Calculus 1 for Life Sciences

Curriculum Guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course Code
MATH 1123
Descriptive
Calculus 1 for Life Sciences
Department
Mathematics
Faculty
Science & Technology
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
201720
PLAR
No
Semester Length
15 weeks
Max Class Size
35
Contact Hours
Lecture - 4 hours per week Tutorial - 2 hours per week
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Tutorial
Learning Activities

Lecture, problem sessions (tutorials) and assignments.

Course Description
An introductory differential calculus course with applications chosen for students pursuing biological or medical sciences. Topics include: limits, growth rate and the derivative, elementary functions, optimization and approximation methods and their applications, mathematical models of biological processes.
Course Content

1.  Preliminary material

  • Review of algebraic and transcendental functions and their graphs
  • Transforming functions using semi-log and log-log graphs

2.  Discrete time models, sequences, difference equations

  • Exponential growth and decay (discrete time and recursions)
  • Sequences and their limiting values
  • Population models

3.  Limits and continuity

  • Limits, limit laws
  • Continuity
  • Limits at infinity
  • Sandwich (squeeze) theorem, trigonometric limits
  • Intermediate value theorem
  • (optional) Formal definition of a limit

4.  Differentiation

  • The derivative (formal definition, geometric interpretation, instantaneous rate of change, as a differential equation)
  • Differentiability and continuity
  • Differentiation rules (power, product, quotient rules)
  • Chain rule, implicit differentiation, related rates, higher order derivatives
  • Derivatives of trigonometric and exponential functions
  • Derivatives of inverse functions and logarithmic differentiation
  • Linear approximation and error propagation

5.  Applications of differentiation

  • Extrema and the Mean Value Theorem
  • Monotonicity and concavity
  • Extrema, inflection points and graphing
  • Optimization
  • L’Hospital’s Rule
  • Stability of difference equations
  • (optional) Newton’s Method
  • Antiderivatives
Learning Outcomes

MATH 1123 is a first course in calculus.  Together with MATH 1223 it forms a science-based introduction to calculus providing the foundation for continued studies in biological or life sciences.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • find limits involving algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, and inverse trigonometric functions by inspection as well as by limit laws
  • calculate infinite limits and limits at infinity
  • apply L'Hôpital's rule to evaluating limits of the types: 0/0, infinity/infinity, infinity - infinity, 00,  infinity0, 1infinity
  • determine intervals of continuity for a given function
  • calculate a derivative from the definition
  • differentiate algebraic, trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions as well as exponential  and logarithmic functions of any base using differentiation formulas and the chain rule
  • differentiate functions by logarithmic differentiation
  • apply the above differentiation methods to problems involving implicit functions, curve sketching, applied extrema, related rates, and growth and decay problems
  • use differentials to estimate the value of a function in the neighbourhood of a given point, and to estimate errors
  • apply derivatives to investigate the stability of recursive sequences
  • interpret and solve optimisation problems
  • sketch graphs of functions including rational, trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions, identifying intercepts, asymptotes, extrema, intervals of increase and decrease, and concavity
  • compute simple antiderivatives, and apply to first order differential equations
  • recognise and apply the Mean Value Theorem  and  the Intermediate Value Theorem
Means of Assessment

Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College policy.  The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester.  Evaluation will be based on some of the following criteria:

Assignments and quizzes  0 - 40%

Tutorials 0 - 10%

Term tests - 20 - 70%

Comprehensive final exam - 30 - 40%

Note: All sections of a course with a common final examination will have the same weight given to that examination.

Textbook Materials

Textbook will vary by semester, see College Bookstore for current textbook.

Sample text:

Neuhauser, Claudia. Calculus for Biology and Medicine.  Prentice-Hall. 2011.

A graphing calculator may be required.

Prerequisites

MATH 1110, or,

BC Pre-calculus 12 with a minium grade of B

Corequisites

None

Which Prerequisite

MATH 1223

MATH 1220 (with a minimum grade of B-)

MATH 2232