MATH 1151

Calculus I for Social and Life Sciences

0.5 credits · Undergraduate

Fall 2025

Topics

differentiation with a focus on theory, applications, and problem solving. A detailed outline
of course topics is provided below
Functions (definition, domain and range, representation of functions, piecewise
functions, catalog of essential functions, symmetry, new functions from old ones
inverse functions, combining functions, composition of functions)
Limits (intuitive definition, one-sided limits, infinite limits, limits laws
trigonometric limits, vertical and horizontal asymptotes, squeeze theorem)
Continuity (definition, types of continuous functions, types of discontinuities
intermediate value theorem)
continuity, power rule, product rule, quotient rule, chain rule, implicit differentiation
higher derivatives, derivative formulas, derivatives of inverse functions)
Applications of Derivatives (extreme value theorem, mean value theorem
monotonicity and concavity, extrema, inflection points, first derivative test, second
decay, rate of change in life and social sciences, related rates, curve sketching)
Analyze and describe functions (including piecewise functions and inverse functions)
symmetries
and create new functions through transformations, algebraic
operations and composition
Calculate limits graphically, numerically and algebraically, applying limit laws, the squeeze
theorem, and trigonometric limits

2019–2020

Biocalculus: Calculus, Probability, and Statistics for the Life Sciences, 1st Edition, by James Stewart and Troy Day, Cengage/Nelson.

Fall 2014

The goal of this course is to familiarize you with the basic concepts of differential calculus

Sources