Information about quizzes and tests

General information for Quizzes and Tests

• Bring your own paper on which to do your work.
  • Leave margins on all four edges of the page.
  • Leave several blank lines between problems or parts of problems. Unless there is lots of space left when you finish a problem, start a new page for the next problem.
  • If your writing shows through the paper, only use one side.
  Turn in everything you write during the test. If you used a separate page (or two) for scratch work, put this at the end of your work, followed by your notes. (Sometimes I look at scratch work to help figure out your reasoning.)
  
  
• Notes allowed will vary on the different quizzes and tests.
  
  
• No electronic devices may be used. Turn off and put away all electronic devices before the quiz or test begins. Also put away all books and notes except allowed notes.
  
  
• Seating. If you arrive early, please help arrange the chairs so there's space between them. Leave a few seats nearest the door empty for late arrivals. Suggestion: Don't sit near your "study buddies," so any unusually similar work won't look suspicious.
  
  
• Show your work and/or reasoning (unless the question says you don't have to.) An answer with no justification for how you found it may be worth little or no partial credit. Don't be afraid to use English as well as symbols. Also, give final answers as actual series; don't just say what the coefficients are. This is especially important for the constant term, because of the varying conventions for a₀.
  
  
• A few more test-taking tips: Read instructions carefully, so you don't do more work than you have to. Don't simplify answers unless the instructions say to, or if it will make the next step in your work easier. If you do change your answer, cross out rather than erasing; it's quicker, and sometimes your new reasoning is easier to follow if I can glance at what you tried first.
  
  
• If you (will) miss a quiz or test: As soon as you know you will miss (or have missed) a quiz or test, email me. (If you don't have access to email, call me: my office phone is (206)543-9458, messages may be left at the Math Department office, (206)543-1150.) If you know ahead of time, suggest times you might take it early.

First Quiz on Friday, April 13.

• Review the General information for Quizzes and Tests above.
  
  
• Notes allowed: A 4 by 6 in. card (or one quarter of a notebook sheet). You don't need to include the table of Fourier series; if I ask you to use one Fourier series to find another, I will supply the first Fourier series.
  
  
• The quiz will be 40 minutes long. (For the first 10 minutes of the class, we'll discuss questions on homework and quiz preparation materials, or continue with the next lecture topic if there are no questions.)
  
  
• Topics covered: The first three homework assignments. To study for the quiz, first of all, catch up! Do or redo any HI or W problems in the assignments you had trouble with or didn't have time for.
  
  
• More details about quiz questions, including some sample quiz questions, are posted at the Canvas site for this class.

Midterm, Thursday May 3, 4-7 PM, Loew 117.

• You will have 2 hours to take the test. A three hour period is scheduled so you have flexibility for when you start. You may start any time from 4 to 5 (or even slightly after 5, if coming from class or work ending about 5). If possible, try to be there to start at 4, 4:30, or 5, so it's easier to keep track of your 2 hours.
  
  
• Review the General information for Quizzes and Tests above.
  
  
• Notes allowed: One 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of handwritten notes (both sides OK) of formulas, definitions, and propositions/theorems. I will not assume you have the table of Fourier series from chapter 2 in your notes. (Thus either I will supply Fourier series you need, or I will expect and allow time for you to compute the coefficients.) No problem solutions may be included in your notes: you may outline procedures, but may not include worked examples. You will hand in your notes with your test.
  
  The main reason for allowing notes is to encourage "top down" studying (organizing your thinking about the material, identifying common themes, etc.) and, conversely, discourage "bottom up" studying (merely memorizing facts and formulas). Handwritten notes are required so that you have to think about the material to produce the notes, which is also a good study technique. It's OK to write on both sides of the paper, but it is in your interest to summarize thoughtfully, so you are not spending precious exam time reading through excessively long and detailed notes.
  
  
• Advice for what to study, including sample test are at Canvas.

Quiz 2, date TBA.

• Review the General information for Quizzes and Tests above.
  
  
• Content: The quiz questions will directly cover chapter 5 material (but of course questions on this material also involve skills you've developed in chapters 3 and 4).
  
  
• This quiz is open book, open unlimited notes, including homework, but no electronic devices (so if you have an electronic version of the text, photocopy anything you want to have during the quiz). You may still want to make a sheet of notes, and/or use "post-its" or other bookmarks to make useful formulas easy to find. Bring your own paper to write on.
  
  

Final Exam on Wednesday, June 6, 8:30-10:20.

• Review the General information for Quizzes and Tests above.
  
  
• More info at Canvas.

Math 480 Homepage.
Most recently updated on May 31, 2018.