MTH 251Z
Welcome to the homepage for MTH 251Z!
This page will be used to access files and for general information purposes.
Homework
For this course, we will be using the following text:
- Gilbert Strang and Edwin Herman’s Calculus Volume 1.
Select homework sets are provided below. The homework prompts listed are a starting point to practice the material we learned in class (or from the videos). Some people may feel they need more practice after working through these prompts, and that is great to have that self-awareness! In this case, try some of the even prompts between the assigned odd ones.
Strang and Herman’s Calculus Volume 1 
- Intro to Calculus: Section 2.1: 1 – 21 all
- Limits: Section 2.2: 35, 37 (use a = 2), 39, 43, 47, 49 – 52 all, 59 – 64 all, 77, 79
- Limit Laws: Section 2.3: 83 – 86 all, 107, 109, 111, 115, 117 – 123 all
- Continuity: Section 2.4: 131, 133, 141, 147, 159, 163; then Section 2.3: 89 – 105 odd
- Limits Involving Infinity: Section 4.6: 261 – 270 all
- Derivative at a Number: Section 3.1: 5, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, 25, 29, 39, 40, 47, 49, 51
- The Derivative Function: Section 3.2: 55, 57, 59, 61, 65, 66, 67, 69, 71, 78, 79, 81, 85, 91, 93, 97, 99
- Differentiation Rules: Section 3.3: 107, 109, 113, 115, 118, 119, 130, 133, 135, 137; then Section 3.4: 151 – 157 odd
- The Product & Quotient Rules: Section 3.3: 113 (use the Product Rule), 117, 120, 121, 127, 128, 129, 131, 132, 139, 141, 145, 146, 147; then Section 3.4: 165; then Section 3.9: 331
- Derivative of Trigonometric Functions: Section 3.5: 175 – 203 odd
- The Chain Rule: Section 3.6: 215, 221 – 237 odd, 243, 253; then Section 3.9: 332, 334, 335
- Implicit Differentiation: Section 3.8: 300 – 313 all, 319
- Derivatives of Inverse Functions: Section 3.7: 279, 280, 283, 284, 285, 295, 298; then Section 3.8: 321; then Section 3.9: 336 – 339 all
- Derivatives and Logarithms: Section 3.9: 333, 340 – 345 all
- Related Rates: Section 4.1: 5, 7, 9 – 15 all, 17, 21, 25, 27
- Extrema: Section 4.3: 91, 93, 101, 105, 109, 111, 119, 123, 127
- Second Derivative Test: Section 4.5: 217, 221, 225, 227, 229, 241, 243
- Optimization: Section 4.7: 311, 315, 316, 317, 319, 335
- L’Hôpital’s Rule: Section 4.8: 362, 367, 370, 371, 375, 377, 385, 387
Labs
Each day will have a lab that will cover a particular section of material that we have previously explored in class. You may work alone or in a group to work through the corresponding worksheet found below. These worksheets will not be collected.
Periodically, a Lab Report will be assigned on D2L. This lab report will be a collection of prompts that are either the same or similar to prompts from lab worksheets. This lab report must be written neatly on new paper according to the stipulations below:
- Each prompt must be clearly written out before beginning any work.
- Each new prompt must begin on a separate page.
- All of your work must be thoroughly shown for each prompt.
- Your conclusion must be clearly stated at the end of your work with any necessary units and exact values (unless otherwise stated).
- Lab: Day One
- Lab: Introduction to Calculus
- Lab: Limits
- Lab: Limit Laws
- Lab: Continuity
- Lab: Limits Involving Infinity
- Lab: The Derivative at a Number
- Lab: The Derivative Function
- Lab: Differentiation Rules
- Lab: Product and Quotient Rules
- Lab: Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions
- Lab: Chain Rule
- Lab: Implicit Differentiation
- Lab: Derivatives of Inverses and Logs
- Lab: Related Rates
- Lab: First Derivative Test
- Lab: Optimization
- Lab: L’Hopital’s Rule
Portfolio
By the end of the term, you will complete this portfolio. Each prompt will be collected at some point during the term and returned with feedback provided. By the end of the term, you will turn in the entire portfolio for a grade.
Reviews
Below are some reviews for both the midterm exam and the final exam. Use these reviews to study for the exam. These will not be collected or covered in class.
- Review for Midterm Exam
- Key for Midterm Exam Review
- Derivatives Review (with Key)
- Review for Final Exam
- Key for Final Exam Review
Extra Credits
There are two extra credit opportunities available to you. Please complete these any time before the last week of instruction.
- Extra Credit 1: Women in Math: The Limit Does Not Exist
- Extra Credit 2: The Mathematics of the Three Waves of AI
Videos
Two PCC instructors have produced video series for MTH 251. Feel free to check out their videos below.
- Austina Fong’s MTH 251 Videos. For Austina’s videos, please note that she organizes them by section number. These sections are consistent with the sections we follow.
- Jessica Bernards’ MTH 251 Videos. For Jessica’s videos, please note that she organizes them by topic. The corresponding textbook section numbers are listed below.
Precalculus Review Materials
PCC has created a wealth of information for precalculus review. If you identify any topics you need assistance with, check this site out.