Math 220 spring 18
Homework Assignments (Note - these are subject to change up to a week before being due):
Note: paragraphs must be typed and handed in separately from the homework from the text.
- HW
Due Fri. Jan. 26: Section 1.1: 1,2,3,7,9,11,12, read up to p25 in
Aharoni and chapter 1 of Bond-Keane, write a paragraph on adding
pencils v. buttons elaborating on the discussion in Aharoni: give an
example of an abstraction in mathematics that initially (or even
still) gave you difficulty. In this class I expect you to write well -
you should aspire to write like this and like this. paragraph now due Monday 1/29 due to lack of availability of Aharoni
- HW due Fri. 2/2: Section
1.2: 3,5,7,13(c),15(a),D3; Section 1.3: 3,7,16,D3,
Read pages 62-76, 111-117 and p170 of the House of Wisdom (on reserve in
Evans) write a paragraph summarizing and commenting on something new
you learned from the reading.
- HW due Fri. 2/9: Section 1.4: 4,7,8,10,12,17; Section 2.1: 5,7f,7g,7h,10,16; Section 2.2: 4c,4d,4e,24.
- HW due Wed. 2/14: Sect. 2.3: 5,11,23,26. read up to p45 in Aharoni, write a paragraph on decimal expressions compared to binary, trinary and the Babelonian system.
- First
Midterm- Friday Feb. 16 on Chapter 1 and 2.1 - you may bring a page of
handwritten notes to the exam (must be written by you)
- HW due MONDAY 2/26 (to allow time for test rewriting) Section , Sect. 3.1: 2,5,10,15, read up to p58 in Aharoni and chapter 3 of B-K, write a paragraph on an experience you had of "spiral" learning in math.
- HW due Fri. 3/2: 3.2:1(e)(f)(h),2,13,14(a)(b)(d),26.
- HW due Fri. 3/9: Section 3.3:2,7,10,11,14, Sect. 4.1: 1,2,4,10, finish reading Part II of Aharoni,
write a paragraph on the use of technology in the classroom: Aharoni
has very strong views on this- do you agree? Is there ever a good use
of technology in a math class?, read chapter 4 of B-K.
- HW due Fri. 3/23: read part III of Aharoni, write a one page book review of Arithmetic for Parents. This writing asssignment will get a letter grade.
- Second Midterm- Wed. March 21. Chaps 1-3 Cumulative. You may bring two pages of handwritten notes to the exam.
- HW due Mon. 4/2: Sections 4.1: 13,27, 36 and 4.2: 4,9,10,12,16, 19,21,22,24, Sect 5.1: 1,2,3
- for each line of each proof, write which axiom or previously used
proposition you are using, If you have never read Plato before, now is the time to do so: Read Book VII of the republic up to "But
then, if I am right, certain professors of education must be
wrong when they say that they can put a knowledge into the soul
which was not there before, like sight into blind eyes. " For comparison, you could read the butterfly dream (first bullet below the Chinese). Then Book X
up to "the imitative poet implants an evil constitution, for he
indulges the irrational nature which has no discernment of greater and
less, but thinks the same thing at one time great and at another
small-he is a manufacturer of images and is very far removed from the
truth". We will discuss the reading in class Monday 4/2.
- HW due Fri. 4/6: 5.1:4,9,10,13,15,24. read this essay by Folland.
- HW due Friday. 4/13: Section 5.2: 2,4,7,8,25,26. Hand
in a 2 page essay based on Folland's essay and/or the parts of the
republic related to mathematics - are definitions (e.g. of the real
numbers, of a four dimensional sphere) invented or discovered?
- Third Midterm- Mon. 4/16 on Chaps 1-4 plus 5.1 cumulative. You may bring 4 pages of handwritten notes to the exam. Questions will be taken directly from the homework and previous exams.
- HW due Fri. 4/20: Section 5.3: 4,8,10,16,23 hand in topic for 5-10 page paper along with a short outline - topic of your choice after approval by me.
Possible topics: history of mathematics, teaching of
mathematics, philosophy and mathematics. I will be happy to
suggest supplemental reading.
- due Friday 4/27: First draft of 10
page paper
- due Mon. 4/30: Section 5.4:2,3,11, and 5.5:2,4,10,16b,17b,25,26,27
- Tues. 5/1 (last day of class)
- due at final exam: final version of your 10 page paper.