MATHEMATICS G MATHEMATICS FOR THE LIBERAL
This course satisfies
the General Education requirement and the Math Proficiency requirement for
TIME: M W
INSTRUCTOR: DR. IAN G. WALTON
OFFICE: N2 403 PHONE (408) 855-5323 Office Hours - but see web
site for variations
M
email: ian_walton@wvm.edu
All routine and
emergency class announcements will be made on the class web page below (not on
Angel)
Class Web Page: http://www.
missioncollege.org/depts/math/classes/ianf09mathg.htm
Ian's Bio Web
Page: http://www.missioncollege.org/depts/math/ftbios/ianwalton.html
HOME:
TEXT REQUIRED: BURGER & STARBIRD, HEART OF MATHEMATICS 2/E
PREREQUISITES:
CLASS PERIODS: Class periods will be a mixture of lecture and
problem solving. It is required that you attend all classes since
we will have group discussions on many things that are not in your
textbook. Active Participation
will count in your grade.
HOMEWORK: Home work problems will be assigned at most
class meeting and will be due as specified. Late homework may be accepted with
reduced credit for your grade, in special circumstances. Ask me for details.
Last date for any homework or assignments is last regular class day (Wednesday,
December 9).
GRADES: There will be no formal in-class exams in
this class. Most of your grade will come
from research projects which may require additional activity at the college
in addition to scheduled class time, and from presentations in class, as
follows:
15 % of your grade
will come from active participation in class including surprise
group activities and instructor observation. Make sure you sign the attendance sheets each
time you are in class. Absences will not
be "excused" for this part of your grade. You may be dropped for
non-attendance. If your grade for this
portion drops below a "C" you may be required to pass a supplementary
final exam.
10 % of your grade
will come from homework assignments from your book. They must be turned in on time but will not be
graded for correct answers. They must
show all steps and explanations, not just answers.
15 % of your grade
will come from other homework assignments (takehomes).
These will be graded for correct answers
and explanations and overall quality of presentation. You must be able to explain your own work - in
person if necessary.
20 % of your grade
will come from book or video or computer reports consisting of library research
and/or communication during a class presentation. These will require on campus activities.
20 % of your grade
will come from a midterm project and presentation in class. This should be a 5 - 10 page presentation of
some mathematical idea. You will
probably want to consider some topic related to material covered in class, or
which is an application of material we have discussed. Research it, then
write it up in words, pictures, graphs, in a way that your classmates can
understand and learn something new from you. Be prepared to give a five minute in-class
presentation.
20 % of your grade
will come from a final project. This should be similar in concept to your
midterm project but on a different subject, and
written only. It should be longer (10 -
15 pages ). Both
projects must contain complete, detailed references to all material including
internet sources that you use in their preparation.
In grading all your
work I will be looking for evidence of time and effort spent in discovering
mathematical ideas and applications that are new to you and your classmates,
and in presenting them in an understandable, enjoyable attractive format. Extra credit assignments are not available for
this class.
Letter grades will be
assigned from your final total percentage score as follows:
90-100 A; 80-89 B;
65-79 C; 50-64
D;
0-50 F
If your grade for the
participation portion drops below a "C" you may be required to pass a
supplementary final exam.
If you stop coming to
class the instructor may assign a NC or F grade, or may drop you.
A CR/NC grade is
available in this class but must be arranged in advance - and may not transfer.
Tutoring help is
available free in the Math Lab S2-301. (Jeff Bunch or Melissa Aguilar) Also ask about financial aid, scholarships and
counseling help.
DEADLINES &
IMPORTANT DATES
Last date to drop class
with no record - Friday, September 18
Book Report
Presentation due Wednesday, September 23.
Midterm
Paper/Presentation due Monday, October 26 - preliminary draft due Oct 19.
Last Date to drop class
with a "W" Friday, November 20
Final Paper due Monday,
November 30 -
preliminary draft due Nov 23.
Last
Date to turn in any material for your grade Wednesday, December 9.
Final Week Meeting - Wednesday,
December 16 - you must attend! (no class on Monday December 14)
CHEATING &
BEHAVIOR POLICY You must not cheat on
assignments or conduct yourself in such a manner that any suspicion is raised,
or in a manner disruptive to other students - turn off all electronic devices
in class, and do not text or talk to each other when the instructor is talking.
You may receive zero score on the first assignment where cheating is suspected,
or be given an F grade for the class, or be dropped from the class by the Vice
President. See the college cheating policy in the college catalog. Also see additional instructions for term
papers and drafts and for takehomes.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES In the
event of a fire alarm or other emergency during class you should collect all your
personal belongings (including car keys) and immediately leave the building for
the assembly area outside. Stay clear of access roads. An evacuation map is
posted in the classroom. Then wait for
instructions on whether to return to class or leave campus. If the campus is closed for an extended
period, look for additional instructions on the class web site.
GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES We should
cover selected topics from your text book and other mathematical topics that
are of interest. You should gain an appreciation for the beauty, power and
usefulness of many new areas of mathematics, be able to solve assigned problems
and be able to present material to your classmates. I should gain an awareness of your
difficulties in time to help. Also see
the official student learning outcomes below.
!! AND LET'S HAVE FUN WHILE WE'RE AT IT !!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
and HELP
Be sure to regularly check
out the Math G page on Ians website address above.
Books with possible
topics for papers available in
Comap For all Practical Purposes, Freeman / Berlinghoff & Grant A Mathematical Sampler,
Ardsley House
Videotapes available
in the Library or Mathlab: For
all Practical Purposes; Life by the Numbers; Against All Odds
Several past midterm
and final papers for this class are on reserve
in the Math Lab S2-301 and may be checked out
for use in the lab (Ask Jeff or Melissa).
Several other
textbooks / articles are available in Ian's office at office hours. Come and
browse for ideas.
You can also check out
other books from the
be used at home. Some call numbers which
contain interesting math material are:
QA1
- QA37 QA90 - QA150 QA241. Or use the college Library's electronic
resources.
Or check out your
local city library, internet (see the class website for some suggested sites) or
daily newspapers and magazines. You may find appropriate material cataloged
under recreational mathematics.
Math G (Math for Liberal Arts Students)
Student Learning Outcome Statements
Course Outcomes
Students completing this course will be
able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge, comprehension, and
appreciation for the rich history of mathematical thought and reasoning.
2. Understand and apply the role of
mathematics in critical thinking and problem solving.
3. Communicate to a
non-mathematical audience their understanding of mathematics history,
techniques and applications.
4. Apply a selected variety of mathematical
techniques and solve problems at the transfer level.
5. Understand and describe a selected variety
of more recent and more advanced mathematical topics using mathematical skills
at the transfer level.
Student Assessment Methods
1. Individual
and group in-class activities
2. In-class
student presentations
3. Research
and written term papers or portfolios
4. Homework
problems
5. Personal
reflections on the subject and what they have learned