# Math 102 Course Policies

Fall 2005

Class meets:

 (sec. 3): Mon, Tues, Thurs: 1:00--1:50 p.m. in KSC 110 (sec. 4): Mon, Tues, Thurs: 2:00--2:50 p.m. in KSC 110

Professor: Dr. Kevin Iga

Phone number: 506-4313 (office), (818) 880-9439 (home)

Email: kiga@pepperdine.edu

Office: RAC 117

Office hours: Mon., Tue., Thur., Fri. 11 a.m.--noon.

Please come by my office hours whenever you have questions, and even if you don't have questions. I am also available at other times by appointment.

You are also required to come by my office at one time during the second or third week of the semester. A signup will be passed around the class.

Tutoring: Student-led tutoring sessions Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 7--10 p.m. in RAC 113

Text: Burger and Starbird, The Heart of Mathematics: An Invitation to Effective Thinking'', 2nd. ed.

Calculator: Calculators may come in handy during class or in your homework from time to time, but I will not require you to have one. They will be allowed on tests and homework, though on tests you will find them to be of limited value. If you intend on sharing a calculator with a friend, keep in mind that sharing calculators is not permitted on exams.

Ideally, a calculator should be able to do ordinary arithmetic operations, as well as some additional functions like exponentiation (powers) and square roots. It need not be able to graph or be programmed.

Note that cell phones and laptops are not allowed during exams, so if your only calculator is a calculator program on your cell phone or laptop, you will want to get a stand-alone calculator, or you will not have one during the exams. In general, nothing that will permit electronic communication with another student or people outside the room may be used on exams.

Web page: http://math.pepperdine.edu/~kiga/102

Email list: math102@yahoogroups.com (when you fill out your information you may elect to be on this list)

Prerequisites: None.

Well, what math background are you expected to have? I realize that the range of math classes taken by students in math 102 varies widely, and this includes the extent to which students remember various facts. This course, however, is not in sequence with the standard math sequence, and so mastery of past math subjects is not as relevant in this class as compared to what you might be used to.

Most of the course is based on concepts rather than specific skills, though some skill will come in handy at some points. Though these times are relatively rare, the strong reaction some students feel when they do not know the relevant skils may make it loom large in their minds. Most of these skills, when they come up, are at the pre-algebra and algebra level: using variables, understanding algebraic expressions, and sometimes solving simple equations. It is assumed that students have had exposure to algebra and geometry at some point, but it is not assumed that they have a strong mastery of either subject.

If you find you need some review on some topic like this that is used in class, come by my office hours or use the tutoring service mentioned above.

The Idea of this class: This is most likely a very different kind of math class than you have ever had. Most math classes you have experienced emphasize skills: how to solve a quadratic equation, or how to find an unknown side in a triangle. This class will emphasize ideas and concepts. How to do it'' will take a back seat to Why does it work?''

This is also a course where we seek to discover math together. I'm not here to tell you the answer; I'm more of a guide to help you explore a mathematical concept. Through this course, I hope to show you the big picture: what mathematics is all about. This is something that many students don't see in high school courses, or even some college level courses. Once you see math from this point of view, I hope you will be able to see why mathematicians feel that mathematics is beautiful, or how creativity, imagination, and logical thinking can work together in mathematics. I hope you will see how mathematics is part of what our civilization is all about: where we have been and where we are going, and why, to be a truly educated person, one must have some facility with mathematics.

Beyond this, we will see ten {\em Lessons For Life} as they apply to mathematics. These lessons are to be found throughout the textbook, though they are also at the end on p. 619 for ready reference. I hope these {\em Lessons For Life}, illustrated through mathematical problem solving, will serve you as you face other kinds of problems in your life.

Goals: The student should develop:

• An ability to translate a problem which is well-suited to mathematical solutions into mathematical language;
• An ability to think and reason in a structured logical manner;
• An ability to use mathematical reasoning to understand problems;
• An appreciation for what mathematics is all about, and what mathematicians do;
• An idea for the logical structure of mathematics, and proof;
• An appreciation for the applicability, subtlety and beauty of mathematics;
• an ability to approach problems in life analytically.

Objectives: The specific objectives of this course will partly be determined by the students in one of the first assignments. Students will select topics from the book that are of greatest interest to them, and the course will be based on what topics are most popular.

The point is that these subjects are merely a vehicle to introduce the student to mathematics: logical thinking, quantitative sense, great and profound ideas, and creative problem-solving. These cannot be taught in the abstract, but must be carried by more concrete examples, and these examples will be the occasion for us to discover mathematics together.

Homework: Homework will be assigned twice a week; homework assigned on Tuesday will be due on Thursday, and homework assigned on Thursday will be due on Tuesday. Homework should be turned in at the beginning of class.

The two lowest homework scores will be disregarded.

Remember that the primary purpose of the homework is to learn the material, so if you miss one, or do not take it seriously, you will fall behind in the course material and will not do well on exams.

Late assignments: No late homework is accepted. Exceptions can be granted, if you must give me notice that you are going to turn in an assignment late at least the class before the assignment is due. You must also have a good reason. These reasons will be treated on a case-by-case basis. When you obtain permission to turn in an assignment late, we will discuss a new due date for that homework.

