TEXT: Wayne Richter, Sequences, Series and Foundations (available
at ALPHA PRINT in Dinkytown).
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This is an introduction to the kind of
mathematical reasoning used in more advanced Mathematics courses.
Topics covered include: truth tables, quantifiers, mathematical
induction, completeness of the real numbers, sequences, series,
Taylor series, power series solutions to differential equations.
GRADING POLICY: Grades will be based on homework, two midterm
exams, and a comprehensive final exam, contributing as follows:
homework |
2 midterms | final exam | total | |
total points | 100 points |
200 points (100 points. each) |
200 points | 500 |
percentage of grade |
20% | 40% |
40% | 100% |
If your cumulative score is at least 450 points (that is,
90%) you are guaranteed an A, if your score is at least 375
(75%) you are guaranteed a B-, and if your score is at least 300
(60%) you are guaranteed a C- for the class.
HOMEWORK: Homework will be assigned daily in the lectures. As a
general rule, you should at least try to do ALL the exercises in
the book. For each week's assignment you will be required to write
down complete solutions to a number of specified exercises and
turn in your solutions; selected exercises will be graded. The
homework assignment for each week will be collected in your
recitation section on the following Tuesday. You may also drop it
in your TA's mailbox before
the recitation it is due. Late homework will be accepted at the
discretion of your TA; however, you may be deducted points for
lateness. A list with the assignments, including the exercises you
should turn in, can be found by following the homework
link in the course home page.
EXAMS: The exams will consist of problems similar (possibly
identical!) to the ones assigned as homework. In addition, I may
ask that you reproduce in the exams some proofs of theorems
I presented in the lectures. Naturally, the exams will be closed
books/notes.
MISSED EXAMS POLICY: Missing an exam is permitted only
for very serious and unavoidable extenuating circumstances, and only
if you notify me in advance. In all cases of absence from
exams a written excuse is required. Otherwise you will get a score
of 0 on the exam. Even if you are excused from taking a midterm
exam, you will not be given a make-up. Instead, the
following procedure will apply: at the end of the semester, two
grades will be computed for a student who missed a midterm, and
the highest of the two grades will be the one awarded for the
class; the first grade will be determined by giving appropriate
extra weights to the other midterm exam, while the second grade
will be determined by giving extra weight to the final exam.
Except in truly exceptional situations, a student who misses the
final exam will fail the course.
INCOMPLETES: These will be given only in extraordinary circumstances, and are at my latitude. More precisely, I will consider giving you an incomplete if you have successfully completed all but a small portion of the work of the course and some severe, unexpected event prevents you from completing the course. This means that you must have taken the 2 midterms and must be doing work at the C level or better. You will have to sign a contract detailing what you have to do to complete the course. I will not give you an incomplete simply because you are behind in your work; in the latter case you should try to drop the course.
S/N GRADE: If you are registered S/N, I will submit a grade of S if your letter grade is C or above, and otherwise a grade of N.
CALCULATORS: During exams you will be allowed to use calculators
(including graphing calculators). However, they should generally
be useless for this class.
ATTENDANCE: Attendance will not be taken into account towards the final grade for this class, however it is very highly recommended. You are responsible for all material covered in class and all assignments. Experience shows that poor attendance most often results in a poor grade.