Textbook
and Other Resources |
- Berlinghoff and
Gouvea, Math Through the Ages, Expanded Edition, Mathematical Association of America: Oxton House Publishing, 2003.
- Boyer, A History of Calculus and its Conceptual Development, Dover Publishing, 1959.
- We will use Blackboard to manage communication and exchange of files. Check http://blackboard.ship.edu to make sure you can log in and see the course page there.
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Goals
and Expectations |
|
Throughout this semester we will study mathematics from an historic point of view. The topics, for the most part, should be familiar so we will focus our discussion on historical contexts and connections. Specifically, this course has the following goals:
- You will be exposed to the human side of mathematics and its development. Mathematics has always been part of human cultures, but its role has changed throughout history.
- You will receive an overview of mathematics, so you can see how your various concepts fit together and where the important ideas come from.
- You will improve your written and oral communication skills in the context of mathematics.
- You will learn proper ways to use mathematics resource material in the library and on the Internet.
- You will become aware of some ways to use the history of mathematics in your future teaching (for those of you pursuing this career path).
- You will learn about contributions of female and non-western mathematicians to the mathematics discipline.
This course will be run primarily in a seminar style, which places a great deal of responsibility on you. I expect that you will keep up with the reading assignments, turn in papers and other work on time, organize your presentations in a responsible way, and participate fully in class discussions. The quality of your experience in this course depends on everyone striving to meet these expectations.
|
Tentative Schedule |
- 8/27 &
8/29. Overview of Math History. Tour of library resources.
- 9/5. Math activities and Chpt. 1 of B & G
- 9/10 &
9/12. Chpt. 2-6 of B&G.
- 9/17 &
9/19. Chpt. 7-9 of B&G. Calculus discussion 1 (Boyer)
- 9/24
& 9/26. Calculus discussion 2 (Boyer)
- 10/1 & 10/3.
Calculus discussion 3 (Boyer) and review.
- 10/10. Calculus discussion 4 (Boyer)
- 10/15 &
10/17. Review and Midterm exam
- 10/22 &
10/24.
Chpt. 10-14 of B&G.
- 10/29 &
10/31. Chpt. 14-16 of B&G. Calculus discussion 5 (Boyer)
- 11/5 &
11/7. Calculus discussion 6 (Boyer)
- 11/12 &
11/14. Calculus discussion 7 (Boyer)
- 11/19. Wrapup of calculus discussion
- 11/26
& 11/28. Chpt. 18-22 of B&G.
- 12/3 &
12/9. Chpt. 23-25 of B&G and review.
- 12/10-12/14.
Final exam during final exam week (time and place of our final will be announced)
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Submissions |
| You
will each do three group presentations and write two papers. Guidelines for each will be distributed in class and on Blackboard early in the course. There will also be
a midterm exam and a final exam. There will be
assigned reading combined with problem sets to be turned
in occasionally. The due dates for these different components will be announced
as we go along. |
Grades |
|
You will have a total
of 500 points possible in this course, broken down as
follows:
- Midterm exam and
final exam. 100 points each.
- Three group presentations.
40 points each.
- Two written
papers. 50 points each.
- Homework. 80
points total.
This will lead to
letter grades assigned according to the following table.
| Points |
Letter |
| 455
- 500 |
A |
| 445
- 454 |
A- |
| 435
- 449 |
B+ |
| 405
- 434 |
B |
| 395
- 404 |
B- |
| 380
- 394 |
C+ |
| 350
- 379 |
C |
| 300
- 349 |
D |
|
Policies |
Collaboration
You are encouraged
to work together on all problems and papers, but you are expected to (a)
acknowledge your collaborators and (b) submit only work that you have written
yourself. Acknowledging collaborators ensures that you are reflecting upon
the ideas that went into the final solution. It is also a professional
ideal you will need when you enter the workforce. Writing your own work
ensures that you are demonstrating your own understanding of the solution
to a
problem. Two people who submit identical copies on any assignment
or program will receive a grade of 0 on the assignment. Subsequent violations
will be turned over to the University's plagiarism policies. In-class work
may often be submitted in teams -- pay attention to directions each day.
Exams must obviously be completed on your own.
Late Work
- Missed
exams will be excused only in the event of a documented illness or
family emergency. In such an event, the student must contact the
professor within 24 hours of the day of the exam to make appropriate
arrangements. If an exam must be missed for professional reasons
or university-recognized events, arrangements must be made with the
professor in advance of the day of the exam.
- Late homework
and papers will be subject to a penalty. Homework will not be accepted
after the problems have been gone over or papers returned.
Special
Accommodations Any
student who has been identified by the Office of Social Equity as
requiring special arrangements for test-taking or note-taking will
be accommodated. All such persons should make these arrangements
personally with the professor within the first few weeks of the course. |
