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Department of Mathematics

Calculus Lab: An Introduction

Instructions

The purpose of this week’s lab is for you to become familiar with the network and SageMath. You will learn how to log in and log out of the network and how to access SageMath and the Internet. You will also learn how to install SageMath on your personal computer, if you would like. Once this is complete, you will begin to learn about SageMath by working through an interactive SageMath worksheet.

Login and Logout

  • When you are seated at a computer on the network, begin the login process by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete. This will open a window in which you will be asked to enter your username and password. You should log on using your USC network username and password. This is the same username and password that you use to access your university email.
  • If you have trouble logging onto the network, you will need to log on with someone else for this lab. Before next week’s lab, please email help@math.sc.edu for assistance.
  • Once you are logged in, take a look at your Windows desktop. You should see several icons, including ones for Google Chrome and SageMath 9.2 Notebook.
  • To log out, click the Start button or press Ctrl + Alt + Delete. Click Log Off and confirm that you want to log out by pressing the button labeled Log Off. Do not turn off the computer.

Installing and Accessing Sage

Detailed instructions on how to install and access SageMath 9.2 are given in the Accessing Sage section on the calculus lab website.

Accessing the Internet and Lab Materials

  • Google Chrome is the standard browser provided in our computer labs. An icon for Google Chrome should be on your desktop. Double click this icon to launch the browser.
  • Open the Lab homepage: people.math.sc.edu/calclab. Add this page to your list of favorite websites.
  • The lab homepage contains links to all lab materials for both Math 141 and Math 142, the Lab Syllabus, and a Reference Guide.

New User’s Tour

  • From the Lab homepage, choose either Math 141 or Math 142. This page contains all of the lab worksheets for the course.
  • If you are using an installed copy of SageMath, click on the link for Lab 01 in the file column. This will download a copy of the lab to your Downloads folder. To open the file, first open SageMath 9.2 on your computer. Then navigate to the Downloads folder and select the file.
  • If you are using Binder, click on the link for Lab 01 in the Binder Link column. This will open the file in the browser. Note that Binder may take a minute or so to start.
  • Once everyone has the lab open, your TA will guide you through the interactive introduction to SageMath.
  • If you want to be able to return to anything you have worked on in Sage, you must save your work as a Sage Notebook. This is done by selecting Download As... from the File menu, and then choosing Notebook (.ipynb). It is best to save your work to the Z: drive, so make sure to copy the file from the Downloads folder on the computer and move it to your Z: drive.
  • When you have finished, or when the lab session ends, please exit your SageMath session and log out of the network. Do not forget to save useful work to the Z: drive before exiting.

Assignment

Complete the New User’s Tour if you did not finish in the lab. Also, your lab instructor may give a homework assignment for each section.

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

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