Department of Mathematics & Statistics

Concordia University

MAST 218
Multivariable Calculus I
Fall 2025

Instructor: Dr. Nadia Lafrenière

Email: [email protected]

Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday: 10:30 AM – 12 PM, Wednesday: 2 – 3:30 PM, in LB-
901.16
This help is available to discuss and clarify the material of the course. Note
that, if a student misses a lecture, the instructor will not use office hours to
make up for the student’s missed class. Office hours are to clarify and better
assimilate the material of the course that the student tried first to understand
from the lecture or textbook in an individual study. Students are encouraged
to use office hours regularly.

Midterm Break: No classes between October 11 and October 17, 2025.

Prerequisites: Math 204 and 205 or equivalent.

Textbook: Multivariable Calculus, 9th Edition by J. Stewart, (Cengage Learning, © 2020)

ISBN: 9780357042922 (hardcover) and 9780357746943 (e-book) available at the
university’s bookstore https://www.bkstr.com/concordiastore/home.
Note: Students should order textbooks as early as possible, especially for
printed versions in case books are backordered or there are any shipping
delays.

The 8th Edition is not available for purchase, but you may use it for this
course if you already have it. The course outline has the weekly sections and
suggested problems for both editions (see tables on pages 3-4).

WeBWorK: Every student will be given access to an online system called WeBWorK.
Students will use this system to do online assignments (see Assignments
below).

Assignments: Assignments are very important as they indicate the level of difficulty of the
problems that students are expected to solve and understand. Therefore,
every effort should be made to do and understand them. Students are
expected to submit assignments online using WeBWorK. Late assignments
will not be accepted. Assignments contribute 10% to the final grade. The
lowest grade assignment will be dropped (this could be an assignment
marked as zero for not being submitted due to illness or late enrollment).

Departmental website: http://www.mathstat.concordia.ca

MAST 218– Fall 2025
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Students are also strongly advised to work on the suggested problems, and
similar ones, in the tables on pages 3-4.

Web Resources: Stewart Calculus offers a number of resources that you may use at the site
https://www.stewartcalculus.com/media/11_home.php

In addition, OpenStax, the world's largest publisher of open education

resources provides under the listing of Calculus 3 a variety of problems, in
addition to a free, peer-reviewed textbook that covers the standard material
you will see in this course: https://openstax.org/details/books/calculus-
volume-3

A selection of suggested problems from OpenStax has been included for your
practice in a table on pages 4-5.

Use of Software: It is optional but strongly recommended to use software such as Maple,
Mathematica or WolframAlpha to verify and illustrate the analytical results
you get while solving your assignment problems.

Calculators: Only calculators approved by the Department (with a sticker attached as proof
of approval) are permitted for the class test and final examination.
Consult the list of approved calculators at
https://www.concordia.ca/artsci/math-stats/services.html

Tests: One class midterm test covering the material of the first five weeks will be
given in week 6 or 7. The exact date will be announced in class during the first
2-3 weeks. There is no make up for a missed midterm. The final examination
will cover material from the entire course.

PLEASE NOTE: Students are responsible for finding out the date and time of
the final exam once the schedule is posted by the Examination Office. Any
conflicts or problems with the scheduling of the final exam must be reported
directly to the Examination Office, not to your instructor. It is the
Department’s policy and the Examination Office’s policy that students are to
be available until the end of the final exam period. Conflicts due to travel
plans will not be accommodated.

Final Grade: The higher of the following:

• 90% final exam, 10% assignments, or
• 30% midterm, 10% assignments, and 60% final.
There is no 100% option for this course.

If the grading scheme for this course includes graded assignments, a reasonable and
representative subset of each assignment may be graded. Students will not be told in
advance which subset of the assigned problems will be marked and should therefore attempt all
assigned problems.
MAST 218– Fall 2025
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Scheduling and assignments for the 8th Edition (weeks 6 and 7 may be switched at the
instructor’s discretion):

