Office Rm. Blocker 614A, Telephone (979)862-3257
E-mail: kuchment@math.tamu.edu, Home Page: /~kuchment
Section: 970 (honors)
Time: TR 12:45 - 2:00pm
Room: ZACH 119D
Textbook:Bond and Keane, An Introduction to Abstract Mathematics, 2007, Waveland Press, ISBN 1577665392.
Regular office hours: MW 1 - 2 pm, Rm. Blocker 614A, no appointment is needed.
Additional office hours can be arranged by appointment.
Help sessions (starting September 9th), lead by Hannah Frailey: TR 6 - 7:30 pm (if there is no one at 7 pm, the session ends), Rm. Blocker 605.
No appointment is needed.
The purpose of the course is to provide students with important foundational skills that will prepare them to be successful in higher level courses. The main thrust is to teach students how to understand, create, and communicate proofs. Some frequently used types of proofs will be introduced. Several mathematical topics from logic, set theory, etc. will be addressed, where the newly learned techniques can be applied.
This is a W (writing) course, which means that close attention will be paid
to students' ability to write mathematical statements and proofs mathematically
and grammatically correctly. About one third of the grade will depend on the
writing.
The instructor will be providing examples and recommendations concerning math writing.
The following little book (not required) is a good source for many such recommendations:
Donald E. Knuth, Tracy Larrabee, Mathematical Writing, The Mathematical Association of America 1989.
ISBN 978-0883850633.
Some other books of this kind:
Norman E. Steenrod,, Paul R. Halmos, et al, How to Write Mathematics, Amer. Math. Soc. 1973. ISBN-13: 978-0821800553.
A collection of articles by famous mathematicians concerning writing.
Nicholas J. Higham, Handbook of Writing for the Mathematical Sciences, SIAM 1998.
ISBN-13: 978-0898714203
Steven Krantz, A Primer of Mathematical Writing: Being a Disquisition on Having Your Ideas Recorded, Typeset, Published, Read & Appreciated
And here is the timeless treasure: a tiny beautiful book on writing:
William Strunk Jr., E. B. White, The Elements of Style, Longman 1999 (there are zillions of other editions).
ISBN-10: 020530902X, ISBN-13: 978-0205309023.
MATH 148, MATH 152 or MATH 172 or equivalent with a grade of C or better and eligibility for a honors class.
It is advised that besides doing homework, students try to solve other problems after the sections studied. In case of any difficulties contact the instructor.
Weeks |
Chapters and sections |
Home assignments (to be handed in BEFORE the class on the due date). |
Tests, quizzes, term papers (dates are flexible and will be confirmed closer to a test). |
1, Sept. 1 - 6 |
Sections 1.1 Statements, 1.2 Compound statements |
Assignment #1 - Sect. 1.1 #1 (b,c,e,f,h,j,k); 2(b,c,e,f,h); 3(b,c,e,f,h); 5(b,c,e,f); 6; 7(b,c), D5, D6, D8. Section 1.2. #3, 5(b,c,e,f), 15a, 16, D1, D2, D4. Extra credit: Section 1.1. #8, D3 . Due September 11th. |
|
2, Sept. 8 - 13 |
Section 1.3 Implications |
TBA |
|
3, Sept. 15 - 20 |
Section 1.4 Contrapositive and converse |
Assignment #2. Section 1.3 #1b,c; 2c; 3b; 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, D2; Section 1.4 # 4a,b; 5, 16, 17, 20, 21, D1, D2, D4 . Due Tuesday September 23rd. |
|
4, Sept. 22 - 27 |
Sections 2.1 - 2.3 Sets |
n/a |
|
5, Sept. 29 - Oct. 4 |
Sections 6.1, 6.2. Infinite sets |
n/a |
|
6-7, Oct. 6 - 21 |
Infinite sets |
n/a |
Exam 1, Oct. 9 on logic (1.1 - 1.4) and sets (2.1 - 2.3, 6.1, 6.2) |
7, Oct. 13 - 18 |
Sections 5.2, 2.3 - Induction. Pigeonhole principle |
Assignment #3. Section 2.3 #2, 4, 5 (b,c,e,f), 11, 14, 23; Section 5.2 # 1c, 3, 4b, 14; Section 6.1 #11 (a,b,c,d,e) Section 6.2 # 3, 4, 7 (b,c,e,f,h). Due Tuesday October 28th.
|
|
8 - 10, , Oct. 23 - Nov. 8 |
Sections 3.1 - 3.3. Functions. Sections 5.1 - 5.2 Elementary Number Theory |
TBA |
Oct. 28. Outline is due (15 points) |
11, Nov. 10 - 15 |
Section 5.3 |
Assignment #4. Due N0vember 11th. |
Nov. 11, Two copies of typed draft are due. (20 points) |
12 - 13, Nov. 17 - 22 |
Section 5.4 |
TBA |
Nov. 18 - edited drafts are due (10 points) Nov. 18 - Exam 2 on functions and number theory (3.1 - 3.3, 5.1 - 5.4) |
14 - 14.5, Nov. 24 - Dec. 9 |
Miscellanea |
TBA |
Nov. 24, HW Assignment #5 is due:
Section 5.3 # 1,3,4(a),10(a,b),12,13.
Extra Credit (no partial credit): D1, D2, D3
Dec 4. Term papers are due (45 points) |
December 17, Wednesday, 8-10 a.m. |
|
Additional office hours before the final exam: TBA |
Comprehensive Final exam: December 17, Wednesday, 8-10 a.m. |
GRADING POLICY
Percentage of points |
Grade |
---|---|
90% and higher |
A |
80% and higher |
B |
70% and higher |
C |
60% and higher |
D |
Less than 60% |
F |
Make-ups for missed quizzes, home assignments and exams will only be allowed for a university approved excuse in writing. Wherever possible, students should inform the instructor before an exam or quiz is missed. Consistent with University Student Rules , students are required to notify an instructor by the end of the next working day after missing an exam or quiz. If there are confirmed circumstances that do not allow this (a written confirmation is required), the student has two working days to notify the instructor. Otherwise, they forfeit their rights to a make-up.
Late work will not be accepted, unless there is an university approved excuse in writing. In the latter case student has a week to submit the work.
Sometimes the instructor might make a mistake grading your work. If you feel that this has happened, you have one week since the graded work was handed back to you to talk to the instructor. If a mistake is confirmed, the grade will be changed. No complaints after that deadline will be considered.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact Services for Students with Disabilities (Cain Hall, Room B118, or call 845-1637).
All printed materials disseminated in class or on the web are protected by Copyright laws. One xerox copy (or download from the web) is allowed for personal use. Multiple copies or sale of any of these materials is strictly prohibited.
Copying work done by others, either in class or out of class,
looking on other student?s
papers during exams or quizzes, having possession of unapproved
information in your calculator/computer/phone, etc., and/or having
someone else do your work for you are all acts of scholastic
dishonesty. These acts, and other acts that can be classified as
scholastic dishonesty, will be prosecuted to the full extent allowed
by University policy. In this class, collaboration on graded
assignments, either in class or out of class, is forbidden unless
permission to do so is granted by the instructor. For more
information on university policy regarding scholastic dishonesty, see
University Student Rules at
http://studentrules.tamu.edu/.
"An Aggie does not lie,
cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do." Visit
http://www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor and follow the rules of the
Aggie
Honor Code.