Math 1105-01                                        MATHEMATICS AND LIFE                                             Spring 2009

Instructor:               Lena Feinman

Office:                     SM212, phone (650) -591-9441(h), e-mail: lena.feinman@gmaili.com

Office Hours:          M, T,W, F from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Class Times:            MWF: 11:00-11:50 a.m., in SM 208

Required Text          The Heart of Mathematics: An invitation to effective thinking, 2nd edition, by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird. You are expected to bring your textbook at each class meeting.

Required Equipment: 2’’ three hole binder for storing notes, three hole lined paper, compass, ruler, origami paper

Prerequisite:            Math Competency Level I, imagination, wiliness to think and have fun doing it.

Course Description: It is an informal general education course for non-science majors designed to introduce students to the role and usefulness of mathematics in contemporary society. With only simple mathematical tools, students get a glimpse of the power of mathematical thinking. We will consider some of the greatest ideas of humankind. The great ideas we will explore are within the realm of mathematics - an artistic endeavor which requires both imagination and creativity. In this course, we will experience what mathematics is all about by investigating some beautiful and intriguing issues. Thus, the informal prerequisites for this course are an open and curious mind and the willingness to put aside any preconceived prejudices or dislikes for mathematics.

Course Objectives:  The students will be able to understand some rich mathematical ideas; demonstrate some new skills for analyzing life issues that transcend mathematics; appreciate mathematical perspective as a way to view the world. In particular, they will see many uses of mathematics in the world today such as using of mathematics in Risky Business, Prediction, Chaos theory, Logic and so on. We will work not only with the textbook, but also with additional sources. There will be many handouts, papers, projects with presentations.

Material Covered: Chapters:1, 2, 4, 5, 6 (see tentative schedule).

Attendance:           Students are required to attend all class sessions. You will be counted absent if you are more than 5 minutes late. Bring special attendance problems to my attention immediately.

Homework:            Each set of homework assignments consists of reading from the text and doing several Mindscapes.

                 (See HW assignments)

                              Homework will be assigned each class day and collected every class day. Students are expected to work on homework and reading assignments as assigned.  Daily consistent effort is essential. Clarity of exposition is important, and well written, polished solutions are the goal.   Homework turned in MUST indicate (in the upper right hand corner of the first page):

 your name,

 section of Math class you are enrolled in,

 homework number,

problem numbers, chapter, page in the textbook.

Late homework without excusable reason will not be accepted. I will start each class by going over the homework, answering your questions regarding the problems assigned to you at the previous class meeting. You are expected to participate in the demonstration of your solutions. The problems on tests and on the final exam will be very similar to the ones from the homework assignment. So to be successful you have to complete all of the assigned problems.

Tests and Exams: There will be 3 tests, 4 quizzes and one final exam (see tentative schedule). There will be no makeup tests and quizzes unless a valid, documented reason is presented. In exceptional circumstances, you may be allowed to take a test or exam early. Any such arrangement must be made in advance, and you must have a serious reason for doing so.

Tutorial Center Hours:     If your tests/quizzes’ scores are less than 100%, you must do the error corrections for the tests/quizzes in the Tutorial Center. Your corrections should be sign by the tutor and the hours that you spend in the tutorial center should be recorded. The Tutorial center attendance is the part of your overall grade. (See below.) If you will accumulate more than 10 hours in the tutorial center per semester, you can accumulate up to 2 extra percent toward your Tutorial center grade.    

Portfolio:                You will be expected to keep your work and handouts from the class organized in a binder. The binder should be separated into four sections: 1) Course information, 2) Homework, 3) Class notes and handouts, 4) Tests. 5) Papers. 6) Project. 7) Error corrections. I will check your portfolio before the final exam.

Final Exam: a comprehensive cumulative final exam will be held on: Wednesday, May 6 from 11 to 1 :30.

Cell phone policy: All cell phones are strictly prohibited on the tests. All other time they must be put on vibration.

Tentative Schedule

Homework Assignments

HW1: Read section 1.1 do p 28 Mindscape: # 1, 3

HW2: Read section 1.1 do p 28 Mindscape: # 4, 5

HW3: Read section 1.4 do p 28 Mindscape: # 14, 15

HW4: Read section 2.1 do p 45 Mindscape: # 1, 3,4, 8,15

HW5: Read section 2.2, do p 57 Mindscape: # 2, 6, 7, 15, 29, 30, 22, 24, 36, 37

HW6: Read section 2.3, do p 77 Mindscape: # 2, 7, 12, 14, 15, 24, 32

HW7: Read section 2.6, do p118 Mindscape: # 3, 6, 10

HW8: Read section 2.6, do p118 Mindscape: # 12, 32, 34, 35.

HW9: Read section 2.7, do p131 Mindscape: # 2, 7, 10, 20, 23, 25

HW10: Paper 1

HW11: Handout #1

HW12: Handout #2

HW13: Handout #3

HW14: Read section 4.1, do p 213 Mindscape: # 2, 8, 12, 15

HW15: Handout #4

HW16: Handout #5

HW17: Read section 4.3, do p 244 Mindscape: # 3, 9, 12

HW18: Read section 4.3, do p 244 Mindscape: #16, 17, 20

HW19: Read section 4.5, do p 284 Mindscape: # 2, 16, 17

HW 20: Handout # 6

HW21:  Read section 4.7, do p 320 Mindscape: # 1, 7, 12, 14, 16, 18

HW22:Ch 4 Review handout

HW23: Paper 2

HW24: Read section 5.1, do p339 Mindscape: # 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12.

HW25: Read section 5.2, do p 353 Mindscape: #3, 6, 8, 9, 25, 33.

HW26: Read section 5.3, do p367 Mindscape: # 2, 7, 9, 13, 26, 40

HW27: Read section 6.1, do p410 Mindscape: #2, 6, 9, 10

HW28: Read section 6.2, do p421 Mindscape: # 1, 8, 12, 13, 27, 28

HW29: Read section 6.3, do p450 Mindscape: # 3, 6, 13, 14, 20, 21

HW30:Handout # 7

HW31:  Collage

HW32: Read section 6.5, do p 493 Mindscape: # 1, 2, 3, 5

HW33: The sound of thunder

HW34: Ch 5-6 Review handout

HW35: Paper #3

HW36: Handout #8

HW37: Handout #9

HW38:  Handout #10

HW39: Presentation

How Papers Will Be Graded

Each writing assignment I give will be in the form of a reaction or reflection paper: at least 2 pages in length, 10 points possible credit. Basically, I want to know that you gave the topic some thought and made the paper easy to read. My grading method is:

Format:    3 points

Your paper should be typed on a computer . Your name, the due date for assignment, and the course number on each page. The title of the assignment should appear at the top of the first page.

Content:    4 points

Here I am looking engagement and/or originality. I want to know that you understood the topic and thought about it. Reciting or reporting facts may be useful, but that is not the point of these assignments. I want you to comment on the facts or ideas that you are writing about.

Flow:   3 points

I expect that you will connect your ideas into a readable whole. Often you will be able to do this without rewriting. Please reread what you wrote and edit it, if necessary.

Research Project:      The only way to really understand mathematics is to learn and discover it on one's own. Thus, students will select a mathematical topic not covered in our class, read and teach themselves any necessary background to understand it, and then investigate the topic.  A student will write a paper on his/her findings and present a poster/power-point talk at the end of the semester.