Exams and Grading

There will be 2 preliminary exams with typically 3 problems and a comprehensive take-home final exam with typically 5 problems. The prelims are closed book and closed notes. I will provide relevant summary pages as an aid for the test. Prelim and final exam solutions will be posted on this web page.

Prelims:

Prelims are designed to be finished in about 1.5 hours but I will allow lots of extra time to reduce time pressure and test anxiety.
Prelim 1: (covers through HW #?);                          Take-home, last week of Oct., Exact date of hand-out and return TBD.
Prelim 2: (comprehensive, covers through HW #?); Date, format TBD.

Make-up Exams: We will work these out on an individual basis.

Final Exam: (comprehensive).
Take-home format; open book, open notes, no help from anyone other than me. Date handed out to be determined. The final exam will have 4 questions.

Final grade: The homeworks (dropping the lowest homework grade) and the two prelims will count equally in your grade. The lowest of the three will be dropped. The remaining two will count as 65% of your grade and the final exam 35%. You can earn a few extra points for good lecture or office hour performance. The median student will get a B or B-, depending on overall class performance.