Harbourne's Fall 2011 Math 203E

Required ACE statement

ACE Outcome 3: This course satisfies ACE Outcome 3. You will apply mathematical reasoning and computations to draw conclusions, solve problems, and learn to check to see if your answer is reasonable. Your instructor will provide examples, you will discuss them in class, and you will practice with numerous homework problems. The quizzes will test how well you've mastered the material.

Instructor: Brian Harbourne      Class Room: Oldfather Hall 308
Office: 331 Avery Hall           Time: 10:30 -- 11:20am MWF
Tel.: 402-472-4476
Email: bharbour@math.unl.edu      Web: http://www.math.unl.edu/~bharbour/
Office Hours: 12:30-1:20 MWF, and other times by appointment, but feel free to drop 
      by my office anytime. If I'm busy, we can make an arrangement for later.
Text: Excursions in Modern Mathematics, 
      by Peter Tannenbaum.
      (We will also cover some topics not in the book.)

• Philosophy & Goals: This course will go beyond mechanical mathematical skills (like adding columns of numbers or doing algebra), and explore the thinking and attitudes that are an even more important (but sometimes neglected!) component of mathematics. This is a pilot section of what we expect will be called M203E, a section of M203 especially for prospective education students. As is true for all sections of M203, topics are chosen which are related to everyday life, but unlike other sections of M203, the topics we study are meant be of particular interest to education students and to also help students be better prepared for subsequent classes like M300. We hope you will find that much of what we'll do is interesting, relevant, and different from what you've done before, but most of all that it's fun!
• Quizzes: Although there is no comprehensive final exam, there will be several quizzes, the last of which will be given during the final exam time slot (10:00 to 12:00 noon, Friday, Dec. 16). I will drop your lowest quiz. Also, if you miss a quiz or if you want to improve your grade, you can take a make-up for any single quiz of your choice, also during the final exam time slot. Your score on a make-up will replace your original score, if the make up score is higher.
• Writing assignments: There will be several writing assignments. Each writing assignment should be one or two pages long (at least 400 words). Points will be taken off for spelling and grammar. Additional points may also be taken off related to content, length and quality. I will give feedback and accept a revision to allow you an opportunity to earn back half of the points taken off.
• Homeworks: Homework problems will be discussed in class and collected each day; students will be expected to present their solutions to the class occasionally.
• Attendance: Communication and problem solving skills can't be learned by reading a book. They are better learned by interacting with others, so attendance is an important component of this course. Attendance counts 10% of your grade. If you attend more than 90% of the classes, your attendance score will be 100%. If you attend more than 80% of the classes but not more than 90%, your attendance score will be 90%, etc. (so your attendance grade is determined by rounding your attendance percentage up to the nearest multiple of 10). This allows you to miss a few classes due to illness or for attending a conference etc. without hurting your grade, as long as you don't miss too many classes.
• Grades: Your semester grade will be determined by your averages on the quizzes, writing assignments, homework and attendance, according to the following percentages:

        Quizzes:                     40% 
        Writing assignments:         30%
        Homework:                    20%
        Attendance:                  10%
                                     ___
        Total                       100%
  

• Departmental Grading Appeals Policy: Students who believe their academic evaluation has been prejudiced or capricious have recourse for appeals to (in order) the instructor, the departmental chair, the departmental appeals committee, and the college appeals committee.