Week Sections Topics Suggested problems

1 10.1 Parametric equations of curves 10.1: 8, 17, 24, 28
10.2 Calculus with parametric curves 10.2: 6, 16, 32, 42
2 10.3 Polar coordinates 10.3: 20, 28, 32, 42, 54
10.4 Areas and lengths in polar coordinates 10.4: 12, 26, 30, 48
10.5 Conic sections 10.5: 8, 16, 24, 30, 44, 48
3 10.6 Conic sections in polar coordinates. 10.6: 10, 12, 14
12.1 Three-dimensional coordinate systems 12.1: 20, 23, 32, 36, 38
4 12.2 Vectors 12.2: 20, 26, 28
12.3 Dot product 12.3: 22, 24, 42, 45, 47, 64
12.4 Cross product 12.4: 4, 18, 36, 44
5 12.5 Equations of lines and planes 12.5: 10, 20, 22, 30, 34, 38, 62,
74
12.6 Cylinders and quadric surfaces 12.6: 12, 14, 18, 21-28
6 Review Chapters 10 and 12
Midterm Evaluation
7 13.1 Vector functions and space curves 13.1: 32, 42, 50
13.2 Derivatives and integrals of vector functions 13.2: 24, 26, 36
8 13.3 Arc length and curvature of space curve 13.3: 4, 6, 24, 30, 50
13.4 Velocity and acceleration 13.4: 18 (a), 23, 24
9 14.1 Functions of several variables 14.1: 18, 30, 48
14.2 Limits and continuity 14.2: 12, 14, 18, 38, 40
14.3 Partial derivatives 14.3: 50, 68, 76 (d)
10 14.4 Tangent planes and linear approximation 14.4: 6, 16, 26
14.5 Chain rule 14.5: 8, 12, 34, 46
11 14.6 Directional derivatives and gradient vector 14.6: 6, 24, 29, 32, 46, 54, 56,
61
14.7 Maximum and minimum values 14.7: 20, 32, 36, 50, 52, 59
12 14.8 Lagrange multipliers 14.8: 1, 4, 6, 16, 18
Review Chapters 13 and 14

Scheduling and assignments for the 9th Edition (weeks 6 and 7 may be switched at the
instructor’s discretion):

Week Sections Topics Suggested problems

1 10.1 Parametric equations of curves 10.1: 10, 22, 30, 34
10.2 Calculus with parametric curves 10.2: 10, 14, 35, 48
2 10.3 Polar coordinates 10.3: 20, 28, 36, 46, 56
10.4 Areas and lengths in polar coordinates 10.4: 11, 26, 30, 52
10.5 Conic sections 10.5: 8, 16, 24, 32, 46, 50
3 10.6 Conic sections in polar coordinates. 10.6: 16, 18, 20
12.1 Three-dimensional coordinate systems 12.1: 22, 25, 32, 34, 42
MAST 218– Fall 2025
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4 12.2 Vectors 12.2: 20, 26, 28

12.3 Dot product 12.3: 22, 24, 42, 45, 47, 64
12.4 Cross product 12.4: 4, 18, 36, 44
5 12.5 Equations of lines and planes 12.5: 10, 20, 22, 30, 34, 38, 62,
74
12.6 Cylinders and quadric surfaces 12.6: 14, 16, 20, 23-30
6 Review Chapters 10 and 12
Midterm Evaluation
7 13.1 Vector functions and space curves 13.1: 40, 50, 58
13.2 Derivatives and integrals of vector functions 13.2: 26, 28, 38, 44
8 13.3 Arc length and curvature of space curve 13.3: 6, 8, 28, 34, 54
13.4 Velocity and acceleration 13.4: 18 (a), 23, 24
9 14.1 Functions of several variables 14.1: 12, 30, 48
14.2 Limits and continuity 14.2: 12, 24, 26, 50, 52
14.3 Partial derivatives 14.3: 44, 62, 78 (d)
10 14.4 Tangent planes and linear approximation 14.4: 10, 22, 34
14.5 Chain Rule 14.5: 12, 16, 38, 50
11 14.6 Directional derivatives and gradient vector 14.6: 6, 26, 30, 35, 38, 52, 60,
62, 67
14.7 Maximum and minimum values 14.7: 22, 34, 38, 52, 54, 61
12 14.8 Lagrange multipliers 14.8: 1, 3, 6, 24, 30
Review Chapters 13 and 14

Openstax Suggested problems at https://openstax.org/details/books/calculus-volume-3

