SYLLABUS
MATH 220    Spring 2018
  Section 903    TR  09:35 am-10:50 am (Blocker 148)
  Section 904    TR  11:10 am-12:25 pm (Blocker 148)

Instructor Oksana Shatalov
Office Blocker 245E
E-mail shatalov AT math.tamu.edu
Please include your full name and section number (903/904)  in title. Check your TAMU email account daily, because this is where class emails will be sent. You are responsible for any announcements made through email.
Phone (979) 845-3261 (department main office)
You can leave a message for me there. You will probably get a faster response by using email.
Web page /~shatalov/
(Check regularly for announcements and important information, as well as for lecture notes, a course schedule, and other helpful links)
Office Hours click here
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: Foundations of mathematics including logic, set theory, combinatorics, and number theory. Prerequisite: MATH 172.

TEXTBOOK:  Tamara J.Lakins, The Tools of Mathematical Reasoning, American Mathematical Soc., 2016, ISBN 1470428997, 9781470428990   For a limited book preview click here.
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.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 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.

MATERIAL COVERED: Most of chapters 1-6. Additional topics may be added.

GRADING: First note that this course is an official Writing Course. Hence about 1/3 of the grade is based on your ability to communicate your ideas. The most obvious way in which the "1/3" will be manifested is through specific assignments, and papers in which writing will play an integral part. However, writing communication skills will also be taken into account in the normal course of grades on other homeworks and exams.

*Note: Since this is a W course, no student can pass the course without a passing grade on the writing portion,  which will be calculated as  50% of termpaper grade+40% writing portion of the homework grade+ 10% of writing portion of  the quiz grade.  Specifically, if you get less than 60% on the writing portion, you will get an F for  the course no matter what your performance on the rest of the course material. If you get between 60% and 70% on the writing portion, you will get no better than D for the course. Otherwise your grade is as shown below.
Additional Course Information and Policies
The University views class attendance as an individual student responsibility. It is essential that students attend class and complete all assignments to succeed in the course. University student rules concerning excused and unexcused absences as well as makeups can be found at http://student-rules.tamu.edu/rule07. In particular, make-up exams and quizzes or late homework will NOT be allowed unless a University approved reason is given to me in writing. Notification before the absence is required when possible. Otherwise, you must notify me within 2 working days of the missed exam, quiz, or assignment to arrange a makeup. In all cases where an exam/quiz/assignment is missed due to an injury or illness, whether it be more or less than 3 days, I require a doctor’s note. I will not accept the “University Explanatory Statement for Absence from Class” form. Further, an absence due to a non-acute medical service or appointment (such as a regular checkup) is not an excused absence. Providing a fake or falsified doctor's note or other falsified documentation is considered academic dishonesty, will be reported to the Aggie Honor Council, and will result in an F* in the course.
Makeup exams will only be allowed provided the above guidelines are met. You will be allowed to make up a missed exam during one of the scheduled makeup times provided by the Math Department. According to Student Rule 7, you are expected to attend the scheduled makeup unless you have a University-approved excuse for missing the makeup time as well. If there are multiple makeup exam times, you must attend the earliest makeup time for which you do not have a University-approved excuse. The list of makeup times will be available at /courses/makeupexams.html.
Class announcements will be posted on my homepage. It is your responsibility to check them daily. Some important course announcements might be sent to your TAMU.EDU e-mail account or posted on eCampus. It is your responsibility to check your account and get familiar with the announcements.  E-mail (shatalov AT math.tamu.edu) is the preferred way to leave private messages for me. I usually respond within 24 hours. When writing to me, please include your full name and Math 220 and section number. Use your TAMU.EDU e-mail account to send me an e-mail. Otherwise please indicate your UIN. The phone number above is for the main office for the Math Department in Blocker. You can leave a message for me there. You will probably get a faster response by using email.
Any questions regarding grading/scoring of exams must be made before the exam leaves the room or no change in grade will be made. If you need more time to look at an exam and do not want to lose your right of protest, hand it back to me at the end of class, and arrange to come to office hours.  Because of privacy rights, I cannot discuss grades over email or phone.
Please refrain from using electronic devices during class. Texting and playing on your phone or computer distracts not only you, but also those around you. If you would like to use a laptop or iPad during class to take notes with, please ask for permission prior to doing so.

 Note: This syllabus is subject to change at the instructor's discretion. The instructor reserves the right to make any changes she considers academically advisable. It is your responsibility to attend classes and keep track of the proceedings.

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR STUDIES!