Math 131: Calculus I
Fall 2026
Department of Mathematics, Grinnell College
| Class # | Date | Reading | Brief description | Assignment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F Aug 28 | 1.1–1.2 | Functions and their many representations | - |
| 2 | M Aug 31 | 1.3 | New functions from old | HW 1 |
| 3 | W Sep 2 | 1.4–1.5 | Exponentials, logarithms, and inverse functions | HW 2, CC 1 |
| 4 | F Sep 4 | 2.1 | The tangent and velocity problems | HW 3 |
| - | M Sep 7 | - | No class – Labor Day | -- |
| 5 | W Sep 9 | 2.2 | The limit of a function | HW 4, CC 2 |
| 6 | F Sep 11 | 2.3 | Calculating limits | HW 5 |
| 7 | M Sep 14 | 2.5 | Continuity | HW 6 |
| 8 | W Sep 16 | 2.6 | Limits at infinity and horizontal asymptotes | HW 7 |
| 9 | F Sep 18 | - | Exam 1 | HW 8, Exam |
| 10 | M Sep 21 | 2.7 | Derivatives and rates of change | - |
| 11 | W Sep 23 | 2.8 | The derivative as a function | HW 9, CC 3 |
| 12 | F Sep 25 | 3.1 | Derivatives of polynomials and exponential functions | HW 10 |
| 13 | M Sep 28 | 3.2 | The product/quotient rule | HW 11 |
| 14 | W Sep 30 | 3.3 | Derivatives of trigonometric functions | HW 12, CC 4 |
| 15 | F Oct 2 | 3.4 | The chain rule | HW 13 |
| 16 | M Oct 5 | 3.5 | Implicit differentiation | HW 14 |
| 17 | W Oct 7 | 3.6 | Derivatives of logarithms and inverse trigonometric functions | HW 15, CC 5 |
| 18 | F Oct 9 | 3.9 | Related rates | HW 16 |
| 19 | M Oct 12 | 3.9 | Related rates | HW 17 |
| 20 | W Oct 14 | 3.7 | Rates of change in the sciences | HW 18 |
| 21 | F Oct 16 | - | Exam 2 | Exam |
| - | Oct 17–25 | - | No class – Fall Break | - |
| 22 | M Oct 26 | 4.1 | Maximum/minimum values | - |
| 23 | W Oct 28 | 4.3 | Derivatives and graphs of functions | HW 19, CC 6 |
| 24 | F Oct 30 | 4.4 | Indeterminate forms and L'Hospital's rule | HW 20 |
| 25 | M Nov 2 | 4.5 | Curve sketching | HW 21 |
| 26 | W Nov 4 | 4.6 | Curve sketching | HW 22, CC 7 |
| 27 | F Nov 6 | 4.7 | Optimization | HW 23 |
| 28 | M Nov 9 | 4.7 | Optimization | HW 24 |
| 29 | W Nov 11 | 4.7 | Optimization | HW 25 |
| 30 | F Nov 13 | - | Exam 3 | Exam |
| 31 | M Nov 16 | 4.9 | Antiderivatives | -- |
| 32 | W Nov 18 | 5.1 | The area and distance problems | HW 26, CC 8 |
| 33 | F Nov 20 | 5.2 | The definite integral | HW 27 |
| 34 | M Nov 23 | 5.3 | The fundamental theorem of calculus | HW 28 |
| 35 | W Nov 25 | 5.4 | Indefinite integrals and the Net Change Theorem | HW 29, CC 9 |
| - | F Nov 27 | - | No class – Thanksgiving break | -- |
| 36 | M Nov 30 | 5.5 | Substitution rule | HW 30 |
| 37 | W Dec 2 | 6.1 | Areas | HW 31, CC 10 |
| 38 | F Dec 4 | 6.2 | Volumes | HW 32 |
| 39 | M Dec 7 | 6.2–6.3 | Volumes by disks and cylindrical shells | HW 33 |
| 40 | W Dec 9 | 6.3 | Volumes by cylindrical shells | HW 34 |
| 41 | F Dec 11 | - | Exam 4 | Exam |
| 42 | W Dec 16 | - | Final Exam | Exam |
