Extra credit points will be given to all students who come to my office in the first two weeks of class and sign an attendance sheet. You are also encouraged to talk to your TAs during their office hours. All grades are subject to curving and there is no set correspondence between numbers and letters. In general, a letter grade is only associated with the final course grade, but I will provide you with an estimate of how you are doing at mid-semester. In addition to any other action taken, the normal sanction is a grade of XF , denoting failure due to academic dishonesty, and will normally be recorded on the transcript of the offending student.
Physics relies heavily on mathematics.
You are expected to be comfortable with algebra and trigonometry. Calculus is not a requirement and no knowledge of calculus is presupposed. The book solves the problem of explaining physics without using calculus in an underhanded way - it introduces calculus without labeling it as such. Please check it periodically. Ask me, your class mates, the TAs and, most importantly, yourself.