Calculus III: Course Overview and 3D Foundations

Speaker grew up in Loveland, Colorado; later pursued higher education and a PhD (2012).
Previous experience: taught junior high (7th–9th) for several years; moved into higher education focused on teaching.
Current role: at UW–Madison, focuses on training and supporting graduate student instructors in the department.
Personal side: two kids (Laurel and Robin), a cat, enjoys travel, gardening, knitting, and reading science fiction/fantasy.

Lectures: held on Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
Discussions: held on Tuesday and Thursday.
Outside work: substantial time needed outside class for homework, studying, and preparation.
Canvas: all course information, announcements, schedules, and materials are posted here.
Notifications: enable announcements (and optionally other items) to stay updated.

Modules and reading checks: asynchronous content with short associated tasks in WebAssign (labelled as quizzes but are reading checks).
Homework and quizzes: all in WebAssign; student gets 20 attempts per assignment, 4 drops, late submissions allowed up to 3 days for partial credit.
Module quizzes: linked to reading modules; not standard quizzes but reading checks.
Major exams: two midterms and a final.
- Midterms: Wednesdays at 07:40 PM; dates around October 8 and November 12 (double-check those dates).
- Final exam: Friday, December 12 at 02:45.
Makeup exams: available for all major assessments.
Daily/weekly rhythm: module content and assignments due on specific days; exam dates are in the course calendar.

Textbook: Stuart’s Calculus (widely used); physical copy available as loose-leaf; exact edition/column numbers may vary.
WebAssign: required for homework and module quizzes; access may require purchase/reservation.
E-book: included with WebAssign access.
Printing/printing options: if you want a paper copy, you can obtain it; the exact edition may vary.
How to get help: WebAssign support (in-building or online) if purchase issues arise; many tutoring and help options available.

Core idea: humans learn by doing; emphasis on active problem solving.
In-class design: lecture provides a note outline and opportunities to engage; discussion sessions focus on doing math in groups with a TA support.
Course pace: fast start; content accelerates through early chapters (vectors, 3D topics) to cover material within the semester.
Used tools: lecture notes outlines; video recordings after class; chapter-by-chapter lecture pages in Canvas.

Space and coordinates: points in three space named by coordinates $(x,y,z)$.
Axes orientation: standard three axes $x$, $y$, $z$ with the origin at their intersection; in 3D viewing, $z$ often represents height.
Planes in 3D:
- $xy$-plane: $z=0$
- $xz$-plane: $y=0$
- $yz$-plane: $x=0$
Octants: eight regions determined by the signs of $(x,y,z)$.
Planes through pairs of axes: for example, the $yz$-plane contains points with $x=0$; the $xz$-plane contains points with $y=0$; the $xy$-plane contains points with $z=0$.
Plotting points: given $(a,b,c)$, move along $x$ by $a$, then along $y$ by $b$, and then along $z$ by $c$ to locate the point in space.
Visualization challenge: 2D paper makes 3D visualization hard; graphing tools may help but aren’t allowed on quizzes/exams.
Quick exercise concept from class: determine which given points are closest to the $xz$-plane and to the $xy$-plane by inspecting which coordinates are zero.
Visual and problem-solving skills will be developed through quick neighbor discussions and short in-class activities.

Read the syllabus and know where everything is in Canvas; use course schedule to stay on track.
Activate WebAssign access early and understand the submission/late-credit policies.
Use office hours and the Math Learning Center; there are many TAs with varied hours.
Treat diagnostic and orientation quizzes as ungraded tools for quick self-checks; don’t panic about results.
Expect an accelerated start; ask for help if content moves too fast.

Midterms: two dates (Wednesdays) around October 8 and November 12; times 07:40 PM.
Final: Friday, December 12 at 02:45.
Course materials and schedules: all available on Canvas; exam formats and room assignments announced later.
WebAssign access: required for homework and module quizzes; support available if issues arise.