Department of Mathematics, College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY)

Business Calculus - MTH 221, Section D002 (28851): Fall 2025

Mondays and Wednesdays:    2:30pm - 4:25pm   in 1S-112

Prof. Ilya Kofman

Email:   Ilya.Kofmancsi.cuny.edu
Course website:   http://www.math.csi.cuny.edu/~ikofman/math221.html

Textbooks:  Primary textbook: Business Calculus by Shana Calaway, Dale Hoffman, David Lippman. We will also refer to Paul's Online Notes by Paul Dawkins and Business Calculus with Excel by Mike May and Anneke Bart. All three of these textbooks are freely available online.

Webwork:  Webwork is a free online system that provides individualized homework problems, gives immediate feedback, and allows you to correct mistakes until the due date. Later, you can see detailed solutions online. Webwork is required in this course, and it is used as part of your grade. Webwork website

Quizzes and Exams:  See the schedule of quizzes and exams below. No electronic devices, such as phones or calculators will be allowed during quizzes and exams.

Grading:  The course grade will be determined (subject to change announced in class) by your scores on Webwork, quizzes, exams and final exam. Without exception, you must take the final exam at the time scheduled by the college.

Help:  My office hours are on Mondays and Wednesdays 4:30 - 5:45pm in my office, 1S-209. Also, free math tutoring is available:

  • Math department tutoring
  • CASA tutoring

    How to Study:  (1.) Come to class (attendance is mandatory).  (2.) Read the relevant sections after class.  (3.) Do the homework. Leave time to think about it!  (4.) Come to my office hours or the help room with any remaining questions.  (5.) To study for a math exam, you must DO MORE PROBLEMS from sample quizzes and exams, homework and textbook.

    Date Topic Reading Webwork Set
    Wed Aug 27 Linear functions, Average ROC 1.1 Functions 1
        1.2 Operations on Functions 1
        1.3 Linear Functions 1
    Wed Sep 3 Quadratic functions 1.5 Quadratics 2
      Polynomial and rational functions 1.4 Exponents 2
      Exponential and logarithmic functions 1.6 Polynomials and Rational Functions 2
        1.7 Exponential Functions 14
        1.8 Logarithmic Functions 14
    Mon Sep 8 Limits and continuity 2.1 Limits and Continuity 3
    Wed Sep 10 Infinite limits Paul Online 2.6 Infinite Limits  
        Paul Online 2.7 Limits at Infinity  
    Mon Sep 15 Quiz 1    
    Wed Sep 17 The derivative 2.2 The Derivative 4,9
    Mon Sep 29 Power rule 2.3 Power and Sum Rules 5,15
    Mon Oct 6 Product and quotient rules 2.4 Product and Quotient Rules 6
    Wed Oct 8 Chain rule 2.5 Chain Rule 7
    Tues Oct 14 Review    
    Wed Oct 15 Exam 1
    		   
    Wed Oct 22 Second derivative and concavity 2.6 The Second Derivative and Concavity 8
    Fri Oct 24 Optimization 2.7 Optimization 11
    Mon Oct 27 Curve sketching 2.8 Curve Sketching
    Wed Oct 29 Applied optimization 2.9 Applied Optimization 12
    Mon Nov 3 Quiz 2    
    Wed Nov 5 Elasticity of demand 2.10 Elasticity of Demand 13
    Mon Nov 10 Related rates 2.11 Implicit Differentiation and Related Rates 10
    Wed Nov 12 Definite integral 3.1 The Definite Integral 17
    Mon Nov 17 Fundamental Theorem of Calculus 3.2 The Fundamental Theorem and Antidifferentiation 16
        3.3 Antiderivatives of Formulas 16
    Wed Nov 19 Review    
    Mon Nov 24 Exam 2    
    Wed Nov 26 Substitution rule 3.4 Substitution 19
    Mon Dec 1 Area, average value 3.6 Area, Volume, and Average Value 18
    Wed Dec 3 Applications of integration 3.7 Applications to Business 20
    Mon Dec 8 Improper integrals Paul Online 7.8 Improper integrals  
    Wed Dec 10 Final Exam Review    
    Mon Dec 15 Final Exam Review    

    Useful online resources:

    1. Don't make these common algebra mistakes!
    2. Desmos graphing tool
    3. Desmos derivatives example
    4. Desmos tangent line example
    5. Desmos derivatives tutorial
    6. Calculus.org 
    7. Free online Calculus I textbook
    8. Videos: 3Blue1Brown Essence of Calculus
    9. Videos: Khan Academy Calculus 1
    10. Videos: Patrick JMT
    11. How to enter answers in Webwork
    12. Free CSI Math Tutoring

    Attendance policy: Attendance is mandatory. Unauthorized absences from three or more classes will result in a course grade of WU (Withdrew Unofficially).

    Disability policy: Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable academic accommodations if determined eligible by the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS). Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of student's eligibility from OAS, which is located in 1P-101. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with the OAS staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

    Integrity policy: No electronic devices, such as phones or calculators will be allowed during quizzes and exams. Any cheating during quizzes or exams will result in your failing the course and the matter being reported to the dean, following CUNY's Academic Integrity Policy, which is available online at https://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/policies-procedures/academic-integrity-policy.

    Important Dates: www.csi.cuny.edu/currentstudents/academiccalendars