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I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus at any time during the term by announcing them in class and on the webpage. You are responsible for knowing not only what is discussed/announced in class but also what is posted on Moodle/class website. |
| Prerequisites: |
MA252 (Calculus II).
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| Course Description: |
The logic of compound statements, mathematical induction, set theory, counting arguments, permutations, combinations, and probability. Problem solving is stressed.
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| Text: |
Mathematical Reasoning: Writing and Proof, 2.0 by Ted Sundstrom.
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| Calculators: |
A graphing calculator is not required nor will you find it very useful for this course.
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| Grading: |
| Based on: |
|---|
| Homework | 40% |
| 2 Exams | 15% and 20% |
| (higher exam is worth 20%) |
| Final exam | 25% |
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| Basic Scale: |
| A | 90-100% |
| B | 80-89% |
| C | 70-79% |
| D | 60-69% |
| F | 0-59% |
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I give +/- grades, the cutoffs being at the 7's and 3's, respectively. Thus 80-82.9 = B-, 83-86.9 = B, 87-89.9 = B+.
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| Extra Credit: |
Do not count on extra credit in this course to boost your
grade. I make it a policy to not give extra credit on an individual basis so do not ask for
it, especially at the end of the semester. |
| Homework: |
This course will emphasize problem solving and proof writing; thus homework is the most important aspect of the course. Assignments will consist of exercises from the book and any additional exercises or computer problems that are assigned. These will be posted on the homework webpage. They will be collected every week unless told otherwise (which exact sections are due that week will be announced the class period before). Of the set of problems turned in on an assignment, I will choose a handful to correct and give feedback. The homework will be time consuming so do not procrastinate. I will drop the lowest homework score for your final grade.
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| Late Assignments: |
Late assignments are accepted but 5 points (out of 40) will be deducted automatically. You may have one late homework without penalty. |
| Exams: |
There will be 2 in-class exams during the semester. They are
tentatively scheduled on Friday, February 19 and Friday, April 1. Other information
about the exams will be announced in class the week before each exam. |
| Final Exam: |
Final exams are cumulative. Specific information will be given later as the end of the semester nears.
MA395.01: Friday, May 6 at 6:30 PM. |
| Attendance Policy: |
I do not take attendance very day, but I do pay attention to who shows up. If you must miss class, I don't need to hear why because it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. It is best to get notes from a classmate; my lecture notes will not be useful to you. If you cannot make it to an exam because of an illness or family emergency, let me know in advance by phone or e-mail. Make-ups will be given only under these circumstances. Don't abuse this. No changes can be made to the dates and times of the final exam. |
| Classroom Etiquette: |
When you come to class, I expect you to not only be in
attendance physically but also mentally. That means no cell
phones, no leaving class during lecture, no extraneous chatter,
etc. If you know you must leave class, sit by the door to
minimize the disruption. If cell phones and texting become a problem, I will confiscate the phone.
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| Honor Code: |
All students of the University are expected to understand the
meaning of the
Loyola University Honor Code. Ignorance of the Code
is not a valid reason for committing an act of academic
dishonesty. The following constitute violations of the Code and
are defined in the Community Standards Handbook: cheating,
stealing, lying, forgery, plagiarism and the failure to report a
violation.
As it pertains to this course: I expect and encourage you to work with others on homework (by collaborating, not emailing or copying!). However, you must write and understand the work that you turn in and you may not share written solutions before they are turned in. If you learn how to solve a problem by talking to a classmate, looking it up in a book, or on the internet, you should cite the source in your homework write-up, as you would for a literature paper. I will ask you to sign a pledge on exams but not on all assignments although I will expect the same honesty on all of them. Any questions or concerns should be directed immediately to me. |
| Student Athletes: |
If you are a student athlete, please provide me with your travel schedule indicating when you will need to miss class to participate in athletic events. While travel for athletics is an excused absence, you will need to make up any missed work. Please remind me before you are going to miss a class. Absences only on the travel letter will be accommodated. |
| Students with Disabilities: |
To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disability Support Services (DSS), Newman Towers West 107, at DSS@loyola.edu or call 410-617-2750/2062. If you already registered with DSS and requested an accommodations letter (and DSS has sent the letter to your professors via email), please schedule a brief meeting to discuss the accommodations you might need in this class. Please contact Marcia Wiedefeld, Director of DSS, if you have any questions at mwiedfeld@loyola.edu or 410-617-2062. |
| Learning Outcomes: |
At the end of the term, if a student successfully completes the course, s/he will have achieved:
the following Undergraduate Learning Aims of the University:
- Intellectual Excellence
- appreciation of and passion for intellectual endeavor and the life of the mind
- appreciation of and grounding in the liberal arts and sciences
- excellence in a discipline, including understanding of the relationship between
one's discipline and other disciplines; understanding the interconnectedness of
all knowledge
- habits of intellectual curiosity, honesty, humility, and persistence
- Critical Understanding: Thinking, Reading, and Analyzing
- the ability to evaluate a claim based on documentation, plausibility, and logical coherence
- the ability to analyze and solve problems using appropriate tools
- the ability to use mathematical concepts and procedures competently, and to evaluate claims made in numeric terms
- the ability to use information technology in research and problem solving,
with an appreciation of its advantages and limitations
- Eloquentia Perfecta: the ability to use speech and writing effectively, logically, gracefully, persuasively, and responsibly
- Diversity: recognition of the inherent value and dignity of each person, and therefore an awareness of, sensitivity toward, and respect for the differences of race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, culture, sexual orientation, religion, age, and disabilities
the following Natural and Mathematical Sciences learning aims:
- develop their innate curiosity about the natural world and take a life-long interest in science news and advancements
- explore one or more of the central ideas that form the foundation for modern science
- understand the process of science - its methodology, how questions are framed, how data are acquired, how arguments are constructed and conclusions reached . In this context, students should learn what science is not and have the ability to recognize and reject pseudoscientific claims. In addition, students should also have the ability to recognize the limits of science. Students also should understand the relationship between science and technology and how the results of scientific discovery can be applied to the needs of society. Students should learn the linkage between experimental methodology and scientific content
- learn to reason mathematically, and to think critically and analytically through statistical or mathematical methods. Because of the close interrelationship between science and math, in each science course in the core, students will achieve a better understanding of the power of quantitative tools used in the particular discipline
- learn how recent technological advances have facilitated and accelerated scientific inquiry. They gain a realistic understanding of the potential and limitations of computation
and the following learning goals of the course:
- become proficient at developing and writing proofs using a variety of methods such as direct proof, proof by contradiction, proving the contrapositive, and mathematical induction, and
- be able to apply the concepts of permutations, combinations, and probability.
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