CRN 14486

Syllabus

• Topic. Introduction to Higher Mathematics

• Time and Place. MW 13:30-14:50 in Bell 130

• Instructor. Helmut Knaust, Bell Hall 219, hknaust@utep.edu, 747-7002

• Office Hours. M 15:00-16:00, R 17:00-17:50, after class, or by appointment.

• 
  Textbook. Mount Holyoke College. Laboratories in Mathematical Experimentation. A Bridge to Higher Mathematics. Springer-Verlag. Amazon lists the price at $49.95 (8/26). Bring the textbook to all class meetings.

• USB Stick. Please bring a USB stick with at least 1 GB capacity to all class meetings.

• Co-requisite. Calculus I (Math 1411).

• Course Description. An introduction to mathematical problem solving, experimentation, and proof writing, and the relationship among all three. The course will be built around a series of in-depth problems from a variety of areas of higher mathematics, especially those not encountered in pre-calculus and calculus courses.

• Course Objectives. This course is built on the proposition that you learn mathematics, and how to construct mathematical proofs, better when you formulate the questions and discover the answers yourself. Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to investigate mathematical questions, big and small, both experimentally and theoretically.

This is very different from courses like pre-calculus, calculus and differential equations, which are primarily focused on computations. Although there are computations in this course, they are a tool for discovering, and proving, more general mathematical truths.

• Class Participation and Homework. I will regularly assign homework. The homework will not be collected, but discussed in class. You are expected to always actively participate in class. Your homework and participation grade will contribute 10% to your grade.

• Tests. Two exams will be given on the following dates: Wednesday, October 3 and Monday, November 12. Each exam counts 20% of your grade.

• Projects. You will complete several programming projects. Some class time will be dedicated to work on these projects. These projects will be graded and contribute a combined total of 20% to your grade.

• Final Project. Small groups of students will prepare and present a comprehensive final project at the end of the semester. The final project will count 30% of your grade.

• Time Requirement. I expect that you spend an absolute minimum of six hours a week outside of class on reading the textbook, preparing for the next class, reviewing your class notes, and completing homework and project assignments. Not surprisingly, it has been my experience that there is a strong correlation between class grade and study time.

• Attendance. You are strongly encouraged to attend class. Students with four absences (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course with a grade of "F".

• Drop Policy. The class schedule lists Friday, October 29, as the last day to drop with an automatic "W". After the deadline, I can only drop you from the course with a grade of "F".

• Students with Disabilities. If you have a disability and need special accommodation, please contact the Disabled Student Services Office (DSSO) in Union East 106, 747-5148, dss@utep.edu.

• Academic Integrity. All students must abide by UTEP's academic integrity policies, see http://sa.utep.edu/studentlife/student-conduct-2/ for details.