General
Especially if this is your first math class at UW, you should read the
"note to students" on the Math 126 Materials Website.
As this note explains, we expect you to spend about fifteen hours a week
outside of class on Math 126: reading the book; working on problems
alone, with other students, or in MSC (Math Study Center);
and getting help at the MSC and in office hours each week.
Getting the most out of lecture
The topic for each lecture is listed on the Math 126 Materials Website.
You will learn more from lecture if you look over the topic
before coming to class. Then read it in detail as soon
after the lecture as possible, and try the homework problems.
With this schedule, you will have plenty of time to ask your questions
in class, in office hours, and at the MSC, while avoiding
the last minute crush at the MSC.
Homework
The schedule indicates homework problems
for each lecture. You should try these problems as soon after the lecture
as possible, while the lecture is fresh in your mind, and so you have
plenty of time to get help if needed before the homework is due.
Each homework assignment will be graded on a scale of 10 points.
Two of those points will be for completing the assignment; that is, for
working all the problems through, whether or
not they are completely correct.
Two problems will be graded in detail for four points each.
Homework will be due on Wednesdays every week except the first and last weeks of the quarter and the midterm week. Usually, the homework due will include the problems listed for the lectures through the previous Wednesday or Friday, starting after the previous set you handed in. See "Current Announcements" on the Math 126C Homepage for the exact sections included for each due date.
The importance of doing all the homework cannot be overemphasized. Mathematics cannot be learned passively. Even professional mathematicians frequently find that something can look straightforward, even easy, when someone else is demonstrating it, but turn out to be confusing and difficult when first attempted, and require a fair amount of practice to master at even a low level.
It is good practice to be sure that anything you turn in is labelled with your first and last name, the course and section (e.g. Math 126CB), and your TA's name. Papers occasionally are mislaid, and find their way back faster with all this labelling. Your student number usually is not necessary.
Answers and even worked solutions are available for many of the homework problems in the book, on the web, or in supplementary materials you can buy. Use these resources wisely. Work out your own answer before looking at anyone else's work or answer. You want to learn how to solve problems, not how to "reverse engineer" a solution from a known answer. Be aware of the limitations of these resources. A worked solution may in fact just be an outline, with steps that are skipped or abbreviated. This is particularly true when you are asked for an explanation or a proof. You should fill in enough details so that someone who hasn't thought about the problem can easily follow your work. This may require you to include more English than you are used to in doing mathematics. Finally, be aware that there may be different forms of the correct answer, that there may be multiple correct answers, and that the answers in the book or on the web or given by a friend or tutor may be wrong. Don't assume that your answer is wrong and the other is correct: Check the reasoning, ask in the MSC or class or office hours.
Return to the Math 126C Homepage.