Week Sections Topics OpenStax Suggested problems

section
1 10.1 Parametric equations of curves 1.1 1, 3, 11
10.2 Calculus with parametric curves 1.2 69, 71, 107, 109
2 10.3 Polar coordinates 1.3 163, 169, 183
10.4 Areas and lengths in polar coordinates 1.4 195, 209, 219
10.5 Conic sections 1.5 259, 275, 299, 306
3 10.6 Conic sections in polar coordinates. 1.5 281, 287, 295
12.1 Three-dimensional coordinate systems 2.2 69, 71, 76
4 12.2 Vectors 2.1-2.2 36, 83, 93
12.3 Dot product 2.3 135, 143, 155, 167
12.4 Cross product 2.4 185, 195, 233
5 12.5 Equations of lines and planes 2.5 255, 261, 245, 281, 283, 293
12.6 Cylinders and quadric surfaces 2.6 309, 311, 315, 317, 339
6 Review + Midterm Evaluation
7 13.1 Vector functions and space curves 3.1 3, 30, 36
13.2 Derivatives and integrals of vector 3.2 51, 53, 57, 101
functions
8 13.3 Arc length and curvature of space curve 3.3 103, 107, 129, 131, 133
13.4 Velocity and acceleration 3.4 181, 183, 187
MAST 218– Fall 2025
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9 14.1 Functions of several variables 4.1 7, 25, 45

14.2 Limits and continuity 4.2 81, 97, 107
14.3 Partial derivatives 4.3 125, 135, 145, 149
10 14.4 Tangent planes and linear approximation 4.4 175, 181, 199, 204
14.5 Chain Rule 4.5 237, 243, 257
11 14.6 Directional derivatives and gradient vector 4.6 273, 303, 307
14.7 Maximum and minimum values 4.7 339, 345, 347, 349, 357
12 14.8 Lagrange multipliers 4.8 363, 371, 379

Final Note: Active participation in classes and continuous work on the course material
throughout the term is important for success in this course. Read the course
material, practice as many problems as you can, and do the assignments on
your own. By assuming responsible behavior (see also the Academic Integrity
and the Academic Code of Conduct below), you will also achieve a better
understanding of the material.

Student Services
You may wish to access the many services available to you as a Concordia student. An overview of these resources can be
found here: https://www.concordia.ca/students/services.html

Academic Integrity and the Academic Code of Conduct

This course is governed by Concordia University's policies on Academic Integrity and the Academic Code of Conduct as
set forth in the Undergraduate Calendar and the Graduate Calendar. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with
these policies and conduct themselves accordingly. "Concordia University has several resources available to students to
better understand and uphold academic integrity. Concordia’s website on academic integrity can be found at the following
address, which also includes links to each Faculty and the School of Graduate Studies:
https://www.concordia.ca/conduct/academic-integrity.html" [Undergraduate Calendar, Sec 17.10.2]

Behaviour
All individuals participating in courses are expected to be professional and constructive throughout the course, including
in their communications.

Concordia students are subject to the Code of Rights and Responsibilities which applies both when students are physically
and virtually engaged in any University activity, including classes, seminars, meetings, etc. Students engaged in
University activities must respect this Code when engaging with any members of the Concordia community, including
faculty, staff, and students, whether such interactions are verbal or in writing, face to face or online/virtual. Failing to
comply with the Code may result in charges and sanctions, as outlined in the Code.

Intellectual Property
Content belonging to instructors shared in online courses, including, but not limited to, online lectures, course notes, and
video recordings of classes remain the intellectual property of the faculty member. It may not be distributed, published or
broadcast, in whole or in part, without the express permission of the faculty member. Students are also forbidden to use
their own means of recording any elements of an online class or lecture without express permission of the instructor. Any
unauthorized sharing of course content may constitute a breach of the Academic Code of Conduct and/or the Code of
Rights and Responsibilities. As specified in the Policy on Intellectual Property, the University does not claim any
ownership of or interest in any student IP. All university members retain copyright over their work.

Extraordinary circumstances
In the event of extraordinary circumstances and pursuant to the Academic Regulations the University may modify the
delivery, content, structure, forum, location and/or evaluation scheme. In the event of such extraordinary circumstances,
students will be informed of the change.