36
Lectures
30
minutes/lecture
1.
A Preview of Calculus
Calculus is the mathematics of change, a field with many important applications in science, engineering, medicine, business, and other disciplines. Begin by surveying the goals of the course. Then get your feet wet by investigating the classic tangent line problem, which illustrates the concept of limits.
1.
A Preview of Calculus
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19.
The Area Problem and the Definite Integral
One of the classic problems of integral calculus is finding areas bounded by curves. This was solved for simple curves by the ancient Greeks. See how a more powerful method was later developed that produces a number called the definite integral, and learn the relevant notation.
19.
The Area Problem and the Definite Integral
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2.
Review—Graphs, Models, and Functions
In the first of two review lectures on precalculus, examine graphs of equations and properties such as symmetry and intercepts. Also explore the use of equations to model real life and begin your study of functions, which Professor Edwards calls the most important concept in mathematics.
2.
Review—Graphs, Models, and Functions
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20.
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, Part 1
The two essential ideas of this course—derivatives and integrals—are connected by the fundamental theorem of calculus, one of the most important theorems in mathematics. Get an intuitive grasp of this deep relationship by working several problems and surveying a proof.
20.
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, Part 1
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3.
Review—Functions and Trigonometry
Continue your review of precalculus by looking at different types of functions and how they can be identified by their distinctive shapes when graphed. Then review trigonometric functions, using both the right triangle definition as well as the unit circle definition, which measures angles in radians rather than degrees.
3.
Review—Functions and Trigonometry
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21.
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, Part 2
Try examples using the second fundamental theorem of calculus, which allows you to let the upper limit of integration be a variable. In the process, explore more relationships between differentiation and integration, and discover how they are almost inverses of each other.
21.
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, Part 2
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4.
Finding Limits
Jump into real calculus by going deeper into the concept of limits introduced in Lecture 1. Learn the informal, working definition of limits and how to determine a limit in three different ways: numerically, graphically, and analytically. Also discover how to recognize when a given function does not have a limit.
4.
Finding Limits
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22.
Integration by Substitution
Investigate a straightforward technique for finding antiderivatives, called integration by substitution. Based on the chain rule, it enables you to convert a difficult problem into one that's easier to solve by using the variable u to represent a more complicated expression.
22.
Integration by Substitution
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5.
An Introduction to Continuity
Broadly speaking, a function is continuous if there is no interruption in the curve when its graph is drawn. Explore the three conditions that must be met for continuity—along with applications of associated ideas, such as the greatest integer function and the intermediate value theorem.
5.
An Introduction to Continuity
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23.
Numerical Integration
When calculating a definite integral, the first step of finding the antiderivative can be difficult or even impossible. Learn the trapezoid rule, one of several techniques that yield a close approximation to the definite integral. Then do a problem involving a plot of land bounded by a river.
23.
Numerical Integration
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6.
Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity
Infinite limits describe the behavior of functions that increase or decrease without bound, in which the asymptote is the specific value that the function approaches without ever reaching it. Learn how to analyze these functions, and try some examples from relativity theory and biology.
6.
Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity
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24.
Natural Logarithmic Function—Differentiation
Review the properties of logarithms in base 10. Then see how the so-called natural base for logarithms, e, has important uses in calculus and is one of the most significant numbers in mathematics. Learn how such natural logarithms help to simplify derivative calculations.
24.
Natural Logarithmic Function—Differentiation
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7.
The Derivative and the Tangent Line Problem
Building on what you have learned about limits and continuity, investigate derivatives, which are the foundation of differential calculus. Develop the formula for defining a derivative, and survey the history of the concept and its different forms of notation.
7.
The Derivative and the Tangent Line Problem
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25.
Natural Logarithmic Function—Integration
Continue your investigation of logarithms by looking at some of the consequences of the integral formula developed in the previous lecture. Next, change gears and review inverse functions at the precalculus level, preparing the way for a deeper exploration of the subject in coming lectures.
25.
Natural Logarithmic Function—Integration
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8.
Basic Differentiation Rules
Practice several techniques that make finding derivatives relatively easy: the power rule, the constant multiple rule, sum and difference rules, plus a shortcut to use when sine and cosine functions are involved. Then see how derivatives are the key to determining the rate of change in problems involving objects in motion.
8.
Basic Differentiation Rules
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26.
Exponential Function
The inverse of the natural logarithmic function is the exponential function, perhaps the most important function in all of calculus. Discover that this function has an amazing property: It is its own derivative! Also see the connection between the exponential function and the bell-shaped curve in probability.
26.
Exponential Function
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9.
