UCLA Department of Mathematics


Math 32A: General Course Outline

Catalog description

32A. Calculus of Several Variables. Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Requisite: course 31B (C- or better). Introduction to differential calculus of several variables and vector field theory.

Textbook

J. Marsden & A. Tromba, Vector Calculus, 4th Ed., Freeman

Reviews and Exams

The following schedule, with textbook sections and topics, is based on 24 lectures. The remaining five classroom meetings (only four in Winter Quarter) are for leeway, reviews, and midterm exams. These are scheduled by the individual instructor. Often there are reviews and midterm exams about the beginning of the fourth and eighth weeks of instruction, plus reviews for the final exam.

Schedule of Lectures

Lecture

Section

Topics

1-6

1.1,2,3, 5

Vectors, Determinants, Cross Products & Inner Products

7

2.1

Functions of Several Variables

8-10

2.2,3

Limits and Differentiability

11

1.1-1.3,1.5,2.1-2.3

Review

12

1.1-1.3,1.5,2.1-2.3

Midterm 1

13

2.4

Paths

14

2.5

Properties of the Derivative

15

2.6

Gradients & Directional Derivatives

16

3.1

Iterated Partials

17

3.2

Taylor's Theorem

18,20

3.3

Max/Min

21-22

3.4 (3.6)

Constrained Max/Min and possibly Applications

23

2.4-2.6,3.1-3.4(3.6)

Review

24

2.4-2.6,3.1-3.4(3.6)

Midterm 2

25

4.1

Acceleration

26

4.2

Arc Length (look at exercises for further material)

27

4.3

Vector Fields

28-29

4.4

Divergence and Curl

30

all

Review

* Can be omitted if instructor feels that more time is needed to cover chapter 1 and chapter 2.2-3.

Outline update: P. Petersen, 6/00; modified by Andrea Brose, 12/00


Class Home Page

Andrea Brose's Home

Department of Mathematics

UCLA


UCLA Department of Mathematics
6363 Math Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1555
Phone: (310) 206-1286 Fax: (310) 206-6673

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NOTE: Have TA cover polar coordinates during first discussion section.