Document Type

Report

Publication Date

5-2026

DOI

https://doi.org/10.34068/2026CIP.Math2070

Abstract

MATH 2070 - Business Calculus II, is a course that most students in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business will likely take, but can also meet the mathematics requirement for many majors outside of the College of Science and the College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences. Like most second semester calculus courses, it requires decent foundations in both algebraic manipulation and derivation to succeed, skills that students will prove through pre-college examination and by passing a first calculus course. Where it differs from a STEM-oriented calculus II course is that it goes beyond integration, touching on multivariate functions, partial derivatives, data science, and probability, and contextualizes all of the learning through the lens of communicating and decision making in business. Students who take this course expect to come away with the mathematical tools necessary to pass professional certification exams and succeed as accountants, actuaries, financial managers, economists, and more.

The goal of this portfolio is to better prepare instructors of MATH 2070 to teach the necessary material and meet the needs of their students. We briefly describe the wide variety of motivations impelling students to take the course, and give insight into what they likely know when walking in at the beginning of the semester and what they need to know when walking out at the end. We present a concept map detailing the core topics within the course and how they relate to each other. Labeled on this diagram are also some difficulties students might face and misconceptions they might have about some of the topics; we provide descriptions of these misconceptions as well as links to articles about them should an instructor wish to learn more. Finally, we present two prepared lesson plans that aim at addressing some of these misconceptions: the first is about the definite integral and student difficulties with its conceptualization as a signed area, and the second is about average and instantaneous rates of change and student difficulties with their distinction and application.

Comments

Creative Commons License

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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