Product and Quotient Rules
Learn the formulas for finding derivatives of products and quotients of functions. Then use the quotient rule to derive formulas for the trigonometric functions not covered in the previous lecture. Also investigate higher-order derivatives, differential equations, and horizontal tangents.
9.
Product and Quotient Rules
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27.
Bases other than e
Extend the use of the logarithmic and exponential functions to bases other than e, exploiting this approach to solve a problem in radioactive decay. Also learn to find the derivatives of such functions, and see how e emerges in other mathematical contexts, including the formula for continuous compound interest.
27.
Bases other than e
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10.
The Chain Rule
Discover one of the most useful of the differentiation rules, the chain rule, which allows you to find the derivative of a composite of two functions. Explore different examples of this technique, including a problem from physics that involves the motion of a pendulum.
10.
The Chain Rule
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28.
Inverse Trigonometric Functions
Turn to the last set of functions you will need in your study of calculus, inverse trigonometric functions. Practice using some of the formulas for differentiating these functions. Then do an entertaining problem involving how fast the rotating light on a police car sweeps across a wall and whether you can evade it.
28.
Inverse Trigonometric Functions
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11.
Implicit Differentiation and Related Rates
Conquer the final strategy for finding derivatives: implicit differentiation, used when it's difficult to solve a function for y. Apply this rule to problems in related rates—for example, the rate at which a camera must move to track the space shuttle at a specified time after launch.
11.
Implicit Differentiation and Related Rates
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29.
Area of a Region between 2 Curves
Revisit the area problem and discover how to find the area of a region bounded by two curves. First imagine that the region is divided into representative rectangles. Then add up an infinite number of these rectangles, which corresponds to a definite integral.
29.
Area of a Region between 2 Curves
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12.
Extrema on an Interval
Having covered the rules for finding derivatives, embark on the first of five lectures dealing with applications of these techniques. Derivatives can be used to find the absolute maximum and minimum values of functions, known as extrema, a vital tool for analyzing many real-life situations.
12.
Extrema on an Interval
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30.
Volume—The Disk Method
Learn how to calculate the volume of a solid of revolution—an object that is symmetrical around its axis of rotation. As in the area problem in the previous lecture, you imagine adding up an infinite number of slices—in this case, of disks rather than rectangles—which yields a definite integral.
30.
Volume—The Disk Method
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13.
Increasing and Decreasing Functions
Use the first derivative to determine where graphs are increasing or decreasing. Next, investigate Rolle's theorem and the mean value theorem, one of whose consequences is that during a car trip, your actual speed must correspond to your average speed during at least one point of your journey.
13.
Increasing and Decreasing Functions
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31.
Volume—The Shell Method
Apply the shell method for measuring volumes, comparing it with the disk method on the same shape. Then find the volume of a doughnut-shaped object called a torus, along with the volume for a figure called Gabriel's Horn, which is infinitely long but has finite volume.
31.
Volume—The Shell Method
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14.
Concavity and Points of Inflection
What does the second derivative reveal about a graph? It describes how the curve bends—whether it is concave upward or downward. You determine concavity much as you found the intervals where a graph was increasing or decreasing, except this time you use the second derivative.
14.
Concavity and Points of Inflection
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32.
Applications—Arc Length and Surface Area
Investigate two applications of calculus that are at the heart of engineering: measuring arc length and surface area. One of your problems is to determine the length of a cable hung between two towers, a shape known as a catenary. Then examine a peculiar paradox of Gabriel's Horn.
32.
Applications—Arc Length and Surface Area
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15.
Curve Sketching and Linear Approximations
By using calculus, you can be certain that you have discovered all the properties of the graph of a function. After learning how this is done, focus on the tangent line to a graph, which is a convenient approximation for values of the function that lie close to the point of tangency.
15.
Curve Sketching and Linear Approximations
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33.
Basic Integration Rules
Review integration formulas studied so far, and see how to apply them in various examples. Then explore cases in which a calculator gives different answers from the ones obtained by hand calculation, learning why this occurs. Finally, Professor Edwards gives advice on how to succeed in introductory calculus.
33.
Basic Integration Rules
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16.
Applications—Optimization Problems, Part 1
Attack real-life problems in optimization, which requires finding the relative extrema of different functions by differentiation. Calculate the optimum size for a box, and the largest area that can be enclosed by a circle and a square made from a given length of wire.
16.
Applications—Optimization Problems, Part 1
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34.
Other Techniques of Integration
Closing your study of integration techniques, explore a powerful method for finding antiderivatives: integration by parts, which is based on the product rule for derivatives. Use this technique to calculate area and volume. Then focus on integrals involving products of trigonometric functions.
