Current Assignments: Click here
for assignments and due dates.
Some interesting links:
Official UPC codes web site
A UPC product code web site
Harbourne's Fall 2008 Math 203
Instructor: Brian Harbourne Class Room: Oldfather Hall 308
Office: 331 Avery Hall Time: 10:30 -- 11:20pm MWF
Tel.: 402-472-4476
Email: bharbour@math.unl.edu Web: http://www.math.unl.edu/~bharbour/
Office Hours: 12:30-1:30 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: A Mathematical View of Our World,
by Parks, Musser, Trimpe, Maurer and Maurer.
Bring the book to class each day.
Calculator: You will need a calculator with a square root key on it.
Cell phones are not allowed to be used in place of a calculator.
- Philosophy: 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.
I 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! This section of M203 is being piloted for a future M203J
which will have a focus adapted to CoJMC students, so we will have more of an
emphasis on math in the media than in other sections.
- Goals:
- to work hard but have fun learning
- to develop problem solving and logical thinking skills
- to better appreciate and enjoy math
by seeing it in real world contexts
- to develop and practice writing skills
- Quizzes:
There will be six quizzes, each covering 1 or 2 chapters.
Each quiz is worth 30 points. The final exam time slot is
10:00 to 12:00 noon Friday, Dec. 19. This time slot
will be reserved for retaking up to two quizzes.
Thus if you miss a quiz or two or if you want to improve your
scores, you can take make-ups for up to 2 quizzes 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: This course meets Integrated
Studies requirements, so a significant part of the course
involves writing assignments which will
be commented on by the instructor.
Most weeks there will be a writing assignment.
Each written assignment should be typed on one sheet of paper (front and back),
at least 300 words long, and will be
worth 12 points (3 points each for grammar, length, thoughtfulness and
content, and spelling - please use a spell-checker!).
Your 10 top writing assignment scores will count.
Writing assignments can be turned in early but not late without special permission.
- Reading Homeworks: Reading homeworks are short (1 or
2 problem) assignments due daily, based on the reading to be
completed for that day. Each reading homework will be graded on a
3 point basis -- 3 points means that you turned it in and it's
correct, 2 points means that you turned it in and it's more correct
than not, 1 point means that you turned it in and it's more incorrect
than correct, and 0 points means that you did not turn it in.
Your reading homework average counts as extra credit.
It will not be accepted late.
- Homework: We all learn by doing, so homework will be
assigned almost every day. It won't be collected, but
the beginning of most class periods will
be spent going over homework.
- Grades:
6 in-class quizzes, worth 180 points (30 points each)
10 writing assignments, worth 120 points (12 points each)
Reading homework average (on 10 point scale) (10 points of extra credit)
___
Total 300 points total
- 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.