MA 330 Course Syllabus Spring 2014

MA 330 Course Syllabus 2014
January 14, 2014
MA 330 Course Syllabus
Spring Semester 2014
Section 002
MWF 1100 - 1150
CB 343
1 Instructor
Prof. Richard Carey
O ce: POT 965
E-Mail richard.carey@uky.edu
Phone: (859) 257-3745
O ce Hours: MW 4-5 and by appt.
2 Text
The text for the course is The History Of Mathematics, An Introduction; Seventh Edition,
by David M. Burton. In addition there are multiple online references including the promi-
nent MacTutor History of mathematics archive http://www-groups.dcs.st-and. ac.uk/ history/;
http://convergence.mathdl.org/convergence /1/;
http://personal.stevens.edu/ nkahl/Top100Theorems.html
3 Grading
Your course score will be the sum of presentation points (140), one take-home exam assignment
(100), and a take-home nal exam (130) The nal grading scale for the course will be as follows:
333-370 A; 296-332 B; 259-295 C; 222-258 D; below 222 E.
The Final Exam is on Monday, May 5, 2014 in CB 349 at 3:30 pm.
Presentations: 70 points
You will complete a sequence of assignments culminating in a 15-pp. paper. The writing
will be judged on the exposition of the mathematics (Is the problem well posed? In what way
does it make sense? Is the solution valid and precise?) and on the quality and insight of your
writing (Are the ideas clearly articulated? Has the subject matter been made interesting to
the readers? Is the language precise? Are the ideas developed through details? Are there tran-
sitions guiding the reader from section to section? Is the whole acceptably free of grammatical
errors? Has the work been carefully proofread?) Overall I will be looking for thoughtfulness
(making insightful connections) on your part in the writing and presentations.
Research Topics Browse your textbook and the web to see what topics youre interested
in pursuing. In your proposal, due at the beginning of week 4, rank order your top ve. Here
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are some suggestions. From Geometry. Theory of Area;Three famous construction problems;
history of the parallel postulate and Non-euclidean geometry; Bolyai -Lobachevsky formula
relating the angle of parallelism and distance. From number theory. The fundamental theorem
of arithmetic; Fermat's Christmas theorem; Fermat's Little theorem; Fermat's Last theorem;
formula for the sum of k-th powers; The Law of Quadratic-Reciprocity; p-adic numbers; Dio-
phantine equations, cryptology . From Algebra. Cubic and Quartic equations, solutions of
higher order equations; algebra of quaternions; algebra of matrices, axiomatic algebra - groups,
rings and elds; mathematics of the search engine. From Calculus. Origins of calculus. Fun-
damenal Theorem of calculus as exempli ed by the theorems of Green, Stokes and Gauss;
in nite series which leads to the formula ei + 1 = 0: From probability. The law of large num-
bers, the central limit theorem.
A working bibliography (10 points). Your bibliography will list 5 of the best possible
research sources ( after a session with a math librarian.)
First paper(5 pp. draft, 20 points). This paper places a classic, mathematical problem
in its biographical, and cultural contexts. This draft status. This draft will serve as your
introduction to your larger paper.
Class presentation (20 points ) In the paper and presentation, you will explain a classic
problem and its solution. be prepared to use the chalkboard, handouts, power point etc. Be-
fore you actually give your presentation, we'll discuss your plans in a conference.
Third paper(5 pp. draft, 20 points) In this paper, you'll discuss implications for subse-
quent and current research (ie., what is the intrinsic interest to mathematics?). This draft
will serve as the conclusion of your larger paper. The full paper will be awarded an additional
maximum of 70 points.
4 Attendance Grading for the course will be in
uenced by class attendance. You will be
allowed 4 unexcused absences, then for every missed class after that you will lose 10 points
from the possible 370. I will let you know when roll begins.
5 Additional Course Policies
Course policy of academic accommodations due to disability: If you have a documented disabil-
ity that requires academic accommodations, please see me as soon as possible during scheduled
o ce hours. In order to receive accommodations in this course, you must provide me with a
Letter of Accommodation from the Disability Resource Center
Course policy for attendance: See the above.
Make-up opportunities: The instructor shall give the student an opportunity to make up the
work and/or the exam missed during an excused absence... implies the student shall not be
penalized for the excused absence.
Veri cation of Absences: Students missing work due to an excused absence bear the respon-
sibility of informing the instructor about their excused absence within one week following the
period of the excused absence (except where prior noti cation is required) and of making up
the missed work.
Course policy for submission of assignments: Students shall return all assignments on the due
date. No late assignments shall be accepted without an excused absence.
Course policy on academic integrity: All assignments, projects, and exercises completed by
students for this class should be the product of the personal e orts of the individual(s) whose
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name(s) appear on the corresponding assignment. Misrepresenting others work as ones own
in the form of cheating or plagiarism is unethical and will lead to those penalties outlined in the
University Senate Rules (6.3.1 and 6.3.2) at the following website: http : ==www:uky:edu=USC=New=rulesregulations=index:htm:
The Ombud site also has information on plagiarism found at http : ==www:uky:edu=Ombud:
Course policy on classroom civility and decorum: The university, college and department has
a commitment to respect the dignity of all and to value di erences among members of our
academic community. There exists the role of discussion and debate in academic discovery
and the right of all to respectfully disagree from time to time. Students clearly have the right
to take reasoned exception and to voice opinions contrary to those o ered by the instructor
and/or other students (S.R. 6.1.2). Equally, a faculty member has the right - and the respon-
sibility - to ensure that all academic discourse occurs in a context characterized by respect and
civility. Obviously, the accepted level of civility would not include attacks of a personal nature
or statements denigrating another on the basis of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age,
national/regional origin or other such irrelevant factors. Please note Senate Rule 6.4.7.A.1 has
changed. The Registrar will retain a record of the Letter of Warning for an academic o ense.
It will be available to third parties if the student authorizes its release or the speci c record is
requested as part of a court-ordered subpoena. In the past, the Registrar destroyed the record
of the o ense when the student graduated.
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