34.
Other Techniques of Integration
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17.
Applications—Optimization Problems, Part 2
Conclude your investigation of differential calculus with additional problems in optimization. For success with such word problems, Professor Edwards stresses the importance of first framing the problem with precalculus, reducing the equation to one independent variable, and then using calculus to find and verify the answer.
17.
Applications—Optimization Problems, Part 2
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35.
Differential Equations and Slope Fields
Explore slope fields as a method for getting a picture of possible solutions to a differential equation without having to solve it, examining several problems of the type that appear on the Advanced Placement exam. Also look at a solution technique for differential equations called separation of variables.
35.
Differential Equations and Slope Fields
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18.
Antiderivatives and Basic Integration Rules
Up until now, you've calculated a derivative based on a given function. Discover how to reverse the procedure and determine the function based on the derivative. This approach is known as obtaining the antiderivative, or integration. Also learn the notation for integration.
18.
Antiderivatives and Basic Integration Rules
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36.
Applications of Differential Equations
Use your calculus skills in three applications of differential equations: first, calculate the radioactive decay of a quantity of plutonium; second, determine the initial population of a colony of fruit flies; and third, solve one of Professor Edwards's favorite problems by using Newton's law of cooling to predict the cooling time for a cup of coffee.
36.
Applications of Differential Equations
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24
Lectures
30
minutes/lecture
1.
What Are Proofs, and How Do I Do Them?
Start by proving that two odd numbers multiplied together always give an odd number. Next, look ahead at some of the intriguing proofs you will encounter in the course. Then explore the characteristics of a proof and tips for improving your skill at proving mathematical theorems.
1.
What Are Proofs, and How Do I Do Them?
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13.
Strong Induction and the Fibonacci Numbers
Use a technique called strong induction to prove an elementary theorem about prime numbers. Next, apply strong induction to the famous Fibonacci sequence, verifying the Binet formula, which can specify any number in the sequence. Test the formula by finding the 21-digit-long 100th Fibonacci number.
13.
Strong Induction and the Fibonacci Numbers
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2.
The Root of Proof—A Brief Look at Geometry
The model for modern mathematical thinking was forged 2,300 years ago in Euclid’s Elements. Prove three of Euclid’s theorems and investigate his famous fifth postulate dealing with parallel lines. Also, learn how proofs are important in Professor Edwards’s own research.
2.
The Root of Proof—A Brief Look at Geometry
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14.
I Exist Therefore I Am—Existence Proofs
Analyze existence proofs, which show that a mathematical object must exist, even if the actual object remains unknown. Close with an elegant and subtle argument proving that there exists an irrational number raised to an irrational power, and the result is a rational number.
14.
I Exist Therefore I Am—Existence Proofs
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3.
The Building Blocks—Introduction to Logic
Logic is the foundation of mathematical proofs. In the first of three lectures on logic, study the connectors “and” and “or.” When used in combination in mathematical statements, these simple terms can create interesting complexity. See how truth tables are very useful for determining when such statements are true or false.
3.
The Building Blocks—Introduction to Logic
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15.
I Am One of a Kind—Uniqueness Proofs
How do you prove that a given mathematical result is unique? Assume that more than one solution exists and then see if there is a contradiction. Use this technique to prove several theorems, including the important division algorithm from arithmetic.
15.
I Am One of a Kind—Uniqueness Proofs
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4.
More Blocks—Negations and Implications
Continue your study of logic by looking at negations of statements and the logical operation called implication, which is used in most mathematical theorems. Professor Edwards opens the lecture with a fascinating example of the implication of a false hypothesis that appears to pose a logical puzzle.
4.
More Blocks—Negations and Implications
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16.
Let Me Count the Ways—Enumeration Proofs
The famous Four Color theorem, dealing with the minimum number of colors needed to distinguish adjacent regions on a map with different colors, was finally proved by a brute force technique called enumeration of cases. Learn how this approach works and why mathematicians dislike it—although they often rely on it.
16.
Let Me Count the Ways—Enumeration Proofs
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5.
Existence and Uniqueness—Quantifiers
In the final lecture on logic, explore the quantifiers “for all” and “there exists,” learning how these operations are negated. Quantifiers play a large role in calculus—for example, when defining the concept of a sequence, which you study in greater detail in upcoming lectures.
5.
Existence and Uniqueness—Quantifiers
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17.
Not True! Counterexamples and Paradoxes
You’ve studied proofs. How about disproofs? How do you show that a conjecture is false? Experience the fun of finding counterexamples. Then explore some famous paradoxes in mathematics, including Bertrand Russell’s barber paradox, which shook the foundations of set theory.
