Welcome!
Most course materials can be found at the right of the page. If you have a question, please contact me or your TA, directly or by e-mail.
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Announcements:
- Announced 12/14/2007: The final grades have been posted. I have also posted the final exam solutions. Here are course and exam statistics:
- The median final exam score was 65 out of 80. As a result, I ended up "curving" the grade scale slightly.
- The median course grade is a 3.2.
- Great work this quarter is was a pleasure working with you. Good luck in the future.
- If you want to see your exam, please visit my office hours next quarter (I will post them on my website during the first week of the quarter).
- Announced 12/8/2007: A List of Sample Final Questions, is now posted.
- Announced 12/3/2007: A Review of Chapter 7, is now posted.
- Announced 11/29/2007: The last homework, Homework 8, is now posted. It contains a large number of review and challenge problems which should give you an opportunity to earn a few points back and bump up your grade.
- Announced 11/26/2007: Homework 7 and a review of the Pigeonhole Principle and Equivalence Relations are now online. You should also check out the updated grades.
- Announced 11/19/2007: The Sample Exam 2 solutions have been posted. More importantly, you should make sure you understand how to do ALL the homework from Chapters 4 and 6. Carefully, go through the homework solutions.
- Announced 11/12/2007: I have posted a review for Chapter 6.
- Announced 11/5/2007: Make sure to pick up graded homework and homework solutions from me at lecture. I have also posted a
review of Chapter 4 to the right of this page. I have also posted a sample Exam 2 at the left of the page.
- Announced 10/31/2007: For those of you looking for some extra material about proofs, or if you just want another perspective, I encourage you to try the following websites (a word of caution: I have not carefully reviewed every part of all of the sites or books listed below, so use them only as a secondary reference):
- Proofs by Larry Cusick, CSU-Fresno contains examples of proof mechanics and a dicussion of proof methods.
- Proofs in Mathematics Contains a short description of proofs along with several examples (you need to scroll down the page to see the examples).
- A quick search of the library catalog brings up the following titles which pertain to mathmatical thinking and proofs. These all can be found in the math research library (Padelford C-Wing, across from the elevator on the third floor):
- How to read and do proofs - Solow, Daniel ; Math Stacks QA9.54.S65.2005
- An introduction to mathematical reasoning - Eccles, Peter J. ; Odegaard Reserve QA9.54.E23.1997
- Proofs and fundamentals - Bloch, Ethan ; Math Stacks QA9.54.B57.2000
- An introduction to mathematical thinking - Gilbert, William ; Math Stacks QA10.G55.2005
- And you can find many more by searching for "Proof Theory" in the library catalog.
- Announced 10/31/2007: As I mentioned in class, the question "Is there a set with `size' between the natural numbers and the real numbers?" was the first of 23 problems proposed by the mathematician David Hilbert on August 8, 1900. Studies into these problems lead to several of the most significant mathematical findings in the 20th century. Not all have been solved (and some may never be solved!). You can see the list of problems at HilbertsProblems.
At the end of the last century (in 2000) the Clay Mathematics Institute put together a new list of unsolved problems (some were on Hilbert's original list) and they are offering $1 million dollars for the solution of each. These problems can be found at UnsolvedProblems.
- Announced 10/31/2007: For those of you that are having trouble with various parts of your homework, you may be interested in Polya's problem solving method. George Polya was a renowned mathematician. In 1945, he wrote a book about how to approach mathematical problems. Key points of the methods he suggests can be found here.
- Announced 10/29/2007: I have posted the gradesheet along with a rough estimate of homework, exam and overall grades. Please remember that there are lot of points left to be had this term and the second exam and final tend to be more difficult.
- Announced 10/22/2007: I have posted sample exam 1 solutions. In addition, I have posted solutions from another old exam. The solutions to this exam also include the questions, so you can cover up the solution and attempt the problems before you look at the answer.
- Announced 10/18/2007: Please note that I have posted a sample exam at the right of the page. Also, I have posted a review of Chapters 1-3. Please read through all of this material carefully.
- Announced 9/17/2007: Welcome to Math 310.
Your first task is to get the textbook at the bookstore. Then I suggest you explore the links at the right of the page. I will be posting several helpful review sheets and homework hints throughout the quarter, so check back frequently.