Module: Calculus for Teachers

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Calculus for Teachers
Module Code	MTH1017 (ITS: MS116)
Faculty	Mathematical Sciences	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	10

Description

This course concentrates on developing mathematical knowledge and skills for prospective mathematics teachers, focussing on the topic of calculus. The course reviews some foundational mathematics involving functions, inequalities, quadratic equations, trigonometric identities, exponential and logarithmic functions. The course also develops skills in the techniques of differentiation and integration. Enhancing the student's ability to solve mathematical problems and deal with pedagogically related mathematics tasks lies at the heart of this module.

Learning Outcomes

1. perform standard algebraic manipulations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and exponents
2. compute limits, including limits of indeterminate forms.
3. differentiate algebraic, trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions, including differentiating combinations of these functions using the product, quotient and chain rules.
4. graph functions by computing intercepts and asymptotes, finding and classifying critical points, computing domains of increase and decrease etc.
5. explain how the fundamental theorem of calculus connects the concept of the Riemann integral to the concept of the anti-derivative.
6. use common integration techniques including substitution and integration by parts.
7. apply various approximation techniques including the Newton-Raphson method, local linear approximations, Maclaurin and Taylor approximations.
8. carry out pedagogically related mathematics tasks

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	72	lecture
Tutorial	24	No Description
Independent Study	154	No Description
Total Workload: 250

Section Breakdown
CRN	11195	Part of Term	Semester 1 & 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC3	Best Mark	Y
Module Co-ordinator	Peter Taylor	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
In Class Test	n/a	4%	Week 6
In Class Test	n/a	4%	Week 11
In Class Test	n/a	4%	Week 21
In Class Test	n/a	4%	Week 25
In Class Test	n/a	4%	Week 30
Formal Examination	End-of-Semester Final Examination	80%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Foundations
Absolute value and inequalities; polynomials; functions and graphs; lines and parabolae; trigonometry; complex numbers including De Moivre's theorem

Limits and continuity
Informal treatment of limits of functions, infinite limits and continuous function.

Differential Calculus
Tangents to curves and derivatives; rates of change; sum, product, quotient and chain rules; differentiation of polynomial and trigonometric functions; Mean Value theorem; critical points and extremum problems; curve sketching; rational functions

Integral Calculus
Area under a curve as motivation; the Riemann integral; antiderivative; fundamental theorem of calculus; applications involving area; methods of integration including substitution, integration by parts and partial fractions

Transcendental Functions
Inverse functions and their derivatives; inverse trigonometric functions and their derivatives, logarithmic and exponential functions; growth and decay problems;

Other Topics in Calculus
Limits and L'Hopital's rule, Taylor and Maclaurin series; first order differential equations; Newton's method

Vectors
Vectors in 2 and 3 dimensions, inner and vector products, lines and planes in R3, systems of 2 or 3 linear equations

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Howard Anton, Irl C. Bivens, Stephen Davis: 2017, Anton's Calculus: Early Transcendentals, , 11th Edition, Global Edition, 1,2,3,4,5,7,9, Wiley, 978-1-119-248
Bremigan, Bremigan and Lorch: 0, Mathematics for Secondary School Teachers,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

0: DCU Maths Learning Centre, http://www.dcu.ie/maths/mlc/index.shtml,