17.
Not True! Counterexamples and Paradoxes
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6.
The Simplest Road—Direct Proofs
Begin a series of lectures on different proof techniques by looking at direct proofs, which make straightforward use of a hypothesis to arrive at a conclusion. Try several examples, including proofs involving division and inequalities. Then learn tricks that mathematicians use to make proofs easier than they look.
6.
The Simplest Road—Direct Proofs
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18.
When 1 = 2—False Proofs
Strengthen your appreciation for good proofs by looking at bad proofs, including common errors that students make such as dividing by 0 and circular reasoning. Then survey the history of attempts to prove some renowned conjectures from geometry and number theory.
18.
When 1 = 2—False Proofs
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7.
Let’s Go Backward—Proofs by Contradiction
Probe the power of one of the most popular techniques for proving theorems—proof by contradiction. Begin by constructing a truth table for the contrapositive. Then work up to Euclid’s famous proof that answers the question: Can the square root of 2 be expressed as a fraction?
7.
Let’s Go Backward—Proofs by Contradiction
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19.
A Picture Says It All—Visual Proofs
Before he became the 20th U. S. president, James A. Garfield published an original proof of the Pythagorean theorem that relied on a visual argument. See how pictures play an important role in understanding why a particular mathematical statement may be true. But is a visual proof really a proof?
19.
A Picture Says It All—Visual Proofs
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8.
Let’s Go Both Ways—If-and-Only-If Proofs
Start with the simple case of an isosceles triangle, defined as having two equal sides or two equal angles. Discover that equal sides and equal angles apply to all isosceles triangles and are an example of an “if-and-only-if” theorem, which occurs throughout mathematics.
8.
Let’s Go Both Ways—If-and-Only-If Proofs
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20.
The Queen of Mathematics—Number Theory
The great mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss once said that if mathematics is the queen of the sciences, then number theory is the queen of mathematics. Embark on the study of this fascinating discipline by proving theorems about prime numbers.
20.
The Queen of Mathematics—Number Theory
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9.
The Language of Mathematics—Set Theory
Explore elementary set theory, learning the concepts and notation that allow manipulation of sets, their unions, their intersections, and their complements. Then try your hand at proving that two sets are equal, which involves showing that each is a subset of the other.
9.
The Language of Mathematics—Set Theory
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21.
Primal Studies—More Number Theory
Dig deeper into prime numbers and number theory by proving a conjecture that asserts that there are arbitrarily large gaps between successive prime numbers. Then turn to some celebrated conjectures in number theory, which are easy to state but which have withstood all attempts to prove them.
21.
Primal Studies—More Number Theory
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10.
Bigger and Bigger Sets—Infinite Sets
Tackle infinite sets, which pose fascinating paradoxes. For example, the set of integers is a subset of the set of rational numbers, and yet there is a one-to-one correspondence between them. Explore other properties of infinite sets, proving that the real numbers between 0 and 1 are uncountable.
10.
Bigger and Bigger Sets—Infinite Sets
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22.
Fun with Triangular and Square Numbers
Use different proof techniques to explore square and triangular numbers. Square numbers are numbers such as 1, 4, 9, and 16 that are the squares of integers. Triangular numbers represent the total dots needed to form an equilateral triangle, such as 1, 3, 6, and 10.
22.
Fun with Triangular and Square Numbers
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11.
Mathematical Induction
In the first of three lectures on mathematical induction, try out this powerful tool for proving theorems about the positive integers. See how an inductive proof is like knocking over a row of dominos: Once the base case pushes over a second case, then by induction all cases fall.
11.
Mathematical Induction
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23.
Perfect Numbers and Mersenne Primes
Investigate the intriguing link between perfect numbers and Mersenne primes. A number is perfect if it equals the sum of all its divisors, excluding itself. Mersenne primes are prime numbers that are one less than a power of 2. Oddly, the known examples of both classes of numbers are 47.
23.
Perfect Numbers and Mersenne Primes
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12.
Deeper and Deeper—More Induction
What does the decimal 0.99999… forever equal? Is it less than 1? Or does it equal 1? Apply mathematical induction to geometric series to find the solution. Also use induction to find the formulas for other series, including factorials, which are denoted by an integer followed by the “!” sign.
12.
Deeper and Deeper—More Induction
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24.
Let’s Wrap It Up—The Number e
Prove some properties of the celebrated number e, the base of the natural logarithm, which plays a crucial role in precalculus and calculus. Close with a challenging proof testing whether e is rational or irrational—just as you did with the square root of 2 in Lecture 7.
24.
Let’s Wrap It Up—The Number e
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