Math 300, Autumn, 2009

Prof. N. Childress

PSA 433, 965-6504

Messages: 965-3951

nc@asu.edu

 

The book How to Prove It by Daniel J. Velleman is the required text for this course. Topic numbers in the following schedule refer to section numbers in the text.

 

 

Tentative Schedule of Topics by Week:

 

 

August

25

 

 

 

 

1.1, 1.2, 1.3

 

 

September

1

 

 

 

 

1.4, 1.5, 2.1

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

2.1, 2.2, 2.3

 

 

 

15

 

 

 

 

3.1, 3.2

 

 

 

22

 

 

 

 

3.2, 3.3, 3.4

 

Exam 1 is on 24 September

 

29

 

 

 

 

3.4, 3.5, 3.6

 

 

October

6

 

 

 

 

3.6, 3.7, 4.1

 

 

 

13

 

 

 

 

4.2, 4.3, 4.4

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

 

4.5, 4.6

 

 

 

27

 

 

 

 

5.1, 5.2, 5.3

 

Exam 2 is on 29 October

November

3

 

 

 

 

5.4, 6.1, 6.2

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

6.3, 6.4

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

 

6.5, 7.1

 

 

 

24

 

 

 

 

7.1, 7.2

 

Thanksgiving Day is on 26 November

December

1

 

 

 

7.2, 7.3

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

Last day of class is on 8 December

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course work:

Homework assignments will be announced online or in class. Generally these will be collected at the beginning of class on Tuesdays. Late homework will not be accepted. You are encouraged to discuss the homework problems with other students, but you must write your own solutions to those that are collected. Quizzes (if any) may or may not be announced. No make-up quizzes will be given. This course has a significant writing component; this means that your written work must be clear, precise, and grammatically correct. You must show complete solutions, written legibly, to receive credit for a question. All steps and calculations must be justified.  Excellent attendance and pertinent contributions to class discussions can favorably affect your grade. Your ringing cell phone can adversely affect it.

 

There is a one-hour recitation section for this class, held on Wednesdays 10:45-11:35 in ECG 237. The lead TA assigned to our class is Taylor Hines (Taylor.Hines@asu.edu). Five TAs, who have been selected because of their experience and skill, will conduct the recitation. They will help with difficulties encountered in the lectures, and provide additional discussion problems designed to help you better understand the lecture topics. Active participation in these discussions will help you assimilate the material in this course, and will account for 5% of your grade. Taylor will also grade selected homework problems every week, and hold two office hours per week.

 

Exams:

Midterm examinations will be given in the testing center on tentative dates shown above. A comprehensive final examination will be given on the date published in the ASU final exam schedule. You are responsible for assigned material whether or not it is discussed in class. You are responsible for material discussed in class whether or not it is in the text. As with all work, you must show complete solutions (all steps and calculations), written legibly, to receive credit for a question. Scratch paper will be provided on request; you may not use your own. Cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned off and put away during exams. You must bring your ASU Suncard with you to all exams, and must sign your paper in ink at the beginning of each exam. Cases of academic dishonesty will be prosecuted to the fullest possible extent. You are strongly encouraged to review the ASU website for details on policy and procedures regarding academic dishonesty. If you must miss an exam due to illness or other reasonable excuse, notify me as soon as possible. You must notify me in as timely a manner as is reasonable in order to have an opportunity to take a make-up. If you cannot reach me personally, a message (965-3951) indicating your name, the reason for your absence, and the time of your call is usually sufficient. I reserve the right to require a medical excuse or other documentation, where applicable. You are encouraged to arrive on time for exams. If you do not attend the exam, and have not been excused, you may not have the opportunity to take a make-up.

 

Course grade:

A course grade of incomplete will be given only in the most compelling non-academic circumstance, which must be approved by me no later than 24 hours before the final examination time. You must be passing the course at the time the incomplete is requested. Exam scores and course grades will not be discussed over the phone or by e-mail as this is a violation of confidentiality regulations. Your overall score in the course will be computed according the following weights.

Homework & quizzes

Recitation

 

20%

5%

Midterm exams (2 @ 20%)

 

40%

Final exam

 

35%

Your grade for the course will be based on the following cutoffs. Plus/minus grades will correspond to extremes within grade ranges.

A    

 

87%

B     

 

75%

C     

 

63%

D     

 

50%

 

This syllabus is subject to change or revision; announcements made in class or online are considered addenda to the syllabus.