATH 135
Calculus 1
Common Area: Mathematical Science

This is the standard version of Calculus 1 chosen by most students. It is designed for those who need calculus to support their interest in the health professions or a major in economics, mathematics, or the sciences. It is intended for students who did not study calculus in high school. This course considers the calculus of real-valued functions of one variable for students who are planning further course work in mathematics. Emphasis is placed on conceptual understanding and presenting material from symbolic, numerical and graphical points of view. The course investigates a variety of applications to the sciences. The concepts of limit, continuity, and derivative are developed and applied to algebraic, logarithmic, exponential and trigonometric functions. Although this class carries a common area designation in the mathematical sciences, students who do not specifically need calculus for their studies are advised to take MATH 110, MATH 120, or CSCI 110 . This course meets three hours per week. It is offered in both fall and spring, with many more sections available in the fall.


MATH 136
Calculus 2
Common Area: Mathematical Science

This course considers the calculus of real-valued functions of one variable. It is appropriate for students who are already comfortable with derivatives from an earlier calculus class. After a brief review of derivatives, this course includes the theory, techniques, and applications of integration. It also studies ordinary differential equations and sequences and series, including Taylor polynomials and Taylor series. This course is the prerequisite for Mathematics 241. This course meets four hours per week. It is offered fall and spring. Math 136 is the first course that counts toward the minimum required for the major in mathematics. We recommend students try MATH 136 if they had a solid year of calculus in high school; we will let you drop back to MATH 135 if you determine that Calculus 1 is a better placement (even if it is a bit past the Add/Drop deadline).


MATH 241                                       
Multivariable Calculus
Common Area: Mathematical Science

This course studies calculus for functions of several variables. It is intended for students who have already studied single-variable calculus. Topics include parametric curves, vector fields, partial derivatives, directional derivatives, the gradient, the chain rule, maxima, minima, constrained extrema, integration in several variables, integration in non-rectangular coordinate systems and integration of vector fields. This course meets four hours per week and is only for students with Advanced Placement credit for Math 136. It is offered in fall and spring. It is recommended for students aspiring toward the mathematics or physics major.


MATH 243
Mathematical  Structures
Common Area: Mathematical Science

An introduction to mathematical reasoning and techniques of proof, including elementary logic and mathematical induction.  The course will focus on the primary structures in abstract mathematics, sets, relations, functions, and sequences.



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