fall 2026
math 111 · calculus
An active introduction to limits, derivatives, and integrals, plus a preview of Taylor series.
- syllabus
- Syllabus
- textbook
- Active Calculus
- video
- Chapters 1-4, Chapters 5-6
- meetings
- F03: MWF 10-10:50 in Eliot 207
F04: MWF 12-12:50 in Chem 301 - office hours
- Drop-in: MW 1:00–2:30 in Library 306
By appointment: F 1:00–3:00 in Library 306 - scheduling
- Book a 20-minute slot⋄or email ormsbyk@reed.edu if none of these times work
- forms
- Reading reflection⋄Extension request
- problem session
- Th 4:40-6:40pm in Lib 389
- drop-in tutoring
- SuMTWTh 6-8pm in Lib 204
- zulip
- math111fall26.zulipchat.com
- math trailhead
- Math Trailhead
- self-diagnostic
- Math 111 readiness diagnostic
Classes begin Monday, August 31. Problem sessions and the Gradescope link will be posted before then.
jump to this week ↓39 meetings
week 1
mon aug 31
- Welcome and warm up
- noteno reading⋄in-class activity
wed sep 2
- Varying quantities: units, estimation, and covariation
- notesyllabus (remember to submit a reading reflection!)⋄anonymous AI survey⋄in-class activity
fri sep 4
week 2
mon sep 7break
- Labor Day — no class ☭
wed sep 9
- The derivative of a function at a point
- assignedhomework due September 18
- noteincludes the limit language from 1.2
fri sep 11
week 3
wed sep 16
fri sep 18
week 4
mon sep 21
wed sep 23review
- Review
- notepractice exam posted one week ahead⋄bring questions
fri sep 25exam
- Exam 1
- notein class⋄covers everything through the tangent line approximation
week 5
mon sep 28
- Elementary derivative rules
- notehomework 2 (forthcoming) — due Friday, October 9
wed sep 30
fri oct 2
- The product and quotient rules
- notetangent and secant derivatives in passing (1.2 and 2.4 are not assigned)
week 7
mon oct 12
- Using derivatives to identify extreme values
- notehomework 3 (forthcoming) — due Friday, October 30, after fall break⋄no work expected during the break
wed oct 14review
- Review
- notepractice exam posted one week ahead⋄bring questions
fri oct 16exam
- Exam 2
- notein class⋄cumulative, with the derivative rules as the new material
fall break
October 17-25break
- Fall break 🍂
week 11
mon nov 16
wed nov 18review
- Review: rate and accumulation as inverse problems
- notesynthesis, not drill⋄practice exam posted one week ahead
fri nov 20exam
- Exam 3
- notein class⋄cumulative, with accumulation and the Fundamental Theorems as the new material
week 12
mon nov 23
- Using definite integrals to find area and length
- notehomework 5 (forthcoming) — due Friday, December 4
wed nov 25
fri nov 27break
- Thanksgiving break 🦃
week 14
mon dec 7
wed dec 9
- Quantifying the accuracy of approximations
- notethe Lagrange Error Bound only (8.6.3) — we are skipping the series material earlier in the section⋄course evaluations (bring your laptop 💻)⋄where this goes next: Math 112
finals week
December 14-17final
- Final exam
- notecumulative⋄time and room to be scheduled by the registrar