Collaboration: You are encouraged to collaborate on all homework assignments, unless otherwise specified. This means you work on it independently before discussing it with each other, and it means you must thoroughly understand how to do the problem before writing it up. You must write up your answers separately; you cannot turn in one homework for more than one person, nor can you simply include photocopies of other students' work. There is no limit to the size of a group for collaboration, although 3-5 people tends to be an efficient size.

You should also use these groups to ask questions of each other to better understand the material. If you do not see each other frequently, you should set up a regular time and place to meet to work on assignments. If you do not have a group, talk to me and I can place you in a group. If you do not wish to work in a group, that is your prerogative but this will be a disadvantage to you.

Comments: You should include comments about the class at the top of your homework assignments. These comments can be This class is going too fast'', I like this section'', This is too easy/hard'', Can we have more connections to music'', Everything's okay'', and so on. You will not be graded on these comments, but they will affect how I teach the class, and may make the class more enjoyable for you.

Class participation: You are expected to actively participate in class. Many students view learning as a passive act, where the teacher takes the only active role, and the student simply listens, or at most takes notes. This view is not advisable in this class. Here, you will need to take an active role in learning the material. {\em You} are in charge of your education, and {\em you} should take responsibility to learn the material as thoroughly as you can.

This is especially true in this class. As you will discover, this class is not a lecture-style class, where I simply proclaim information to you and you record the information in your notes. Rather, we will be engaged in mathematics discovery together.

Ten percent of your grade is based on my estimate of your class participation throughout the term. Mostly this is easy points: you don't have to get the right answer''; you just have to be engaged in the class as evidenced by the questions and comments you make. In fact, making wrong statements'' is a pretty important part of this course, and you will get more points for boldly guessing than for waiting until you are sure you are right before speaking.

Attendance: Attendance is important. The whole point of the class is for us to discover mathematics together, and you cannot do that if you are not here. Skipping even a single class will mean you will not likely be able to do the work or know what is happening in the next class period. This is not the sort of class where just reading the material in the book will allow you to do the work. And, of course, if you don't attend, you can't get class participation points. In short, skip class at your peril.

Exams: There will be three midterms, and one final. Each midterm counts for 16% of your grade, and the final counts for 22%. Homework counts for 20% and class participation for 10%. the final exam grade will substitute for your lowest midterm grade if this is to your advantage. Borderline grades could go either way, depending on the effort I see you put into the class.

There are no make up exams. If you must miss an exam due to a major emergency, you must make arrangements with me beforehand, and exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis. If granted, your final exam score will be used to calculate the score for the missed exam.

Midterms will be during the normal class period. Both midterms and final will occur in the normal classroom for the class. Dates for these tests are as follows:

 Midterm 1 Sep 29 during class Midterm 2 Oct 27 during class Midterm 3 Dec 1 during class Final (sec. 3) Dec 13 1:30 p.m.--4:00 p.m. Final (sec. 4) Dec 14 1:30 p.m.--4:00 p.m.

I will hold review sessions before each, at a time that is popular with the class.

Holidays:

 Labor Day Sep 5 Conference Oct 7 Thanksgiving Nov 24--25

Grading: A grade of C indicates an ability to do homework-like problems, and memorization of all techniques and definitions. In order to receive a B, a student must demonstrate a deeper knowledge of the material, being able to apply the course material to new circumstances where applicable. An A student must demonstrate this kind of deep understanding in all of the covered topics, as well as be able to draw new conclusions from known facts in a logical manner, and must also demonstrate persistence and dilligence. In the other direction, a grade of D shows only superficial understanding of the material, and shows inconsistency to do straightforward problems. An F grade indicates that the student has severe gaps in even superficial understanding of the material in the course.

Although this is the philosophy, grading will be done by counting points received on each problem, as usual. But the difficulty level of the problems will be arranged in order to achieve the above grading scale.

Christian attitude: Although not part of the grading for this course, you are expected to approach this class with a Christian attitude, being willing to help your fellow classmates to understand the material outside of class, being willing to be corrected by your fellow classmates when you see they are right, but firm in your conviction otherwise, being bold to ask questions without feeling ashamed of looking foolish, encouraging one another in love, being patient with those who are asking questions, and preferring a grasp of the material, which is enduring and becomes part of you, over a grade, which is transient, external, and shallow. You should diligently devote the time you spend on this class as to the Lord. As cheating harms both the cheater and the rest of the class (though in different ways), you should not cheat, nor should you provide temptations for others to cheat.

For my part, I commit to approaching this class with a Christian attitude, viewing my role as that of a servant, being concerned first for your personal, especially intellectual, development. I will also seek to produce an environment of encouragement and love, that fosters a sense of community and understanding. I commit to reporting grades that accurately and honestly reflect the level of work done in the class, as described in the paragraphs above. I also commit the time I spend preparing for this class as to the Lord, and I will pray for all individuals in the class on a regular basis, understanding that even as I may seek to educate, God provides the true transformation.